Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

God (being omniscient) not only hears our words, but also knows even our thoughts. Being outside of time, He also has all of eternity to listen to even the shortest prayer.

In addition, the Bible promises in numerous passages, in both the Old and New Testaments (such as Psalm 94:9, Psalm 116:1, Psalm 120:1; Isaiah 65:24; Jeremiah 29:11-13; Jeremiah 33:3; Matthew 6:7-8; Matthew 7:7-11; Mark 11:24; John 16:24; James 5:16; and 1 John 5:14) that God hears prayers that are sincerely directed to Him, and that are seeking, and willing to be subject to, His will. He might answer those prayers (as a loving human parent might) with either, "Yes", "No", or "Not yet", but He always hears them. (Even Jesus, who had previously publicly proclaimed His knowledge that His Father always heard Him (John 11:41-42), was not granted His request that the cup of suffering and death might pass from Him (Mark 14:36).)

The only prayers that God says that He will not hear are from those who have unacknowledged and unforgiven sin in their lives (Psalm 66:18); or who pray not for the purpose of seeking God's help or will, but to glorify themselves (as the Pharisee did in Jesus' parable (Luke 18:10-14), where Jesus spoke of the Pharisee as praying not to God but "with himself"); or who pray with improper motives (James 4:3).

September 25 2018 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report