Various postures in-Heard and answered. 543. Prayer implies holy sympathy and compassion. cry of the poor, Pr. 21: 13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. Is. 58: 7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? 9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer. 544. Various postures in prayer — (no sitting.) Ex. 9: 29 Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD'S. 1 K. 8: 22 Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven. 2 Ch. 6: 13 (Solomon had made a brazen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven.) Mat. 26: 39 He went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. Mk. 11:25 When ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any. Lk. 22: 41 He was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done. Ac. 20: 36 When he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. Gen. 18: 32 He said, Oh, let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.-32: 28 He said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God, and with men, and hast prevailed. Hos. 12: 4 Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him. Ex. 32: 11 Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, Heard and answered. which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt, with great power, and with a mighty hand? 14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people. [Dt. 9: 14, 18-20.] Num. 11: 2 The people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.-14: 19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now. 20 And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word. Dt. 26: 7 When we cried unto the LORD God of our fathers, the LORD heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labor, and our oppression: 8 And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an out-stretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders. 1 S. 1: 27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him. -12: 18 So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. 1 K. 17: 22 The LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.—18: 37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt-sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 2 K. 6: 18 When they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness, according to the word of Elisha.. -19: 20 Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.-20: 5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD. 6 And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake. 11 And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz. Heard and answered. 1 Ch. 4: 10 Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested. me. -- Ps. 18: 6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. 34: 4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. 5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing. 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. 17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. -50: 15 Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify 65: 2 0 thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. -66: 19 Verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. 20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. 84: 11 The LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory; no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. -86: 5 Thou, LORD, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.-91: 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.-106: 23 He said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them. 118: 5 I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place. — 145: 18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. 19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. Is. 45: 19 I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. 65: 24 It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. Jer. 15: 1 Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.-33: 3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. Heard and answered. Ezk. 14:14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD. [V. 20.] Dan. 9: 21 Yea, while I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. 22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. 23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved. — 10: 12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. Joel 2: 32 It shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered. Mat. 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Lk. 18: 7 Shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Ac. 12: 5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him. 7 And behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison; and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. Jam. 4: 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.-5: 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. 1 Pet. 3: 12 The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, Unregenerate Prayers not acceptable. and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. Rev. 8: 3 Another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. [See 431, 670.] 546. Prayer and worship of the ungodly not acceptable. Ps. 50: 16 Unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? 17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. -66: 18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the LORD will not hear me. Pr. 1: 28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me; 29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD. 15: 8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight. 29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous. -28: 9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. Is. 1: 11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats. 12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? 13 Bring no more vain oblations : incense is an abomination unto me: the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with: it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. 15 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. 59: 1 Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Mat. 7: 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. |