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 4.
Prayer -- "Wait For A Minute."
It has been well said that God always
answers prayer. Sometimes He says, "Yes." sometimes
He says, "NO." Sometimes He says, "Wait
for a minute," and a day to the Lord is a thousand
years to us (2 Peter 3:8). That means that a ten year
wait for us, is 14 minutes and 24 seconds to God, so ask
in faith, but rest in peace-filled patience.
Surveys show that more than 90% of America
prays daily. No doubt they pray for health, wealth,
happiness, etc. They also pray when grandma gets sick,
and when grandma doesn't get better (or dies), many
end up disillusioned, and some end up bitter. This is
because they don't understand what the Bible says about
prayer. It teaches that sin will stop God even hearing
your prayer (Psalm 66:18). It teaches, among other things,
that if we pray with doubt, we will not get an answer
(James 1:6-7).
Here's how to be heard....
1.) Pray with faith (Hebrews 11:6).
2.) Pray with clean hands and a pure heart (Psalm
24:3-4).
3.) Pray genuine heart-felt prayers, rather than vain
repetitions (Matthew 6:7).
4.) Make sure that you are praying to the God revealed
in the Holy Scriptures (Exodus 20:3-6).
How do you "pray with faith?"
If someone says to you, "You're a man of great
faith in God," they may think that they are paying
you a compliment. But they aren't -- the compliment
is to God. For example if I said to you, "I'm a
man of great faith in my doctor," it's actually
the doctor I'm complimenting. If I have great faith
in him, it means that I see him as being a man of integrity,
a man of great ability -- that he is trustworthy. I
give "glory" to the man through my faith in
him. The Bible says that Abraham "He did not waver
at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened
in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced
that what He had promised He was also able to perform."
(Romans 4:20-21). Abraham was a man of great faith in
God. Remember, that is not a compliment to Abraham.
He merely caught a glimpse of God's incredible ability,
His impeccable integrity, and His wonderful faithfulness
to keep every promise He makes. His faith gave "glory"
to a faithful God.
As far as God is concerned, if you belong
to Jesus, you are a VIP. You can boldly come before
the throne of Grace (Hebrews 4:16). You have access
to the king, because you are the son or daughter of
the king. When you were a child, did you have to grovel
to get your needs met by your mom or dad? I hope not.
So, when you pray, don't say, "Oh
God, I hope you will supply my needs." Instead
say something like, "Father, thank you that you
keep every promise You make. Your Word says that you
will supply all my needs according to Your riches in
glory, by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). Therefore,
I thank you that you will do this thing for my family.
I ask this in the wonderful name of Jesus. Amen"
It was the great missionary, Hudson
Taylor, who said, "The prayer power has never been
tried to its full capacity. If we want to see Divine
power wrought in the place of weakness, failure, and
disappointment, let us answer God's standing challenge,
'Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee
great and mighty things of which thou knowest not of.'"
How do you get "clean hands and
a pure heart?" Simply by confessing your sins to
God, through Jesus Christ. His blood cleanses from all
sin (1 John 1:7-9). When you confess them to God through
Jesus, God will not only forgive your every sin, He
promises to forget that sin (Hebrew 8:12). He will even
justify you, on the grounds of the sacrifice of the
Savior. That means He will count it as though you have
never sinned in the first place. He will make you pure
in His sight -- sinless. He will even "purge"
your conscience, so that you will no longer have that
sense of guilt that you sinned in the first place. That's
what I mean "to be justified by faith." That's
why you need to soak yourself in Holy Scripture -- to
read the letters to the churches and see the wonderful
things that God has done for us through the Cross of
Calvary. If you don't bother to read the will, you won't
have any idea of what has been left for you.
How do you pray "genuine heart-felt
prayers?" Simply by keeping yourself in the love
of God. If the love of God is in you, you will never
pray hypocritical, or selfish prayers. In fact, you
won't have to pray selfish prayers, if you have a heart
of love. When your prayer-life is pleasing to God, the
Bible says that He will reward you openly (Matthew 6:6).
How do you know that you are praying
to "the God revealed in Holy Scripture?" Study
the Word. Don't accept the image of God portrayed by
the world, even though it appeals to the natural mind.
A loving, kind fatherly-figure, with no sense of justice
or truth appeals to guilty sinners. Look to the thunderings
and lightnings of Mount Sinai. Gaze at Jesus on the
cross of Calvary -- hanging in unspeakable agony because
of the Justice of a holy God. Such thoughts tend to
banish idolatry.
 The
next section is:
Warfare -- Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition
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