God Hears Our Prayers--Our Part
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. -1 John 5:14
How should we pray so that God will hear?
(1) If we want God to hear us, then let us hear him. For 'he that turns away his ears from hearing the law, even his prayers shall be abominable' (Prov. 28:9). Is it not good reason for God not to hear us, when we will not hear him? 'Because I have called, and you have refused; when you are in misery, and will out of self-love cry to me to be delivered, then I will refuse to hear you' (Prov. 1:24, 25). Let all profane persons, that will not hear God, know a time will come, that though they cry and roar, yet he will not hear them.
(2) If we will have God hear our prayers, they must proceed from a broken heart. Prayers are the sacrifice of a broken spirit. David pleads with God, 'The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite spirit' (Psa. 51:17). Bernard of Clairvaux said, 'I have led a life unbefitting me; but yet my comfort is, that a broken heart and a contrite spirit, Lord, you will not despise.' God will hear the prayers and tears of relenting hearts.
(3) To strengthen our prayers, we must add to them the wings of love, faith, hope, and earnestness. Oh! the prayers that have tears with them cannot go without a blessing.
(4) If we would have God to hear us, let us have a resolution and purpose of reformation. To this purpose David said, 'If I regard wickedness in my heart, God will not hear my prayer' (Psa. 66:18). If we come with a traitorous mind to God, with our sins in our arms, we must look for no acceptance from him. When a man comes to a king to put a petition to him, and comes with a dagger in his hand to stab him, will the king accept of this man's petition? Do we think that God will hear our prayers when we bring a dagger in our hand, to stab him with our sins? If we will not leave our sin, we shall never go away with a blessing.
(1) If we want God to hear us, then let us hear him. For 'he that turns away his ears from hearing the law, even his prayers shall be abominable' (Prov. 28:9). Is it not good reason for God not to hear us, when we will not hear him? 'Because I have called, and you have refused; when you are in misery, and will out of self-love cry to me to be delivered, then I will refuse to hear you' (Prov. 1:24, 25). Let all profane persons, that will not hear God, know a time will come, that though they cry and roar, yet he will not hear them.
(2) If we will have God hear our prayers, they must proceed from a broken heart. Prayers are the sacrifice of a broken spirit. David pleads with God, 'The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite spirit' (Psa. 51:17). Bernard of Clairvaux said, 'I have led a life unbefitting me; but yet my comfort is, that a broken heart and a contrite spirit, Lord, you will not despise.' God will hear the prayers and tears of relenting hearts.
(3) To strengthen our prayers, we must add to them the wings of love, faith, hope, and earnestness. Oh! the prayers that have tears with them cannot go without a blessing.
(4) If we would have God to hear us, let us have a resolution and purpose of reformation. To this purpose David said, 'If I regard wickedness in my heart, God will not hear my prayer' (Psa. 66:18). If we come with a traitorous mind to God, with our sins in our arms, we must look for no acceptance from him. When a man comes to a king to put a petition to him, and comes with a dagger in his hand to stab him, will the king accept of this man's petition? Do we think that God will hear our prayers when we bring a dagger in our hand, to stab him with our sins? If we will not leave our sin, we shall never go away with a blessing.
Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
Josiah's Reformation, pp. 126-28 [98-99]
Banner of Truth has granted permission for the use of this material.
Josiah's Reformation, pp. 126-28 [98-99]
Banner of Truth has granted permission for the use of this material.
Categories
Recent
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — December 22
December 22nd, 2024
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — December 21
December 21st, 2024
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — December 20
December 20th, 2024
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — December 19
December 19th, 2024
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — December 18
December 18th, 2024
2024
January
One Thing (1)One Thing (2)Our Thoughts and Desires Reveal Who We AreThe Christian's Desire for God's House (1)The Christian's Desire for God's House (2)What the Soul Was Made ForGod Makes the Heart TenderMaintaining a Tender Heart (1)Maintaining a Tender Heart (2)Maintaining a Tender Heart (3)Maintaining a Tender Heart (4)Test to See if Your Heart is TenderHow to Recover a Tender HeartBenefits of a Tender HeartKings Must Humble Themselves Before GodHow to Humble Ourselves (1)How to Humble Ourselves (2)How to Humble Ourselves (3)Proneness to PrideHumilityTrue versus False Humility (1)True versus False Humility (2)True versus False Humility (3)Both Outward Devotion and Inward AffectionWeeping for the ChurchWeeping and Rejoicing Mixed (1)Weeping and Rejoicing Mixed (2)God Hears Our Prayers--His PartWhen It Seems God Doesn't HearThe Privilege of PrayerGod Hears Our Prayers--Our Part
February
Death Is a Gathering (1)Death Is a Gathering (2)The Righteous Preserve their NationGod's Righteous JudgmentThe Importance of Knowing God Loves Me (1)The Importance of Knowing God Loves Me (2)Abundance Is Not an Accurate Sign of God's LoveRun to GodChristian UnityChrist In Us (1)Christ In Us (2)Christ In Us (3)Christ In Us (4)Christ In Us (5)Christ the Servant: the MediatorThe Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (1)The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (2)The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (3)The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (4)God Knows Our FrameLittle at First (1)Little at First (2)Sometimes Tender, Sometimes Tough (1)Sometimes Tender, Sometimes Tough (2)Avoiding Unnecessary RulesThe Weaker BrotherExtend Grace to One AnotherThe Covenant of GraceThe Light of God Compared to Fire (1)
March
The Light of God Compared to Fire (2)The Light of God Compared to Fire (3)Temptation (1)Temptation (2)The Source of DiscouragementsResponding to Christ's KindnessVictory in Spiritual BattlesHis Power Not OursCourage Until the End (1)Courage Until the End (2)Our Hearts—God's TempleSin in God's PeopleSigns of God's Impending Judgment (1)Signs of God's Impending Judgment (2)Signs of God's Impending Judgment (3)Preventing God's Judgment on Our Nation (1)Preventing God's Judgment on Our Nation (2)The Ugliness of Sin (1)The Ugliness of Sin (2)Far but NearChrist's Dying Words of ComfortThe Wrong of Excessive SorrowSteps to Bring Comfort to our Hearts (1)Steps to Bring Comfort to our Hearts (2)Steps to Bring Comfort to our Hearts (3)When We Feel Our Faith Is Weak (1)When We Feel Our Faith Is Weak (2)When We Feel Our Faith Is Weak (3)Christ and the Holy SpiritChrist Is the Heart and Power of the Scriptures (1)Christ Is the Heart and Power of the Scriptures (2)
No Comments