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Read the Bible through in OneYear
Prayer Journal
Thursday, December 20, 2001
"Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." Isaiah 59:1,2
I believe we can agree that the simplest definition of prayer is "talking and listening to God". And what a wonderful privilege to do so. The old sacred hymn says "all our sins and grief to bear". Prayer is not only a privilege but a necessity if we desire to please God.
Recently I began a personal Bible study on the things God says keep him from hearing us when we pray. Isaiah tells us that our sins separate us from God. Romans 8:39 says "NOTHING can separate from the love of God". Contradiction? No.
The Romans text is the assurance of my eternal salvation.The text in Isaiah is speaks of broken fellowship and a refusal on God's part to hear my prayer until I ask him to forgive my sin. Then, what "sin" is Isaiah talking about that causes God to hide his face from me and shut his ears to my voice?
Here's a couple of things that will keep us from the presence of God:
1) Husbands failing to respect their wives as the "weaker" vessel. (1 Peter 3:7) This sin will hinder prayer.
2) Those who do not tell the truth, do wrong things, or fail to seek peace and pursue it. (1 Peter 3:10,12) This sin is so bad that God will, not only refuse to hear, but also stand AGAINST the offender. (cp: James 4:6)
We talk about God not hearing our prayer and we're concerned about that. Here's a thought: How many times have we prayed while guilty of these unconfessed sins, and set into motion a resistance from God that actually made the situation worse?
Even worse than that, how many times have I, wanting to support a friend by praying for them, actually been responsible for introducing God's resistance while praying for his mercy?
CONCLUSION: If we call ourselves Christians, we better think twice about praying for someone else when our own house is in not in order. Remember Achan? "That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction." (Gen 7:10-26)
Just Thinkin'.. WebServant
"When an evil (unclean) spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first." (Red words from Luke 11:24 )
(1) This article was published on
June 23, 2000 in the Prayertower Daily Prayer Journal.
(2) Scripture comes from the Holy
Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible
Society
Copyright © 2001, James
R. Green and Prayertower Ministries - All Rights Reserved
Pray today for...
* My spouse
* My children
* Their friends
* My employer
* My city
* My country
* Civic leaders
* Schools
* Teachers
* The sick
* The lost
* Those in despair
* The hospitalized
* The grieving
* Widows
* Orphans
* My church
* My pastor
* Other church leaders
* Other churches
* Persecuted churches
* Missionaries
