13. Does God hear all prayers?

12. When your religion says that God hears your prayers.
Q: Does God hear all prayers?
A: Matthew 6:5-6 says: “Also, when you pray, do not act like the hypocrites, for they like to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the main streets to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your private room and, after shutting your door, pray to your Father who is in secret. Then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you.

Discussion:
So, as you read in vs. 5 above, do you think God is listening to the prayers of the hypocrites? Before you answer, consider what would make a persons’ prayers unacceptable to God:
A. When the football game begins, the players of “Team A” all huddle in a circle and pray to their god to win the game. The players of “Team B” all huddle in a circle and pray to their god to win the game. Whose side is god on? If “Team A” wins, does this show that the god of “Team A” was the stronger or better god? Did god favor “Team A” for some reason?
B. After the race, the winner is interviewed. He acknowledges that it was because of his relationship with god that allowed him to win. This is not an uncommon statement for people to say during their interview. But does this make any sense? Was god really favoring him during this race?
C. Matthew 6:5 says, “When you pray, you must not be as the hypocrites, because they like to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the broad ways to be visible to men. Truly I say to you, they are having their reward in full.”
D. Proverbs 28:9 says, “He that is turning his ear away from hearing the law of God, even his prayer is something detestable.”
E. Micah 3:4, “At that time they will call to Jehovah for aid, but he will not answer them. And he will conceal his face from them in that time, according as they committed badness in their dealings.”
F. James 1:6-7, “Let him keep on asking in faith, not doubting at all, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and blown about. In fact, let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from Jehovah.”
G. James 4:3, “You do ask, and yet you do not receive, because you are asking for a wrong purpose, that you may expend it upon your craving for sensual pleasure.”

So back to the question:
Q: Is he listening to you when you Pray?