| Brothers and Sisters, (1 Peter 3:12) For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. Bro. Ray did a good job preaching on “Righteousness” this past Sunday evening and a few weeks ago I spent an entire week in our morning devotions on this same subject. When we were saved, we received the “Righteousness” of Christ which makes us right in the eyes of God. Here in I Peter 3, we see that “the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers”. This is a comforting thought this morning just to know that when we take time out to pray that our prayers are being heard by Almighty God. The only way our prayers are heard is because of the “Righteousness” we received from Jesus Christ at the moment we accepted Him as our Lord and Savior. I didn’t realize this when I was born again. I doubt any of us truly understood the benefit of the Lord hearing our prayers when we got saved. However, now after being saved for over 50 years I am still forever grateful that my prayers are being heard by the Lord and that his ears are open unto my prayers this morning. The last part of that verse says that, “the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” I don’t want to say that any of us are perfect because the Bible says that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. My righteousness does not rest in myself this morning because all my righteousness is as filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6) But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. My righteousness rests in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary which was “imputed” (transferred) to me at the moment of salvation. Like Bro. Ray mentioned in the sermon, all my sin was transferred to Jesus while all His righteousness was transferred to me. That’s the best trade I’ve ever made. I got the best of that deal. The face of the Lord is against those who have not been saved this morning and his ears are not open to their prayers. The only prayer He will hear from a lost person is the sinner’s prayer. Many in our day scoff at us when we even suggest or mention the sinner’s prayer. They say it is not in the Bible, but the publican recognized he was a sinner as he prayed. (Luke 18:13) And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. This is what we call the sinners prayer, “God be merciful to me a sinner”.Jesus said this man (the publican) went down to his house “Justified” rather than the other (Pharisee). (Luke 18:14) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Therefore, if you have been “Justified” please know that the Lord’s ears are open unto your prayers this morning and if you pray believing you shall have the desires of your heart. (Mark 11:24) Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Bro. Rick ReplyReply allForward | |
