An enemy is there to raise bogies, excite conscience, jog memory, and direct invaders of the sacred hour. Some simple device will usually secure the secret place from intrusion. (Google image, Praying in secret)
General Gordon pinned a white handkerchief at the opening of his tent. I hang a card outside the door when I wish to be alone. That is simple enough, but though it may keep people out it is useless against the distractions of the mind, and a body may just as well be roaming at large as be shut in with a wandering mind.
How can the door be so shut as to keep out the things that divert and distract?
Attention is an act of the will. Concentration is sustained attention upon a specific object. The will can be disciplined and the power of concentration developed.
An educated mind is trained to attention, discrimination, and concentration. By patience the soul is won, and by discipline the mind is trained. God is in secret.
Let the first act be to affirm the fact of the Holy Presence. Call every faculty of mind and body to remembrance, recognition, and realization of the God who is in secret and sees in secret.
Hold the mind to this fact. Tolerate no distraction, allow no diversion, indulge no dissipation. Every faculty must be alert. Of the apostles on the Holy Mount it is said they were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake they saw His glory.
Dreaming is not meditation. Dozing is not thinking. Moping is not praying. Prayer in the secret place demands every faculty at its best.
Our Lord gave His disciples a form and order of prayer, and it does not begin with either song or supplication, but with the contemplation of God:
Our Father,
Which art in heaven,
Hallowed be They name.
It is in this way all the great prayers of the Bible begin. That is how I find it helpful to begin. I think in adoring love and wonder of His character and attributes, of His majesty and might, of His grace and glory.
Musing kindles the fire, and flame becomes "a wall of fire round about" which keeps beasts and intruders at a safe distance. That is why I so often find that prayer in the secret place begins with the Doxology, and abounds in glory and thanksgiving. It is there the transfigured Lord is seen.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
By Samuel Chadwick
(Click on the title to buy) 
Let's pray-
Father, when we're in our private place of prayer, we need You to keep the world from coming in and our minds from straying outward so we can concentrate on praying.
Help our attention to be disciplined with the power of concentration, and that it be developed over time.
Educate our minds to pay attention, discriminate and to concentrate on matters that You're concerned with.
May our first act be to acknowledge that Your Holy Presence calls every faculty of our minds and bodies to remembrance, recognition, and realization of Who You are in secret, and the One who sees in secret.
Hold our minds to this fact, and may we tolerate no distraction, and allow no diversion, that we be alert to sense Your Presence with us.
May we begin our prayer times with adoring love for You, Father, and to be in wonder of Your character and attributes of Your Majesty, might, grace and glory.
We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Help our attention to be disciplined with the power of concentration, and that it be developed over time.
Educate our minds to pay attention, discriminate and to concentrate on matters that You're concerned with.
May our first act be to acknowledge that Your Holy Presence calls every faculty of our minds and bodies to remembrance, recognition, and realization of Who You are in secret, and the One who sees in secret.
Hold our minds to this fact, and may we tolerate no distraction, and allow no diversion, that we be alert to sense Your Presence with us.
May we begin our prayer times with adoring love for You, Father, and to be in wonder of Your character and attributes of Your Majesty, might, grace and glory.
We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Today's Bible verses-
Romans 15:13(ESV) "May the God of hope fill you
with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the
power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."
Romans 12:12 (ESV) "Rejoice in hope, be patient
in tribulation, be constant in prayer."
Hebrews 11:1 (ESV) "Now faith is the assurance of
things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."
Isaiah 40:31 (ESV) "But they who wait for the Lord
shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with
wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint."
Today's quote-Romans 15:13(ESV) "May the God of hope fill you
with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the
power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."
Romans 12:12 (ESV) "Rejoice in hope, be patient
in tribulation, be constant in prayer."
Hebrews 11:1 (ESV) "Now faith is the assurance of
things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."
Isaiah 40:31 (ESV) "But they who wait for the Lord
shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with
wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint."
~ Larry Lea- "You can choose to pray or not to pray. So choose to pray. With all prayer and supplication before God let your requests be made known. Repent of your past and the mistakes you have made. Pray your covenant with God: that He is your salvation; that the Holy Spirit is your comforter and your counselor; that He is your healer; that He is your provider; that He is more than a conqueror in you.Finally, you can choose to praise God or not to praise. So choose to praise God!"
(p. 125, THE WEAPONS OF YOUR WARFARE, Equipping Yourself to Defeat the Enemy)
Today's popular post-
Why Make Him Lord?
Today's question-
Should we be concerned with our personal worship?
Our personal response to God in our worship affects others, as well as our own faith.
King David of the Bible, has left quite a legacy from his living so long ago. We read all about his good and bad habits in the Old Testament, but find that he is referred to as a sweet psalmist at the end of his life. Why? Because he loved God.
His life was marked by worship, even though he experienced rejection, was ruthlessly hunted by King Saul, betrayed and had to hide for fear of his life. We find that he continued to worship and trust God through it all.
The Holy Spirit rushed upon him when he was first anointed to be the next king over Israel. This anointing remained with him to help him throughout all of his trials, and later, to victory as the king of Israel. (See 2 Samuel 23:1)
Will we worship the Lord God regardless of our circumstances, and will our lives reflect that we put Him first? Will our legacy tell of our devotion to Him? Will others know that worship flowed from our repentant hearts?
Our mess should not define us. God is enough to help us be overcomers and to leave a legacy that honors Him.
Should we be concerned with our personal worship?
Our personal response to God in our worship affects others, as well as our own faith.
King David of the Bible, has left quite a legacy from his living so long ago. We read all about his good and bad habits in the Old Testament, but find that he is referred to as a sweet psalmist at the end of his life. Why? Because he loved God.
His life was marked by worship, even though he experienced rejection, was ruthlessly hunted by King Saul, betrayed and had to hide for fear of his life. We find that he continued to worship and trust God through it all.
The Holy Spirit rushed upon him when he was first anointed to be the next king over Israel. This anointing remained with him to help him throughout all of his trials, and later, to victory as the king of Israel. (See 2 Samuel 23:1)
Will we worship the Lord God regardless of our circumstances, and will our lives reflect that we put Him first? Will our legacy tell of our devotion to Him? Will others know that worship flowed from our repentant hearts?
Our mess should not define us. God is enough to help us be overcomers and to leave a legacy that honors Him.
Today's sermon spotlight-
FEBRUARY 10, 2019
Expressions of Worship
Speaker: Ben Levendusky
Series: Worship Topic: CFC Madrid
Upcoming posts-
#14 The Word of God in the Holy Presence
21st- Thursday's post by Samuel Chadwick
Why Is Forgiveness Important?
20th- Saturday's post by Jean Oathout
#15 The Word of God and Prayer
26th- Tuesday's post by Samuel Chadwick
#16 The Devotional Use of the Bible
28th- Thursday's post by Samuel Chadwick
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| Kathy, this is for you! |
Helpful ways the Lord helped me in my marriage
Jean I love the purple outfit what a courageous lady!
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