Q4. Righteousness and Answered Prayer

[gladwyn charles]

4a.  Hezekiah  prayer  to God is based on His faith and obedience.He tells God of his devotion and his walk in keeping and obeying his commandments.

4b.  Hezekiah prayer appeals to God's character.God promised that David's house and his kingdom will endure forever under Him.Since there is no heir apparent  if Hezekiah was to die at this time childless then this promise for David's lineage would be void. Hezekiah then appealed to God's promise that the people who lives righteous life would be rewarded with long life.

4c.  Personal righteousness and holiness are important in getting prayers answered as people who has God as their Lord and Savior has a closer spiritual connection.  All God's greatest gifts of the spirit are by grace. God's Grace and his mercy are obtained when one is repentance of sin and by the acceptance of God's  Son Jesus Christ as one personal Lord and Savior.

4d.  A Personal relationship with God requires one to be in a state of righteousness and holiness as one can only worship God in truth and in spirit.God hears the cries of the righteous and has given the assurances in His Just nature that He will reward each accordingly.

 

 

[Sparkle]

On 10/7/2005 at 3:21 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q4. (20:3) What is the basis on which Hezekiah asks for healing? Why is personal righteousness and holiness important in getting your prayers answered? How can unrighteousness prevent answered prayer if all gifts from God are by grace anyway?

The basis of Hezekiah's prayer is so his nation is leaderless and because he didn't have an heir to the throne. 

When we are God's children and we are living a life that is pleasing to Him, He said in His word that there is no good thing that He would withhold from us when we fear Him with reverential fear. 

Just like it was said in the devotion. As parent we tend to reward our children when they have been obedient. God is similar in this way. When we are obedient and living a righteous and holy life before Him, He is more willing to answer our prayers. When we are sinning and being rebellious or in a backslidden state, God may not answer our prayers. Without sugar coating, God isn't going to gift or bless a sinful person. 

 

[Lisa Wolf]

Q4. (20:3) What is the basis on which Hezekiah asks for healing? Why is personal righteousness and holiness important in getting your prayers answered? How can unrighteousness prevent answered prayer if all gifts from God are by grace anyway?

The basis of Hezekiah's prayer is his relationship with God.  In 2Kings:20:3 Hezekiah says, "Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes." Psalm 66:16-22 remind us of righteousness and holiness in answer to prayer: "Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!"   Psalm 103:10-13 reminds us of our incredible Heavenly Father who does understand us and does give us good gifts despite our selfishness.  "He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him." However, free-will truly stands in the way.  Disobedience, rebellion, sin--all stand in the way of our relationship with GOd.  Paul reminds us in Galatians that an unrighteous, unholy life does not have a good end:  "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."  

[kMORIAHu]

On 10/8/2005 at 5:21 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q4. (20:3) What is the basis on which Hezekiah asks for healing? Why is personal righteousness and holiness important in getting your prayers answered? How can unrighteousness prevent answered prayer if all gifts from God are by grace anyway?

1. What is the basis on which Hezekiah asks for healing?

He doesn’t want to die, who does? We weren’t created for death, but eternal life. So it’s only natural he wants to live. Also he wants to continue to do good for the nation of Israel, so he reminds Abba of his faithful and wholehearted devotion.

2. Why is personal righteousness and holiness important in getting your prayers answered?

God pours out rain on the wicked and the righteous. He loves all creation, but when we are born again and receive the gift of righteousness from Jesus, God loves to answer those prayers.

3. How can unrighteousness prevent answered prayer if all gifts from God are by grace anyway?

If your not walking in the gift of righteousness of Christ and walk unrighteously doing wrong, you will be asking with wrong or selfish motives that do not line up with Abba’s will, promises or the truth of His Word. But one thing I do know is that my God is merciful.