MARCH 12 - PRAYER AND TREASURES
READ Matthew 6
Jesus teaches His followers concerning prayer and personal treasures.
INSIGHT
We cannot fool God. It is impossible to put something over on Someone who is omniscient. We can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time. But not God. Jesus says, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them” (Matthew 6:1). It is easy for us to fall into the trap of living our Christian lives for the sake of other Christians. We should be living it for the sake of
our relationship with the Lord. We may find ourselves going to church, singing the songs, and going through the motions but spending no time cultivating a personal relationship with the Lord. Such a relationship does not come easily. It requires commitment and time. But we must not fool ourselves, either. The Lord does not want merely our church attendance or other external actions. He wants us!
PRAYER
Ponder the fact that the Lord wants a personal relationship with us, and offer Him your praise:
He said: Lord, God of our ancestors,
are you not the God who is in heaven,
and do you not rule over all the kingdoms
of the nations? Power and might are in your hand,
and no one can stand against you (2 Chronicles 20:6).
Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving. As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord:
The heart is more deceitful than anything else,
and incurable—who can understand it?
I, the Lord, examine the mind, I test the heart,
to give to each according to his way,
according to what his actions deserve
(Jeremiah 17:9-10).
As you ponder the mercy of God, confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pause to pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6).
As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me
all the days of my life, and I will dwell
in the house of the Lord as long as I live
(Psalm 23:6).
Jesus teaches His followers concerning prayer and personal treasures.
INSIGHT
We cannot fool God. It is impossible to put something over on Someone who is omniscient. We can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time. But not God. Jesus says, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them” (Matthew 6:1). It is easy for us to fall into the trap of living our Christian lives for the sake of other Christians. We should be living it for the sake of
our relationship with the Lord. We may find ourselves going to church, singing the songs, and going through the motions but spending no time cultivating a personal relationship with the Lord. Such a relationship does not come easily. It requires commitment and time. But we must not fool ourselves, either. The Lord does not want merely our church attendance or other external actions. He wants us!
PRAYER
Ponder the fact that the Lord wants a personal relationship with us, and offer Him your praise:
He said: Lord, God of our ancestors,
are you not the God who is in heaven,
and do you not rule over all the kingdoms
of the nations? Power and might are in your hand,
and no one can stand against you (2 Chronicles 20:6).
Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving. As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord:
The heart is more deceitful than anything else,
and incurable—who can understand it?
I, the Lord, examine the mind, I test the heart,
to give to each according to his way,
according to what his actions deserve
(Jeremiah 17:9-10).
As you ponder the mercy of God, confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pause to pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6).
As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
- Greater love for the lost
- The work of missions in Africa
- Your activities for the day
Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me
all the days of my life, and I will dwell
in the house of the Lord as long as I live
(Psalm 23:6).
A Dogwood Church Discipleship Ministry Resource. © Walk Thru the Bible 2026.