And if ever we are aware that He is hearing us, whatever we may be requesting, we are aware that we have the requests which we have requested from Him.
First Epistle Of John 5: 15, Concordant New Testament
What begin as a question concerning prayer this week quickly morphed into a discussion on faith. How can one believe that their prayers are even heard unless they have faith in the Lord? Without the belief in God, aren't our prayers simply our own wasted efforts? Perhaps, but I also believe that the Father hears ALL of His children, believers and non believers alike. Consider if you were the president, wouldn't you be concerned not only for the opinions of those who voted you in, but also the rest of the nation? Well, unless you're Joe Biden, then you don't give a rats ass. My point being, God is not simply the God of believers, but the loving creator of us all {Genesis 1:27}. It is not impossible to believe that God would desire the best for all of His children. In the film Come Sunday, bishop Carlton Pearson was removed from his church leadership position for speaking the love of the Lord! Pearson spoke to the truth that God loves His creation so much that sending them to hell would not even be possible. God...is the All in All. So how does this relate to prayer? Well, the same church which expelled bishop Pearson will tell us that if we pray that the Lord will give to us everything which we ask of Him. I believe that this is exactly where the name it and claim it teaching came from. And why wouldn't the church make such a claim, there are countless scriptures which tell us that if ask the Lord for something that He will deliver. Now, who is going to jump on that bandwagon here and call God a liar? Who is going to go out on that limb and proclaim that the scriptures we've been told for so long to adhere to are lies? So, if we trust in the word, HIS word, then we can trust that we can come to Him and request the needs which are on our hearts? But let me take this one step further, aren't those desires of our hearts the desires of Christ as well? Indeed, it is the apostle Paul who speaks to the indwelling Jesus in us {Paul To The Galatians 2:20, Paul To The Romans 6:8}. Does not Jesus share in our thoughts and desires? I believe that if we trust that we remain in Him that Jesus indeed shares in the innermost parts of our lives. Yes, that includes the bad stuff too. Is Jesus sinful? No! I believe that when we behave badly that it grieves He who is in us.
Now, similarly, the spirit is also aiding in our infirmity, for what we should be praying for, to accord with what must be, we may not be aware, but the spirit itself is pleading for us with inarticulate groanings.
Paul To The Romans 8: 26, Concordant New Testament
Do you know what the ultimate plan of the Lord is? Some may claim to know, but I believe that only God knows this. The comedian George Carlin had a funny little bit he once did about religion and prayer. He jokingly referred to unanswered prayers as "Gods will." Sadly, many in the mainstream church have taken this idea and ran with it. I have a good friend who was so turned off on the mainstream church after his sisters death that he has never been inside a church since. I get it. In a time where he was seeking the comfort of the church, he was told that the passing of his sister was the "Lords will." When my own mother passed, I was at times fed the same line of mainstream church BS. So, do we believe that God hears our requests and desires to honor them, or do we adhere to the belief that He has His own way of doing things and that many of our prayer requests do not fit in His plan? Are our heart felt prayers wasted efforts? Sorry, but I'll never believe that. I'll never believe that the Father who lovingly created me would somehow become so disinterested in my conversations with Him. When the scriptures proclaim that He not only hears our requests but honors them, I believe it! I would like to say that there is a special place in hell for those who continue to speak to those in need that it is "Gods will' that God has ignored them. But, I do not believe that there is a hell. So I'll continue to trust in what is written, that the Father not only hears our requests, but He delights in honoring them as well. Our conversations with Him are NEVER wasted efforts.
~Scott~
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