What if GOD STOPPED LISTENING to your prayers?

 

What is your prayer life like?  Do you really have a focused time in prayer? Do you spend "quality time" with God or are your prayers just completed in passing, as an after thought?

We have a very dedicated group of prayer warriors who meet on Monday mornings at 7am for prayer at our church. There are about 11 of us on a REGULAR basis. This group is modeled after Charles Spurgeon's BOILER ROOM PRAYER group for his church. I feel our time in prayer is not contrived, it is not for show, it truly comes from the heart. I am so thankful to be associated with such a dedicated group of prayer warriors. 

Like Spurgeon's prayer warriors, this is not a group filled with ego's or power, or personal agendas. We just meet and pray. And I can tell you, I see the results. God has clearly heard our cries. He has heard our prayers. Our church is the beneficiary of those prayers. I am thankful God hears us and He has responded in miraculous ways. 

What would happen if God stopped listening to your prayers?

The answer to this question speaks louder about us than God. This thought about God not listening came from a scripture I read today from Psalm 28:

"I pray to you, O Lord, my rock. Do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you are silent, I might as well give up and die. Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to you for help, as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary. Do not drag me away with the wicked -- with those who do evil -- those who speak friendly words to their neighbors while planning evil in their hearts." (Psalm 28:1-3, NLT)

Does God ever NOT LISTEN to us? 

The Bible tells us that God is always present and he hears the prayers of his people. But our prayers can lose their effectiveness for several reasons. Sin and disobedience and hinder our communication with God. James says we must ask in faith and not doubt (James 1:6-7). James also tells us when we pray with WRONG MOTIVES especially if they are selfish motives inhibit our prayers (James 4:3).When we IGNORE THE POOR or LACK COMPASSION, our prayers can be hindered (Proverbs 21:13). Those are just some of the ways where it might appear God is not listening. But each of those deal with US and NOT GOD. Silence from God does not mean God no longer cares or listens. Our communication might be diminished if we do not approach God with humility, repentance, faith, and sincerity. Our greatest prayer should be for us to align our life with God's will, desiring a deep relationship with him, always seeking him!

Heavenly Father, I praise you for your patience with me and my time in prayer to you. I truly do desire just to be within your will each waking moment of my life. I come to you, Lord, just like the Psalmist. I would die if you no longer heard and answered my prayers. I praise you Lord for always hearing my cry. Amen!

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If you haven't repented of your sin, accepted what Jesus did for you on the cross, dying for your sins, or if you have not committed your life to Jesus, TODAY could be that day. give your life to the Lord. 

"because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." (Romans 10:9-10, ESV)

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