"Unanswered" Prayer

My message on Nov. 16 was on the topic of "unanswered" prayers. During part of the message, I quoted part of Garth Brook's song by the same title because it helps me to think about this whole topic from a different perspective. See if you agree:

Just the other night at a hometown football game,

My wife and I ran into my old high school flame.

And as I introduced them, the past came back to me.

And I couldn't help but think of the way things used to be:

She was the one that I'd wanted for all times.

And each night I'd spend prayin' that God would make her mine;

And if he'd only grant me this wish I wished back then I'd never ask for anything again.

Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers.

Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs

That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care.

Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.

She wasn't quite the angel that I remembered in my dreams.

And I could tell that time had changed me

In her eyes too it seemed.

We tried to talk about the old days;

There wasn't much we could recall.

I guess the Lord knows what he's doin' after all.

And as she walked away, and I looked at my wife

And then and there I thanked the good Lord

For the gifts in my life.

Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers.

Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs

That just because he may not answer doesn't mean he don't care.

Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.

Intercessory Prayer

Last Sunday I spoke about intercessory prayer (prayer for others).

With regard to this, Jesus said something remarkable when he came down from the Mount of Transfiguration. Do you remember the story? This incident must have been an emotional "comedown" for Jesus after his "mountaintop experience" with Moses and Elijah. Anyway, his disciples were unable to help a demonized boy who periodically was seized by an evil spirit. After he healed the boy, the disciples asked, "Why couldn't we drive the demon out?" Jesus' response was staightforward and simple: "This kind can come out only by prayer" (Mark 9:29).

We make the same mistake that the disciples made. Too often we try everything except prayer. I can't speak for everyone else, but I know I'm guilty.

There are a lot of problems in this world that we cannot solve, a lot of obstacles that we cannot overcome. But God can. That's why we must pray.

My brother, Tom, had a stroke last week. He lives in New York. All I could do was talk with him on the phone, except, of course, I prayed. But that's not really correct, is it, because the most important thing I could have done for him was to pray.

It is important for followers of Jesus to share the gospel, support missionaries, feed the hungry, and care for the poor. But these activities are to prayer what the spokes of a wheel are to the hub. When the hub weakens, the rest of the wheel collapses. A. J. Gordon said: "You can do more than pray, after you have prayed, but you can never do more than pray until you have prayed."

Authentic Prayer

Last Sunday I began a new message series entitled, "A Pathway to Prayer." For me, the most important aspect of prayer is its potential for deepening my personal relationship with God. However, at least two things get in the way of that: 1. self-focused praying and 2. prayer that is too rote or artifical.

One thing that is helpful in overcoming these problems is the practice of writing out prayers. I adapted one of these at a recent prayer service that focused on the economic and other challenges currently facing our country. Max Lucado shared this prayer in his own church at a Sunday evening service in October, and I commend it to you as an excellent example.

You have Our attention, Lord.

Our friends lost their house. The co-worker lost her job. The couple next door lost their retirement. It seems that everyone is losing their footing.

This scares us. This bailout with billions. These rumblings of depression. These headlines: ominous, thunderous -- “Going Broke!” “Going Down!” “Going Under!” “What's Next?”

What is next? We’re listening. And we’re admitting:
You were right. You told us this would happen. You shot straight about loving
stuff and worshipping money. "Greed will break your heart," You warned. Money will
love you and leave you. Don’t put your hope in riches that are so uncertain. You
were right. Money is a fickle lover and we just got dumped.

We were wrong to spend what we didn’t have. Wrong to neglect prayer and ignore the poor. Wrong to think we ever earned a dime. We didn’t. You gave it.

And now, tell us Father, are You taking it?

We’re listening. And we’re praying. Could you make something good out of this mess? Of course, You can. You always have.

You led slaves out of slavery, built temples out of ruins, turned stormy waves into a glassy pond and water into sweet wine. This disorder awaits your order. So do we.

Through Christ,

Amen.

"God will always give what is right to His people who cry to Him night and day, and He will not be slow to answer them" (Luke 18:7 NCV).

Jesus as "The Way" (Part 2)

I'm still pondering the issue of the "narrowness" of believing that Jesus is the only way. Why aren't people upset with a doctor who says that the only way a person can be cured of acute appendicitis is to have the appendix removed? Isn't that narrow-minded?

Consider what R. C. Spoul said in his book Reason to Believe:

• Suppose that once upon a time, a good and loving God created people in his own image.
• Suppose He gave those people free will, so that they could make their own choices.
• Suppose He set them in an idyllic environment, with plenty of food and sunshine and interesting things to do.
• Suppose He imposed one restriction on them, warning them that if they violated this restriction, they would lose this gift of life He had given them?
• Suppose they violated that restriction, for no good reason, just because they felt like it?
• Suppose that, instead of taking their lives, God made provision for them and forgave them?
• Suppose their descendants repeated that pattern, over and over and over again?
• Suppose that God bestowed special gifts on one particular nation, so that they could know Him deeply and help others break the destructive pattern?
• Suppose the chosen nation rebelled too?
• Suppose that time after time, God forgave this nation, delivered them from the messes they'd gotten into, and sent special messengers to communicate to them?
• Suppose these people killed the messengers?
• Suppose, in an ultimate act of redemption, God himself came to them in a human body as the Son of God, not to condemn them, but to redeem them?
• Suppose, instead of welcoming Him, these people rejected, tortured, and killed Him?
• Suppose God accepted the death of His Son as payment for the sins of the very people who put Him to death?
• Suppose God offered His Son's murderers complete forgiveness, transcendent peace, and eternal life as a free gift?
• Suppose God said, "I demand only one thing from you in return: that you honor My Son, who gave His life for you?"

In view of all that, the wonder is not, why is there only one way, but why is there any way at all?