In your prayers be specific, straightforward, earnestly acknowledging your sins and errors against your heavenly Father. Have the deep appreciation that loyal David did and ask God to search you through and know your heart. Plead with him to give ear to your prayer and to pay attention to your entreaties. (Ps. 139:23; 86:6) Remember, the prayer of the upright is a pleasure to him. So think of the many reasons why you should keep praying freely, confidently expecting God to hear and help you.​—Prov. 15:8.

30. To whom should you come without reservation?

³⁰ There is One you can come to without reservation. He is the “Hearer of prayer.” So why not make him happy as you by “prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God”? (Phil. 4:6) By doing this you can go forward, experiencing the love that God has for those who come to him.

Be Steadfast in Prayer

“Every loyal one will pray to you.”​—Ps. 32:6.

1, 2. (a) Why should one communicate with God? (b) How does one display a preference for God’s will?

IN THIS modern age the majority of persons seem to have little or no time for God. Many excuses are made as to why they do not consider him in their daily lives. However, if one claims to serve the living and true God, then one should loyally communicate with him, looking to him as the one whom to serve and obey in everything.

² Especially after one has committed oneself to serve Jehovah God one should take prayer seriously. Rather than view it as a duty, one should enjoy it as a privilege. With a preference to the doing of God’s will and a theocratic submissiveness to it, one will pray: “Make me know your own ways, O Jehovah; teach me your own paths. Make me walk in your truth and teach me, for you are my God of salvation.”​—Ps. 25:4, 5.

SINCERITY IN PRAYER

3. How can we be sincere in our requests to God?

³ Sincerity is involved in speaking with the Most High if you expect him to give attention to your requests. In all seriousness and in full possession of our senses, we must be honest in the appraisal of ourselves. To be loyal to God’s righteous ways, we will not gloss over our wrong habits or questionable attitudes. It is not possible to deceive the One with whom we have an accounting. (Heb. 4:12) It would be folly for us to pray one way and to act out of harmony with the request.

4. What should we do to please the Hearer of prayer?

⁴ Those who loyally observe his commandments have the assurance: “The eyes of Jehovah are upon the righteous ones, and his ears are toward their supplication; but the face of Jehovah is against those doing bad things.” (1 Pet. 3:12) If we ask for forgiveness, then we must practice forgiving, from the heart. (Matt. 18:35) If we pray for God’s kingdom, we ought