Entering Into God’s Presence

Knowing God Through His Works & Ways (VERBS)

God Listens (Hears) 

To Study and Ponder

• God’s extraordinary loving care for us is evident in the fact that he listens to and hears us. Communication is an act of love, the foundation of relationship, God’s communication with us is a genuine two-way dialogue.

• God’s amazing humility is evident in that even though he is the Creator he focuses on us his creatures.

• God pays attention to the needs/problems/concerns of individuals

• Hagar & Ishmael -Gen 16:11; 21:17; Abraham-17:20; Leah-29:33; 30:17; Rachel-30:6,22

• The Lord heard Hezekiah’s prayer to both live (Isaiah 38:5-6) and for deliverance of a massive, unstoppable invading army. (2Kings 19:20.)

• God listened to Hannah’s cry for a child.(I Sam. 2). She got much more than she asked for she became the mother of a prophet who was one of the greatest leaders of Israel.

• Our God heard Elijah’s cry as he was praying for the dead boy and raised him up to life again. (I Kings 17:22)

• God heard the prayers of Cornelius, (Acts 10:31) an unsaved Gentile, and that led to his full salvation.

• Our God listens to our broken-hearted cries and gives us more than we can ask or imagine.(Eph.3:20)

• Does he who implanted the ear not hear? Does he who formed the eye not see? Ps 94:9 (NIV)

• God also pays attention to the needs and concerns of nations, seen in His attentive care for Israel. (Exodus 2:24; 3:7; 6:5; 22:23,27; etc.)

• God’s promise to hear is inherent in the prophets’ urging to call out to Him

• Turn to the Lord before it’s too late. Call out to him while he’s still ready to help you. Is.55:6

• God promises that at the time of the new heavens & earth Even before they call out to me, I will answer them. While they are still speaking, I will hear them. Is.65:24

• I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest, Isa 62:6 (NIV)

• Then you will call out to me. You will come and pray to me. And I will listen to you. Jer 29:12

• Call out to me. I will answer you. I will tell you great things you do not know. Jer 33:3a

• God hears cries for mercy:- Ps. 6:9, 28:2, 31:22, 116:1; Matt 20:30-34

• The psalmists and prophets repeatedly call out with confident expectation that God will hear

• “Listen to my cry” “Listen to my prayer”, “Hear my prayer” - Ps.5:1-3; 17:1; 39:12; 54:2; 55:1,17; 65:1; 84:8;145:18-19; Daniel 9:17,18,19; Isa 30:19; 37:17; etc.

• Lord, hear my prayer. Listen to my cry for your favor. Psalm 143:1a (David)

• So I will look to the Lord. I’ll put my trust in God my Savior. He will hear me. Micah 7:7

• Elijah confronting the prophets of Baal says Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire--he is God. 1Ki 18:24

• Solomon’s prayer in I Ki 8:28-52 makes 10 requests that God hear from heaven.

• There are requirements for God to answer the prayers he hears:- clean hands, a pure heart, pure motives, faith, for us to be in right relationship with our brothers/neighbors and for his will to be done in the midst of prayer. –Ps.15, James 4:1-3, Matt 5:24, Mark 11:24, Lu.22:42, 1John 5:14-15. (In His mercy God does listen to sinners calling out to Him.)

• Jesus listened & responded to cries for help. Blind men shouting - Matt 20:30-34

• Added meditation materials by Randy Richards (U of N Kona) - link here

Memory/Meditation

Lower Grades: Listen to my voice in the morning LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. Psalm 5:3 (NLT)

The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help. Psalm 34:15 (NLT)

Middle Grades: Lord, you hear the longings of those who are hurting. You cheer them up and give them hope. You listen to their cries. Psalm 10:17(NLT)

There is one thing we can be sure of when we come to God in prayer. If we ask anything in keeping with what he wants, he hears us. If we know that God hears what we ask for, we know that we have it. 1 John 5:14-15 (NLT)

Upper Grades: If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!   Psalm 116:1-2 (NLT)