Whose prayers don't get answered? Pt II: Don't be that guy!

5:05 p.m. Today's project was to examine what God says in scripture about individuals whose prayers He refuses to answer. Our example from Part I yesterday was King Saul in I Samuel 28, who prayed halfheartedly, but then quickly and easily turned to a witch for spiritual guidance. If he had sought godly counsel, repented, and sought the Lord in sincerity, Israel might have had a different fate, resisting and beating back the Philistines. But God, who is fully conversant with the inner counsels of each person's heart, knew Saul would not repent of his disobedience, and had predetermined that Saul and his sons would perish in battle and the Philistines would triumph. "When a wicked man rules, the people groan," Proverbs 29:2 says.

In the prophet Ezekiel's day, false prophets were refuting God's voice through Ezekiel of the coming destruction of Israel and the captivity of her people, saying that "the vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies for times far off." (Ezekiel 13:27) Evil ruled the land, to the point that even the Temple was defiled with idolatrous abominations. The lies false prophets told, said the LORD in v. 22-23,

have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life. Therefore you shall no longer envision futility nor practice divination; for I will deliver My people out of your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.

The Lord puts an interesting question to Ezekiel when the elders of Israel came to the prophet to inquire of God:

Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and have put before them what causes him to stumble into iniquity, should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them?

Therefore speak to them, and say to them, "Thus says the LORD God: 'Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols, that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because they are all estranged from Me by their idols.' "

"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Repent, turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your abominations." ' (Ezekiel 14:3-6)

We think, "What idols could we possibly be worshiping that cause us to stumble? We're modern, educated people!" Could we be worshiping achievement, wealth, looks, popularity or education, any of which can cause us to become self-sufficient, no longer looking to God to meet our needs?

If so, we need to humble ourselves before God, confess that we have set up idols in our hearts, repent sincerely, change our ways, and come back fully to the Lord!

And what does God promise to the one who continues in idolatry and iniquity and then comes, nevertheless, to inquire of the Lord? Verse 8:

I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.

Don't be that guy (or gal)! Repent and come back to the Lord now!