Forgive, Then Pray

Good Morning!! The access we have to God, is through Jesus Christ,...and it's based entirely on His goodness, not ours. For this reason, we can always pray to God,...go boldly to Him, when we cling to the perfect and sufficient work of Christ, on our behalf. On the other hand, scripture is very clear, that our way of life,...what we do, and fail to do, has a great influence our communion with God.

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.—Mark 11:25 (NIV)

The only way any prayer is ever heard is through the righteous imputation and intercession of Jesus Christ,...but it's Jesus who is reminding us that; successful prayers are accompanied by holy lives. If you have anything against any one, Jesus says, forgive them from your heart before you seek to pray to your heavenly Father. Paul admonishes husbands to honor and cherish their wives "that your prayers be not hindered" (1Peter 3:7). In short, don't even bother praying, if we are harboring resentment, or bitterness, or unforgiveness, your hearts.

Do not presume to ask for the forgiveness, that you are not yourself, are not willing to give others.

Holy Spirit, help us today, to be the kind of believers, that can go boldly in Christ's name to the throne of grace,...and freely love and forgive others,...so that our prayers are not hindered. Amen. 

"A change in behavior, first begins with a change in the heart."