For most of my life I took it for granted that the Creator, the King of the universe heard my prayers. However now that I look back, I am forced to ask myself if I ever really even prayed. Oh yes I did throw up a petition now and then, usually for myself or my family, but rarely for others. And I assumed that those petitions were heard. After all, I prayed using the magic words “in Yeshua’s (Jesus’) name.”

Yehovah spoke to Hosea saying:

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your Elohim (God – lawmaker, judge), I also will forget your sons.” (Hos 4:6)

And through Isaiah He said:

“Therefore My people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.” (Isa 5:13)

We do not know Yehovah’s word. Oh sure, we have memorized many of the sound bites from the “Gospels” the commentaries of Paul, Peter, James, John and Jude; but we have not learned The Word (Torah – the Law and the Prophets) that the commentaries are about and we have certainly not obeyed that word. We have been very poor Bereans and have not searched out the scriptures as they did.

“Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” (Act 17:10-11)

What does Yehovah’s word have to say about prayer? Does Yehovah hear everyone’s prayers? Or is He a bit more selective than we might think and even hope?

Concerning Israel, Moses says:

“Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as Yehovah, my Elohim commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has Elohim so near to it, as Yehovah our Elohim is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?” (Deu 4:5-8)

“The slaughter of the wicked is an abomination to Yehovah, but the prayers of the upright is His delight. “(Pro 15:8)

Israel’s seed is Yehovah’s special treasure; he hears the prayers of those who love Him and keep His ways, He said so! But what about those who do not? Of them he says:

“One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayers are an abomination.” (Pro 28:9)

“Then they will cry to Yehovah, but He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, because they have been evil in their deeds.” (Mic 3:4)

“Behold, Yehovah’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your Elohim; And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” (Isa 59:1-2)

“Thus says Yehovah to this people: ‘Thus they have loved to wander; they have not restrained their feet. Therefore Yehovah does not accept them; He will remember their iniquity now, and punish their sins.’ Then Yehovah said to me: ‘Do not pray for this people, for their good. When they fast, I will not hear their cry.’ ” (Jer 14:10-12)

When Solomon dedicated the first temple he seemed to know that Yehovah’s people would fall away constantly, so in His prayers of dedication He asked the Father to hear the prayers of the people when they returned to Yehovah and His ways. It is the prayer of a broken and contrite (repentant) heart, that Yehovah will always hear, even if you are a thief who is dying on a cross.

“And when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and pray to You toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name: then hear in heaven Your dwelling place their prayers and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You, and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You; and grant them compassion before those who took them captive, that they may have compassion on them (for they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out of Egypt, out of the iron furnace), that Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant and the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You.” (1Ki 8:48-52)

“The slaughters of Elohim are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart— these, O Elohim, You will not despise.” (Psa 51:17)

So please, do not wait until you need Yehovah’s help; help that will be essential to your survival in the coming last days. Return to Him and His ways now and He will direct your heart to His ways. Then when the need arises He will hear your prayers and answer you for “what ever you call on Him for.”

While True Israel will make it their goal to learn and obey, others won’t; some prayers Yehovah hears, and some, He don’t.