As we read and study the 49 scriptures that are Jesus’s commandments, let’s ask God to help us observe these words, apply them, and faithfully follow them throughout our lifetimes. The command we will focus on today is “Practice Secret Disciplines.”
Verses of the Day
Practice Secret Disciplines
“. . . When thou doest thine alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. . . . When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. . . . When thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.”
(Matthew 6:1–18 KJV)
Lesson of the Day
Jesus commands us to practice secret disciplines. The word Jesus uses for people who show off is “hypocrite,” and in Greek, it actually means “actor,” someone wearing a mask. So He’s talking about people who pray and give and fast for the audience, not for God. That’s not worship; that’s a performance.
God wants our hearts to be for God alone, not for an audience. When we give, do it quietly. When we pray, go to our secret place, our closet, our war room, and shut the door. When we fast, wash our faces and don’t look miserable about it. The point isn’t that nobody ever knows what we do. The point is that our reward comes from the Father who sees in secret, not from people who see us in public.
If we do these things to be noticed, then the attention we get is our only reward, and that’s it. That’s all there is. But the Father sees what’s done in secret, and He sees the heart behind it. That’s the reward that actually lasts.
Encouragement
This command is a lot easier. This is where we want to be. We need intimate time with God so that we can be raw and honest with God. We need space to spill our guts, cry, scream, or just sit in silence. That’s where we will find God.
There is no benefit in doing these things just to be noticed by people. We would hold back, and if we didn’t hold back, then we would risk spreading our business to the public, which could cause problems. So, let’s keep it between us and God.
I spoke of my journey and how I practiced secret disciplines. I didn’t even know that I was practicing disciplines. I was just reaching out to my Father in Heaven for comfort, love, peace, and deliverance. Drastic times call for drastic measures.
The room that I started praying in just happened to have been empty ever since my granddaughter moved to Texas with her mother. I needed some private space. I prayed, studied, and praised in that little room. Although I was alone, my family knew I was in there. I didn’t think of the room as a war room. My husband actually started calling it that. He would say, “Are you going to your war room?”
I had that room, but it wasn’t private enough, so I had to find other spaces that would give me complete privacy. My car became my war room. I would sit in the driveway or just drive to the park and wage war. Remember the whole armor? Well, you wouldn’t get dressed in front of a crowd, so don’t put on your whole armor in front of people. Go to your private room.
Now, the other place that I would go to wasn’t private at all, but I would be in my own world at the walking park. It was a three-mile walk along the trail. I would turn my headphones on, blast gospel music, and get my steady-paced walk on while singing aloud. Once I was in the Spirit, I would start speaking to God aloud, and more often than not, tears would be flowing. All of this was going on as I continued walking through the park. People did see me, but I didn’t care. I didn’t know them, so it didn’t matter to me. All I was focused on was the time that I was spending with God. Being in that open space and admiring God’s splendid creation made me feel so close to Him.
It could be said that I was showing off, but once I was in the Spirit, everyone else seemed to disappear. Did they hear me singing? Yes, as I passed them. Did they hear my conversation with God? I don’t know. I know that I wasn’t standing still. I was walking fast, too, so if they heard it, then it was probably a word here or there. Did they see my tears? Maybe. No one ever came up to me and asked if I was okay.
All I know is that my true intentions were to connect with God. My aunt was a pastor. She was the one who showed me that I could walk and talk to God. We don’t all have to connect with God in the same place. Just make sure that you’re sincere when you practice these disciplines.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, we can go to You, Most High, to hide. We can go to You, God All-Powerful, for protection. We say to You, LORD, “You are our place of safety, our fortress. Our God, we trust in You.”
God, You will save us from hidden dangers and from deadly diseases. We can go to You for protection. You will cover us like a bird spreading its wings over its babies. We can trust You to surround and protect us like a shield. We will have nothing to fear at night, and there is no need to be afraid of enemy arrows during the day. We will have no fear of diseases that come in the dark or terrible suffering that comes at noon.
A thousand people may fall dead at our sides or ten thousand right beside us, but nothing bad will happen to us! All we will have to do is watch, and we will see that the wicked are punished. We trust in You, LORD, for protection. We have made You, God Most High, our place of safety, so nothing bad will happen to us. No diseases will come near our homes.
You will command Your angels to protect us wherever we go. Their hands will catch us so that we will not hit our feet on a rock. We will have power to trample on lions and poisonous snakes.
Lord, You say that if someone trusts in You, You will save them. You will protect Your followers who call to You for help. When Your followers call to You, You will answer them. You will be with them when they are in trouble. You will rescue them and honor them. You will give Your followers a long life and show them Your power to save.
(Prayer from Psalm 91:1–16 ERV)
Thank You, Lord. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.