Our Prayers Suffer When We Indulge In Bad Conduct

'Feebleness of living reflects its debility and langour in the praying hours. We simply cannot talk to God, strongly, intimately, and confidently unless we are living for Him, faithfully and truly. The prayer-closet cannot become sanctified unto God, when the life is alien to His precepts and purpose. We must learn this lesson well -- that righteous character and Christlike conduct give us a peculiar and preferential standing in prayer before God. His holy Word gives special emphasis to the part conduct has in imparting value to our praying when it declares:

"Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I am; if thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth the finger, and speaking vanity."

The wickedness of Israel and their heinous practices were definitely cited by Isaiah, as the reason why God would turn His ears away from their prayers:

"And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood."

The same sad truth was declared by the Lord through the mouth of Jeremiah:

"Therefore, pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto Me for their trouble."

Here, it is plainly stated, that unholy conduct is a bar to successful praying, just as it is clearly intimated that, in order to have full access to God in prayer, there must be a total abandonment of conscious and premeditated sin.

We are enjoined to pray, "lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting," and must pass the time of our sojourning here, in a rigorous abstaining from evil if we are to retain our privilege of calling upon the Father. We cannot, by any process, divorce praying from conduct.

"Whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in His sight."

And James declares roundly that men ask and receive not, because they ask amiss, and seek only the gratification of selfish desires.

Our Lord's injunction, "Watch ye, and pray always," is to cover and guard all our conduct, so that we may come to our inner chamber with all its force secured by a vigilant guard kept over our lives.

"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares."

Quite often, Christian experience founders on the rock of conduct. Beautiful theories are marred by ugly lives. The most difficult thing about piety, as it is the most impressive, is to be able to live it. It is the life which counts, and our praying suffers, as do other phases of our religious experience, from bad living.'

Quoted from- 'THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER  By E.M. BOUNDS' (Excerpt 44)

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Truth.

Prayer creates a distaste for sinning

'Prayer produces cleanliness of heart and purity of life. It can produce nothing else. Unrighteous conduct

is born of prayerlessness; the two go hand-in-hand. Prayer and sinning cannot keep company with each other. One, or the other, must, of necessity, stop. Get men to pray, and they will quit sinning, because prayer creates a distaste for sinning, and so works upon the heart, that evil-doing becomes repugnant, and the entire nature lifted to a reverent contemplation of high and holy things.'

Quoted from- 'THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER  By E.M. BOUNDS' (Excerpt 43)

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Psa_51:10  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

This is a PRAYER!

This is asking the Father God to CREATE a CLEAN HEART, to RENEW a RIGHT SPIRIT WITHIN.

Prayer DOES produce cleanliness of heart and purity of life because GOD hears our cries for this through our prayers. We cannot talk to God at all without it being PRAYER.  Sure you can yell at God, you can talk to Him as if He were right there with you, but that is a FORM of PRAYER and don't think for one moment it is not.  Prayer was said standing up, sitting down, laying down, on the knees, prayer was cried out, whispered, silent and it's ALL talking to God. How can you talk to God if it isn't prayer?  If we call upon God, it is PRAYER because PRAYER IS TALKING TO GOD!

Prayer and sinning truly CANNOT keep company with each other… and yet, I hear you say that you've prayed as you are sinning to stop, as you loath yourself for succumbing to the temptations. That prayer to stop is the war going on between the evil and the good, and it is a war, something we cannot ever forget. We are not perfect, Christ alone is perfect. We have to fight, we have to pray because prayer is the power of the fight, our connection to victory in Christ. Remember once we have that armor on we are to pray always!  We have to pray and pray hard, pray real, pray without guile.  We need prayer to create that DISTASTE for sinning within us. We need evil to become repugnant to us!  We need to have our entire selves uplifted to CHRIST.

By the GRACE of GOD may we be HIS in PRAYER. May we pray and keep praying until we see our Savior face to face, until we can talk with Him in person.

In His love!

Prayer changes us

'The office of prayer is to change the character and conduct of men, and in countless instances, has been wrought by prayer. At this point, prayer, by its credentials, has proved its divinity. And just as it is the office of prayer to effect this, so it is the prime work of the Church to take hold of evil men and make them good. Its mission is to change human nature, to change character, influence behaviour, to revolutionize
conduct. The Church is presumed to be righteous, and should be engaged in turning men to righteousness. The Church is God's manufactory on earth, and its primary duty is to create and foster righteousness of character. This is its very first business. Primarily, its work is not to acquire members, nor amass numbers, nor aim at money getting, nor engage in deeds of charity and works of mercy, but to produce righteousness of character, and purity of the outward life.'

Quoted from- 'THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER  By E.M. BOUNDS' (Excerpt 42)

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First I have to note that the CHURCH is simply those who are GOD'S- those who 'KEEP the commandments of God and the FAITH of Jesus.'  The church is NOT any of today's organizations, it can't be. So when E.M. Bounds speaks of 'the church' above to me he is speaking of those who are truly God's, not any one denomination.

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Prayer is used to change us. We are changed from SINNERS into SAINTS by the POWER of PRAYER. The power is JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD and SAVIOR.  We pray and ASK for forgiveness. I know I keep on saying this over and over but it's so paramount that we truly recognize that it is through prayer we live- that is HOW important prayer is!

Be instant in prayer.
Pray always.

These aren't idle suggestions, these are truths we must recognize!

'Primarily, its work is not to acquire members, nor amass numbers, nor aim at money getting, nor engage in deeds of charity and works of mercy, but to produce righteousness of character, and purity of the outward life'  --  This is truth isn't it? Jesus wasn't interested in gaining numbers. There were 5000 people who followed him and who left him the next day because He spoke hard truths. Jesus wasn't interested in money at all, except for the means of survival but the riches He spoke of were heavenly treasures. Jesus wanted the sinners to go and sin no more. Jesus wanted to find no guile in people. Jesus truly did want the righteousness of character in people, His righteousness in them, His purity.  Time and again Jesus talked about the people who were not His.

This Bible tells us this…

1Co 6:9  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1Co 6:11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Read all of Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7 and you'll see what I mean. Jesus talks at great length about our conduct so why shouldn't we believe we need to listen to Him?

Why do we say things like our works (our actions) don't matter, it's the love we have.  Our conduct and therefore our actions do matter.

Please, Father in Heaven, please help us to be those You would have us be. Help us to be YOURS, for You are righteous, any righteousness we have is through YOU. Please Father, we need You desperately.  Guide us to YOU in all things.  We live in the world, but we can't be OF the world. Our treasures must be in HEAVEN.  We must long for Our Savior's return, for with His return we are taken to be with Him in heaven!

Please, Lord, please. Your will. All by Your love, Your mercy, Your grace. All in You!

Earnest, persistent, faithful prayer

'Elsewhere in the Scriptures, too, it is character and conduct which are made preeminent.

The Christian religion deals with men who are devoid of spiritual character, and unholy in life, and AIMS so to change them, that they become holy in heart and righteous in life.

It aims to change bad men into good men; it deals with inward badness, and works to change it into inward goodness.

And it is just here where prayer enters and demonstrates its wonderful efficacy and fruit.

Prayer drives toward this specific end.

In fact, without prayer, no such supernatural change in moral character, can ever be effected. For the change from badness to goodness is not wrought " by works of righteousness which we have done," but according to God's mercy, which saves us "by the washing of regeneration."

And this marvelous change is brought to pass through earnest, persistent, faithful prayer. Any alleged form of Christianity, which does not effect this change in the hearts of men, is a delusion and a snare.'

Quoted from- 'THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER  By E.M. BOUNDS' (Excerpt 41)

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Praying always!

Eph_6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints

We gain forgiveness when we ASK and ASKING is praying.

Jesus PRAYED for all HE ever did.

Joh_5:19  Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Joh_5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Joh_8:28  Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

The FATHER, Jesus was reliant upon the FATHER for ALL THINGS!

When Jesus prayed He prayed to the FATHER.

We too are reliant upon the FATHER through JESUS for ALL THINGS!

When we see the awful things in our lives, the things we are prone to do, the things we do that we don't want to do, when we get a good look at our inward man, when the carnal nature is ruling us we have to PRAY for GOD to intercede for us, because WE cannot change ourselves! We can only LET HIM change us. We have to pray, and pray always! In praying always we are in connection with our GOD always allowing Him to work through us! He is our SOURCE of all strength, He is our all in all.

Prayer alone can help us. We don the armor of God and we PRAY ALWAYS that is how the armor is effective, through our praying always.

Prayer, may God help us pray as we seek to be the men and women of God He desires!

All in HIS LOVE!

Inward Spiritual Character

'The very end and purpose of the atoning work of Christ is to create religious character and to make Christian conduct.

"Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."  (Titus 2:14)

In Christ's teaching, it is not simply works of charity and deeds of mercy upon which He insists, but inward spiritual character. This much is demanded, and nothing short of it, will suffice.'

Quoted from- 'THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER  By E.M. BOUNDS' (Excerpt 40)

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He gave Himself for US, that He MIGHT REDEEM US from ALL INIQUITY,   and in doing this, in cleansing us He is purifying unto Himself a PECULIAR people-  ZEALOUS of GOOD WORKS.

Our Savior died so that we might be made redeemable from all sin!  He wants to CLEANSE us, He wants to PURIFY us!  He wants us to live our lives filled with the good works that HE would do if He were with us in person.  This is truth! Our Savior wants to DO THIS FOR US!  Our Savior DIED so He COULD do this for us!

Truly it is the WORK HE does in us that matters more than any work we could do on our own. Through prayer we find forgiveness, through prayer we are redeemed unto Him and through prayer we must LIVE. We dare not stop at praying for forgiveness without truly repenting.  Repenting is comprehending the horror of our sins and regretting the fact we committed those sins. Repent and then we find forgiveness.

If Satan just mouthed the words - 'Forgive me.'  Would they hold meaning? No. Why? Because there would be no sincerity in his words, no repentance in him.

We repent of our wrongs and we seek forgiveness and we ASK for this forgiveness and the asking is prayer.

Our lives must be lived in prayer!

We must be 'instant in prayer.'

Rom 12:12  ...continuing instant in prayer

Instant in prayer.

Life will constantly present us with opportunities to pray. I'm not talking about making a show of prayer. I'm not talking about the times you set aside for prayer. I'm talking about the daily opportunities that come up where speaking to our CREATOR, to our HEAVENLY FATHER who wants us to speak with him, to be instant in prayer, is necessary.   If we are instant in prayer, if we are redeemed by our Savior we will be close to our God and the closer we are the more we will reflect our God. Our lives, our conduct, the actions that make up our lives should be directed by our God and His will for us in all things!

By HIS GRACE!
By HIS LOVE!

We're forgiven by Praying- Asking our Savior to Forgive Us

'PRAYER governs conduct and conduct makes character. Conduct, is what we do; character, is what we are. Conduct is the outward life. Character is the life unseen, hidden within, yet evidenced by that which is seen. Conduct is external, seen from without; character is internal -- operating within. In the economy of grace conduct is the offspring of character. Character is the state of the heart, conduct its outward expression.

Character is the root of the tree, conduct, the fruit it bears.

Prayer is related to all the gifts of grace. To character and conduct its relation is that of a helper. Prayer helps to establish character and fashion conduct, and both for their successful continuance depend on prayer. There may be a certain degree of moral character and conduct independent of prayer, but there cannot be anything like distinctive religious character and Christian conduct without it. Prayer helps, where all other aids fail. The more we pray, the better we are, the purer and better our lives.'

Quoted from- 'THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER  By E.M. BOUNDS' (Excerpt 39)

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Prayer governs….us.

Governs-  (Definition) conduct the policy, actions, and affairs of (a state, organization, or people).

Conduct the actions of us, governs our lives IF we let it.

Prayer is powerful and we use it so scarcely and oftentimes so wrongly.

It is true, prayer is related to 'all' the gifts of grace. We pray for FORGIVENESS. We ASK for forgiveness, and how else do we that other than by prayer? Can you be forgiven of your sins without asking for it? NO! A thousand times NO. We must ask for forgiveness.  Sure you might say that Moses prayed for others and gained atonement for them through His prayer and that's true. Someone PRAYED for them. Someone ASKED for them, using PRAYER, using the only means of true communication we have with our Father God.

How important is prayer? More important than most people are willing to admit, more important than people want to believe, more important than so much!  Because through prayer we live in touch with our God, we make Him first in our lives. We make it so we have NO other gods before Him!

When we pray upon waking we ask God to be first in our lives. We set ourselves aside and ask for HIS will to be done, not ours. We recognize our need of HIM for our lives.

Please LORD help us comprehend that all we do, all our conduct, all our behavior is greatly influenced by our praying.  Help us to PRAY as we need to PRAY.

Please.

Prayer moves God, we must pray daily

'There can be no question but that importunate prayer moves God, and heightens human character! If we were more with God in this great ordinance of intercession, more brightly would our face shine, more richly endowed would life and service be, with the qualities which earn the goodwill of humanity, and bring glory to the Name of God.'

Quoted from- 'THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER  By E.M. BOUNDS' (Excerpt 38)

Prayer. Such an amazing gift! The ABILITY to talk to our CREATOR and the KNOWLEDGE through faith that HE HEARS us. We aren't speaking to thin air. We aren't speaking to fables and fairy tales. We are speaking to the source of ALL life! Our Creator wants us to communicate with Him.

Do you believe in our Savior? If you say, "Yes."  Then you have to believe that our Heavenly Father WANTS us to communicate with Him.

Jesus taught the disciples to pray- to communicate with the Heavenly Father. Why would Jesus teach them to pray if they weren't to pray? 

He taught US.

And He taught us in that prayer to PRAY DAILY.

'Give us this day our daily bread.'   Can you pray that once a week and have it hold full meaning?  Sure you can think as you pray that you want the Heavenly Father to provide for you all week long, all month long, all life long, but when you say 'give us THIS day, our DAILY bread' aren't you in reality asking for the sustenance you need that very day?  The Temple service of old had prayer twice a day, Daniel prayed three times a day, praying daily is something we MUST do. Praying importunately is something we are blessed to be able to do.  Praying in sincerity is something we MUST do. 

Should we SET aside time to pray? I think we must.  We have been given 24 hours in a day and in each day we take time to eat- we set times to eat don't we? We've portioned our day into meal times- at least the majority of us. Very few people do not eat every day. Very few people do not have some sort of idea of when they're going to eat in a day. Morning's are reserved for breakfast, afternoons for lunch, and evenings dinner and some people are used to adding snacks to their day as well. We take time to eat. We put things on a daily schedule and we MUST add PRAYER to that daily schedule because if we don't, just how important is our God to us? How much of our life to we want our God to be a part of? All if it, right?! And if that's the truth then we NEED to set aside time for GOD! And in that time we need to PRAY to our God.

Please LORD, please FATHER GOD, please help us to do this, help us to meet with You DAILY!

By Your GRACE! Your LOVE, Your MERCY!