Today’s Key Scripture

“Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.”

— 1 John 3:24 (NLT)

Prayer can easily become a ritual. Jesus Christ warned against letting our time with the Lord become mundane and pointless: “When you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matthew 6:7).

I have found that it is impossible for prayer to become lackluster, tedious, or even boring when the emphasis is on God’s presence and our fellowship with Him, rather than on ourselves, our needs, our wants, and our words.

When our focus is on God and the fact that He lives in us, the radiance and excitement flames brightly. He produces not only the spiritual gifts and fruit of the Spirit, but He fills us with assurance, warmth, and light. The inner witness is unmistakable.

Throughout history, humans have seemed to naturally lean toward symbol-filled ritualism, rather than a living, radiant relationship with God Himself.

There is an answer. The late noted Bible teacher E. M. Bounds wrote, “It is only when the whole heart is gripped with the passion of prayer that the life-giving fire descends, for none but the earnest man gets access to the ear of God.”

 

A Prayer for Today

Thank You, heavenly Father, that You seek to live and flourish in me today. I am so grateful that I don’t have to live and move within my own power, but that I can arise every morning knowing that You, Lord Jesus Christ, were so concerned to being in fellowship with me that You agreed to be crucified to forgive and redeem me through Your precious blood. Guard me from evil, and pour out Your Holy Spirit’s power to strengthen me for all the good You desire me to do today. In Your lovely name I pray, amen.

 

*All Scripture references are NKJV unless otherwise noted.