I would like to say a few
more words about prayer. For one thing, prayer mixed
thoroughly with God’s Word
is a Christian’s greatest weapon.
Prayer is like flour and the
Bible like the egg. Flour would be flying all over the kitchen if it weren’t
for the egg to bind it all together. Sometimes our prayers are thrown out
haphazardly like the flour, but the Word of God brings it all together to form
what will soon be the blessing … the cake.
The subject of prayer is somewhat
like the subject of salvation. To obtain salvation is very simple. God made it
that way. Even a child can understand it. So why do adults have such a hard
time with it? Maybe it is because we try to complicate the simple. So how does
one become saved? How does John 3:16 (and many other passages) work? Put all
your trust in Jesus. Believe Him and follow Him. Otherwise, that’s it. There is
no other way. Jesus is the only way God provides for us to know Him as one of
His own.
(Why do I say, “Believe Him
and follow Him?” If we believe Him,
we will follow Him. We may stumble and fall along the way, but our desire will
be to follow Him.
If we do not believe Him, we
will not follow Him. There will be little to no real interest in Him.)
So is prayer a simple subject
to understand? It is, when we understand a few basic truths.
God only listens to the
prayers of those who have come to Him through His Son Jesus, the true
Christian.
He will listen to the
non-Christian IF they are calling upon His Son (Jesus) to be saved (the
sinner’s prayer). Otherwise, He never listens to those who are not a Christian.
“We know that God does not
listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.” (John
9:31)
What is the will of God?
“For my Father’s will is that
everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and
I will raise them up at the last day.”” (John 6:40)
Does God listen to the
prayers of His own children if they are out of fellowship? I think David and
Solomon can answer that question.
“If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have
listened; but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer.” (Psalms
66:18-19 emphasis mine)
“Then they will call to me
but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me, since they hated knowledge and did not
choose to fear the LORD.” (Proverbs 1:28-29 emphasis mine)
So if a true Christian wants
to resolve the problem of sin in their life so they can be restored to
fellowship with the Father, how do they do that?
“If we confess our sins, he
is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
RECAP
·
God WILL listen
to the prayers of His children if they are in fellowship.
·
God WILL NOT
listen to the prayers of His children if they are out of fellowship.
·
God WILL NOT
listen to the prayers of anyone who is not one of His children (a true
Christen).
·
BUT He WILL
listen to the lost sinner’s prayer to be saved through His Son Jesus.
But wait! Am I saying that if
I am His child, and I am not in sinful rebellion against Him that He will hear
my prayers and give me everything I ask for? Absolutely not!
How many prayers have gone up
for someone who is sick or dying? How about those under addiction to alcohol, drugs,
sex, spending, gambling, etc.? What about the prayers for those who are
jobless, in financial straits, and having marriage problems? Have ALL of those
prayers been answered in the way we asked? We both know that is not the case.
I realize that prayer can be
confusing to many. I’ve been in that confused state myself at times and most
assuredly will again at some point. Maybe this verse is the answer.
“For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD. “As the heavens
are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts
than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)
All I can say is that our God
answers many of our prayers as we ask, but usually in a much better way.
However, there are also many times it seems that those prayers didn’t get past
the tree line.
The only answer I can give is
the one provided to us from Jesus, our Savior and Lord. He said the following:
“This, then, is how you
should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in
heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10 emphasis mine)
“He went away a second time
and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away
unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
(Matthew 26:42 emphasis mine)
Folks, we cannot get a better
example for prayer than from the lips of Jesus Himself. “Your will be done.” That is the best place to leave our prayers.
Grant Phillips
Email: Phillip5769@twc.com
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
Rapture Ready: http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html
