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“Jesus wanted people to be real, not showy.”

A thought by Craig Groeschel from his book, Dare to Drop the Pose (p. 87). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

This is getting to why we pray and to whom we pray.  Are we communicating with God or with someone else who is listening when we pray out loud?

Craig says, “Jesus wanted people to be real, not showy. He taught, ‘When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray … to be seen by men’ (Matthew 6:5, emphasis mine).”

Craig goes on, “During his tenure as president, Lyndon Baines Johnson once asked Bill Moyers, a former Baptist minister who was on Johnson’s staff, to pray before a meal. Mr. Moyers was honored to pray, but when he did, President Johnson couldn’t hear him. The president asked Moyers to speak up so everyone could hear. Moyers replied, ‘I’m sorry. I wasn’t talking to you, but to God.’

Crain then says, “One day it dawned on me why praying out loud made me nervous. I was praying to be seen and heard by people, not by God. Honestly, it was nothing short of hypocrisy. I cared more about what people thought than what God thought.

“Pray honestly. What’s on your mind right now? Are you hurting? Tell God about it, and allow His presence to start the healing. Are you afraid? Unload on Him, and you’ll feel a lot lighter. Are you battling with doubts? Dump them on God, and you’ll be surprised at the peace. Do you feel like God isn’t being fair? Tell Him. Don’t hold back. He can handle it. God wants you to be truthful with Him. Let it rip. Give Him your whole heart.”

That may be why God said to go to our closet, shut the door and pray.  He wants us to be honest with him.  Prayer is to be a personal connection with him.  So, do you see that God wants us today to be real and not showy?  Do you?


Yes, yes!
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