Julie Ann

How do the first two sentences of Hezekiah's prayer (verse 15) correspond to the first sentence of the Lord's Prayer? How are they important to faith? How are they important to God answering the prayer? Hezekiah begins by recognizings God's greatness, just as "The Lord's Prayer" does. It is important that we recognize how great God is. We need to believe he is all powerful. God wants to answer our prayers and he also wants us to recognize He is the only one who can.

What is the significance of Hezekiah spreading out the enemy's message before the Lord? What is the underlying principle illustrated here? How can we apply this principle to our own lives? What happens when we don't apply this principle? By spreading out the message before the LORD, Hezekiah is turning it over to the LORD. The illustration is to give everyting to the Lord because he controls everything anyway. We need to remember to turn all our problems over to God. When we try to take care of things on our own we fail.

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? If we are willing to give to God what we know we should, we will be more likely to praise him for what he has given us. God wants us to be cheerful givers, not unhappy givers. Everything we have, homes, cars, clothes, etc, God has allowed us to have. Most of us have far more then we "need" and we must remember that God can take it away in an instant. I believe the more we let God know we know everything we have comes from him, the more we appreciate all God has given us, the more we appreciate what God has given us, the more God will give to us.

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? The Lords Prayer starts by speaking of God being holy. I try to start my prayers first by praising God and thanking him for all he has done for me and my family and all that he is going to do. I try to remember to mention the beauty of the world around me. The stary sky, awesome sunrises and sunsets. The way they light up the mountains around me. I have many favorite songs. Favorites change with the day and what might be going on that day. One of my current favorites is "Jesus, name above all names."

In what way does praise exalt God? Why should we exalt God? What does this exaltation do in us? What does it say about us? We exalt God to lift him up. By praising God, recognizing his greatness, his total power and control, it helps us to keep a right focus. To show proper respect and admiration for God.

In what way do our prayers of praise "bless" God? What do we mere humans have that God desires in a blessing? What are prayers like, that don't include blessing God? I believe our prayers "bless" God when we are honest and tell God how we feel about all the great and wonderful things he has done for us. Because God created us, but also gave us free will, I think He likes to know we appreciate what he's done for us even though we cannot fully understand it. Most prayers without blessing and praising God are more likely to be self centered, more likely asking God only to do for us rather then us do for God.

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" shows we have truely reached the point of true repentence. If we want God to pardon us, this is where we have to get to. This is a "sacrifice" in the sense that we are finally at a point to give everything to God, to let God be in control. We resist this point often times because we are not willing to give up controll to God.

Is it possible to have a pure heart? How does God bring about a pure heart? What is our part in this? Through Jesus Christ sacrifice our heart and spirit can be pure. Our flesh, however will still be sinful. Therefore we must come to God continually and ask for forgiveness and help.

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 neither tries to minimize or maximize his sin. He has reached a point where he knows he must be totally honest with God and ask for the forgiveness he needs. God doesn't want to hear our excusses. He wants to hear our honest admissions.

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? To ask to be pardoned for anything you must believe that a pardon is possible. I have faith that God is real and therefore will forgive me of my sins if I ask with a heart truly seeking forgiveness. To be able to pray this with confidence takes a personal relationship with God. I have seen him work in my life. I feel his presence throughout my daily walk.

In what way does Abraham show persistence? Why is persistence necessary in prayer? Have you ever experienced "praying through"? What was it like? Abraham is persistent by coming back to ask God again and again. I think persistence in prayer (if we are praying for the right reasons) shows God we are truely seeking his will. It shows our commitment to whatever we are dealing with. I have experienced "praying through" when we were in the process of making a big land purchase and somethings were not coming together quite right. I remember praying continually tha

Do you think Abraham's boldness pleased God? Why or why not? What might cause God to take delight in your prayers to him? Yes I believe God was pleased with Abraham. God loves to talk with us and have us talk to him. Abraham knew God well enough to be able to have such a discussion with God. Also Abraham wasn't looking for something for himself exactly but for someone else. I think when we pray for others and their needs before our own it pleases God. I was always taught to use the acrostic "JOY" J esus first, O thers second and Y ourself last.

How did Abraham demonstrate his humility before God? Why must boldness be tempered with humility? Abraham demonstrats humility by not trying to stand on equal ground with God. He acknowledges that God is greater then he is. Boldness needs to be tempered with humility so we don't get the feeling that we are equal to God. While God loves us and will do anything for us, we must remember He is head over all.

What is the basis of Abraham's argument that God should spare Sodom? How does it relate to God's character? Abraham knows God is a just God and because of that he is asking God to spare others who are faithful. God sent his son to save us because he is not willing for any to perish. He always givs us a way to escape the coming doom.

How can prayer change God's mind without conflicting with the doctrine of the Immutability of God? Can God answer a prayer for something outside of the scope of his will? God, being without sin, can decide which course of action to take if there is more then one course to choose from but both are within his will. Just as in this passage, If he had destroyed the Isrealites and chose to raise up a Nation through Moses, He would have fulfilled his promise, his will, to Abraham because Moses was a direct decendent. Instead, because Moses interceded, prayed for the Isrealites, God chose to spare them. Looking at this from a modern day, personal, perspective, I had been asking God for years to have my husband, who is a Christian but never really liked attending churches, to chose a church for us to attend together. Our boys and I attend several different churches over the years which I believe was God's will. Not until recently, however, did God have my husband begin attending a church with me that he likes and we have become members of. God could have had us become members a any church at any time. But he chose to wait until we started attending our current church home. God answers all prayers - just not always the way we want. If we are asking for something that is "outside of the scope of his will", God's going to tell us No.