Taken fromWhere Was God When That Happened? Wondering why we ask for your email, or having trouble registering. Our digital archives are a work in progress. 115:3). Why should we prayif God has fixed the future? Think of Yemen, think of Syria, countries that have been at war for years, for years, ravaged by wars, and we pray, but they do not come to an end. Please contact us at members@americamedia.org with any questions. Or if you read through the thirteen letters of Paul, usually the first chapter of Paul's epistles are a prayer for that particular church. Prayer is not a magic wand: It is a dialogue with the Lord. That our first inclination should be to talk to Him. If He hadnt responded to her the way He did, we wouldnt be challenged and inspired by her heart for God. And then he does what he wants to do, and has chosen to do; butmost wonderfullyhe has chosen to do itonly when we pray for it. "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. So, God doesn't intervene because God chooses not to, for God's own unknowable purposes. And if we know that he hears uswhatever we askwe know that we have what we asked of him" (1 John 5:14-15). He does it as follows. They tell me God is love. But we still want your feedback. DR. JOHN TWEEDDALE: Well, in the book of James, we're told that the prayer of a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16). I was sixteen years old and heard the Gospel for the first time, knowing immediately I wanted Jesus. Keep hoping in him, my friend. I wrestled with God and wondered what was happening. God governs all events in his universeincludingthe small ones leading up to the big ones. Prayer is really for us, not for God. If God has determined a woman will be healed of cancer, then he has also determined the prayers on her behalf, not to mention the birth of the oncologists who would operate on her and the opening of a medical school in the region. Copyright 2004 Christianity Today. Jesus wasnt ignoring the Canaanite woman or lacking compassion toward her need. Today, John Tweeddale explains why we should pray to our sovereign, holy God. In the same way, we know that spiritual life is there because we are praying. It is because God respects man's free will that He doesn't intervene in the world. Or send us feedback on this article with one of the options below: We welcome and read all letters to the editorbut, due to the volume received, cannot guarantee a response. He doesnt have to use our prayers to do that. Most Calvinists believe in a form of determinismthat is, God has determined every single event. In prayer, it is God who must convert us, not we who must convert God. Regardless of your situation, like the Canaanite woman, remember who you are talking to: the One who has gone to the ends of Creation to meet you. You can pray in the face of climate change and make adjustments to your lifestyle to reduce your carbon footprint. And His disciples came to Him and kept asking Him, saying, Send her away, for she is shouting out after us. But He answered and said, I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, Lord, help me! And He answered and said, It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs. But she said, Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered and said to her, O woman, your faith is great; be it done for you as you wish. And her daughter was healed at once. (Matthew 15:21-28 NASB), This story is for those of us who have gone through seasons where we felt like Gods work went quiet.. "But there's a difference," you might be saying. When God determined that Christ would die on the cross, he also determined the means by which he was killed, the means by which he was delivered to the authorities, and the means by which he was betrayed. So in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6, Jesus' disciples go to their master and they say, "Lord, teach us to pray." Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus/Pheelings Media. Scripture shows that God can remove wicked men from power (Daniel 2:21). Please visit ourmembership pageto learn how you can invest in our work by subscribing to the magazine or making a donation. By using our website, you accept our use of cookies. I go to pray but You, Lord, convert my heart so that it asks for what is convenient, for what will be best for my spiritual health. She is the founder of Truth and Grace Ministries, Truth x Grace Women, and is the author of five books. NATHAN W. BINGHAM: I'm on the campus of Reformation Bible College with their academic dean, Dr. John Tweeddale. God can't answer many prayers. But now I realize - 20 years later and still no second child - that God knew what he was doing all along. God also cannot contradict himself. In the drop-off line at school, on our way to work, while were doing the dishes, and when we have a moment to breathe, may our thoughts turn towards God. 15 and Num. Prayer puts us in direct communication with our incredible God, brings down idols and distractions, paves the way for deliverance, and tunes our ear into His voice. If the reason for which we prayed was noble (such as intercession for the health of a sick person, or for the end of a war, for instance), the non-fulfilment seems scandalous. Reason no. She didn't get that son immediately, but Scripture says "in due time" God gave her a son who would be one of Israel's greatest prophets and priests and who would help turn the nation's heart back toward God. At the grave of Lazarus, Jesus says this:Father, I thank you that you have heard me. But the evil one is never lord of the last day: God is the Lord of the last day. Article Images Copyright , Banish the Unofficial Luggage of Foster Care. He could have created a universe where prayer has no effect whatsoever. Since then, Ive learned so much about prayer. NIGHT OF OPEN HEAVEN || DAY 46 [100 DAYS FASTING & PRAYER] 4TH JULY, 2023 STAY CONNECTED AND BE BLESSED #zionprayermovementoutreach #zpmom. Your god is evil because He's supposed to be able to feed all the starving children in the world, and He doesn't. Even if He did exist, I wouldn't want to believe in Him because he is pure evil." [/x_blockquote] The question of why God doesn't feed starving kids around the world is a valid one. Through free will, we have the freedom to do what we want and whatever pleases us. How can I reconcile my belief in the inerrancy of Scripture with comments in Bible translations that state that a particular verse is not 'in better manuscripts'? Is every believer guaranteed at least one spiritual gift? The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Just like the attitude in many places for going to pray in church: women who wear a veil or take holy water to begin to pray, in this way we must tell ourselves, before praying, that it is the right way; that God will give me what it is right to give. To unlock this article for your friends, use any of the social share buttons on our site, or simply copy the link below. And hes ordained his interventions to be in response to faith-fueled petitions. Have something to add about this? 1: If God won't allow suffering, we will lose our FREE WILL One of the greatest gifts of God is free will. 5:17) because habitual prayers express dependence on God. It is a prayer of questions only, as we know, but the first ones we utter are all on Gods side. What this reflects, more than anything, is a heart posture surrendered to God. He can be trusted, as well as his word. Where exactly do "Oneness" Pentecostals stand in relation to orthodoxy? Rm 8: 26). Why does he not intervene if I do not ask? How are you doing and which of the three points could you improve upon most? City and state/province, or if outside Canada or the U.S., city and country. Itholds that God fixes some, but not all, future events in place. if you are trying to comment, you must log in or set up a new account. If miracles. First John 5:14-15 also reminds us that, when we pray according to God's will, He hears and answers. In addition, to change His mind would mean that Gods original plan wasnt best for that situation; that there was room for improvement. Share your feedback here. Christopher Ash is a pastor, author and writer in residence at Tyndale House, Cambridge. 12:9). and our So in prayer we express our devotion to God. More ordinarily, God works in and through the prayers and the actions of his people. We open comments only on select articles so that we can provide a focused and well-moderated discussion on interesting topics. Whatever He chooses to give us, the right stance of our heart is gratitude. November 14, 2021 by What God May Really Be Like By Mike Edwards Let's be honest. It's difficult to imagine how God can have a purpose or happy ending to our life's story when we're right in the middle of longing for something more or missing something we once had. It doesn't have to mean that. 6 Female Celebrities Who Openly Follow Christ, Steven Furtick's Elevation Church Leaves the SBC, Moms, You Have Permission to Invest in Yourselves, A Prayer to Watch How We Live - Your Daily Prayer - July 5, 5 Signs Your Church Might Be Heading toward Progressive Christianity. God is active and present in his world, quite independently of whether we experience him as being so. Humble yourselves, therefore, under Gods mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. To receive these remarks and more in your inbox every week, sign up for Americas daily newsletter. Let us learn this humble patience, to await the Lords grace, to await the final day. Yes, from our vantage point, we might think that God's miraculous intervention would produce waves of affirmation to his authority. Then when He finally did give her attention, He appeared to be less than immediately sympathetic. So, why do we pray? To say we dont need to pray because God has determined all outcomes is as ridiculous as saying we dont need to take medicine, work for a living, or look for a spouse because God has determined all outcomes. How Do We Know When it Is Time to Give Up? More prayers are unanswered than answered. You can either click on the link in your confirmation email or simply re-enter your email address below to confirm it. Archived post. I came to Christ with a lot of hurt and bondageanger issues, sexual sin, and strongholdand I desperately needed freedom. All rights reserved. He is all powerful, all wise, and all knowing but God is a God who uses the prayers and the actions of his people to bring his perfect purposes to pass. Think of the Canaanite woman who begs Jesus for her daughter. What does Genesis mean by man being made in the image of God? She was a symbol and foreshadowing of the work God was planning to accomplish among the gentiles. There is a father who is in a hurry: His daughter is ill and for this reason he asks for Jesus help. 6:9). If God controls each and every event, from the tiniest to the greatest, and has already decided what will happen, then why pray? Next, he puts the Spirit of Jesus into the hearts of followers of Jesus, so that we too begin to pray according to Gods will. Yet God repeatedly chooses to veil the ways in which he exercises those rights. Hang on to the truth that He will meet you. When Jesus was in the garden, just before His arrest, He prayed to the Father and shared a request. Prior to his arrival in Atlanta, Dr. Richard served as the Senior Minister of the First Presbyterian Church in Gulfport, Mississippi (PCA) for almost 12 years. And behold, a Canaanite woman came out from that region, and began to cry out, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed. But He did not answer her a word. But God did not grant our request! Butwonderfullyhe has chosen to govern the world in fellowship with Christs people. One of the most common questions that people have in church is, If God is sovereign, why should we pray? The idea seems to be that if God is sovereign, knows everything, is all powerful, and is all wise then surely, he doesnt need our prayers. How Do We Know When it Is Time to Give Up? It may be there that he does his greatest workalbeit unseen to us. And the answer is, no. For more resources to strengthen your soul, marriage, and relationships with God and others, see her website: www.strengthforthesoul.com. Yet God brought him down to size, neutralizing his influence for seven years. God is our first line of communication, always. . It could just mean something great is . Paul had a problem with his eyesight that God never healed. The response from the Lord? So, when I heard that the battle is won in prayer, I battled hard. some people pray to God but tragedies happen to them, so it seems strange that he doesn't do anything, Scan this QR code to download the app now. First he chose to work in answer to Jesus prayers. When we pray, we need to be humble: this is the first attitude for going to pray. Today, John Tweeddale explains why we should pray to our sovereign, holy God. He is married to Carolyn and they have four children and three grandchildren. In the case of Ukraine, most Americans are unable to influence President Putin. But God sees our story from beginning to end and he knows exactly what he is preparing us for even if we can't imagine he's doing anything on our behalf. My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.Matthew 26:39. If God has already determined what He will do, whats the point? Check out some of the. Our need often arises unexpectedly and then consumes us.
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