We have been teaching on having effective prayer. A prayer is only as effective as our hearts are toward God and others. Often our thoughts and attitudes have taken on a life of their own inside our mental world. We train ourselves to believe our own self-centered ways. Prayer should always begin with an evaluation of self. How we think toward and treat others is directly proportionate to how God responds to us.
Scriptures:
Jeremiah 17: 5-10: 5 “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes the flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD. 6 He will be like a shrub in the desert; he will not see when prosperity comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. 7 But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is Him. 8 He will be like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It will not worry in a year of drought or cease to produce fruit. 9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure—who can understand it? 10 I, the LORD, search the heart; examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve. Berean heart-leb- feelings, will, mind (intellect)
Proverbs 23: 6, 7: 6 Do not eat the bread of a miser, Nor desire his delicacies; 7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you. KJ 1. heart – nephesh-breathing bodily person with a mentality of greed; 2. heart-leb-feelings, will, mind
Hebrews 3: 12: Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. KJ
Hebrews 3:12: Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. NAS heart – kardia-thoughts, feelings; mind
Psalm 12: 1-4: Help, O LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men. 2 They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart. 3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaks proud things. 4 They say, “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?” Berean
James 1: 26: If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. NKJ heart-kardia; thoughts, feelings, mind
James 1: 2-8: 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Berean minded-dipsuchos- double rational soul; vacillating in opinion and purpose
Isaiah 29: 13: Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men. Berean hearts-leb-feelings, will, mind
Isaiah 29:13: The Lord said, “These people claim to worship me, but their words are meaningless, and their hearts are somewhere else. Their religion is nothing but human rules and traditions, which they have simply memorized. GNT
Matthew 7: 21-23: 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. KJ
1 Samuel 7:3: Samuel told them, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, get rid of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths that are among you, dedicate yourselves to the LORD, and worship only him. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” CSB Ashtoreths – god of the Philistines heart- lebab- feelings,will, intellect
1 John 2: 3, 4, 9,10: 3 By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments. 4 If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
9 If anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in the darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. Berean keep- guard from loss by keeping eye upon and holding fast to; hates-miseo-to detest, to persecute, to love less
Proverbs 25: 26: Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked. Berean
Proverbs 25: 26: A good person who gives in to someone who is evil reminds you of a polluted spring or a poisoned well. GNT
Revelation 3: 14-21: 14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— NKJ
