Closer to God with 1-Minute Prayer
Relationships require communication to flourish, and our relationship with our Heavenly Father is no different. God speaks to us through his word (i.e., the Bible) and we speak to God through prayer. Can something as simple as a 1-minute prayer make us feel closer to God? An experiment was ran to find out. The results suggested that, yes, even praying for just 1 minute can increase our feelings of closeness to God.
This document is about being honest & sincere.
It’s important to approach Jesus in prayer with an open and sincere heart. Be honest about your thoughts and feelings, and don’t be afraid to share your struggles and fears. Jesus is always ready to listen and provide comfort and support. When you are honest and sincere in your prayers, you open yourself up to receive the guidance and wisdom that Jesus has to offer.
Honesty is marked as being free from deceit or untruthfulness, yet because we all sin and find it easy to do so, honesty is something we must work hard at! A honest life is important on so many levels from relationships with spouses and children, at our workplace, and interacting with our neighbors. Matthew 7:16 tells us that we are known by our fruit. Let us be examples of a God of truth and life by living lives of integrity and truthfulness.
Bible Verses about Honesty and Integrity
2 Corinthians 8:21 For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.
2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
Colossians 3:9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices
James 1:26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless
Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
In the book of Proverbs we are given many verses about honesty and integrity. For example, one says whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out. Another says the LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy. We also read to do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice, and the one whose walk is blameless is kept safe, but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit.
We are told in Philippians a letter was sent to the church there and it told them to be true to Jesus teachings. “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you”.
In 1st Peter 3:10-12we read; For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Again back to yhr book of Proverbs 6:16-20; “There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him:. Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
The disciples who followed Jesus watched him praying and asked him to teach them how to pray. In Matthew 6:09-13 he told them: Top of Form
Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Bottom of Form
Honest prayers are beautiful and necessary, because only a truly honest prayer is an authentic offering of our hearts to God.
C.S. Lewis said, “The tuning up of an orchestra can be itself delightful, but only to those who can in some measure, however little, anticipate the symphony.”
We can give Him our apathy, our questions, our frustrations, our desires with confidence because we can anticipate the symphony. That’s the gift of belonging to Christ. We can hear it in the silence and in the hymns; we see it in our brothers and our sisters. Above all, we see it in the Eucharist. We anticipate the symphony being written in our hearts—the one that’s been etched in God’s heart from eternity.
Your Father hears it, too. He hears it in our prayers, and He delights in the symphony that He is writing with us.
Ephesians 4:25 “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” Stop lying and always speak the truth to our neighbors. This is key for living a life full of honesty and integrity. Truthful words build trust and make friendships stronger. Also, being honest is how we stay close to God.
James 5:12 “Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.” Always be honest, do not make promises lightly. Our “yes” should mean yes, and our “no” should mean no. This keeps us from lying. Being honest helps us get closer to God. Christians show their trust in God by being truthful. This shows strong faith and a clear connection with God during tough times.
Proverbs 10:9 “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.” Living with integrity keeps you safe. Being honest means you have nothing to hide. This verse tells us being straight is better than lying or cheating Honesty gives you confidence. It shows it’s good to be true to yourself and others. Integrity protects us, but dishonesty causes problems. Trusting the Lord helps people live a blameless life. Choosing to be truthful helps us avoid problems. Lies lead to issues we don’t want. So, it’s better to stick with honesty for a smoother path in life.
Acting uprightly means being real, not fake or hidden. We should love God fully and help others from the heart. Our lives should glow with honesty, spreading kindness wherever we go. This helps us live according to God’s standards of truthfulness and moral strength every day.
Believers are encouraged to keep their hearts clean, consciences clear, and faith strong. Living this way ensures integrity in both life and ministry, aligning actions with teachings.
Proverbs 2:20 “Thus you will walk in the ways of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous.” This is telling us to follow good people and stay righteous. Wisdom helps us live well and avoid harm. It teaches us not to follow wicked ways, which ruin life’s goodness. Living right brings strength and integrity.
Listening to wisdom makes our hearts strong and honest. Knowledge becomes valuable in our lives through this practice.
Psalm 119:30 “I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws.” This is telling us to pick faithfulness and follow God’s rules. It highlights the need for honesty and integrity, saying truth is key. This verse urges us to avoid lies and always speak the truth. By doing so, we show loyalty to God’s path, avoiding deceitful ways.
Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” This is telling us to think about things that are true, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worth praising. This verse tells us to pick our thoughts with care. It’s like aiming for a mindset filled with God’s truth. Thinking about good stuff helps us live more like Jesus did. It lets God’s peace into our lives and keeps away tension. This way, we keep our hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.
