It seems to answer this question is the same as saying loud prayers on a street corner sounding a horn before doing it of course.
I disagree strongly with this quote. YOu express "it seems" but if this is the case doesnt it mean you are judging the person who asked the question and all of us who answer it? Perhaps you dont remember all of the quote but it is describing hypocrits. Discussing things such as private prayer life is nothing near the same as praying on street corners in order to be seen and heard by many. That is my opinion.
My thoughts are completely intwined with God. It is like, anything i am thinking is also prayer. God knows all our thoughts and i fully expect God hears me think. I really need this. I live with God's spirit inside of me. Just as my spirit knows my thoughts, the Holy Spirit within me also knows my thoughts. I practice thanking God for all things. I have practiced it long enough that I am pretty good at it but somtimes...I fail to thank God immediately. Because the pattern of my thinking is often in a form of talking with God it usually doesnt take God long to remind me I didnt thank HIm.
There are daily times I devote solely to prayer: each morning and each evening. My alarm wakes me at 5 and I have another alarm that goes off at seven. Usually I wake have some coffee and breakfast, let my dog out check my messages, make a few short phone calls ect. generally within an hour I begin my face time with God. I dont pray for any specific amount of time but it is usually no less than 30 minutes. The alarm is set in case I get into it (which I do tend to do) to remind me to get up and get on with my day. In the evenings I pray around 8pm. No alarm, just go to bed when i am done. It is rather intersting that I find this thread today because last night I didnt go to bed. I feel more refreshed than if I had slept. When I got up I was all bubly and refreshed full of JOy but then I thought; whats up with that? Cant remember the last time I prayed all night instead of sleeping.
God quickly showed me I havent fasted in ages. Usually I fast at least three days every three months and one of those four times a year is usually extended to seven to 15 days. The last time I fasted tho was in October. Some of you might wonder what fasting has to do with prayer. God taught me to spend time devoted to prayer(when you fast and pray) during fasting.
Those times are absolutely the most amazing times I have in my life. IN Janurary my mom was here. I had planned to fast after she left which was supposed to be on the sixth. We got a call that her brother died. WE had to make the trip to missisppi and spent a week with my aunt to help her with arrangements and just getting through each day. I hadnt even thought about missing my fast until just now. There is grief to get through and estate to take care of...seemingly endless details and then of course getting on with life.
AS far as this being anything like the hypocrits, it just isnt. This is speaking the truth in love. The truth is, apart from God I would neither do nor practice any of these things. It is God who taught me, God who heard me, God who was trustworthy and answered me. It is God's purity and love and peace and comfort and everything about HIm that I need so much every day all the time. NOne of this is about me. It is all about our God and how amazing HE is that HE would bestow all of these gifts onto HIs children. All good things come from God. The only claim I have that is from myself are my sins. I have broken every part of God's law. All honor and Glory and power always belongs to our God and Father. Any good there is in me is God working in me. I have been blessed just writing this. Reminded of missing my fast twice in teh same day! Yes I know, God is getting my attention. Maybe He misses me as much as I miss him? OUr God is so glorious and amazing. I pray that all who read this are blessed by God. May god's grace and peace be with you all.
YOur servant in Christ