I heard a story recently about a young girl who wrote a letter to a missionary to let him know that her class had been praying for him. But evidently she'd been told not to request a response to her letter because the missionaries were very busy. So the missionary got a kick out of her letter. It said, "Dear Mr. Missionary, we are praying for you. But we are not expecting an answer." I can't help but think that that little girl summarized the prayer lives of many Christians. Sometimes we pray without expecting an answer, even though God has assured us that He does indeed hear our prayers. David said, "I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplications." (Psalm 116:1). But I think many of us struggle with the nagging question, "Is God really listening to me?" Yes, He heard David, He heard Elijah, and He heard the apostles. But does He hear me? How do we really know that our prayers are answered? Sure, there are times when we see visible results. We may pray for someone who's sick and the next week they get well. But more often, our prayers don't produce flashing "neon" answers. We pray for help in financial problems, and we don't see things get any better. We pray for guidance in making right decisions, but the decisions don't get any easier. We pray for relationships with other people to improve, but they just seem to get worse. How do we as Christians account for that happening? How do we explain the fact that so many of our prayers seem to go "unanswered"? The truth is, for a child of God there is no such thing as an unanswered prayer. Maybe you've heard it said before that God answers prayer in three ways. Sometimes the answer is "yes." Sometimes the answer is "no." And sometimes the answer is "wait a while." It's easy to accept an answer of "yes," but what about when God says, "no"? Let me suggest three principles: 1. First of all, we need to trust God enough to realize that our all-loving, all-powerful Father loves us and has our best interest at heart. So when it seems that God says "no" to our prayers, we must trust Him enough to understand that there must be a good reason for it. It may be beyond our limited ability to understand, but we must simply trust God. 2. Secondly, we must not forsake God. Disappointment is a dangerous, powerful thing. When we get the feeling that God isn't listening to us, that He has said "no" to some prayer, we have a tendency to feel disappointed in Him. And Satan whispers to us, "God said He loves you, but He's not here." And if we allow that disappointment to harbor in our hearts, it can drive a wedge between us and God. We must continue to be faithful to our responsibility before God. 3. Thirdly, we need to realize that the answer may not be "no," but only "wait a while." God always answers our prayers immediately, but sometimes there's a delay in the giving of the answer and that can be a difficult thing for us to accept. The ability to wait for an answer is one of the marks of maturity. Be willing to let God answer in his own time, in his own way, and in his own power. Many people see God as a divine vending machine in which you deposit one prayer and out pops a blessing. But what happens when you put your money in the Coke machine and nothing comes out? You get angry, you kick the Coke machine. So it's not surprising that such a view of God and prayer leads to disappointment when God says no. I believe that we need to foster an entirely different view of prayer from that one. Our God is the Great God of the Universe, the Creator of all things that exist other than Himself. For us to even venture to speak to Him is presumptuous. For us to ask Him to pay attention to our requests and then hope for Him to meet them requires bold expectation. In fact such would be arrogance if it were not for the simple fact that God tells us to do just that. Looking from the proper perspective, we will not ask "What happens when God says no?" but rather "What happens when God says yes?" That the God of the heavens would listen to us and our needs is a great testimony to His great love for us. And it is that love that will lead Him to say no from time to time. At those times, we must trust Him knowing that he loves us and desires what is best for us. We must never forsake Him nor our duty toward Him. And we must realize that what we interpret to be an answer of "no" may just be God telling us to wait a while. "This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." (I John 5:14) We brought nothing into the world, so we can take nothing out. But, if we have food and clothes, we will be satisfied with that. 1Ti 6:7-8 Satisfied? That is one thing we are not. We are not satisfied… We take a vacation of a lifetime… We satiate ourselves with sun, fun, and good food. But we are not even on the way home before we dread the end of the trip and begin planning another. We are not satisfied. As a child we say, "If only I were a teenager." As a teen we say, "If only I were an adult," As an adult, "If only I were married." As a spouse, "If only I had kids."… We are not satisfied. Contentment is a difficult virtue. Why? Because there is nothing on earth that can satisfy our deepest longing. We long to see God. The leaves of life are rustling with the rumor that we will—and we won't be satisfied until we do. When God Whispers Your Name (Max Lucado) Psalm 37:23 'The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, He delights in every detail of their lives.'
- Every detail of your journey through life is arranged by the Lord. - As you follow Him, He will set you up for blessing. - He is interested in you and loves you dearly. - Live in His divine favour because He cares for you. PRAYER: Lord, direct my steps, today and every day of my life I pray. May I know the joy of living under Your constant care and direction. Amen. Toe die Assiriese leër hom gedreig, het Israel se koning die profeet Elisa om hulp gevra. Elisa het hom aangesê om pyle op die grond te slaan. Die koning het dit toe net drie keer geslaan en opgehou. Elisa was baie kwaad en het gesê: '...Jy moes vyf of ses keer geslaan het, dan sou jy Aram heeltemal verslaan het, maar nou sal jy Aram net drie keer verslaan' (v. 19 NV). Dis 'n verhaal van gedeeltelike oorwinning, of van wat kon wees as die koning meer gedoen het. Want sien, dis nie net die geleentheid nie - dis die houding wat die uitkoms bepaal. God sal jou kans gee om te wen, maar jou betrokkenheid bepaal die omvang van jou oorwinning. Paulus skryf: 'Doen julle werk met lus, soos vir die Here en nie vir mense nie' (Efesiërs 6:7 NV). Tyd het niks vir Paulus beteken nie, want hy was op 'n sendingsreis. 'Maar al is my lewe vir my kosbaar, reken ek dit van geen belang as ek maar net my lewenstaak kan voltooi nie...wat ek van die Here Jesus gekry het...' (Hand. 20:24 NV). Indrukwekkende mense leef met daardie ingesteldheid. Is jy met jou hele hart betrokke? Gee jy jouself ten volle? Paul Hogan, wat die rolprentkarakter Crocodile Dundee vertolk het, het gesê: 'Die geheim van my sukses is dat ek meer afgebyt het as wat ek kon kou, en toe kou ek so vinnig as wat ek kon.' Visies kom nie maklik nie. Hoe groter jou visie, hoe groter die prys. Die geheim om jou visie te vervul, is: bly net kou! Sielskos: 2 Sam 20:1-22:30; Luk 11:1-13; Ps 78:40-55; Spr 16:32 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23-24 Guilt can wreak complete havoc with your emotions and can have a destructive effect on your approach to life. This is particularly true in our spiritual lives and there are many people who have suffered because of this. There are indeed few people – if any – who have not at one time or another experienced the torment of spiritual barrenness. They were heavily laden under a blanket of guilt that had being brought about by some or other mistake that they have made. The tragedy of these circumstances lies in the fact that you allow yourself to feel isolated from the grace of God; you think that you are no longer worthy of God’s love because of your guilt. In many instances this self-chastisement has destructive results in your thinking, your physical health as well as your spiritual well-being. In circumstances of this nature you can easily be robbed of your faith and as a result endure torment and find yourself in a spiritual wilderness. In order to ensure that you do not fall prey to a guilt complex, it is imperative that you do not lose sight of the fact that Christ, when He took our guilt upon Himself, also assured you of God’s love for you. Therefore, there is forgiveness for you and Jesus is waiting to welcome you back into His flock. Simply open your heart to His grace by confessing your sins. Accept His incomprehensible act of grace and live a life of fulfillment in Jesus Christ. After watching Queen Elizabeth's cameo appearance in the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, I was reminded of a story I read years ago about Queen Victoria's visit to a local paper mill. "Queen Victoria once paid a visit to a paper mill. Without knowing who this distinguished visitor was, the foreman showed her the workings of the mill. She went into the rag-sorting shop where employees picked out the rags from the refuse of the city. Upon inquiring what was done with this dirty mass of rags, she was told that it would eventually be made into the finest white writing paper. After her departure, the foreman found out who it was that had paid the visit. Some time later, Her Majesty received a package of the most delicate, pure white stationery, bearing the Queen's likeness for a watermark. Enclosed was a note saying that the stationery had been made from the dirty rags she had recently inspected." This story illustrates Christ's work in us as well. He takes us, filthy as we are, and makes us into new creatures. After receiving Jesus, we are spiritually different from what we were before, just as pure white paper is radically different from the filthy rags from which it is made. "Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17) Christ rose first; then when Christ comes back, all his people will become alive again. 1Co 15:23 TLB
God has made [a] promise to us. "I will come back … ," he assures us. Yes, the rocks will tumble. Yes, the ground will shake. But the child of God needn't fear—for the Father has promised to take us to be with him. But dare we believe the promise? Dare we trust his loyalty? Isn't there a cautious part of us that wonders how reliable these words may be? … How can we know he will do what he said? How can we believe he will move the rocks and set us free? Because he's already done it once. When Christ Comes (Max Lucado) Heavenly father I know that when I try to run the race without you I get off course. So I commit this day to walk Your way. Thank you Jesus that even if I become weak and stumble. You will help me to rise again and continue on. Thank You that You continue on. Thank You that You will never leave or forsake me. Although I can’t see exactly where I am going I’m certain that You can and will enable me to get where I need to be. Teach me how to walk in total dependence upon You, for I know there in Lies my greatest blessing. In Jesus Name I pray Amen Read Isaiah 30:21
Psalm 7:15 is one of my favorite verses because it teaches us to wake up feeling satisfied in the Lord. Earlier in my life I had many unhappy days because the minute I woke up I began to think about the wrong things. But since I have learned the importance of seeking God’s presence and not his presents I am a different person. Fellow-shipping early in the morning with God is one sure way to begin to enjoy our life every day. We need quality time with God.
He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Psa 23:3 NKJV It's hard to see things grow old. The town in which I grew up is growing old… Some of the buildings are boarded up. Some of the houses are torn down… The old movie house where I took my dates has "For Sale" on the marquee… I wish I could make it all new again. I wish I could blow the dust off the streets … but I can't. I can't. But God can. "He restores my soul," wrote the shepherd. He doesn't reform; he restores. He doesn't camouflage the old; he restores the new. The Master Builder will pull out the original plan and restore it. He will restore the vigor. He will restore the energy. He will restore the hope. He will restore the soul. The Applause of Heaven (Max Lucado) |
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