Date: 04-06-2020

Title: Ceiling High Prayers

(S) cripture:
    Psalm 66:18 (NASB77) If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear;

(O) bservation:
    In this great psalm about God’s mighty deeds and his answers to prayer is this sober warning: if I regard sin in my heart the Lord will not hear. The KJV has the word “me” at the end of the sentence that makes it more personal..

(A) pplication:
    There are times when I feel that my prayers are only going ceiling high and no farther. I wonder if God is listening, He seems so distant. I long for a sense of His presence but there seems to be a disconnect. This psalm gives the reason. When I have unconfessed sin in my life my communication with God is affected. The Lord will only hear my prayer of repentance then He will hear the rest of my prayer. I cannot come to God with a sinful or sin full heart. He has promised to cleanse me from all unrighteousness when I confess my sin (1 John 1:9). Think of that – when I confess what I know the Lord cleanses me of all unrighteousness. I want my prayers to be heard so I must confess my sin and receive His cleansing then I can be sure that He hears me. God takes sin seriously and so should I. If sin keeps God from hearing me then I should be sure that I an ‘fessed up moment by moment.

(P) rayer:
    Father, forgive me when I neglect to take sin as seriously as you do. Cleanse me today and give me the assurance that you hear and answer me when I pray. Amen