Martyn-Lloyd Jones emphasizes the profound nature of prayer as taught by Jesus in Matthew 6:5-8, warning against the hypocrisy of praying for the sake of appearance rather than genuine communion with God. He highlights that sin, particularly in the form of self-worship, can intrude even into our prayers, leading us to focus on ourselves instead of God. The preacher stresses the necessity of approaching God with humility, recognizing Him as our Father, and understanding our need for rebirth and a new nature to truly engage in prayer. Jones contrasts false prayer, which seeks human approval, with true prayer that is centered on God and excludes self-interest. Ultimately, he calls believers to trust in God's readiness to bless and to approach Him with childlike faith.

T. Austin-Sparks emphasizes the foundational principles of the house of God, highlighting the triumph of faith and obedience as exemplified by Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah, which later became the site of the temple. He discusses the necessity of laying down one's life in obedience to God, the importance of humility and the abasing of man's glory, and the meeting of mercy and judgment at the threshing floor of Ornan. Sparks illustrates that the house of God is built on sacrificial love and the rejection of self-importance, asserting that God is under no debt to man. Ultimately, he calls for a genuine relationship with God, where the chaff of vanity is threshed away to reveal the true substance that builds His house.