Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Prayer for a Worthy Walk, XIX of ?



Prayer For A Worthy Walk



Colossians 1:9-10

"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and ncreasing in the knowledge of God,"

Keeping His Commandments

As prohibitions always imply the performance of their opposites as ‘Thou shalt not kill’ (Exod. 20:13) signifies that man shall use all lawful means to preserve life, and ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery’ (Exod. 20:14) obligates man to live chastely – so each positive precept argues its negative. 1 John 3:22 also implies that we shall not receive from God those things we ask of Him if we do not keep His commandments and do not do those things which are pleasing in His sight. If any uncertainty remains on this point, Proverbs 28:9 at once removes it: ‘He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination.’ God has appointed an inseparable connection between the performance of duty and the enjoyment of privilege. Psalm 66:18 is even more searching, showing again what God requires within as well as without: ‘If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.’ If I countenance and secretly foster any sin, even though I do not practice it, if I view it favourably or even palliate or excuse it, His ear is closed against me. Unsorrowed and unconfessed sins prevent many a prayer from being answered. The Holy One will not wink at sin. Spurgeon said, ‘For God to accept our devotions while we are delighting in sin, would make Him the God of hypocrites.’

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