BIBLE BASICS

		       For Smart People
		 Who Do Not Want To Be Dummies
		    About God and the Bible

Lesson 9 - What About Prayer? Part II.

What Hinders Prayer? 

What hinders people from praying?

 1.Sin keeps people from praying. Praying also keeps people
   from sin. 
 2.The cares of the world and deceitfulness of possessions. 
 3.Television and other pleasures can crowd out prayer. People
   think they do not have time. 
 4.Lack of close and cherished fellowship with God. 
 5.Lack of real love for God.

If we are too busy to pray and read the Bible, we are too busy,
busier than God wants us to be, and too busy for our own good and
God's kingdom.

What Hinders God From Hearing And Answering Prayer?

 1.Sin. "Your iniquities have separated between you and your
   God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not
   hear" (Isaiah 59:1). "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord
   will not hear me." Psalm 66:18. 
 2.Lack of faith. "Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he
   that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and
   tossed For let not that man think that he shall receive any
   thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his
   ways" (James 1: 6-8). 
 3.Asking amiss. "You ask, and receive not, because you ask
   amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts" (James
   4:3). 
 4.Praying to be seen of others. Jesus said, "When you pray,
   you shall not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray
   standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets
   that they may be seen of men. Truly I say to you, They have
   their reward. But you, when you pray, enter into your closet,
   and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father which
   is in secret; and your Father which sees in secret shall
   reward you openly" (Matthew 6:5-6). 
 5.Using vain repetitions. Jesus said, "When you pray, do not
   use vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that
   they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not like them,
   for your Father knows what things you have need of, before
   you ask him" (Matthew 6:7-8). 
 6.Turning away from hearing God's law. "He that turns away his
   ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be
   abomination" (Proverbs 28:9). If we do not want to hear what
   God wants to say to us and are not willing to obey His
   commandments, why should He want to hear what we have
   to say to Him." 
 7.The Sovereign will and plan of God. "Nevertheless not my will,
   but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42).

Does God Hear Sinners' Prayers?

   Most sinners' praying would fall under one or more of the
above categories. However, God will hear a repentant and sorrowing
sinner's prayer when he calls on Him. Jesus told of a man (Luke
18:13-14) that "would not so much as lift up his eyes unto heaven,
but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner."
Jesus said, "I tell you that this man went down to his house justified
(forgiven, saved)." 
   There is a verse in John 9:31 that reads, "We know that God
hears not sinners; but if any man be a worshipper of God, and does
his will, him he hears." Notice that this statement was made by the
enemies of Jesus when they were accusing Jesus of being a sinner.
They were partly right and partly wrong. 
   
"Please tell me more." 

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