40 Days of PRAYER
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days of PRAYER
Day 31 |STEPS FOR ANSWERED PRAYER |Psalm 66:16-20
40 Days of PRAYER
Day 31 |STEPS FOR ANSWERED PRAYER |Psalm 66:16-20
STEPS FOR ANSWERED PRAYER
Psalm 66:16-20
“Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me. For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I spoke. If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love from me.”
The Psalmist here (BTW, not David); is actually teaching some keys to God listening to our prayers and acting.
Verse 16 mentions: “all you who fear God.” Once again, as in Proverbs, we are taught “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Fear: Respect and awe and a realization that HE CAN do anything to anyone at any time.
Next, the Psalmist “cries out to God” for help; AND – in the same breath – lifts PRAISES about God up to Him too!
Then, he admits that he had to confess his wrongdoings (sins) and acknowledges that IF he had not, the Lord would not have listened. This is an important (and often overlooked) step to answered prayer.
Isaiah 59:2 says: “It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.”
But, the Psalmist’s prayers were heard by God who was listening! He is praising God here that “HE paid attention to my prayer!”
And finishes his praise by acknowledging “God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw His unfailing love from me.”
How comforting is that... to KNOW that God has heard your prayer and has NOT withdrawn His unfailing LOVE from you.
Prayer: LORD, help me to remember all the teaching on prayer here in this Psalm. I too often just “pray” – and talk and talk – without much preparation, praise, confession or thought to what I’m doing. Help me to improve my prayer life. Amen.
Psalm 66:16-20
“Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me. For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I spoke. If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love from me.”
The Psalmist here (BTW, not David); is actually teaching some keys to God listening to our prayers and acting.
Verse 16 mentions: “all you who fear God.” Once again, as in Proverbs, we are taught “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Fear: Respect and awe and a realization that HE CAN do anything to anyone at any time.
Next, the Psalmist “cries out to God” for help; AND – in the same breath – lifts PRAISES about God up to Him too!
Then, he admits that he had to confess his wrongdoings (sins) and acknowledges that IF he had not, the Lord would not have listened. This is an important (and often overlooked) step to answered prayer.
Isaiah 59:2 says: “It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.”
But, the Psalmist’s prayers were heard by God who was listening! He is praising God here that “HE paid attention to my prayer!”
And finishes his praise by acknowledging “God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw His unfailing love from me.”
How comforting is that... to KNOW that God has heard your prayer and has NOT withdrawn His unfailing LOVE from you.
Prayer: LORD, help me to remember all the teaching on prayer here in this Psalm. I too often just “pray” – and talk and talk – without much preparation, praise, confession or thought to what I’m doing. Help me to improve my prayer life. Amen.