"The Peril of Prayer" 2

Matthew 6:6

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

I've always struggled with knowing how to balance a hidden life of prayer with a community life of prayer. Some of the most powerful times of prayer I have been a part of have been with a few of my closest friends on a poorly carpeted floor around a couple candles. It seems that God's presence is increased in some special way "when two or three are gathered" in His name. And if you consider the idea that I mentioned in my last post - that it is as possible to dishonor God alone in prayer as it is with a group - it gets even more complicated. How are we to pray in ways that make much of God and less of us? How are we to pray NOT like the hypocrites but LIKE the tax collector?

It would seem that the real issue is not one of place - though that can definitely help and is an essential part of a Christ followers journey - but more one of heart... what is the status of your heart as you pray?

Which is a complicated question for sinners like us.

Tozer's thoughts from "Keys to The Deeper Life" are:

"What then shall we do?
We must deny self, take up the cross and count ourselves expendable.
We must cease to exercise the world's judgments and try to think God's thoughts after Him.
We must reckon ourselves dead to gain and glory and allow ourselves to become inextricably involved with the cross of Christ and the high honor of God." pg66

Simple enough...

;)

but what does that look like?