It Is Attitude

Now we know that God heareth not sinners: (John 9:31a KJV)

That doesn’t sound good for us, does it? We are all sinners.

but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. (John 9:31 KJV)

See? Getting half the story isn’t worth much. Knowing the full story is awesome.

Our attitude impacts our prayer life. David was aware of this:

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. (Psalms 66:18-20 KJV)

Solomon understood that lesson and was specific about who God does not hear:

The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous. (Proverbs 15:29 KJV)

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. (Proverbs 28:9 KJV)

Long before the patriarchs, Job understood God’s desire for righteousness. His trials were not the result of his attitude or action and he understood about hypocrites:

For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God? (Job 27:8-10 KJV)

After his long speech to those who sought blame (chapters 26-31), Job closes with a solemn vindication of himself from all the charges of wicked conduct which had been insinuated against him by his friends. Job never denied God:

This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above. (Job 31:28 KJV)

Being righteous is not what is required, for we all fail in many ways. We must have faith that God exists and seek Him:

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)

As the newly sighted debated Pharisees about the healing of his blindness, he reminded them of what they taught:

The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. (John 9:30-31 KJV)

David knew that a clean heart was necessary, that God could provide it and that provision would renew their spiritual relationship:

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalms 51:6-10 KJV)

Attitude is important, and we’ve been told what to bring to God as our sacrifice:

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. (Psalms 51:17 KJV)