TEXT: Psalm 40:1,2
TITLE: Who Can You Talk To? / Keeping the line to heaven open
INTRO:
1. Have you ever felt like nobody is listening to you?
a. Thursday, delay in computer I ordered.
b. All I got was computer generated E-mails – Automated voices – seemed like no one was there to talk to.
2. When you think about it, your just one lone voice amidst billions of talking people, Everybody’s talking and no one seems to be listening.
a. Feels like your voice just travels around the galaxy bouncing off plants.
3. I don’t know how God does it, but He hears each voice as if it’s the only one.
a. It’s nice to know you can always talk to God.
4. As Christians we say, “God always answers prayer with yes, no, or wait.”
a. There is truth in this…but not entirely. (God doesn’t always answer.)
5. Some choices we make may cause God to not respond.
I. God’s Response To Prayer Can Be Hindered By Sin.
A. Saul (1 Sam.28:6) – God clearly did not respond – Why
not?
1. He tried contacting God by usurping the priests office. 1 Sam.
13:8-12
a. We don’t have priests, go directly to God
b. What Saul did was disobey God.
c. Also disobeyed in 15:1-9
d. Disobedience to God and His Word can shut the line down.
2. Saul was full of Jealousy. 18:5-8
3. Saul was dishonest 18:17-19
B. Which one of these turned the Lord away, one of them, all of
them?
1. When Saul seeks the Lord, there is no response – is it any
wonder?
2. When he can’t reach God, consults a medium (28:7-14)
3. Saul came to a place he felt he had no one to talk to. (problem
was sin)
4. Tried to do it his own way.
a. Tabernacle shows you can’t do it your way (According to the
pattern)
C. This is not the only place where we see this truth – that God
will not listen or answer prayer.
1. Is.1:14,15 “Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul
hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
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.”
2. Is.59:2 “But your iniquities have separated between you and your
God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not
hear.”
3. Micah 3:4 “Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not
hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as
they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.”
D. Our lines of communication with God can be severed (called sin).
E. In war – lines of communication – enemy cuts them leaving people
in the dark.
F. Satan wants you in the dark.
G. Look at a few other men of interest:
1. Judas - He didn’t feel he could talk to Jesus? – 4 possible
reasons:
a. Disillusionment – Jesus was suppose to be the Messiah (crush
Roman rule) – But Jesus said in Bethany His death was imminent.
b. Frustration – May have led Judas to force the hand of Jesus.
c. Greed – Might as well profit from what’s going down.
d. Satanic Influence – John 13:2,27
2. Prodigal Son – Couldn’t really talk to his father until he was
at the end of himself
a. Young – didn’t want to listen to anyone in authority – “Give me
what’s mine!” (Selfishness – stubbornness – greed)
b. The one thing about the prodigal (he repented)
1.) Judas didn’t – felt sorry for what he did.
2.) Saul – to full of himself to repent.
3.) Prodigal – ran back to the father - repented
H. Repentance is what repairs those downed lines to God.
II. Personal Requirements of Prayer
A. Purity of Heart – Ps.66:18-19
B. Faith – Matt.21:22
C. In Christ’s Name – John 14:13
D. According to God’s will – 1 John 5:14
E. These keep that prayer line to God open.
III. Conclusion
- In a world where no one seems available to talk to – God is always available.
- Your Job is to keep those line of communication clear.
- Tonight, find a place of prayer:
1. Maybe your line to God is open – prayer helps keep it open.
2. Maybe your line to God is closed – Repentance will open it back up.
