All bible quotes not otherwise marked are from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016)
I’m going to stop apologizing for being late on this blog. I will do my best. I just want you all to know I’m in love and it’s taking up a good bit of my time. The good news is she is an incredible Christian who inspires me to be better every day I know her. So hopefully that will in time be reflected in this blog.
There is a lot of debate about prayer and why God answers or does not answer. Sometimes we pray for something that would actually hurt us and God says no. Just like any good parent would say no in that situation. Often we don’t understand as His children that He said no to protect us. Sometimes when we are fortunate we will come to know the truth sometime in the future.
Then we think if only we had the resources we could really make things happen. I’ve thought that before as I’ve mentioned on this blog. If only I had the funds, I could make something happen in this community that isn’t happening now. As Christians ready to serve God do you know how such thoughts sound? God has all the wealth that anyone could ever need. If something isn’t happening it’s not because God lacks something to get it done. You do know that God could just turn the bricks in our house into gold right? A mere thought by God and we’d have the most valuable house in any neighborhood in the world.
We sit around thinking we could really implement a plan that would work better than Gods. God has a plan. You do know that right? God absolutely has a plan.
Psalm 33:11
But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Ps 33:11.
The plans of the Lord stand forever. You aren’t going to better them with one of your own. In fact you are going to live a defeated life if you keep thinking you know better than God.
So how do we live a victorious life? We figure out what God is doing and we become part of His team and we let Him accomplish great things through us via the empowerment of His Holy Spirit.
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
You see. You can’t do all things. You can do all things when God strengthens you. When God empowers you.
We have a job. Are you seeking God’s will for your life? Are you trying to figure out how you fit into God’s plan? Because if you aren’t then God’s plans are going forward without you. You are going to miss out on his plan for your life. That is the only reason you are on this earth is to fulfill your ministry as God’s ambassador on this earth.
Luke 11:9-10
And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened
It is a fact that faithful children are treated well by their father. God loves us and wants us to have what we need. We need that close relationship with Him though. He has work for us. Our prayers should reflect our mission and be all about things that will only hinder the mission.
I am certain of one thing though. If God has called us to do something and we are blocked by a lack of resources or even by a challenge too big for us, we need to pray. God wants us to run to Him for help. He wants to remind us who is in control. When we pray if we truly are on mission for God I believe he will answer. Sometimes we may think we are doing God’s will when we are doing ours though so if some big roadblock is just sitting there and not getting moved away maybe you turned down the wrong street. The one you wanted and not what God wanted.
As a good parent, God knows when to close doors and open others to move us in the direction he wants. When our children were little we often would put up gates and close certain rooms off so our toddler could bounce around without getting into too much trouble. God loves us too. He wants to take care of our needs when we are doing His will.
James 4:3
You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
Our prayers are often all about making our lives easier. They are all about making this life a “happy” one. The biggest mistake is chasing after happiness. It is fleeting. We need the joy that goes very deep. The understanding that we are in God’s will and on mission for Him. That what we do is making a difference in this world. It’s the sort of joy that is not so easily dispelled like societies conception of happiness. The world’s version of happiness comes and goes like the wind and those chasing it are as likely to catch it as they are the wind.
God loves us so much and He wants us to live meaningful lives full of achievement in His service. When we are in heaven, that is all we will have. We aren’t taking any of our toys with us. We will only have those people we impacted for Him. They will be all around us. The bus driver who took me to Sunday School faithfully every week will look at me and know he had an impact. The elderly blind Sunday School teacher who mentored me just after I was saved will look at me and remember the impact he had. We need to be the next generation and look after those coming up. We need to bless them and teach them. Jesus said make disciples. We aren’t just to see them born and then leave them in the nursery.