2. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.
James 5:16
July 2: The urgent request…
Today: …of a righteous person…
July 16: …is very powerful in its effect.

3. The urgent request of a righteous person
is very powerful and effective.

4. The urgent request of a righteous person
is very powerful and effective.
Just as we enjoy
granting the requests of kind and respectful people
more than the requests of unkind and disrespectful people,
God enjoys
granting the requests of respectful and obedient people
more than the requests of disrespectful and disobedient people.

5. The urgent request of a righteous person
is very powerful and effective.
God doesn’t appreciate it when
we ask Him to grant our requests
but we are unwilling to do what He has requested (commanded!) us to do.

6. Reasons God may choose to not grant our requests

7. Reasons God may choose to not grant our requests
Our request is not His will/plan
Now this is the confidence we have before Him: Whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 
1 John 5:14

8. Reasons God may choose to not grant our requests
Our request is not His will/plan
We ask, but have doubt that God can/will answer
But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
James 1:6-7

9. Reasons God may choose to not grant our requests
Our request is not His will/plan
We ask, but have doubt that God can/will answer
We ask with selfish motives
You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires.
James 4:3

10. Reasons God may choose to not grant our requests
We are living in unrepentant sin
Psalm 66:18 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
Proverbs 28:19 Anyone who turns his ear away from hearing the law – even his prayer is detestable.
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have made Him hide His face from you so that He does not listen.
1 Peter 3:12 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are open to their request. But the face of the Lord is against those who do what is evil.

11. Reasons God may choose to not grant our requests
Our request is not His will/plan
We ask, but have doubt that God can/will answer
We ask with selfish motives
We are living in unrepentant sin
We lack care for the poor
The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will himself also call out and not be answered.
Proverbs 21:13

12. Reasons God may choose to not grant our requests
Our request is not His will/plan
We ask, but have doubt that God can/will answer
We ask with selfish motives
We are living in unrepentant sin
We lack care for the poor
We don’t forgive others
For if you forgive people their wrongdoing, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. But if you don’t forgive people, your Father will not forgive your wrongdoing.
Matthew 6:14-15

13. Reasons God may choose to not grant our requests
Our request is not His will/plan
We ask, but have doubt that God can/will answer
We ask with selfish motives
We are living in unrepentant sin
We lack care for the poor
We don’t forgive others
Husbands do not treat their wives with respect
Husbands…be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
1 Peter 3:7

14. Reasons God may choose to not grant our requests
Our request is not His will/plan
We ask, but have doubt that God can/will answer
We ask with selfish motives
We are living in unrepentant sin
We lack care for the poor
We don’t forgive others
Husbands do not treat their wives with respect

15. Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.
Hebrews 4:16