Wow! First, we must accept that God hears and knows all prayers. We know this because God is omniscient, which is a very big word that simply means that God sees and hears and knows everything that happens on earth. The Holy Bible also affirms this repeatedly.
So, make no mistake, when you pray to God … He hears you! So, now that we know that He hears our prayers, does He respond to them? There are many instances in both the Old Testament and New Testament in which righteous men and women had their prayers answered (e.g., Numbers 11:2; Judges 13:8-9; 1 Samuel 1; 1 Chronicles 4:10; Acts 4:24-31; James 5:17-18).
Ahhhh…but wait a minute. Did you catch that? I described those people as “righteous.” That basically means you have right standing with God. The Bible is very specific about prayers. Look at James 5:16, which states, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
Jeremiah 29:12-13 says, “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
So, now we know that God responds to prayers but only if you love God and seek a relationship with him. Now, here’s the kicker … sometimes God’s answer may not be the answer you want! Sometimes, because He knows what is best for you, the answer might be “no.” You may want something so bad but God may realize that you either couldn’t handle having it or you didn’t need it and so His answer is, no. That kinda stinks, doesn’t it? We imagine God’s always going to be there for us (which He is!) and that He’s going to give us everything we ask for. But I’ve searched the Bible from front to back and He never makes that promise! He only assures that He hears our prayers and that He will answer them … even if that answer is, no.
Now, let me clear on one more thing. The Bible is also very specific about the prayers of those who are not in right standing with God or who are in habitual sin. In John 9:31 it says, “We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will.” Proverbs 15:29 says, “The Lord is far from the wicked but hears the prayers of the righteous.” Psalm 66:18 clearly states, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”
So, remember, if you want God to answer your prayers, you must acknowledge Him and love Him and have a relationship with Him.
Thursday 28 January 2010
Wednesday 27 January 2010
If God loves everyone so much, why would He kill so many people in Haiti?
Wow, awesome question! And it’s a difficult one to answer because we do not know how God’s mind works. Even though we know God’s unstoppable plan by reading the Holy Bible, we cannot fathom some of the things He allows during the course of that plan.
But, we do know some things as absolute truths. We know that God is good all the time and that He cannot do evil. We know that He loves us deeply and because of that He “knit us in our mother’s womb” and we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:13-14) We know that He thinks about us so much and so often that the sheer number would outnumber the grains of sand on a beach (Psalm 139:18).
So, knowing about God’s goodness and His love for us, it’s only natural to ask why He killed so many people in Haiti. But, here’s the thing: God didn’t kill anyone. He allowed certain things to happen and He allowed some people to die but He didn’t kill them. I know it’s hard to understand but God doesn’t kill people, either out of anger or to punish them. But, He does allow it and He does have a reason for allowing it to happen … we just don’t know why or can understand God’s thinking. God is a “big picture” kind of person and we’re more the “in-the-moment” thinkers and reactors.
Remember though, there are some miracles that have occurred down there too. I read a story about a child who was found alive after SEVEN days without food or water. How does that happen??? Even today, they found a 69-year old woman alive after TEN days. How is that possible??? Ten days without food or water??? I can’t even go a day without eating or drinking something. One survivor, who was trapped under a collapsed building, talks about confessing his sins and giving his life to Jesus … only to be rescued within hours of that prayer. Another woman was pinned under a house in a kneeling position and was stuck in that position for FIVE days. She said that during the entire time, THE ENTIRE TIME, she was praying to Jesus. And when they found her and dug her out, she was able to walk into her husband’s arms.
There was an orphanage in a small town called Petion-Ville called the Fr. Wasson Center. Do you know that while every building around the orphanage collapsed, including a building that housed volunteers, the main orphanage did not collapse and every child survived? How do we explain that?
How do we explain any of those miracles? I’m sure there are many more but those are the ones I can remember. It’s because God also has a plan for each and every survivor. Do I know what his reasons are? Absolutely not! But, my faith in God is so strong that I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that it fulfilled God’s overall divine plan.
One of my favorite Bible verses is a simple one and one that is easy to remember. It is Proverbs 3:5-6 and it says, “Trust in the Lord, your God, with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding but in all ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”
We have to trust God’s will despite what we see as being so sad and so tragic. And know, just know and put your faith in, the fact that God is good.
But, we do know some things as absolute truths. We know that God is good all the time and that He cannot do evil. We know that He loves us deeply and because of that He “knit us in our mother’s womb” and we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:13-14) We know that He thinks about us so much and so often that the sheer number would outnumber the grains of sand on a beach (Psalm 139:18).
So, knowing about God’s goodness and His love for us, it’s only natural to ask why He killed so many people in Haiti. But, here’s the thing: God didn’t kill anyone. He allowed certain things to happen and He allowed some people to die but He didn’t kill them. I know it’s hard to understand but God doesn’t kill people, either out of anger or to punish them. But, He does allow it and He does have a reason for allowing it to happen … we just don’t know why or can understand God’s thinking. God is a “big picture” kind of person and we’re more the “in-the-moment” thinkers and reactors.
Remember though, there are some miracles that have occurred down there too. I read a story about a child who was found alive after SEVEN days without food or water. How does that happen??? Even today, they found a 69-year old woman alive after TEN days. How is that possible??? Ten days without food or water??? I can’t even go a day without eating or drinking something. One survivor, who was trapped under a collapsed building, talks about confessing his sins and giving his life to Jesus … only to be rescued within hours of that prayer. Another woman was pinned under a house in a kneeling position and was stuck in that position for FIVE days. She said that during the entire time, THE ENTIRE TIME, she was praying to Jesus. And when they found her and dug her out, she was able to walk into her husband’s arms.
There was an orphanage in a small town called Petion-Ville called the Fr. Wasson Center. Do you know that while every building around the orphanage collapsed, including a building that housed volunteers, the main orphanage did not collapse and every child survived? How do we explain that?
How do we explain any of those miracles? I’m sure there are many more but those are the ones I can remember. It’s because God also has a plan for each and every survivor. Do I know what his reasons are? Absolutely not! But, my faith in God is so strong that I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that it fulfilled God’s overall divine plan.
One of my favorite Bible verses is a simple one and one that is easy to remember. It is Proverbs 3:5-6 and it says, “Trust in the Lord, your God, with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding but in all ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”
We have to trust God’s will despite what we see as being so sad and so tragic. And know, just know and put your faith in, the fact that God is good.
Monday 18 January 2010
Why did God come to earth in the form of a baby?
This great question has been asked by many people, who put it this way, “Hey, if God can do anything, why didn’t he just appear as Jesus, the adult, instead of being born?”
Part of the answer to this question is Biblical. Jesus’ birth and the way He was conceived had to fulfill the Old Testament prophesies. The biggest part of those prophesies was the Virgin Birth, which clearly shows His divinity. He comes to the earth from outside, pure and clean, and He is in no way a product of this world.
More important though is that by coming as a baby, we can see the sign of his humanity. He is one of us in every way. He arrives from heaven with perfection and godliness of which no man or woman is capable - yet he takes the full human journey, which even God in heaven had not taken. How could we follow his footsteps as a man if we hadn't seen him crawl as a baby? How could we believe he had undergone all the temptation we have faced if he had bypassed the most difficult years in which we struggle to earn our adulthood?
It’s tough being a kid, right? But, Jesus experienced it. To make the full sacrifice on our behalf, Jesus had to make the full commitment of being born and growing up, facing all of the struggles and temptations that you and I struggle with. It wouldn’t have meant very much to us if he had sprung from heaven fully formed, bathed in heavenly glory, but never lived through the things we have to.
Thankfully, we see him first as a child in a manger. Then, we see him at the Temple as a boy on the verge of maturity, already about his Father's business. We see Mary and Joseph wondering at him, trying to understand, as he grew "in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people" (Luke 2:52). Finally, we see Him as a young man, quietly beginning a ministry that will change all of human history. We see him in the desert, wrestling with temptation and the matter of his destiny, and we know he is fully human. We see his love for children, and we can believe it because he, too, has been a child. And then, when He is crucified, we know He feels the pain that any man would feel. We are bought with a price that could never have been paid without the full burden of humanity having been accepted.
If He had been God only, His sacrifice would have been cheap and unconvincing. If He had been man only, His sacrifice would have had no power; He would have been a martyr like ten thousand others. But He was man and He was God, and therefore He was all in all. He came as a child to confront and conquer every challenge and every temptation common to humanity. We trust Him with our lives because He was God. We love Him with our hearts because we know that once He was a tiny baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Part of the answer to this question is Biblical. Jesus’ birth and the way He was conceived had to fulfill the Old Testament prophesies. The biggest part of those prophesies was the Virgin Birth, which clearly shows His divinity. He comes to the earth from outside, pure and clean, and He is in no way a product of this world.
More important though is that by coming as a baby, we can see the sign of his humanity. He is one of us in every way. He arrives from heaven with perfection and godliness of which no man or woman is capable - yet he takes the full human journey, which even God in heaven had not taken. How could we follow his footsteps as a man if we hadn't seen him crawl as a baby? How could we believe he had undergone all the temptation we have faced if he had bypassed the most difficult years in which we struggle to earn our adulthood?
It’s tough being a kid, right? But, Jesus experienced it. To make the full sacrifice on our behalf, Jesus had to make the full commitment of being born and growing up, facing all of the struggles and temptations that you and I struggle with. It wouldn’t have meant very much to us if he had sprung from heaven fully formed, bathed in heavenly glory, but never lived through the things we have to.
Thankfully, we see him first as a child in a manger. Then, we see him at the Temple as a boy on the verge of maturity, already about his Father's business. We see Mary and Joseph wondering at him, trying to understand, as he grew "in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people" (Luke 2:52). Finally, we see Him as a young man, quietly beginning a ministry that will change all of human history. We see him in the desert, wrestling with temptation and the matter of his destiny, and we know he is fully human. We see his love for children, and we can believe it because he, too, has been a child. And then, when He is crucified, we know He feels the pain that any man would feel. We are bought with a price that could never have been paid without the full burden of humanity having been accepted.
If He had been God only, His sacrifice would have been cheap and unconvincing. If He had been man only, His sacrifice would have had no power; He would have been a martyr like ten thousand others. But He was man and He was God, and therefore He was all in all. He came as a child to confront and conquer every challenge and every temptation common to humanity. We trust Him with our lives because He was God. We love Him with our hearts because we know that once He was a tiny baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Friday 15 January 2010
Why are some people born with problems and God doesn’t help them?
That is a huge question and one that is asked by a lot of people. We really don’t know why God does some of the things He does…we just can’t comprehend His infinite mind or see the “big” picture. We can’t understand it because we’re limited in our thinking. Why does God let babies die? Why does God let earthquakes, tsunami’s or hurricanes kill hundreds of people? Why do some children have to be born with a disability? I honestly don’t know the answer to those questions.
But, I can tell you with one-hundred percent certainty that God is good. He can do no evil. He cannot sin. Not only is God good, He is good all the time. So, when God allows certain things to happen, it is in His good and perfect will. We may never understand it but we have to trust that God had a divine and righteous purpose for it.
But, I can tell you with one-hundred percent certainty that God is good. He can do no evil. He cannot sin. Not only is God good, He is good all the time. So, when God allows certain things to happen, it is in His good and perfect will. We may never understand it but we have to trust that God had a divine and righteous purpose for it.
Wednesday 13 January 2010
Why do people get mad, sad and frustrated?
Mad, sad and frustrated ... let me just start by saying that those feelings aren’t necessarily bad! It’s what we do in response to those feelings that can be bad. Even Jesus got angry (remember when he overturned the money changer’s tables in the temple?) and he cried when Lazarus died, displaying sorrow or sadness. But, His was a righteous anger and there is nothing wrong with being sad or even frustrated. It’s how we respond to those emotions that makes the difference.
Because of the sin that came into this world, we sometimes let anger, sadness and frustration overwhelm us. We are weak beings that are born with a sin nature and sometimes that sin nature gets the best of us. It allows emotions like anger to explode into rage. It allows sadness to fester into depression. It allows frustration to manifest itself in to anger or sadness or, at its worst, hopelessness.
But, here’s the great news! Jesus died on the cross for those sins, yours and mine and of the whole world. By His blood we are saved. God knew we couldn’t do it on our own because of the sin that was brought into this world. So, he gave us a Savior. He gave us His one and only Son so that we would not perish but have eternal life. Because of our Lord, Jesus, we don’t have to lose hope, we don’t have to remain sad … if we truly believe He is who He says He is (and, believe me, He is!!!) then we can give all of our hurts and fears to Him and put our faith in Him.
Sometimes, we may not understand why things happen a certain way because it just doesn’t make sense to us. But, we have to lean on His promises. He promises never to leave you or forsake you. He promises that if you believe in His name and receive Him, you have the right to be called a child of God. And we have to trust Him. One of my favorite bible verses in Proverbs 3:5-6, which reads, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding but in all ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”
Because of the sin that came into this world, we sometimes let anger, sadness and frustration overwhelm us. We are weak beings that are born with a sin nature and sometimes that sin nature gets the best of us. It allows emotions like anger to explode into rage. It allows sadness to fester into depression. It allows frustration to manifest itself in to anger or sadness or, at its worst, hopelessness.
But, here’s the great news! Jesus died on the cross for those sins, yours and mine and of the whole world. By His blood we are saved. God knew we couldn’t do it on our own because of the sin that was brought into this world. So, he gave us a Savior. He gave us His one and only Son so that we would not perish but have eternal life. Because of our Lord, Jesus, we don’t have to lose hope, we don’t have to remain sad … if we truly believe He is who He says He is (and, believe me, He is!!!) then we can give all of our hurts and fears to Him and put our faith in Him.
Sometimes, we may not understand why things happen a certain way because it just doesn’t make sense to us. But, we have to lean on His promises. He promises never to leave you or forsake you. He promises that if you believe in His name and receive Him, you have the right to be called a child of God. And we have to trust Him. One of my favorite bible verses in Proverbs 3:5-6, which reads, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding but in all ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”
Tuesday 12 January 2010
Why did Satan tempt Adam and Eve?
So, that is a really awesome question!!! We know the story of how Satan appeared as a serpent and tempted Eve and she took a bite of the apple from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And the end result was that sin then entered the world. But, the big question is why it happened in the first place, right? Well, we also know why Satan did it…he wanted to rule Heaven and he felt that he could disrupt God’s unstoppable plan by bringing sin into the world. Satan has been battling God since the beginning and this was just another attack against God. But, what we really wonder is why did God allow it?
It’s important to remember that Satan is not God or the exact opposite of God. He is a created being, just like you and me. God created Satan. If God wanted to, He could defeat Satan with a simple thought, make him disappear forever and make all of us obedient to His will and be without sin. The problem then is that we’d all be like a bunch of robots, walking around chanting, “God is holy, holy, holy,” without giving it much thought.
God doesn’t want that. He wants us to love Him but He also gave us free choice to do so. He wants us to desire to have a relationship with Him and for us to recognize that we need Him. So, God allowed Satan to introduce sin into the world so that we would realize how badly we need a kind and loving God. When you seek out God and give yourself to Him despite Satan’s attempts to pull you away from God, it brings God great joy! Remember the parable of the Lost Sheep? God celebrates everytime a “lost” person finds Him. So, that’s why Satan tempted Adam and Eve…to try and stop God’s unstoppable plan by bringing sin into this world.
It’s important to remember that Satan is not God or the exact opposite of God. He is a created being, just like you and me. God created Satan. If God wanted to, He could defeat Satan with a simple thought, make him disappear forever and make all of us obedient to His will and be without sin. The problem then is that we’d all be like a bunch of robots, walking around chanting, “God is holy, holy, holy,” without giving it much thought.
God doesn’t want that. He wants us to love Him but He also gave us free choice to do so. He wants us to desire to have a relationship with Him and for us to recognize that we need Him. So, God allowed Satan to introduce sin into the world so that we would realize how badly we need a kind and loving God. When you seek out God and give yourself to Him despite Satan’s attempts to pull you away from God, it brings God great joy! Remember the parable of the Lost Sheep? God celebrates everytime a “lost” person finds Him. So, that’s why Satan tempted Adam and Eve…to try and stop God’s unstoppable plan by bringing sin into this world.
Saturday 2 January 2010
Why do we bow our heads when we pray?
That is a great question! The reason we bow our heads when we pray is to show reverence (respect) for God. What this means is that we are trying to show God how much we love, look up to and admire Him. It’s a symbolic way to humble ourselves before our Lord, kind of like in the old days when knights used to bow to kings and queens.
Is it a requirement? Absolutely not. There is no “rule” written in the Bible that says we have to bow our heads when we pray to God. There are some people who kneel when they pray and there are some people who lay down on the floor facedown when they pray. These are all symbolic ways to show our humility before our Lord.
Some people close their eyes when they pray to avoid being distracted. Some people keep their eyes open and look up to the sky when they pray. Again there are no hard, concrete rules about praying. In fact, if we were to follow the Bible literally, we should always be praying to God without stopping. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 it says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Now, if we were in constant prayer with God and had our heads continually bowed, we’d never be able to see where we were going! Just kidding. But, truthfully, I pray a lot in my car when I’m driving to work. I can promise you that my head isn’t bowed or my eyes aren’t closed! The point is to pray and to have that conversation with God continually. Prayer doesn’t always mean asking God for something either. It’s a way to acknowledge God and everything he’s done for you and your family or friends. It’s a way to let God know you’re thinking about Him! If you don’t know what to say, don’t worry. It’s a simple conversation between you and God. He won’t be offended if you can’t think of anything important to say; He just cares that you talk to Him.
If you are really stuck and don’t know what to say, follow what Jesus says about praying in Matthew 6:9-13 when He says, “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. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Pretty cool, huh? You acknowledge how great God is, you pray that His will is done here on earth, you ask for the stuff you need (not want), you ask for forgiveness and ask for help in forgiving others and you ask for help against the evil one (the devil!). In that one short prayer, you’ve covered it all!!!
So, the most important thing is to pray daily. Talk to God because He loves hearing from you. Do you need to bow your head? The simple answer is no.
Is it a requirement? Absolutely not. There is no “rule” written in the Bible that says we have to bow our heads when we pray to God. There are some people who kneel when they pray and there are some people who lay down on the floor facedown when they pray. These are all symbolic ways to show our humility before our Lord.
Some people close their eyes when they pray to avoid being distracted. Some people keep their eyes open and look up to the sky when they pray. Again there are no hard, concrete rules about praying. In fact, if we were to follow the Bible literally, we should always be praying to God without stopping. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 it says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Now, if we were in constant prayer with God and had our heads continually bowed, we’d never be able to see where we were going! Just kidding. But, truthfully, I pray a lot in my car when I’m driving to work. I can promise you that my head isn’t bowed or my eyes aren’t closed! The point is to pray and to have that conversation with God continually. Prayer doesn’t always mean asking God for something either. It’s a way to acknowledge God and everything he’s done for you and your family or friends. It’s a way to let God know you’re thinking about Him! If you don’t know what to say, don’t worry. It’s a simple conversation between you and God. He won’t be offended if you can’t think of anything important to say; He just cares that you talk to Him.
If you are really stuck and don’t know what to say, follow what Jesus says about praying in Matthew 6:9-13 when He says, “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. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Pretty cool, huh? You acknowledge how great God is, you pray that His will is done here on earth, you ask for the stuff you need (not want), you ask for forgiveness and ask for help in forgiving others and you ask for help against the evil one (the devil!). In that one short prayer, you’ve covered it all!!!
So, the most important thing is to pray daily. Talk to God because He loves hearing from you. Do you need to bow your head? The simple answer is no.
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