Thoughts for another day
July 2, 2010
Today's verse: Ps. 109:21. But you, O Sovereign LORD, deal well with me for your name's sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me. (NIV – copyright acknowledged)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)
Sometimes we pray and there’s no answer. What could be the reason? Some say, it is not God’s will to answer that particular prayer. That could be right but then what if it is a prayer for a job or maybe the gift of a child! Is such a thing not in the will of God? Jesus said ask and you shall receive… no pre-conditions; it’s we who attach pre-conditions, not as much as seeking a reason as to why God has not answered our prayer, so to correct the wrong we do in it but rather to save our face so that it may not be said that God didn’t answer our prayer.
The following provides a clue on how to pray so God will answer. He is a God of principles and order and when our prayer meets His pre-ordained conditions, it will be answered. I’ve noticed that an important criterion for answer of prayer is a state of holiness or purity. When someone is pure, it’s fertile ground for God’s rain to fall upon and create untold growth of things. Another is the desperation of the human heart. The more desperate the heart is, the more quickly the answer comes, because God hears the cry of the heart and is quick to answer. Another condition is that whatever we ask shouldn’t be for vain glory but for His glory. God hates to share His glory, so even if let’s say a preacher prays for a person with the intention that God answer his prayer so that people will then respect him more, that prayer may not be answered by God (of course the Sovereign may answer it because of the faith and need of the person who requested that prayer).
Another condition is: our prayer should be such that it’s answer finds reason to testify to His goodness. This is a great reason to expect what we’ve asked for confidently as we know God will grant our prayer. But the most important thing to keep in mind when praying is adhering to Jesus’ saying: ‘If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.’ Jn. 14:14. Always make your prayer in Jesus’ Name for God then, shall I say with due permission from the Him, HAS to answer that prayer. When Jesus’ Name is invoked in prayer, it cuts across all clutter to hit the heart of God, for Jesus’ Name is very precious to Him. We may not revere His Name, the way we need to, but God is very conscious of Jesus’ Name and a prayer made in His Name cannot go unanswered! There’s a parallel in the Bible on the Name of the Lord: ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake’ Ez. 36:21. See, how precious His Name is? And the Name of Jesus is even greater for Jesus is beloved to the Father and asking anything in His Name is the guarantee of an answer. Persist if it takes time, but the answer will come; for you prayed in His Name.
July 2, 2010
Today's verse: Ps. 109:21. But you, O Sovereign LORD, deal well with me for your name's sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me. (NIV – copyright acknowledged)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)
Sometimes we pray and there’s no answer. What could be the reason? Some say, it is not God’s will to answer that particular prayer. That could be right but then what if it is a prayer for a job or maybe the gift of a child! Is such a thing not in the will of God? Jesus said ask and you shall receive… no pre-conditions; it’s we who attach pre-conditions, not as much as seeking a reason as to why God has not answered our prayer, so to correct the wrong we do in it but rather to save our face so that it may not be said that God didn’t answer our prayer.
The following provides a clue on how to pray so God will answer. He is a God of principles and order and when our prayer meets His pre-ordained conditions, it will be answered. I’ve noticed that an important criterion for answer of prayer is a state of holiness or purity. When someone is pure, it’s fertile ground for God’s rain to fall upon and create untold growth of things. Another is the desperation of the human heart. The more desperate the heart is, the more quickly the answer comes, because God hears the cry of the heart and is quick to answer. Another condition is that whatever we ask shouldn’t be for vain glory but for His glory. God hates to share His glory, so even if let’s say a preacher prays for a person with the intention that God answer his prayer so that people will then respect him more, that prayer may not be answered by God (of course the Sovereign may answer it because of the faith and need of the person who requested that prayer).
Another condition is: our prayer should be such that it’s answer finds reason to testify to His goodness. This is a great reason to expect what we’ve asked for confidently as we know God will grant our prayer. But the most important thing to keep in mind when praying is adhering to Jesus’ saying: ‘If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.’ Jn. 14:14. Always make your prayer in Jesus’ Name for God then, shall I say with due permission from the Him, HAS to answer that prayer. When Jesus’ Name is invoked in prayer, it cuts across all clutter to hit the heart of God, for Jesus’ Name is very precious to Him. We may not revere His Name, the way we need to, but God is very conscious of Jesus’ Name and a prayer made in His Name cannot go unanswered! There’s a parallel in the Bible on the Name of the Lord: ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake’ Ez. 36:21. See, how precious His Name is? And the Name of Jesus is even greater for Jesus is beloved to the Father and asking anything in His Name is the guarantee of an answer. Persist if it takes time, but the answer will come; for you prayed in His Name.
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