My Prayers – Does the Lord Always Hear?

Does God always hear my prayers?

My prayers – Does God hear always hear me?  I like to think so, but according to this verse, this is one time God does not hear my prayers.

Psalms 66:18  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

When it comes to my prayers, God considers it pretty important that I keep sin confessed in my life.  Otherwise the Lord does not hear my prayers. (aff. link – by the way this is a free ebook and worth reading)  When I do confess He forgives and I am blessed!

Psa 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

Psa 32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Psa 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

8 things Psalm 32 teaches me about my prayers and confessed sin:

1. Confession is a sign of godliness; it brings me to the place where we can find God and oh how I need Him daily!   Psa 32:6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
2. God will be my hiding place Psa 32:7 Thou art my hiding place;
3. He keeps me from trouble  Psa 32:7 …thou shalt preserve me from trouble;
4. He surrounds me with songs of deliverance.  Psa 32:7 …thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
5. He instructs me. Psa 32:8 I will instruct thee
6. He will teach me His ways.   Psa 32:8 I will …teach thee in the way which thou shalt go:
7. He guides me.    Psa 32:8 …I will guide thee with mine eye.
8. He surrounds me with His mercy.  Psa 32:10 … mercy shall compass him about.

When David did not confess his sin he said

1. My bones waxed old – I think he felt very ill and weak  Psa 32:3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
2. Day and night God’s hand is heavy upon me – that is a miserable feeling.   Psa 32:4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: …
3. I wept till there were no more tears  Psa 32:4 …my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

 

I am so thankful that I can come to the Lord anytime as His child and have the assurance that He will forgive when I confess.  Then what a burden is lifted and how blessed I am!

Psa 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.  Have you ever really thought how awesome it is that GOD CAN FORGIVE SINS!  Selah means to meditate on this.    Sometimes I am so amazed that God forgives my sins and oh what joy He restores to my soul!

Psa 32:11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Psalms 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

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