You Might As Well Speak Your Prayers Into the Bottom of a Garbage Can

# 194 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:37,38 So Saul asked counsel of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel?" But He did not answer him that day. 38 And Saul said, "Come over here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see what this sin was today. (1 Sam 14:37,38) As Saul inquires of the Lord through the Urim and Thummin he gets no answer. As we mentioned last time, the word “Thummin comes from a Hebrew word for “innocent” So it's likely the Urim tumbled out which meant guilt. There is sin in the camp that must be dealt with before they will hear from God. Sin is a roadblock in the matter of prayer. We cannot deny the Scriptures in this matter. Ps 66:18 says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.” And Pr 28:9 says, “One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.” It can't be much plainer than that. To turn your ear away from the Law is to live a life without restraint. Sin doesn't matter to the one who turns away from God's Law, and should such a one even bother to pray, his very words are detestable to God! Those who cherish iniquity in their heart, that is, they refuse to let go of it through confession and repentance, well, they might as well speak their prayers to the bottom of a garbage can. Ever felt like that? Like your speaking to a brass ceiling when you pray? Have you taken the time to examine how you are living? Do you just pick and choose the Laws of God that you like? When God is silent in your life, don't complain about Him, let Him complain about you as you allow the Holy Spirit to examine your life against the standards of God's Law. David knew how vital this is and so he prayed in Ps 139:23,24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.” Will you fall short of God's standards? Of course you will, but God promises to forgive your shortcomings through Jesus and if you sincerely desire, He will help lead you away from sin and to the path of everlasting life.