Monday Night Prayer Closet- A prayer God listens to (part one)

Greeting sisters, tonight's prayer focus is on a prayer that gains God's ear. It is one thing to say a couple of words but it's another to get a person to actually listen. How do we know God is listening to our prayers? Let's take a look:

Jesus instructed us on the right and wrong way to pray in Luke 18: 9-14, he gave us a parable: 9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’13 But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Part 1) Prayer is a heart condition. The father to who nothing is hidden, even though you may try to hide, knows that real condition of your heart. Psalms 66:17-20 I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!  

So, we must examine our hearts. Is there anything that is unpleasing to God, a stench in his nostrils (last week we spoke n the pleasing aroma of our prayers), is there anything we are saying or doing that is keeping us in rebellion against God? If so, we must first repent of those sins and come to him with a heart that is made in right standing with Him. We are told in Isaiah 66:2 “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.

Digging a little deeper into the Hebrew: These people are whom I show a protective interest to and a partiality for: them who are not proud or arrogant and are repentant showing remorse for their sin in their heart, and who have awe and reverence at my (holy counsel, commands, judgments) word, the Word of God, the Truth.

Extra dig: we are now God’s dwelling place, his temple here on earth. It is in us that the Holy Spirit will reside. However, the temples (us believers) that are proud, full of sin, do not hold him in reverence, do not obey his word and do want we want, only talking to him when we need something or decide we should repent because it’s the Christian thing to do; those temples he will does not show his favor, partiality or protection to. They know of Him, but they don’t know him. They have no intimate relationship with him. They only plead the blood and then try to get by on their own. He is like the relative that they invite over for the holidays and birthdays and then wonder why they only see that person a couple times a year.

We will not have the ear of God for our prayers if we don't have a relationship with Him. Now can God hear all prayers, yes! But will He listen to all prayers? That is the real question, and that is a conversation for you and him that you need to have.

 The God who made the winters and the summers

The One who put the stars all in their place
The only One who stands above all others
And He knows me by name

The angels hide their faces in His presence
The demons run for cover when You speak
You rule the world and reign above the heavens
And still draw close to me

And when I close my eyes
I know that

I'm not just hoping
I'm not just wishing
I know I'm praying
To a God who listens
I know He hears me
I know He's living
Yes, I am praying
To a God who listens

He walks with me and leads me by still waters
I lay my troubles down at His feet (I lay my troubles down)
It's amazing that the Savior and the Father
He is a friend to me
How can it be, oh?

Who knows me
Who loves me
Who never will fail me
Who tells me that I am His own
And You surround me, remind me
You always are for me
So I come boldly to Your throne

I'm not just hoping
I'm not just wishing
Yes, I'm praying
To a God who listens
Oh, what a promise
That we've been given
Yes, we are praying
To a God who listens