Philippians 2:4
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
SEMANGAT by Pdt.Gilbert Lumoindong
Daniel 3:16-18
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up. ”Esther 4:13-14
13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
you shameful nation,
2 before the decree takes effect
and that day passes like windblown chaff,
before the Lord’s fierce anger
comes upon you,
before the day of the Lord’s wrath
comes upon you.
3 Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,
you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness, seek humility;
perhaps you will be sheltered
on the day of the Lord’s anger.
Zephaniah 2:1-3
Gather together, gather yourselves together,you shameful nation,
2 before the decree takes effect
and that day passes like windblown chaff,
before the Lord’s fierce anger
comes upon you,
before the day of the Lord’s wrath
comes upon you.
3 Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,
you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness, seek humility;
perhaps you will be sheltered
on the day of the Lord’s anger.
Psalm 16:5-7
5 LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. 6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. 7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.
Passion for change.
Tantangan adl segala awal dari sesuatu yang lebih baik.
Chella Lumoindong - Allah turut bekerja
Remember Who Is Boss !
"Slaves obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service as people-pleasers but with sincerity of heart fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward You are serving the Lord Christ."
The key for the Christian is to remember who is ultimately our Boss. Whatever we are doing - and the slave in this passage was probably doing the really menial jobs - it is Christ we are serving. We are called to work hard at everything because our ultimate reward is in Heaven not on Earth. What if we hate it? What if we struggle? Remember - it is Christ we are serving and our reward is in Heaven.
God is Our Hope
But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. – Jeremiah 17:7
What is hope? Some people characterize it as never giving up. Others see it as a motivation to endure hard times knowing that something better is ahead. It can be both of these things and more when the source of your hope is God.
Hope and faith are inextricably linked. In the book of Hebrews, Paul says that when we hope for what we cannot see, that is faith. In the book of Jeremiah, God told the Israelites that His plan was not to harm them but to see that they had a future and that it was filled with hope.
To get a better view of what it means to hope when the going gets rough, let’s look at Job. Remember him? He was the upright and just man living in the land of Uz. One day, Satan asked God for Job. Satan believed that someone so just was only that because he had never known a hard day in his life. If he did, he would not be so ready to live such a godly life.
Therefore, God allowed Satan to tempt Job. Some may call this cruel or say that it exhibits how God really sees us – pawns in a game. Neither of these things is true.
Let’s face it. Life is hard. And, many of the hardships are not due to God’s hand. People have free will and often their expression of their “rights” may infringe on yours. But, God is nothing if not faithful to those who love Him. He will rescue us from all our troubles, if not help us to avoid some of them.
Now back to Job. He knew God but when he lost his entire family in a freak accident, he was deeply saddened. He also lost all that he owned. You see, Job was wealthy. That is another sticking point that diminishes us. We may lose some things but as long as we have our money, we still feel a measure of security, however false.
Job tore his clothing (as was the custom) and rubbed ashes all over him. When his health was threatened, his friends saw a chance to jump in and give Job the benefit if their advice to stop all the nonsense.
It is not uncommon to feel sad when things go wrong or when it seems that the weight of the world is crushing in on us. Becoming emotional has nothing to do with faith or hope. It is a response to what has happened. We may even wallow in self-pity (though hopefully not in the dirt and ash) as Job also did.
Job’s friends, as no doubt our friends would do, gave him advice. They went from trying to comfort him to blaming and condemning him as an unrepentant sinner. For a time, he agreed with his friends and wondered if God had left him.
But, Job reached a point where instead of looking at the present circumstances, he began to remember the past and God’s faithfulness. Those memories began to give him strength and an unnatural hope that all would be well eventually because of what he already know about his God.
In all situations God is our hope. We come to realize that when we turn the corner in our sadness and pity and remember who God really is. He is the Supreme Creator, the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star and the Almighty God. That will never change no matter what comes our way. We can count on God to come to our rescue when the time is right.
Jesus is Teacher and Lord
John 13:13
“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.
Miracle
I will do greater things in Jesus name to glorify the Father
John 14:12-14
12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Partners
Ephesians 5:5-8
New International Version (NIV)
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
Blessed
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them,
He remains faithful forever.
Psalm 146 : 5-6
Blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence.
Jeremiah 17:7
I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
Psalm 37:25
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake."
Psalm 23:1-3
"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you,
that you, always having all sufficiency in all things,
may have an abundance for every good work."
2 Corinthians 9:8
Jeremiah 17:7
I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
Psalm 37:25
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake."
Psalm 23:1-3
"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you,
that you, always having all sufficiency in all things,
may have an abundance for every good work."
2 Corinthians 9:8
my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever."
Philippians 4:19-20
Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever."
Philippians 4:19-20
“If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Luke 12:28-34
"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it."
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it."
Malachi 3:10
Good gift
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
God
- The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. Psalm 145:8
- The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him, he hears their cry and saves them. Psalm 145:17-19.
- Praise the Lord.[a] Praise the Lord, my soul.2 I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,
in human beings, who cannot save.
4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
5 Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.6 He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
he remains faithful forever.
7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
8 the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the foreigner
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.10 The Lord reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.Praise the Lord.Psalm 146
How Often Should We Pray
1 Corinthians 1:4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,
Ephesians 6:18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
Philippians 1:3-4 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,
Colossians 1:3 (KJV) We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray without ceasing
How Should We Pray
Psalm 66:17 I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue.
Psalm 95:2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
Matthew 6:9-13 (KJV) After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
1 Corinthians 14:15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.
James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
What Should We Pray For
Psalm 50:14-15 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”
Psalm 118:25 Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success!
Psalm 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they be secure who love you!
Romans 10:1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.
Romans 10:13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Who Should We Pray For
Romans 15:30 I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,
2 Corinthians 1:11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.
1 Timothy 2:1-2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
James 5:13-14 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Christian Quotes About Prayer
“Those persons who know the deep peace of God, the unfathomable peace that passeth all understanding, are always men and women of much prayer.”~ R. A. Torrey
“Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees.” ~ Corrie ten Boom
“You may as soon find a living man that does not breath, as a living Christian that does not pray.” ~ Matthew Henry
“Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer.” ~ John Bunyan
“We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties.” ~ Oswald Chambers
All scripture is God breathed
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for
- teaching
- rebuking
- correcting
- training in righteousness
Keep On Praying
“You’ve Got Questions – God Has Answers” Series
Life is filled with things that bother us and that are problems for us – questions we might wish we had answers for. These things can range from how to deal with the economy and the way it affects our daily living to how to be a Christian parent to how to deal with “difficult people” to how to deal with emotions such as anger to how to keep from saying things that we know are not things God would have us be saying to how to respond when things are moving a lot slower that we would like for them to to how to deal with feelings of loneliness and the questions of how we can be sure of God’s love to questions about God hears our prayers.
The Bible is our guide to living life in God’s ways – and contains God’s answers to our questions in life. Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that:
“16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
This summer we’re looking at some of the issues and questions we may face in our lives – and how God would have us deal with them. Today we are looking at an issue that most of us face from time to time – the issue of God’s answering our prayers. Sometimes it may seem that God is not listening to us – but despite how it feels – God says to us:
Keep on praying!
Prayer is a vital part of our lives as Christians – we know that God wants us to pray – but – how do we know when to keep praying – and when to give up? We might believe that God wants us to pray – then find ourselves in specific situations where our prayers don’t seem to do a bit of good.
There may be times when we all may wonder:
Should I keep on praying?
Jesus addresses this in Matthew 7:7-12. Listen to what Jesus says about the fact that God answers prayers. Read Scripture
You know — there is nothing that reveals more about how you feel about God than your prayer life. How you approach God and what you’re willing to ask for reveals how you view God.
When we ask people for things we tend to frame our requests with what we know about them in mind. For example, if a child knows their father loves and cares for them they may not fear to calmly ask him for things – having the assurance that the father has greater wisdom and experience than they and would not give them anything that would be harmful to them. However, a child with extravagant but uncaring father might arrogantly lay down their demand — knowing their every desire will be met. On the other hand, a child with the stingy, ill-tempered, or abusive father might not dare to ask for anything — fearing it would bring on another emotional explosion from the father.
This is also true spiritually.
When we pray we make our prayers with our understanding of God in mind. I think sometimes our view of God can be influenced by the kind of earthly father we have had. An individual that believes God is arbitrary will be fearful and on guard. The individual who believes that God is vengeful will be fearful. But the individual who believes that God is gracious will come boldly.
Jesus gives us some guidelines about how to come to God in prayer. Listen again to what He says in verses 7-11:
7“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
9“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
All three verbs in verse seven, Ask, Seek, Knock are commands. These are not only commands to do these things – to ask – seek – and knock – but they are also commands to not stop doing these things! We are told to ask and keep on asking, — to seek and keep on seeking – to knock and keep on knocking. In fact, the words: ask, seek and knock seem to suggest an ever increasing intensity in prayer.
1.Asking. There are some things that we must ask for.
2.Seeking. Seeking is a deeper level of prayer than just asking. Sometimes we may not know exactly what to pray for and we many need to first seek God’s will before we know what to pray for. But God has made provision for us even in such times. In Romans 8:26-27 Paul writes:
26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
3. Knocking. The knocking here illustrates seeking entrance, or desiring fellowship.
Keep on asking – keep on seeking – keep on knocking – keep on praying.
Keep on praying!
Within this command to pray I think we can see four general principles about prayer.
This same principle is stated in the negative in James 4:2
“… you do not have because you do not ask.”
I’m afraid this principle describes many of us. It has bee said that we do not live in a praying age – and that is true. We live in an age of hustle and bustle, where we depend on our own efforts and determination and have too much confidence in ourselves and our own power to achieve things. We believe too strongly in our ability to organize and get things done — and if we can’t get things done we believe that we have the technology to help us figure out how to get things done – or do things for us. We believe too much in our own abilities and our own achievements. We don’t think to ask God for anything – because we think we have – or can get – or can create – anything we need. But Jesus makes it clear – we are expected to ask for the things God has promised – and if we do so will be blessed in ways we never imagined.
Too many times we don’t accomplish things for God because we don’t ask God to help us accomplish things for Him! W need to ask God for the things He has promised – the ability to reach others for His glory – the ability to do His will – instead of just sit in idle mode and wonder why we can’t seem to get things done for God!
James is right – we don’t have because we don’t ask.
Jesus is right – if we ask it will be given.
If we ask – God will richly bless us with abilities to serve Him and grow into the people He wants us to be.
But – we have to ask.
That’s the first principle we need to understand about prayer. We are expected to ask for the things God has promised us.
Keep on praying!
Keep on praying!
The second principle is:
“For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
There are two certainties when we pray. One is that God hears every prayer. The other certainty is that God always answers. This verse says for ‘everyone who asks receives,” Maybe you’re wondering if you heard that right – but yes – it says that everyone receives! But here’s a problem — we have the misconception that the only possible answer to prayer is yes. There are two other possibilities. God can say, No or he can say, Not Yet.
However God answers, God hears and answers every prayer – so keep on praying!
Keep on praying!
This leads to the third principle about prayer:
“Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? (10) Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? (11) If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”
Even earthly fathers give good things to their children. We wouldn’t give a child a red-hot chili pepper just because they ask for it. Well – some might think it would be funny – but not many!
I did hear of a father who got their child to hold on to a spark plug of a lawn mower so he could see if it was firing. It was firing alright — it knocked the fire right out of child.
Generally speaking, though, we do not give things to our children that we know will really harm them. And if this true of us — how much more true it must be of God!
I’ve heard it put this way: “If we ask for God for good things, He grants them — if we ask for thins which are not good (either not good in themselves, or not good for us or for others, directly or indirectly, immediately or ultimately) He denies them — and many times only He knows the difference.”
Maybe you’ve heard this saying:
“I asked for strength that I might achieve; he made me weak that I might obey. I asked for health that I might do great things: he gave grace that I might do better things. I asked for riches that I might be happy; he did not give them so that I might be wise. I asked for power that I might have the praise of men; I was given weakness that I might feel a need of God. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life; I was given life, that I might enjoy all things. I received very few of the things I asked for; but I received the things I had hoped for.”
Yea — sometimes God gives us what we need and not what we ask for…
Keep on praying!
Keep on praying!
So – we have 3 principles about prayer:
We are expected to ask for the things God has promised
God hears and answers every prayer.
Sometimes God gives us what we need — and not what we ask for
Here’s a fourth principle about prayer we need to remember:
The underlying principle behind the significance of persistent prayer has to be the truth that no prayer is ever wasted effort. Howard Hendricks a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, relates this story about how now prayer is ever wasted. Dr Hendricks writes:
“The phone rang and I greeted a young pastor friend from Arlington, Virginia. “What are you doing?” he asked. “Studying,” I replied. “Nothing special.” “Are you sitting down?” “Yes, why?” “Your father just trusted Christ this evening.” “He what? You’ve got to be kidding!” I blurted out. Such an inappropriate response grew out of long detours in our father-son journey. Ever since I received Christ as a boy my concern has been for the salvation of my family and loved ones. On repeated occasions I had broached the subject of the gospel with dad, but his response was less than excited.
My father has always been a very important person to me. Not that I approved of everything he said or did or that I imitated him consciously in any way. We weren’t really close friends, either. But he was important in my life because of the indirect impact he made upon me.
Dad was a military man. He had seen action around the world. During the periods when he was embroiled in battle, I would become very sensitive to his spiritual need. I and my family prayed for him, but at times I’m afraid my faith sputtered. His response was always the same: Son, don’t worry about me. I’ll work it out with God (as if God could be manipulated like a Pentagon official). God brought a man into my life, a man with a passion for men. His name was Butch Hardman. One day before we knew each other Butch was boarding a plane in Detroit when a friend handed him a cassette tape. “Ever hear Hendricks? Here’s a tape you should listen to.” On that tape I related my father’s spiritual need. Butch listened and something about the anecdote reminded him of his own father with whom he had shared Christ shortly before he died. He began to pray for this unknown man, George Hendricks.
Some months later Butch attended a pastors’ conference in Philadelphia where I was the speaker. He shook my hand afterward. That was the only time our paths crossed before a remarkable incident in Arlington.
Butch was driving the church bus down the street, having discharged all his passengers. He saw a man standing on the corner who reminded him uncannily of Howard Hendricks. Could it possibly be…? He backed up the bus, stopped, got off, and went over to the man. “Are you by any chance Howard Hendricks’ father?” It is easy to imagine the startled response. “Er-ah (I can envision my father’s critical once-over with his steely blue eyes) yeah—you a student of my son?”
“No, I’m not, but he sure has helped me. Got time for a cup of coffee?”
That encounter began a friendship, skillfully engineered by the Spirit of God. Butch undoubtedly sensed dad’s hesitancy when he discovered he had met a preacher. For a long time Butch did not invite him to attend his church. He simply suggested that dad drop by the office for coffee. Patiently he endured dad’s cigars and his endless repertoire of war stories. Before long he also learned that dad had been diagnosed as having a terminal throat cancer.
Months later Butch was at his bedside. “Mr. Hendricks, I’ll be leaving shortly for a Holy Land trip. Instead of my listening to you tonight, would you let me tell you a story?”
Butch had earned his hearing and he began simply to relate the interview of Jesus Christ with Nicodemus as recorded by the Apostle John. At the conclusion dad accepted Butch’s invitation to receive Jesus Christ as his own personal Savior. Then dad got up out of bed, stood, and saluted with a smile. “Now I’m under a new Commander-in-Chief!” That night Butch called Dallas.
The last time I saw dad alive I could not believe he was the same man I had known. His frame was wasted, but his spirit was more virile than I had ever known.
In accordance with dad’s specific provision in his will, Butch Hardman conducted the crisp military funeral in Arlington cemetery where the gospel of Jesus Christ was presented to the small group of family and military attendants. As the guns saluted their final farewell, I knew God had vindicated forty-two years of prayer.
[Howard & Jeanne Hendricks. FootPrints. (Multnomah Press, 1981) pp. 16-19 –
You see — no prayer is ever wasted
Keep on praying!
If you think you’re not doing what you should for God – keep on asking – keep on seeking – keep on knocking – keep on praying. We are expected to pray for the things God has promised.
If you wonder if God hears your prayers – keep on asking – keep on seeking – keep on knocking – keep on praying. God hears and answers every prayer.
If you’re not sure God has given you what you’ve asked for — keep on asking – keep on seeking – keep on knocking – keep on praying – for sometimes God gives us what we need and not what we ask for.
If you feel your prayers are a waste of time — keep on asking – keep on seeking – keep on knocking – keep on praying – for no prayer is ever wasted.
Here’s the truth, friends – we may experience “dry spells” in our prayer lives – but God wants us to keep on asking – keep on seeking – and keep on knocking –
God wants us to on keep praying!
Amen
Life is filled with things that bother us and that are problems for us – questions we might wish we had answers for. These things can range from how to deal with the economy and the way it affects our daily living to how to be a Christian parent to how to deal with “difficult people” to how to deal with emotions such as anger to how to keep from saying things that we know are not things God would have us be saying to how to respond when things are moving a lot slower that we would like for them to to how to deal with feelings of loneliness and the questions of how we can be sure of God’s love to questions about God hears our prayers.
The Bible is our guide to living life in God’s ways – and contains God’s answers to our questions in life. Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that:
“16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
This summer we’re looking at some of the issues and questions we may face in our lives – and how God would have us deal with them. Today we are looking at an issue that most of us face from time to time – the issue of God’s answering our prayers. Sometimes it may seem that God is not listening to us – but despite how it feels – God says to us:
Keep on praying!
Prayer is a vital part of our lives as Christians – we know that God wants us to pray – but – how do we know when to keep praying – and when to give up? We might believe that God wants us to pray – then find ourselves in specific situations where our prayers don’t seem to do a bit of good.
There may be times when we all may wonder:
Should I keep on praying?
Jesus addresses this in Matthew 7:7-12. Listen to what Jesus says about the fact that God answers prayers. Read Scripture
You know — there is nothing that reveals more about how you feel about God than your prayer life. How you approach God and what you’re willing to ask for reveals how you view God.
When we ask people for things we tend to frame our requests with what we know about them in mind. For example, if a child knows their father loves and cares for them they may not fear to calmly ask him for things – having the assurance that the father has greater wisdom and experience than they and would not give them anything that would be harmful to them. However, a child with extravagant but uncaring father might arrogantly lay down their demand — knowing their every desire will be met. On the other hand, a child with the stingy, ill-tempered, or abusive father might not dare to ask for anything — fearing it would bring on another emotional explosion from the father.
This is also true spiritually.
When we pray we make our prayers with our understanding of God in mind. I think sometimes our view of God can be influenced by the kind of earthly father we have had. An individual that believes God is arbitrary will be fearful and on guard. The individual who believes that God is vengeful will be fearful. But the individual who believes that God is gracious will come boldly.
Jesus gives us some guidelines about how to come to God in prayer. Listen again to what He says in verses 7-11:
7“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
9“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
All three verbs in verse seven, Ask, Seek, Knock are commands. These are not only commands to do these things – to ask – seek – and knock – but they are also commands to not stop doing these things! We are told to ask and keep on asking, — to seek and keep on seeking – to knock and keep on knocking. In fact, the words: ask, seek and knock seem to suggest an ever increasing intensity in prayer.
1.Asking. There are some things that we must ask for.
2.Seeking. Seeking is a deeper level of prayer than just asking. Sometimes we may not know exactly what to pray for and we many need to first seek God’s will before we know what to pray for. But God has made provision for us even in such times. In Romans 8:26-27 Paul writes:
26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
3. Knocking. The knocking here illustrates seeking entrance, or desiring fellowship.
Keep on asking – keep on seeking – keep on knocking – keep on praying.
Keep on praying!
Within this command to pray I think we can see four general principles about prayer.
- 1. We are expected to ask for the things God has promised.
This same principle is stated in the negative in James 4:2
“… you do not have because you do not ask.”
I’m afraid this principle describes many of us. It has bee said that we do not live in a praying age – and that is true. We live in an age of hustle and bustle, where we depend on our own efforts and determination and have too much confidence in ourselves and our own power to achieve things. We believe too strongly in our ability to organize and get things done — and if we can’t get things done we believe that we have the technology to help us figure out how to get things done – or do things for us. We believe too much in our own abilities and our own achievements. We don’t think to ask God for anything – because we think we have – or can get – or can create – anything we need. But Jesus makes it clear – we are expected to ask for the things God has promised – and if we do so will be blessed in ways we never imagined.
Too many times we don’t accomplish things for God because we don’t ask God to help us accomplish things for Him! W need to ask God for the things He has promised – the ability to reach others for His glory – the ability to do His will – instead of just sit in idle mode and wonder why we can’t seem to get things done for God!
James is right – we don’t have because we don’t ask.
Jesus is right – if we ask it will be given.
If we ask – God will richly bless us with abilities to serve Him and grow into the people He wants us to be.
But – we have to ask.
That’s the first principle we need to understand about prayer. We are expected to ask for the things God has promised us.
Keep on praying!
Keep on praying!
The second principle is:
- 2. God hears and answers every prayer.
“For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
There are two certainties when we pray. One is that God hears every prayer. The other certainty is that God always answers. This verse says for ‘everyone who asks receives,” Maybe you’re wondering if you heard that right – but yes – it says that everyone receives! But here’s a problem — we have the misconception that the only possible answer to prayer is yes. There are two other possibilities. God can say, No or he can say, Not Yet.
However God answers, God hears and answers every prayer – so keep on praying!
Keep on praying!
This leads to the third principle about prayer:
- 3. Sometimes God gives us what we need — and not what we ask for.
“Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? (10) Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? (11) If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”
Even earthly fathers give good things to their children. We wouldn’t give a child a red-hot chili pepper just because they ask for it. Well – some might think it would be funny – but not many!
I did hear of a father who got their child to hold on to a spark plug of a lawn mower so he could see if it was firing. It was firing alright — it knocked the fire right out of child.
Generally speaking, though, we do not give things to our children that we know will really harm them. And if this true of us — how much more true it must be of God!
I’ve heard it put this way: “If we ask for God for good things, He grants them — if we ask for thins which are not good (either not good in themselves, or not good for us or for others, directly or indirectly, immediately or ultimately) He denies them — and many times only He knows the difference.”
Maybe you’ve heard this saying:
“I asked for strength that I might achieve; he made me weak that I might obey. I asked for health that I might do great things: he gave grace that I might do better things. I asked for riches that I might be happy; he did not give them so that I might be wise. I asked for power that I might have the praise of men; I was given weakness that I might feel a need of God. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life; I was given life, that I might enjoy all things. I received very few of the things I asked for; but I received the things I had hoped for.”
Yea — sometimes God gives us what we need and not what we ask for…
Keep on praying!
Keep on praying!
So – we have 3 principles about prayer:
We are expected to ask for the things God has promised
God hears and answers every prayer.
Sometimes God gives us what we need — and not what we ask for
Here’s a fourth principle about prayer we need to remember:
- 4. No prayer is ever wasted.
The underlying principle behind the significance of persistent prayer has to be the truth that no prayer is ever wasted effort. Howard Hendricks a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, relates this story about how now prayer is ever wasted. Dr Hendricks writes:
“The phone rang and I greeted a young pastor friend from Arlington, Virginia. “What are you doing?” he asked. “Studying,” I replied. “Nothing special.” “Are you sitting down?” “Yes, why?” “Your father just trusted Christ this evening.” “He what? You’ve got to be kidding!” I blurted out. Such an inappropriate response grew out of long detours in our father-son journey. Ever since I received Christ as a boy my concern has been for the salvation of my family and loved ones. On repeated occasions I had broached the subject of the gospel with dad, but his response was less than excited.
My father has always been a very important person to me. Not that I approved of everything he said or did or that I imitated him consciously in any way. We weren’t really close friends, either. But he was important in my life because of the indirect impact he made upon me.
Dad was a military man. He had seen action around the world. During the periods when he was embroiled in battle, I would become very sensitive to his spiritual need. I and my family prayed for him, but at times I’m afraid my faith sputtered. His response was always the same: Son, don’t worry about me. I’ll work it out with God (as if God could be manipulated like a Pentagon official). God brought a man into my life, a man with a passion for men. His name was Butch Hardman. One day before we knew each other Butch was boarding a plane in Detroit when a friend handed him a cassette tape. “Ever hear Hendricks? Here’s a tape you should listen to.” On that tape I related my father’s spiritual need. Butch listened and something about the anecdote reminded him of his own father with whom he had shared Christ shortly before he died. He began to pray for this unknown man, George Hendricks.
Some months later Butch attended a pastors’ conference in Philadelphia where I was the speaker. He shook my hand afterward. That was the only time our paths crossed before a remarkable incident in Arlington.
Butch was driving the church bus down the street, having discharged all his passengers. He saw a man standing on the corner who reminded him uncannily of Howard Hendricks. Could it possibly be…? He backed up the bus, stopped, got off, and went over to the man. “Are you by any chance Howard Hendricks’ father?” It is easy to imagine the startled response. “Er-ah (I can envision my father’s critical once-over with his steely blue eyes) yeah—you a student of my son?”
“No, I’m not, but he sure has helped me. Got time for a cup of coffee?”
That encounter began a friendship, skillfully engineered by the Spirit of God. Butch undoubtedly sensed dad’s hesitancy when he discovered he had met a preacher. For a long time Butch did not invite him to attend his church. He simply suggested that dad drop by the office for coffee. Patiently he endured dad’s cigars and his endless repertoire of war stories. Before long he also learned that dad had been diagnosed as having a terminal throat cancer.
Months later Butch was at his bedside. “Mr. Hendricks, I’ll be leaving shortly for a Holy Land trip. Instead of my listening to you tonight, would you let me tell you a story?”
Butch had earned his hearing and he began simply to relate the interview of Jesus Christ with Nicodemus as recorded by the Apostle John. At the conclusion dad accepted Butch’s invitation to receive Jesus Christ as his own personal Savior. Then dad got up out of bed, stood, and saluted with a smile. “Now I’m under a new Commander-in-Chief!” That night Butch called Dallas.
The last time I saw dad alive I could not believe he was the same man I had known. His frame was wasted, but his spirit was more virile than I had ever known.
In accordance with dad’s specific provision in his will, Butch Hardman conducted the crisp military funeral in Arlington cemetery where the gospel of Jesus Christ was presented to the small group of family and military attendants. As the guns saluted their final farewell, I knew God had vindicated forty-two years of prayer.
[Howard & Jeanne Hendricks. FootPrints. (Multnomah Press, 1981) pp. 16-19 –
You see — no prayer is ever wasted
Keep on praying!
If you think you’re not doing what you should for God – keep on asking – keep on seeking – keep on knocking – keep on praying. We are expected to pray for the things God has promised.
If you wonder if God hears your prayers – keep on asking – keep on seeking – keep on knocking – keep on praying. God hears and answers every prayer.
If you’re not sure God has given you what you’ve asked for — keep on asking – keep on seeking – keep on knocking – keep on praying – for sometimes God gives us what we need and not what we ask for.
If you feel your prayers are a waste of time — keep on asking – keep on seeking – keep on knocking – keep on praying – for no prayer is ever wasted.
Here’s the truth, friends – we may experience “dry spells” in our prayer lives – but God wants us to keep on asking – keep on seeking – and keep on knocking –
God wants us to on keep praying!
Amen
Jesus gives us some guidelines about how to come to God in prayer
Life is filled with things that bother us and that are problems for us – questions we might wish we had answers for. These things can range from how to deal with the economy and the way it affects our daily living to how to be a Christian parent to how to deal with “difficult people” to how to deal with emotions such as anger to how to keep from saying things that we know are not things God would have us be saying to how to respond when things are moving a lot slower that we would like for them to to how to deal with feelings of loneliness and the questions of how we can be sure of God’s love to questions about God hears our prayers.
The Bible is our guide to living life in God’s ways – and contains God’s answers to our questions in life. Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that:
“16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
All three verbs in verse seven, Ask, Seek, Knock are commands. These are not only commands to do these things – to ask – seek – and knock – but they are also commands to not stop doing these things! We are told to ask and keep on asking, — to seek and keep on seeking – to knock and keep on knocking. In fact, the words: ask, seek and knock seem to suggest an ever increasing intensity in prayer.
The Bible is our guide to living life in God’s ways – and contains God’s answers to our questions in life. Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that:
“16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
All three verbs in verse seven, Ask, Seek, Knock are commands. These are not only commands to do these things – to ask – seek – and knock – but they are also commands to not stop doing these things! We are told to ask and keep on asking, — to seek and keep on seeking – to knock and keep on knocking. In fact, the words: ask, seek and knock seem to suggest an ever increasing intensity in prayer.
How can God use your brokenness?
2 Corinthians 12:6-10
Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Wisdom, knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 2:6-9
For the Lord gives wisdom, from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.
Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.
Is there any other way to God?
The answer is no.
If there was another way to God, then why did Jesus have to die on the cross? The only way to God is through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
Acts 4:12
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.
John 14:6
Jesus answered,“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 3:36
"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities,
The punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
How Can Jesus be the Only Way to God?
A perfect universe where everyone is at peace, whether one wishes to call it Nirvana, Utopia, or Heaven, or the New Earth, would require that there would be no stealing, no murdering, no lying, no adultery, no disrespecting of parents, no anger, no uncleanness, no licentiousness, no selfishness, no jealousy, no selfish ambitions, and no dissensions.
How could that be accomplished? It would require everyone to have one essential element in their character: love – the same love for others as one has for himself.
If the world is governed by love – true love – not the mushy, superficial, sentimental love that viciously turns on the one who does not return that love, but the unselfish love that Jesus showed to those who called for His death, then there will truly be “peace on earth.” Jesus prayed for those who crucified Him, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
He loved His enemies, and He instructs us to love our enemies.
When we have the love of Jesus in our hearts, we will exhibit joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control – the fruits of the spirit of Christ.
The works of the flesh are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, witchcraft (sorcery), hatred, contentions, jealousies, anger, selfish ambitions, dissension, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness and revellings “and they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21)
But the fruit of God’s spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control.
The only perfect person who ever lived on earth was Jesus Christ. Whether or not a person thinks Jesus was a myth, He was the only One who ever claimed to be perfect. Jesus was the “walking, talking” Ten Commandments – a transcript of God’s character. He was “God’s law” in human form. He never hurt anyone, never killed anyone, He loved His enemies – even those who tortured and crucified Him. When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus to take Him to His death, He did not resist.
Jesus even healed the severed ear of one of the soldiers who came to arrest and kill him, the ear that had been amputated by the sword of Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples. Jesus told Peter to put away his sword.
Only when everyone is obeying God’s Ten Commandments and exhibiting the character of Jesus will there be true peace in the world.
But no human being can accomplish this by his own power. No human being can achieve this completely unselfish love by trying to keep the Ten Commandments.
Only when Jesus is truly living in the heart can a person continually exhibit the character of Jesus. Then the heart will be pure - with no tendency to sin – no propensity to violate even one of the Ten Commandments.
The love of Jesus will be in his heart and he will exhibit the character of Christ because it will have become his very nature.
That is what Jesus meant when He said,
I will put My spirit in you. Ezekiel 36:27
Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus. Phil 2:5
Behold, I make all new. Rev. 21:5 (literal translation)
Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (the sin in our lives). 1 John 3:8
You shall be perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect. (Matt 5:48 – literal translation)
Only when everyone has the love of Jesus in his heart will we have peace in the Universe.
God is Invisible - because God is love. Humanity cannot see God because God is love. (1 John 4:16) We cannot “see” love. We can only experience love and see its effect.
Jesus is the Visible form of God – the visible form of pure love - a form in which humanity can see Him. Jesus is the Ten Commandments in action. Jesus was – and is – pure love in action. Every day of His life on earth He demonstrated His love for all humanity.
Neither Buddha of Buddhism, Krishna of Hinduism, Mohammed of the Muslims, or any other religious leader in the world at any time, lived the perfect life. Neither Buddha, Krishna, nor Mohammed claimed to be God. Nor can any of them instill the perfect “life” into their followers. All three of these religions believe in Salvation by Works – to one extent or another – the theory that man can work his way to heaven/perfection.
But even a superficial look at the world today will reveal that man cannot become perfect by his own works.
Only a divine supernatural transformation of a person’s heart can allow the love of God to be exhibited through him. Only by “beholding” Christ can we be changed into His image - to exhibit His character (2 Cor 3:18). There is no other way.
Man cannot accomplish this by his own works. It is a gift from Jesus Christ.
Why is Jesus the ONLY Way to God?
Because Jesus IS God!
Prosperity
Job 36:11
If they listen and obey God, they will be blessed with prosperity throughout their lives. All their years will be pleasant
If they listen and obey God, they will be blessed with prosperity throughout their lives. All their years will be pleasant
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