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Q4. Why is a person's attitude with regard to giving related to that person's attitude towards praise? Why does an attitude of possessiveness with regards to giving get in the way of worship? In what sense do all your possessions belong to God? What then should be your relationship to your possessions? How will these truths re-energize your giving? Your praise? True praise acknowleges God as the giver of all things. If we are hanging on to something as owning it then we are not truely acknowledging God as the giver of all. It hampers our praise. My attitude should be that what I have is given or allowed by God. If I fear losing something then I am not truely given over to God in my heart. All is His and He gives all I need. Giving should be given as freely as praise. If I am not free in giving then my praises are not free in spirit either. My possessions belong to God. Accepting that truth frees my spirit and my cheerfullness in giving.

Q3. Verses 11 and 12 both attribute various characteristics to God, such as glory, honor, and might. How might you begin to mention God's greatness in your own prayers? Where is this kind of praise found by example in the Lord's Prayer? What are your favorite songs that point to God's greatness? I would begin my prayers as David did and acknowlege who God is. The Lord's prayer follows as completely as Davids prayers. It starts with the acknowlegement of where God is located, it lifts His name up, refers to His kingdom and we pray for His will to be done here as it is in heaven. (an expression of true faith) The prayer follows with acknowledging that all our needs are supplied by God, our food, our forgiveness and even deliverance from the evil one. It is a beautiful prayer. My favorite songs are many but the two I love the most is "How Great thou Art and Amazing Grace."

Q3. Verses 11 and 12 both attribute various characteristics to God, such as glory, honor, and might. How might you begin to mention God's greatness in your own prayers? Where is this kind of praise found by example in the Lord's Prayer? What are your favorite songs that point to God's greatness? I would begin my prayers as David did and acknowlege who God is. The Lord's prayer follows as completely as Davids prayers. It starts with the acknowlegement of where God is located, it lifts His name up, refers to His kingdom and we pray for His will to be done here as it is in heaven. (an expression of true faith) The prayer follows with acknowledging that all our needs are supplied by God, our food, our forgiveness and even deliverance from the evil one. It is a beautiful prayer. My favorite songs are many but the two I love the most is "How Great thou Art and Amazing Grace."

Praise exalts God in our hearts when we exalt Him with our outward prayers and praise. We should always exalt God in all things as it increases our faith that God is above everything and every situation. It builds our faith while lifting God up with acknowledgment of His place in all that is. This shows others our relationship with the Father and it shows the Father the same as we keep Him lifted up in His rightful place as God above all.

Our prayers bless God when we speak to Him about His wonderful works and just worship Him for who God is. It gives the respect due to God. All things come from God even the sacrifices we give back to him. God is not blessed when we forget to remember who He is and what He has done and move quickly into what you want or need from Him.

What does it mean to have a broken heart and spirit? Why is this essential in the prayer for pardon? In what sense is this a "sacrifice"? Why do we tend to resist a "broken and contrite heart" in ourselves? To have a broken heart and spirit is to have had a real acknowlegement of sin in our lives and that we sinned against God. It is a conviction or crushing of ourselves of the state we are in. This is essential when praying the prayer for pardon because without it we don't have true confession from our hearts before God. We resist this state of heart for many reasons. We might be lifted up in pride or hiding from ourselves the true state we are in. We should pray as David did that our sins would break our hearts.

Q3. Is it possible to have a pure heart? How does God bring about a pure heart? What is our part in this? It is possible to have a pure heart after a true oonfession of sins. We must ask God to create this within us and to renew our spirit. We must want to change.

Q2. In his prayer does David seek to minimize his sins? To maximize them? Why does an authentic prayer for pardon require clear, unvarnished acknowledgement of sin to be effective? David does not hide his sin from God by making them less or more than what they are. He gives a true confession of his sin straight from his heart. Without being honest or giving excuses to God for our sins we are not in true confession when we attempt to confess and receive forgiveness.

Q1. In what way does a prayer for pardon require faith? What is that faith based on? How does a person gain the faith to pray this prayer in confidence? A prayer for pardon requires faith first to even approach God. It is based on the knowing who God is and His character. Once we have known the character and love of God we also realize our sinfulness and need for forgiveness. We need to approach God with faith that He will blot out and forgive sin.

Q4. In what way does Abraham show persistence? Why is persistence necessary in prayer? Have you ever experienced "praying through"? What was it like? Abraham was concerned for the people. His persistence worked out the best deal that could be bargained for in that situation. Persistence is necessary to find the best of what a loving Father will give and wants to give. I have prayed through on many occasions. It changed a death sentence over a child of God and her life was spared. I approached a loving Father in heaven and HE turned it around. I am blessed!!!

Q3. Do you think Abraham's boldness pleased God? Why or why not? What might cause God to take delight in your prayers to him? I beieve God was pleased with Abraham's boldness to speak on behalf of the people and plead for mercy for them. Abraham reminded God of His character and asked God to not destroy the righteous with the wicked. Abraham pleaded with God on behalf of the number of righteous people who may still be there. I believe God is the same today and to please Him in prayer we must take the same approach as Abraham. We have the benefit of the written Word today and we can quote back to God His character and promises on behalf of the righteous in our prayer petitions. Prayer can save a nation, especially when repentance has come from the hearts of the people.

Q2. How did Abraham demonstrate his humility before God? Why must boldness be tempered with humility? Abraham tempered his argument to God by speaking humbly. Abraham showed God he knew his place and did not approach God with an attitude of self importance. Abraham approached God with the humility of knowing who he was not and who God was in this discussion. Sometimes we forget who we are when we approach God and argue with a status we have on earth which is not impressive to God. God is the creator and the finisher of all things and so are status's.

Q1. What is the basis of Abraham's argument that God should spare Sodom? How does it relate to God's character? Abraham contends that God cannot treat the righteous the same as the unrighteous or those that have rebelled against him. It is inevitable that judgement must come when there is no repentance. Abraham cries for mercy for the righeous and reminds God they should not suffer the same. Abraham knows the nature and character of God and pleads for mercy because he knows we have a kind and loving God.

Prayer can change God's mind when it is based on what God initially wanted for mankind. God's will is not destruction of man but of life. To continue in the life God wants for us we must remain obedient and repent of any actions that God calls wrong doing. God may have said He was coming in judgement but a righteous mans prayers and repentance of the people will cause God to turn back from His intention. He will turn back and then restore that what was lost. He is a faithful Father to mankind. In all this there is no conflict to who God is!!

Jesus told us to pray and He showed us how. Prayer is a discussion with God. If all is predetermined and predestined then Moses would have known it was useless to approach God for the people. Moses and God had a relationship. This relationship was not all one sided with God being the dictator. God is a loving God and forgiving. We should remember the great prayers of the bible when we approach God with our petitions and know that the prayers of a righteous person is powerful. I believe we should approach God with great expectation of change when we pray according to His will and His promises to us.

Moses was a great leader and chosen by God to lead these people who God referred to as stiff necked. God knew the days ahead and He knew the heart of Moses. Moses prayed for a people that had gone astray and had gone into serious sin. He did this by reminding God of His promises and His intention toward these people. Moses cared for Gods people and interceeded for them as a real pastor would do for his congregation. Moses knew the heart of God and that He was forgiving. He used Gods integrity and reputation on earth as part of his petition to have Him pardoned the people from destruction. If we know the promises of God toward ourselves and others we can have the same power of petition when approaching the throne of God with our requests.

The people had rejected a loving God who had delivered them out of Egypt. They chose to make a god for themselves that they could see and touch. They made an object of no worth or power their god. Our God is a jealous God and given to anger under such circumstances. His intention to destroy this people who He had done so much for is understandable. God keeps a clean house on earth as He does in heaven. Moses prayed for the people but God was justified to say He could keep his promise by starting again with people just through Moses.

We sin daily so we should come to God daily and first forgive others before we seek forgiveness for ourselves. The Lord said we must forgive others or we will not be forgiven. Sin separates us from God and separates us from our blessings. Confession also puts us in a right attitude toward ourselves, others and God.

Human nature is to strive to do better. We are given special talents and born with abilities that we forget is created in us and given to us by God. We are a remarkable people who forget where our abilities to make gain come from and who provides this gain. Every day we should give remembrance and pray to our Father that He allows our abilities to continue and that He is the one who provides our means and supplies our needs even when our abilities have failed. If we do this we won't have a need to be independent of our neighbor or forget a loving and suppling God.

When I petition the Father in prayer for His Kingdom to come I enter into an agreement with Him for His will to be done here on earth for me, the world or whatever the need is and I know that His will is best.

Hallowing His name is our expression of reverence and acknowlegment to God of who He is to us when we pray to Him and the way we live our lives. This attitude toward God is an expression to others as well of who God is in our life.