Prayer

“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven...” —2 Chronicles 7:14

There are times when we come to God with legitimate requests and great concerns, but all remains silent from heaven. 

Then we wonder and may even demand… “Where is God when I need Him?” 

The Bible warns of times that God will not answer prayer, Prov 28:9 --15:29 ---Psalms 66:18 Job 35:13--27:8---Matt 6:7

and there are four barriers or conditions we must meet if our prayers are going to be effective. 

God looks strictly upon the heart and sees our motives.Jeremiah 17:10--- 1 Sam 16:7  Prov 15:11 
Are we praying for "God’s glory" or are we "trying to build our own"?
  
John 5:45--Jeremiah 17:5--Gal 5:19-20   Luke 18-9-14

If our motives are self-centered, we may ask, but we won’t receive. 

Secondly, are we harboring sin in our hearts? Psalms 66:18 James 4:3 Isaiah 59:2  

Is there something we know is wrong in the sight of the Lord that we can’t let go of? Persistence in sin will grieve God. David writes, 

“If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” (Psalm 66:18). 

Being sinless is not an option, but we cannot allow ourselves the liberty of retaining sin and expect to hear from God.

Thirdly, are we living in submission to Christ? Are we obedient to Him and pleasing Him? 
1 Thess 4:1-12 Matt 22:37-40  Micah 6:8  John 15:5 John 14:6 Prov 14:12 Matt7:13,14

We cannot bring God in only when it’s convenient for us, and the rest of the time live by our own rules. 

Christ as ‘Savior’ and ‘Lord’ are two different roles, but they are inseparable. 

In submission to Christ, our hearts are right with Him, and we can come with our prayers in confidence before God. 

Lastly, how is our relationship with others? Jesus said, 

“First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:24). He also said, 

“If we do not forgive men their sin, our heavenly Father will not forgive us” (Matthew 6:15). Are our relationships with others set right and thereby right with God? 

Four barriers to prayer life: 

Our attitude to self, 

to sin, 

to submissiveness 

and to others. 

Jesus addresses all of these in the Lord’s Prayer. 

Attitude toward self and submissiveness… 

“Your kingdom come, your will be done.” 

Attitude toward sin… “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” 

Attitude toward others… “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” 

Prayer is serious and we must examine ourselves before we entertain the thought that God does not care. 

He always cares and He requires the same from us. 
It may seem harsh when God doesn't answer our prayers, but in His silence, perhaps He is, and is waiting for us to comply with His will.
The only way to know His will is in His word,through His Son Jesus Christ,His Spirit the "Holy" Spirit teaches us all things.
Do we come before a Holy God with pure hearts and clean hands? confessing all known sin in our life? 
and even asking the Lord to search our hearts of any hidden sin, the sin no one sees!

My brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, I encourage you this is not a time for us to shrink back in our walk with the Lord, but a time we stand firm, be ready in season and out of season to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our walk does not change from Sunday to Monday,

 The Lord allows opportunity to share His good news, where ever and when ever His Spirit moves in and through us.

When we realize the frailty of life and how short this life is---- we know the consequences for those who reject,and have not come into relationship with Jesus Christ. 

Prayer matters-------------it is our lifeline to our Father God......... God is Holy,Righteous,Perfect, Just ---we want Father to hear our prayers, He calls us to be "holy ,blameless", Eph 1:4 
It is to Him we are conformed and transformed, not vise versa!

I Love you------ 

all who take the time to read this blog, my greatest prayer today  is that we have a greater love for one another, and a greater passion and love  for our Lord Jesus Christ ---------Yeshua Messiah-------

that He would be the expression and reflection that people see in our life,and would desire to come into relationship with Him.
While we may not think of ourselves as "holy" we are in fact set apart from the world to be God's servants and representatives. this is what our Lord has called us to live.

We only get this life to make a difference in Christ Jesus.
Amen!