Job 16:17-19

17 Not for any injustice [chamac] in mine hands [kaph]: also my prayer [taphillah] is pure [zak].

18 O earth ['erets], cover [kacah] not thou my blood [dam], and let my cry [za`aq] have no place [maqowm].

19 Also now, behold, my witness [`ed] is in heaven [shamayim], and my record [sahed] is on high [marowm]. KJV-Interlinear

17 Although there is no violence in my hands, And my prayer is pure. 18 'O earth, do not cover my blood, And let there be no resting place for my cry. 19 'Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And my advocate is on high. NASB

Job has already mentioned that the nature of man is putrid. We have already seen his observance of the confession offerings. And, as washing is the principle illustration for the removal of sin, which is filth, then now we should be able to understand Jobs reference to the purity of his prayers.

Violence is sin. Violence is the expression of overt sins. Violence is there result of thought, then perhaps verbal activity, and finally the overt action of ones attitude. All sin filth is removed or washed away, by means of confession, in order to obtain forgiveness.

Remember, Jesus Christ went to the Cross to pay the penalty for sin. On the Cross, sin was judged. It was not forgiven, and thus the need for periodic confession during our lifetime. That study is detailed in Leviticus and 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd John.

Job practiced his confession regularly as indicated in the first two chapters of this book. When he prayed, he prayed from a position of purity. In other words, he was in fellowship. God only receives prayers that are offered in proper form. That form is fellowship.

And for that matter, the spiritual life only functions while you are in fellowship.

Job further states that if his prayers were not in proper form, if there was sin active, or unconfessed, in his life, then let the earth cover up his prayers. Let the world, the carnal world be his hearer, which is no hearer at all. Let his cries find no recipient, no resting place, no destination.

But Jobs plea is that the earth does not cover up his prayers, that his prayers do find their target, namely God.

All prayer is offered to the Father. No prayer is ever offered to anyone but God the Father.

All prayer must be offered while residing in fellowship. Fellowship is accomplished by confession. Confession is a form of prayer whereby the believer names his sins to God the Father. 'Father, I thought, said, did, this and that, and this and that, and this and that.'

All prayer is offered in the name of Christ. Christ is the only access gate to the Father.

No prayer will be received unless it conforms to the above rules of prayer. Any prayer offered while living in sin, is rejected.

No unbeliever can pray to God. Their only valid prayer, which will be heard, is their faith expression in believing in Christ. All prayers to other gods, idols, beliefs, wishes and so forth are worthless.

No believer who resides out of fellowship will get their prayers heard. The only valid prayer of the out of fellowship believer, is confession.

As for believers who reside within their fellowship sphere, then all of their prayers will be received.

All prayers received may or may not be granted. All prayers must conform to the plan of God. God has a plan for human history, and God has a plan for individuals. If your prayer conflicts with His plan, then it will not be granted, even though it was received. You may however, receive your answer in some other form.

Most prayers will not be answered instantaneously. God is not your genie, nor a fast drive up window server for your convenience.

Therefore, patience and contentment are virtues which you need to develop in your life.

Our advocate, our witness to the Father, resides in heaven. Our representative is the Savior. And so Job refers to one who is his representative, to one whom he refers to as his divine, on high, advocate. There, in heaven, is where all of his personal records are located. His representative presents his life not to Himself, the representative, but to another, who is God the Father.

Now is the time to post a prayer.