~ Alvin Vandergriend- Sin hinders prayer. A person may pray and pray without receiving an answer, and then conclude that the problem is in God. In reality the problem may be in the person's heart. David understood that if he cherished sin in his heart, the Lord would not hear him.
One of the worst things about sin is that it obstructs prayer. We are shut out form God when we cherish sin because God is holy and cannot tolerate sin in his presence. (Google image, Prayer ground)
When sin blocks prayer, the real problem is not that we have sinned but that, having sinned, we have not repented. It is only unconfessed sin, cherished in our hearts, that inhibits our prayers. Forgiven sin does not hinder prayer. Forgiven sinners are welcome in God's presence.
Always eager to have us come into his presence, God has provided a way for sin to be removed through Jesus blood so that we can come and not be hindered. John says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). When it's forgiven, our sin is gone, and it no longer impedes.
The first requirement of prayer, then, is to confess anything in your heart that is not of God. When your sin is forgiven, you can be confident that God will hear and answer your prayers.
Don't be afraid to take inventory and to deal with what you find. Recently when I was confronted with a list of twenty sin - identifying Scripture texts, I at first thought, "My heart is clean before God. I don't have anything to confess." But I went through the list anyway, and to my amazement I found five areas of sin that needed to be dealt with.
So I clearly identified what was offensive to God, confessed those things, and claimed God's forgiving grace. Through that I again discovered complete freedom in prayer. We can't have the privilege of prayer without purity of heart.
Not only does sin hinder prayer; prayer hinders sin. The two are always opposed. The more careless we are about sin, the less we will pray. The more we pray, the less careless we will be about sin. Both sin and prayer are powerful forces. Which one is moving you?
(Love to Pray- 40 Day Devotional for Deepening Your Prayer Life by Alvin Vandergriend)
*A Lighthouse, as referred to in this devotional, is a person, family, or small group that commits to praying for, caring for, and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with their neighbors, co-workers, friends, or family members.
Let's pray-
Father, please help us take a closer look at what we're uneasy about before You, and to see if there is a cherished sin connected to it. May we, with David, then be able to say with confidence, that You have surely listened and have heard our voice in prayer.
Search our hearts for hidden sins, so we can confess them and ask for forgiveness. Thank You for being faithful to willingly forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Make our hearts pure so we can come confidently into Your presence. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Today's Bible verses-
~ We're admonished to lean on God to help us face the fact that we don't always master things that challenge us. Do we think we'll lose our ability to face them in days to come? Maybe we need to take stock as to where our faith lies! Hope in God's help, for He can help you be successful.
"Our faith in God is what's most important, and without it, we will be lost . . .
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| Secrets of nature |
The North Country Christian Fellowship Center Churches,
located in the St. Lawrence county of NY,
broadcast their Sunday services at 10 or 10:15
You can view past services too.
Sermon listing: https://www.
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