This week, Larry Albritton of the West Side Church of Christ will be with us for our extended Gospel Meeting. I have opened the blog to brother Albritton. The following is from the West Side Church of Christ bulletin of Nov. 17, 2013.

The Philistines had taken possession of the ark of the covenant, but after several plagues, they returned it. With the ark recovered and relocated at the house of Abinadab, Israel had time to lament the unfaithfulness to Cod which had caused them to lose the ark. During these years, Samuel preached that Israel must put away her idols and return to Jehovah. This they did. After offering a lamb in sacrifice to the Lord, “Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel and the Lord heard him” (I Samuel 7:9).

Today, when people cry out to God, does He hear them? Will he hear us? From all that the Bible tells us, God only hears those who hear Him. Consider the following:

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

“The Lord is far from the wicked: but He heareth the prayer of the righteous” (Proverbs 15:29).

“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66: 18).

“Your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59: 2).

The cries of the disobedient God will not hear. Those who turn a deaf ear to God’s laws, that live wickedly, that are insincere in their service to Him–God will not hear their petitions. What a striking blow this is to many who have sought God’s help as a last resort at a moment of peril! There is no toll-free emergency line to His throne. If a line does exist, it is because we have been listening to Him.

When one becomes a child of God and is cleansed of past sins by the blood of Christ (Acts 2: 38 ; Galatians 3: 16-27; and Ephesians 1: 7), the distance to God is spanned. A Christian is able to commune with the heavenly Father through the advocacy of Jesus Christ (I John 2: 1). God hears His children!

When a baptized believer sins, repentance, confession of the wrong, and prayer for forgiveness serve to maintain the favor of God (Acts 5:22-24 and I John 1:7-9). If such iniquities continue and are not put behind, there comes a time when God will no longer hear us. Consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 5 :23-24. If we offend a brother in Christ and fail to make it right, our “gift” of worship will not be accepted. Peter tells us that a marriage conflict may even cause our prayers to be hindered (I Peter 3: 7). It is good to always remember that “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availed much” (James 5: 16).

When life strikes a harsh blow and the world seems to be caving in about me, I certainly want God to hear my cries for help. The Father has promised to hear me and respond if I have been hearing Him. If you cried out to God, would He hear you? We must prepare ourselves so He will.

Larry Albritton, Nov. 17, 2013