Matthew 6:5 – “Whenever you pray, be sincere…”

As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word, Matthew 6 became my focus.   There is more to unpack that space will allow.  However, some key principles need to be highlighted.

Interestingly, Jesus begins His instructions by saying, “Examine your motives…”   What a way to begin.   What is the real reason we do what we do?   That led to His discourse on prayer.   Effective prayer can only flow from a pure heart guided by right motives.   If the motives are selfish, the heart will be divided, deceived, and ineffective in prayer.

Matthew 6:5 – “Whenever you pray, be sincere…”   The reality that He needed to make that statement reveals how full human hearts are with insincerity and selfishness.  

Effective, genuine, God-inspired prayer requires sincerity and demands that we get alone with God.   It demands that we go to our innermost chamber (place and condition).  Just talk to God!

The model prayer begins with recognizing God and allowing Him to occupy the throne of our lives.    Then, with a consciousness of Him, we move to an awareness of His manifest presence, where we acknowledge Him as our source.

In that position and condition, we realize forgiveness’s power, purpose, and requirement.  Forgiveness is a two-way street – from us to others and from God to us.  It is a round trip or no trip at all.

Then, we are in a mindset and positioned to receive Psalm 91 as our personal promise.  That brings us back full circle to God.  He is first, last, and everything in between.  He is God!

He continues with emphasis on forgiveness!  Hate has no place!   Then, in verse 21, He gives the clincher: “For your heart will ALWAYS pursue what you esteem as your treasure.”    If God is most important to us, His revelation light fills us.  Unclouded and undivided hearts have a continual flow of God’s light!

He used that foundation as the basis for His declaration in verses 25-33.   We have nothing to worry about if God is God to us as Savior and Lord.   Our provision is Him, and in Him, there is no lack.   Let’s make the process the guide of our daily lives.

Lord, keep our motives pure, and our hearts overflow with love!