GOD'S WATERWAYS
Charleeda Sprinkle

I’m quite sure everyone, in some way, has been moved by water: by the mighty roar of a crashing waterfall, the vast expansiveness of the sea and its unending curling waves pounding the shore, the rush of a river over and around unmovable rocks in its winding path, or the stillness of a pastoral pool. If rocks can cry out (Luke 19:40) and trees can clap their hands (Isa. 55:12), then water can surely speak too. It doesn’t take much reflection time to hear their lessons on life. They are so simple and so apparent that even an unchurched unbeliever can hear or observe them.

God’s waterways not only “speak” but “hear” and respond to the word and will of the Lord. The sea parted and let the fleeing Children of Israel pass through (Exod. 14:21). Water came forth from a rock when Moses spoke to it (Exod. 17:6). The Jordan River “rose in a heap” when the priests stepped into it (Josh. 3:16). Bitter water was made sweet in the wilderness (Exod. 15:25). Yeshua (Jesus) walked on water (Matt. 14:25) and turned it into wine (John 2). It’s a wonder that all of God’s creation, not just man, have the ability to respond to His voice—even praise Him (Ps. 69:34).

God wrote a lot about water in the Bible, using its various forms as teaching tools. Let’s see what treasures we can mine through a closer look at this wonderful aspect of nature.

The Great Sea

On the third day of creation, God created the seas (Gen.1:10). The word “ocean” is not found in the Bible, so they would be included in the word “seas.” The greatest sense one gets about the sea in the Bible is its immensity. It’s referred to as “mighty” waters (Exod. 15:10), a “great and wide” sea (Ps. 104:25), the “uttermost” parts of the sea (Ps. 139:9). The Mediterranean is called the “Great” Sea. The “sand of the sea” is used nine times in the NKJV to describe a number that is uncountable (Hosea 1:10).

When God told the Children of Israel that all He had commanded them was not “far off” (too hard to understand or perform) but near to them, He used the sea to make the point of a vast distance. “Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it” (Deut. 30:13–14). Speaking of the Messianic era, He again chose the sea to describe how far-reaching the knowledge of God would be in that day. “For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11:9).

The bronze laver, where the water was stored in Solomon’s Temple complex for the priests to wash their hands and feet, was so big it was called “the Sea” (1 Kings 7:23). And rightly so, as it stood at a height of 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) high, was 15 feet (4.5 meters) in diameter at its brim, and a handbreadth in thickness. Plus, it sat on top of 12 large bronze oxen. One of the cisterns under the Temple Mount is so big it’s called the “Great Sea.”

This greatness is what we sense when we stand on a seashore and gaze on water that reaches the horizon. (I have the same sense in the middle of the desert when all I see is sandy, rocky hills.) The vastness overwhelms you, and you feel the bigness of God and your own smallness like at no other time. The ongoing, never-failing rhythm of the waves crashing on the shore reminds one of the faithfulness of God and His vast unending supply.

It’s interesting that whereas the seas and oceans today cover roughly three-fourths of the Earth’s surface, the new heaven and earth will have no sea (Rev. 21:1). Barnes’ Notes suggests it’s because the whole earth will then be inhabited in that day, so no great bodies of water will “waste” its space. Wycliff Bible Commentary proposes that because the sea represents unrest, death and destruction, and is the divider of nations geographically in our day, that none of this will find a place in the future, final realm of peace and perfection. The prophet Micah says God “will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (7:19), so maybe having no sea at the end of days is God’s way of showing us just how far removed our sins are. The sea into which they are cast will no longer exist! Hallelujah!

“There Is a River…”

“There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God…” (Ps. 46:4). Is there really such a river or is this just figurative language? In the second chapter of Genesis, we are told that “The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden” (v. 8). The garden wasn’t Eden; it was in Eden. We do not know how big an area Eden was, but in it flowed four rivers (Gen. 2:10–14).  We know two because they still exist by those names today: the Tigris [in some versions, the Hiddekel] and the Euphrates. The other two, the Pishon and Gihon, have become a matter of much discussion and research, as they are not known today. However, there is some evidence that suggests they may still exist but run underground through the Land of Israel from the north to the south.

In the 1960s, deep well drillings showed that there was much more water under the Aravah Desert in southern Israel than previously suspected. Today, Hezekiah’s Tunnel, just outside the Old City walls to the south of the Temple mount, is a popular tourist attraction. It is a 2,700-year-old tunnel carved out of stone in Bible times through which you can walk in ankle-to-knee deep water that comes from a spring called the Gihon Spring. Some have suggested that it could be a remnant of Eden’s Gihon River. These are only speculative “clues” at best, but the Bible does speak of a real river flowing from Jerusalem.

Ezekiel sees this river in his vision of the Temple, which fills the last eight chapters of his book. Many believe this to be a description of the Messianic era “Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar” (Ezek. 47:1). The further the river flowed to the east, the deeper it became until it couldn’t be crossed. On the banks of the river were trees that produced fruit for food and leaves for medicine. The river flowed all the way to the Dead Sea and fully restored it, so that fish could live in it. What life-giving water this is! Joel 3:18 prophesies about this river as well.

In Revelation, where the new heaven and earth are described, we see much the same thing. “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb” (22:1). Here, though, we see something we haven’t seen since the beginning in the Garden of Eden—the tree of life. Its leaves are also for healing, “the healing of the nations.” Could this be the restored Gihon? Possibly...God is good at bringing things full circle.

But we’re not finished. Let’s not forget Yeshua’s words spoken at the water libation ceremony on the Feast of Tabernacles. With much fanfare, singing, and joy, the people followed the priest to the Pool of Siloam, fed by the Gihon Spring, to fill a golden pitcher with fresh “living” (running) water. Upon their return to the Temple, the priest would pour out the water at the altar, and they would cry out, “Save, I pray” or Hosanna (Ps. 118:25). At the climax of this joyous occasion, Yeshua cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37–38).

Just as there is a river that will flow out of the earthly City of God and the throne of God, there is a river that flows out of every believer. That river’s life, the life of Yeshua and the power of the Holy Spirit in us, feeds the hungry heart and heals the sick. We don’t have to wait till the end of days to see this river’s benefits. Therefore, I believe, we can apply the words of Psalm 46 to us also. When calamity comes and the “earth be removed…There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God…God is in the midst of her [you and me too], she shall not be moved” (vv. 2, 4–5).

Springs in the Valley of Baca

“Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a spring; the rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion” (Ps. 84:5–7). No one knows where this valley was, but baca in Hebrew means “weeping.” Baca paints a picture of a gloomy valley, one of lamentation and tears, maybe poetically-speaking similar to David’s “valley of the shadow of death” in Psalm 23. Since the whole of Psalm 84 is about going up to the house of God in Jerusalem “on pilgrimage”—which Jewish men did three times a year on Passover, Pentecost, and Feast of Tabernacles—it seems likely that they would have had to go through this valley on their way up to Jerusalem.

The “valley” could also be just a poetic way of referring to the long, hot, dusty journey they had to take to get to Jerusalem. Possibly it was a place of danger where thieves accosted travelers, which brought up bad memories of loved ones hurt or killed there. Referring to the “pools,” commentator Matthew Henry notes that traveling pilgrims might have dug depressions in the ground alongside the roadway periodically so if it rained, they would become pools of water, providing refreshment for the return trip. We do that when we “comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Cor. 1:4).

Barnes’ Notes reminds readers that the journey up to Jerusalem was always a joyful event and many sang psalms. The closer to Jerusalem they got, their thoughts would turn from the discomforts and dangers of the journey to the joy of worshipping God in the Temple. This is about a person who can make an oasis in the desert or make a gloomy day full of sunshine. Similar language is found in Isaiah 35 where the prophet promises that one day the desert will bloom, and we’ve seen this happen in Israel. The passage goes on to say, “…For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. The parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water…” (vv. 6–7). That river in us has to bubble up to the surface, “burst forth,” during sojourns in the wilderness.

“They make it a spring…” In the days of pre-state Israel, early pioneers could have grumbled and complained about the sorry plots of land purchased at premium prices. Instead of leaving, though, many died as they worked to dry up the malaria-infested swamps. Today, those areas grow crops. Spring-makers don’t just grit their teeth and push forward and endure the hard road; they determine the gloomy valley isn’t going to get them down. There’s nothing more refreshing than a spring in the desert on a hot summer’s day. Do our words and attitudes bring refreshing to others, or do they weigh them down with a litany of our woes on a regular basis?

James admonishes us: “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?...Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh” (3:10–12). One night I was out with a couple of Christian friends. Through the course of a meal, we discussed the Obama administration, child abuse, abortion, the rise of Islam in the US, and sad cases of parental neglect. By the time I left, I felt I needed a brain bath and walked home trying to remember Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

Does this mean we cannot discuss politics or the dreadful issues we are facing in the world today? No. However, we need to be careful of having a steady diet of this kind of talk because it can lead to a woeful attitude that is not edifying for ourselves or others and that can pollute the pure spring in us and keep it from bubbling up with words that encourage and give hope in hopeless situations (Eph. 4:29). What good are we if all we do is speak the same woeful things that those around us speak? Can we instead be ones who sing “songs in the night” (Job 35:10) like Paul and Silas did when they were imprisoned (Acts 16:25)?

We need to “make” a spring by turning conversations around to “good reports,” to say in the face of daunting political circumstances: God is on His throne; He is in control; He will be exalted among the nations; do not be afraid. We are living in the last days, so we can expect even more dreadful things to happen, and they must happen if God’s word and will are to be fulfilled. Let’s guard the words of our mouth and the thoughts of our minds and not allow the woes of this world or our own personal circumstances to rob us of the joy we have in knowing the Rock from which our living water flows. Let it bubble up with edifying words.

Pounding, Leaping Waterfalls

“Deep calls to deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have gone over me” (Ps. 42:7). Interestingly, this is the only verse that mentions waterfalls, and more interesting is that arid Israel, with so much desert land, has a good number of waterfalls, though many dry up during the hottest part of the summer. While most Bibles note that the source of Psalm 42 is the sons of Korah, the Artscroll Tehillim (a Jewish book of Psalms in Hebrew and English) notes it may have been written by David for the sons of Korah to use in tabernacle worship. It is a psalm of distress. Its words could easily fit with the time in David’s life when he was on the run from King Saul. One of his hideouts was Ein Gedi, an oasis in the desert near the Dead Sea. In its hidden recesses, are not only streams and pools but waterfalls.

Have you ever been close to a waterfall? According to its size, its “noise” (which in the above verse literally means “voice”) can be deafening, and you can hear it from some distance away as you’re approaching it. Once, when I stood next to a good-sized one in Alaska, just below the edge of its fall, its powerful surge almost took my breath away—not out of awe, but literally. I had to back away to breathe normally again. Have you ever stood under one? It can give you a great massage across you’re back (or if it’s big enough, nearly drown you), but you can’t stand under it long because it pounds you incessantly. That’s the idea behind the psalmist’s words. His troubles are pounding him incessantly, one after another. And yet, the final words of this distressed soul is “hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God” (v. 11).

How did this psalmist move from hopelessness to praise? Is it possible that as the psalmist studied the waterfall, he saw something else besides its pounding? Hannah Hurnard did and wrote about it in her classic book, Hinds’ Feet on High Places. It was the Swiss Alps that gave her the inspiration for much of the book. There she was mesmerized by the waterfalls and stunned by their utter abandonment as the waters leapt over the top edge and fell to the bottom. She wrote their “song” this way: “From the heights we leap and go, To the valleys down below, Always answering to the call, To the lowest place of all.” But they didn’t leap in dread of being crashed on the rocks below; they leapt with great joy.

This past February, on a beautiful, unseasonably warm spring-like day, I went with a friend to the North and discovered the Iyon (Tanur) Stream Nature Reserve in Metullah. The Iyon Stream from Lebanon, one of the four tributaries of the Jordan river, cuts through a deep gorge, producing four waterfalls. Since I had just finished reading Hurnard’s book again, I decided to sit near the foot of the waterfall and watch the water fall, focusing on a small part of it as it fell from the top and following it all the way down. The abandonment and joy of its fine spray, which leapt so far out I could almost see single drops, were so apparent, I laughed out loud. Oh, to be so free to give, to let go, to deny oneself with no fear! When we really know how much we are loved by God, and we let that “perfect love cast out fear” because we know we are totally safe in His love, then we can take that leap and praise the Lord even in the fall (1 John 4:17–18).

Keeping the Water Flowing and Clean

In Bible times, one tactic of an opposing army was to block up the source of water to a city (2 Kings 3:25). From 1964 to 1967, Israel actually waged a war called the War (or Battle) over Water because Syria and Lebanon threatened to dam up two of the Jordan’s three sources. Because Israel, Syria, and Jordan have diverted 98% of the river’s waters elsewhere with dams and canals, now the once raging river is but a trickle of water, polluted with sewage in some places. It is no different with the enemy of our souls. He not only wants to block the flow of the river in us but pollute it. Sin does both, but John has the answer: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Another cleansing agent is the Word. Paul admonishes, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:25–26, also see John 15:3, 17:17).  Proverbs 13:14 says, “The law [torah, instruction] of the wise is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death.” The more we read and obey God’s instructions—which are not just words on a page as in any other book, but are God-breathed words that contain life as much as the air we breathe—the purer and stronger will be the flow of the living water in us.

Bibliography

“Arava.” http://site.jnf.ca/EDUCATIONSITE/jnf/arava.html

Barnes Notes. Biblesoft: PC Study Bible, 1988-2002, www.biblesoft.com

Connor, Kevin J. The Temple of Solomon. Portland, OR: Bible Temple       Publishing, 1988.

Danziger, Rabbi Hillel (translated and annotated by). The Artscroll Tehillim.          Brooklyn, NK: Mesorah, 2002.

Hurnard, Hannah. Hinds’ Feet on High Places. Carol Stream, IL: Living Books,     1975.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary. Biblesoft: PC Study Bible, 1988-2002,  www.biblesoft.com

Michas, Peter A. The Rod of an Almond Tree in God’s master Plan. Ukilteo, A: Winepress, 1997.

Waldoks, Ehud Zion. “Jordan River to run dry by next year.” The Jerusalem Post, May 5, 2010.

Wikipedia. “The war over water.”   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_over_Water

 “Temple Mount.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Mount

“Headwater Diversion Plan (Jordan river).”             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headwater_Diversion_Plan

Wycliff Bible Commentary. Biblesoft: PC Study Bible, 1988-2002,    www.biblesoft.com  

NO TIME AND NO MONEY!
Dennis D. Frey, Th.D.

TIME FACTS

Percentage of households that possess at least one television: 99

Number of TV sets in the average U.S. household: 2.24

Percentage of U.S. homes with three or more TV sets: 66

Number of hours per day that TV is on in an average U.S. home: 6 hours, 47 minutes

Percentage of Americans that regularly watch television while eating dinner: 66

Number of hours of TV watched annually by Americans: 250 billion

Value of that time assuming an average wage of S5/hour: S1.25 trillion

Percentage of Americans who pay for cable TV: 56

Number of videos rented daily in the U.S.: 6 million

Number of public library items checked out daily: 3 million

Percentage of Americans who say they watch too much TV: 49

Source:  Norman Herr, Ph.D., Professor of Science Education at California State University, Northridge: http://www.csun.edu/science/health/docs/tv&health.html

Now consider these facts:

Average number of hours watching television in three years: 4,380
Average number of hours to complete an MISD degree in three years (less than 2 hr. per day):  2,106

CONCLUSION ON TIME:  Over a three year period, the average person can earn a degree at MISD by cutting television time in 1/2 without having to add any additional commitments to his or her schedule!

MONEY FACTS

Financial Statistics - Average Annual American Household Expenditures:  $49,638

Housing: $16,920
Transportation:  $8,758
Food at Home:  $3,465
Food away from Home:  $2,668
Insurance, Pensions: $5,336
Healthcare:  $2,853
Entertainment:  $2,698 ($224.83 per month)
Clothing and Services:  $1,881
Cash Contributions:  $1,821
Education:  $945 (1.9% of total expenditures)

Spending  According to the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, April 2009:
Source:  http://www.visualeconomics.com/how-the-average-us-consumer-spends-their-paycheck/

Average total program tuition at MISD: $3,840
Average program total book cost: $360
Average total gross program cost: $4,200
Average (interest-free) three-year monthly payment: $107
Average annual tuition cost (not including books): $1,284

Now consider these facts:

Total average three-year expenditure on entertainment: $8,094
Total average three-year cost of a degree program at MISD: $4,200

CONCLUSION ON MONEY:  Over a three year period, the average person can earn a degree at MISD by cutting entertainment expenditures in 1/2 without having to add any additional expense to his or her annual budget!

COMBINED CONCLUSIONS:  If you are an average person, you already have the time and money to earn a degree at MISD.  THE SOONER YOU START, THE SOONER YOU FINISH!

A TIME-SHARE VIEW OF HISTORY
Skip Moen, Ph.D.

One of the most ingenious inventions of modern real estate economics is the timeshare.  Timeshares are designed to provide a slice of unreality for anyone who has a reasonable credit line.  What most people could never hope to afford completely, they can pretend to afford in slices.  A timeshare is my one week of affluence.  One small piece of the dream of opulence.  The marketing appeal is straightforward – you could never buy the whole thing but you can buy small part.  The secret of the timeshare is group ownership.  Sales people love it.  They sell the same property 52 times.

There are basically two kinds of timeshares (and an infinite number of variations).  The first is direct ownership.  I purchase a fractional share in the actual property.  I own it.  I can sell it, transfer it or put it in my will.  With ownership comes responsibility and I am completely responsible for my piece of the pie.  I buy it and then pay for taxes and maintenance it as long as I hold it.  But the little slice of luxury is mine.

The second basic timeshare arrangement is "right to use".  In this sale, I don't actually own the property.  What I own is the right to use the property for a specific period.  It might be as many as 99 years, but when the time runs out, the property reverts to the developer.  During my "right to use" period, I have all the privileges and obligations of ownership, but in the end it really isn't mine.  I still pay the taxes and the maintenance as though I owned it, but legally I just have a place to lay my head at the developer's bequest.

Contrary to marketing legend, the timeshare scheme was not invented in the late 60's.  It was invented at the beginning of everything – by God.  God built the most incredible, elaborate, magnificent luxury property ever conceived and He established the world's first and best timeshare plan for its use. 

Each one of us is given an allotment – our little piece of occupancy.  We take possession at birth.  God's timeshare plan is only "right to use", not direct ownership.  We have "right to use" privileges for a specified amount of time.  The property belongs to God, the developer.  It always will.  Our "right to use" can't be sold, bartered or otherwise transferred to anyone else and it certainly cannot be inherited.  However, this should not be a reason for complaint because there is another part of God's timeshare plan that is completely unique.  We don't pay for our allotment up front.  We only pay for it after our "right to use" period has expired.  God established the world's only "full faith and credit" system based entirely on birth.  Just being born entitles us to our timeshare allotment.  For as long as we use the property, we either add or subtract from the market value of the property.  And when the "right to use" contract runs out, God will sit down with each one of us and look over His credit plan to determine if we are on the plus or the minus side of the ledger.

If you think this whimsical analogy is too far-fetched, consider a few of the examples of previous "right to use" owners in God's timeshare development. 

Adam seems to be the first.  God gave Adam responsibility, authority and liberty.  Adam had absolutely zero credit when God provided him with "right to use" privileges.  In fact, Adam had the best resort property the world has ever known – The Garden of Eden Ritz, the Heavenly Hyatt on earth, the Wonder Westin.  Not only was it fully equipped with every possible luxury option, it was even clothing optional.  And it came with the perfect companion, complements of the developer.  Unfortunately, Adam so misused his privileges that he was asked to leave the resort and never return.  And he had to take his companion with him.  Adam discovered that his slice of the pie was contingent on following one simple rule.  He lost his right to use early in the game and he spent the rest of his life trying to pay the damages bill.

Abraham was another purchaser of God's timeshares.  God's sales method is the best in the business.  God simply tells the whole truth about every one of His properties.  God made some pretty spectacular promises to Abraham.  Abraham was promised permanent "right to use" privileges for the land called Canaan.  The only catch was the Abraham's promise was only good for future generations.  Abraham never actually got to enjoy any of the "right to use" property.  When he died, his only land asset was his tomb and he had to buy that with his own cash.  Nevertheless, Abraham's great, great, great grandchildren did get God's "right to use" promise without having to make any down payments of their own.  Abraham's faithfulness was good enough for many future generations of credit. 

Solomon is another interesting example of God's timeshare business.  At the beginning of his reign, God offers Solomon some spectacular choices.  God's offer is based on Solomon's father's devotion to God.  Were it not for David, Solomon might not have enjoyed such wonderful blessings from God.  But David built up a substantial credit balance and God was quick to recognize it.  Solomon started life with all the rights and privileges of the best resort property still left in the world.  Unfortunately, Solomon did not finish as strongly as he started.  The female help distracted him and it cost him dearly.

We could choose other Old Testament examples but the essential pattern is probably clear.  While "right to use" contracts are entirely individual, the balances on the account at the end of the use period have longer lasting effects.  Sometimes the balance sheet means that the next owner gets an up-front bonus.  Sometimes the balance sheet means that the subsequent owners end up paying for the damages for the rest of their lives.  God does His best to ensure that this does not happen.  But owners still ignore the checkout rules and the bills must be paid.

Over the history of the property, some damages seem to accumulate.  Not everyone checks out with a zero balance.  Our global village timeshare now faces significant repair issues because past "right to use" owners neglected the maintenance rules set down by the Developer.  It's already too late to recover some of the resort luxuries.  Others are in serious danger.  The price for repairs is growing.  The Developer has given notice that these repairs are so serious that He has decided to tear down the entire property and rebuild.  At that point, a date that is entirely up to Him, all previous owners with be surcharged for the damages.

There is another "balance due" bill that just can't ever be paid no matter how hard new "right to use" owners try.  No amount of credit will be sufficient to cover this expense.  The reason is that this bill is the result of a slander lawsuit against the Developer. 

All of the legal papers tell us that the "right to use" tenants have slandered the Developer through misuse of the agreement.  First the tenants claimed that they were legally entitled to the property.  Then they actually altered, destroyed, sold and deeded the property as though it were theirs.  They even participated in a plot resulting in the death of the Developer's heir.  This complicity in murder, coupled with continual efforts to usurp ownership, led to a summary judgment issued against all "right to use" tenants.  Every one was found guilty as charged.  The Developer had no choice except to terminate His relationship with all the tenants.  In a class action lawsuit, He was completely vindicated of any wrongdoing and found entitled to massive punitive damages.

What the timeshare "right to use" tenants failed to realize is that the Developer actually owned them too.  They were not independent purchasers, selecting this resort through comparison-shopping.  They were a part of the development itself, created by the real Owner for the enhancement of the property and for the enjoyment of the entire design.  The failure to see this part of the Developer's plan caused an outbreak of a severe disease that left all of the tenants mentally handicapped.  They began to believe the lie that they were gods of their own making and could do whatever they wanted.

The Developer was distraught.  His vision of harmony and integration was jeopardized by this insanity.  So He devised an ingenious, comprehensive and compelling solution.  He decided to accept the verdict of the Court as though it applied to Him.  He willingly took on the obligation to pay the damages because He knew that not a single one of the tenants could ever cover the expense.  This strategy allowed Him to re-establish the relationship broken by the misuse of the contract.  The debt was paid.  A new contract could be written without balancing the accounts. 

The new contract still contained the timeshare principal of "right to use".  But this new contract offered the tenant a clean-slate start and it provider a permanent advisor who would offer immediate guidance on all property use issues.  After all, the Developer really wanted tenants who lived in harmony with the resort's vision of excellence and community. 

Then the Developer made a stunning announcement.  Anyone who had an old contract could tear it up.  The Developer would cover all the costs to rewrite a new agreement.  Amazingly, many tenants refused to take His offer.   Insanity so deeply affected them they wanted to go on pretending they were in charge.  But for those who realized that they were bankrupt, this offer brought incredible relief.  They could complete the current "right to use" period knowing that the new resort awaited them.  Their lives took on the purpose of preparing themselves for a new place.  Not surprisingly, those who refused to see the coming change considered these early-adopters deranged. 

So, where does this little story leave you and me?  It’s sale-closing time.  The new contract is on the table.  We can go on believing that the resort will keep operating as it always has and ignore the signs that the maintenance bill is growing at an alarming rate.  We can party until we drop and then face the bill collector.  Or we can see that the party is over even if the ribbons and balloons are still hanging from the chandelier.  We can sit down at the table with the Man with the new deal.  We can take it while it is still available.

What do you say?  Which option do you want?

ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED!

Recently I was introduced to a gathering of  the family members of a friend.  As soon as they discovered that I was a clergyman, they started pelting me with affirmations of their faith.  One person in particular was excessively insistent.  He said, "The big fight in our family is over 'once saved always saved.'  What do you think of that?  Do you believe it?"

Well, I've had that hurled at me once or twice before.  In the past I was naive (foolish?) enough to think they really wanted my opinion, and I was all too ready to give it.  Not these days.  I've wised up.  The whole thing is a trap.  You can't win.  If you say yes, you have problems, and if you say no you have problems.

The problem is that most people who have asked me about that over the years have an agenda, and it usually is either a defense of someone or an offense against them.  And to be blunt, I gave up long ago trying to judge someone's salvation by another's assessment of them.

You know what I mean.  The lines go something like this..."Well, Bobby was pretty rough, and did not go to church the last 60 years of his life, but he was baptized when he was 12, and the Bible says 'Once saved, always saved!.'"  Or like this..."You know, Bobby is in hell.  He lived like a demon.  After he got lung cancer, he started going to church, and went forward and got baptized.  He died three days after being baptized.  Three day was not enough time to prove he was sincere or just trying to get out of hell.  The Bible says you have to live a holy life.  I think he went to hell."

Now I ask you, how are you going to win in either case?  So, is once saved always saved true?  You betcha!  The only question being on the "once" part.  Boy, that's the part they try to pin you down on.   You'd probably like to pin me down on that too!

Views expressed in the Ark Rocker are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of Master's Journey or the Divinity School.  MJ

 Book Review

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MASTER'S MOURNS THE DEATH OF A CHERISHED FACULTY MEMBER

Rev. Peter Marshall B.A. Yale University; M.Div. Princeton Theological Seminary, and Christian statesman of great distinction.

January 21, 1940 - September 9, 2010 - A true friend of Master's and of Dr. & Mrs. Frey, went  unexpectedly to his eternal glory Wednesday evening, September 9, 2010.  Our sincerest condolences to the entire Marshall family and ministry team.  He will be greatly missed on earth, and warmly welcomed in heaven.

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We kindly recommend that you use Master's Online Bookstore for ALL of your Christian book , music, and related purchases.  We also encourage you to invite your family, friends, and church members to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity!  The address for the Online Bookstore is: http://www.mdivs.christianbook.com.

 

 

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A THEOLOGY OF PRAYER
Eric Chaffin

In exploring a personal theology of prayer, the first, and most daunting question to explore is, “How do we pray?” One of Jesus’ own disciples posed the question, requesting, “Lord, teach us to pray.” (Luke 11:1) The instruction Jesus gave in response was poignant, practical and powerful as he established for all believers seeking to approach the throne of God (Heb. 4:16) the pattern for prayer we now know as the “Lord’s Prayer,” found in Matthew 6 and Luke 11. It is here that the foundation for my systematic study of prayer is laid.

A PATTERN FOR POWERFUL PRAYER

Because we often hear this prayer recited, some interesting questions are raised.

What was the Lord’s Prayer really meant for? Prayer, recitation, or both? It certainly sounds beautiful when recited. But, it forces us to ask ourselves if a prayer recited is even a prayer at all. In Matthew 6:7, in Jesus’ introductory comments leading to his model prayer, Jesus warns us about vain repetition, against the nonsensical babbling of the same mantra over and over as the pagans did when they tried to “pray.”

The reason Jesus gave us this instruction in Matthew 6 and Luke 11 is very simple. It is a blueprint for prayer. As already established in Luke’s account of this prayer, in verse 1, one of Jesus’ disciples asked, “Lord, teach us to pray.” If Jesus’ disciple had simply wanted a prayer, he would’ve said, “Lord, teach us a prayer,” but what he was asking was for Jesus to teach them all the keys to successful prayer. This is exactly what Jesus did. The prayer he prayed gives us the structure for a powerful prayer life. In essence, Jesus is saying “pray like this.”

The key aspects of powerful prayer that Jesus illustrates are:

“Our Father.” We are his children and we are to approach Him as our Father. It’s important to understand this because prayer is meant for God’s children. A non-believer can recite the Lord’s prayer and try to claim its promises all he wants, but for him it’s just an empty recitation. It holds no power. For a believer, though, there is tremendous power in prayer because it was created as a means for God’s children to fellowship with him.

As his children, we pray to the Father, but through the Son. The writer of Hebrews states in Hebrews 4 that since was have Jesus as our great High Priest, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) All prayer is channeled through Jesus Christ.

But, all prayer should also be prayed in the name of Jesus. Why? First of all, because that is how Jesus taught us to pray.

In John 14:12-14, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

John 15:16: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.”

John 16:23-24: “In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

We also pray in the name of Jesus because it is the only name that is worthy. In Spiritual Secrets of George Müller, Müller, a British pastor and evangelist of the 19th century, explains it this way:

It is also true that the name of Jesus grants us authority. As such, his name should never be something we just tag on the end or our prayers as a matter of routine. We should always pray in the name of Jesus, not only because Jesus taught us such, and because his name is the only worthy one, but also because of the authority the name commands.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

It stands to reason that, if we are going to do all in the name of Jesus, that it means living in a manner that would meet with his approval. Since the name of Jesus means approval as well as authority, we must also be mindful of the fact that our prayer will not have Jesus’ authority, if it doesn’t first have his approval. Thus, we pray in a manner consistent with his character, and––knowing that his will will never contradict his Word––in a manner consistent with scripture.

We have established that the person of prayer is God. We pray to him, through the Son, and in the name of the Son. But we also pray by the Spirit. Contrary to the belief of those who enjoy reciting the Lord’s Prayer, prayer is not just repeating words. Some might define prayer, on its most basic level, as conversing with God, but while we may verbalize our prayers, we actually communicate with God as our spirit connects with his Holy Spirit. It is important that we remember that God is a spiritual being. When we speak to him, it must be from an outpouring of our heart, or more precisely, our spirit. Romans 8:16 tells us “the Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.”

In the context of prayer, the terms heart and spirit are somewhat interchangeable, at least according to our Judeo-Christian tradition. This interchangeability of terminology is described by the late Henri J.M. Nouwen in his book, The Way Of The Heart: Connecting With God Through Prayer, Wisdom, and Silence:

What Nouwen describes is the innermost part of our being, the part from which true prayer emanates: our spirit. Christians refer to it colloquially as the “heart.”

So, according to scripture, we pray to the Father, through the Son, by the Spirit. The only problem with praying by the Spirit is that––as previously mentioned––only a child of God can do so.

Ephesians 2:1 says that before coming to faith in Christ our spirits were dead in our “transgressions and sins.” Jesus said in John 3:6, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” This is the experience that Christ called being “born again.” (John 3:3) He also said in John 4:24 that, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” So, it is by God’s design that when we receive him, through Christ, only then is our spirit enabled and equipped to commune with God by his Spirit in both worship and prayer.

It is also worthy of note that praying by the Spirit sometimes means praying in the Spirit as well. Paul wrote in Romans 8:26-27, “the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.”

Prayer is a communion with the Father that should be practiced and enjoyed by all believers. Unfortunately, some fail to embrace this privilege. They overlook the truth that prayer is, at its core, a spiritual experience, not merely a verbal one, and because of a perceived lack of oratory or vocabulary skills believe that they cannot pray. However, the simple truth is that every child can, and should, talk to his Father––in simple conversational thoughts. We can forget flowery, King James speech or communicating like some would-be Shakespeare who bombastically prays in old English or poetic meter.

I cannot imagine my high school freshman coming home after school one day and saying, “Most worthy father. I hail thee, eminent pastor and patriarch of our clan. Wouldst thou welcome me into thine home with thy blessing? And, gracious father, wouldst thou, in thine infinite mercy, grant to me, thine first-born son, payment for yonder cafeteria lady, for mine lunch account droppeth into the red.”

Would it not be much simpler to just speak from our hearts to the “person” of prayer: our abba (Aramaic for “daddy”), our heavenly daddy? He created prayer so his children could communicate with their Father, through his Son, and by his Spirit.

“Hallowed be your name” and “thine is the...glory.”

Hallowed means holy. Jesus is teaching us to praise God for his many wonderful attributes. And, why not? Psalm 22:3 says God inhabits the praise of his people. When we pray, praise should be the first thing upon our lips. None of the rest of our prayer really matters if we cannot pray with God’s glory as our first and greatest priority. After all, that is why we exist––to bring glory to our Lord in all things. Why should prayer be any different?

“You are holy, God, and I pray that you will live through me to bring glory to your name today.” I pray that, or something similar, every day because I realize that I exist for God’s pleasure.

Why not begin prayer by thanking and praising God for all the wonderful things he is? He is a mighty, holy God, everlasting father, creator, shepherd, healer, provider, savior, teacher, encourager, friend, and so much more. He is our all-in-all. We should praise him for that.

It is interesting to note that some Bible manuscripts include this phrase in verse 13 at the end of the Lord’s Prayer: “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.” What a fitting way to end a prayer, just as we began—by giving God the passionate praise he deserves, a quality of prayer life that is timeless.

The psalmist(s) knew how to do that. The word “praise” appears in the Psalms approximately 176 times.

Many Puritan believers knew how to do that as well. Listen to this excerpt from a collection of puritan prayers called The Valley Of Vision: “There is one thing that deserves my greatest care, that calls forth my ardent desires. That is, that I may answer the great end for which I am made––to glorify thee who hast given me being.” 3

While the language may seem archaic to us, the overflow of praise to the Creator from the abundance of a thankful heart seems ubiquitous in true believers from all ages.

Powerful prayer overflows with praise. Why? Because praise is an expression of faith. It is a way that God’s children give him predetermined thanks for prayers yet to be answered.

“Your kingdom come, your will be done.” (emphasis mine)

We also exist for God’s will and purpose. After we spend time praising Him, we need to acknowledge that God has a purpose and a plan for our lives and surrender to his leading.

People often misunderstand the purpose of prayer. Prayer is not an exercise where we bend God’s will to fit ours. It’s not talking God into doing something. It is seeking his will and following it. We should pray in the satisfaction of knowing that God’s will is determined with our best interests in mind (see Romans 8:28).

Consider these scriptures that relate prayer to God’s will:

1 John 5:14 says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”

Jesus said in John 15:7, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”

James, the half-brother of Jesus wrote, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives.” (James 4:3) While is it vital to our prayer lives to pray in accordance with God’s will, praying from outside of it brings a very different result (more on this later).

Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” The Hebrew word here for “give” is nathan. In numerous other places in the scripture, nathan is translated as appoint, ascribe, establish, insert, plant or even impose. What I believe the psalmist is telling us is that when God is preeminent in our lives, when our focus is solely on Him and His will for us, He then implants within us the desires we should have.

If we surrender to God’s Spirit, abide in Christ, then His Word abides in us and we can prayer whatever we will because, now—strangely and wonderfully—what we desire now is what God desires because we have the mind of Christ.

Praying in submission to God’s will might sound something like: “God, I surrender to Your Lordship today. I bow to Your will and pray that You break mine. Make Your desires my desires.”

The late Adrian Rogers once said, “The prayer that gets to heaven is the prayer that starts in heaven.” 4

  “Give us today our daily bread.”

This simple statement is symbolic of our requests for God to meet all of our needs. Sadly, people get caught up in the idea that prayer is simply asking God for things. God is much more than some spiritual Santa Clause that we offer up our daily “wish list” to. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:19 that “my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches...” (not wants).

Ultimately, God promises to supply everything we need. In Matthew 6, verse 33, Jesus teaches to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Responding to this promise, if we need bread, we should ask God for a loaf. If we need a job, we should ask for a job. If we need a home, we should ask for a home. God’s word is full of promises that He will supply our need. He’s just waiting for us to ask.

We must not forget, however, that petition means more than simply praying for ourselves and our own needs. As fervently as we seek God’s provision for our own needs, we should also make intercession for other people and ask God to fill their needs, too.

Just like a little child with a “boo-boo,” who needs a father’s attention; our God is a loving Father who wants his children to come to Him with our concerns. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

  “Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

The parallel passage in Luke 11 reads, “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.”

We should remember that when we confess our sin that God forgives us the way we forgive others. If we harbor unforgiveness toward others, God will not forgive us. Jesus makes this clear in verse 15 of Matthew 6: “if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Confession of our sin is vital to an effective prayer life (for reasons that will be explained in more detail later in this paper). 1 John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

In my own prayer life, after confessing my individual sins, I often find myself drawn to the words of King David in Psalm 51:10: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Each day, I ask God for what scholars call tabula rasa, a clean slate, because a pure heart and a fresh start is what I need to enjoy refreshed fellowship with the Lord.

The old saying is true. Confession really is good for the soul. David, longing for renewed fellowship with God, confessed his transgressions, then prayed in verse 12: “restore to me the joy of your salvation.” He knew that confession was key to the restoration of intimacy with God.

The Protection 

“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

Here, Jesus is teaching us to pray for God to keep us safe from two things: our own flesh and our adversary, Satan.

First, let’s discuss temptation. We often find in the Christian life that it’s necessary to protect our hearts in order to prevent ourselves from giving in to temptation. Psalm 26 says we can do that by walking continually in the “truth”,meaning the word of God. In Hebrews, God promises to put His law in our hearts and write it on our minds (Hebrews 8:10). That is how he leads us away from temptation.

There is a second entity from which we need protection: Satan. We have an enemy, one who knows there’s power in prayer, so he and his demons will try to hinder us from praying. If this occurs, we are defeated before we even start. It’s not that Satan is interested in us, personally. He isn’t. Satan hates God and he wants to hurt God by hurting the ones God loves—His Children.

So, we do sometimes need protection from the “evil one.” John 10:10 tells us that our adversary is a thief who comes to “steal, kill and destroy,” but later, in verse 28, the Lord, our shepherd, promises, “no one can snatch them out of my hand.”

Psalm 61—most likely written by David as he fled from his son, Absalom—describes God as our strong tower against the foe. David hungers to “take refuge in the shelter” of God’s wings.

The Bible is full of promises to deliver us. Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT) offers us the assurance that God has plans “for good and not for disaster.”

The praise. The purpose. The petition. The pardon. The protection. The Lord’s prayer is comprehensive in its scope. While I don’t believe Christ intended for our prayer lives to be overly-formulaic––following the same order and form every time––this sample prayer not only provides a basic pattern to follow in our daily lives, but it also gives us insight into just how powerful, intimate and dynamic our prayer life can be.

When we pray the way Jesus taught us to pray, we will ultimately find that prayer is not about recitation, not about ritual–but about relationship. It is about us declaring our dependence on our Father. Relationship is what we need. Relationship is what He desires from us.

In addition to the pattern Jesus established for us in the Lord’s Prayer, I also wish to elaborate on two other important facets of prayer that Jesus, and scripture, bring to light.

Jesus, in a preamble to the Lord’s Prayer, established the importance of a place of solitude to shut out the cacophony of worldly distraction and to quell the desire to gain validation by praying publicly. In verses 5-6 of chapter 6, Jesus says:

It is often in the quiet of these Psalm 46:10, “be-still-and-know-that-I-am-God” moments that we best hear the voice of God speaking to us, either through his Word or through the voice of his Holy Spirit.

“If you want to capture someone’s attention, whisper.” That was the 1976 tagline for Nuance Perfume. Even though the sole intent was to sell the aromatic product, there is actually truth in that slogan. Sometimes a gentle whisper can speak louder than a screaming lunatic, especially when it comes in the calm after a storm.

Case in point: the prophet Elijah. In 1 Kings 19, after God captured Elijah’s attention with a display of might, his voice spoke to Elijah in what verse 12 calls “a gentle whisper.” In that still, secluded quiet moment, God blessed Elijah by assuaging his fears with the reassuring message that a helper was already waiting for him and that a plan to overcome the worshippers of Baal was in place. So, in the midst of Elijah’s weariness and trouble, God created a perfect moment in time in which Elijah could commune with him, witness his maker’s majesty, and be recharged to go on for God.

In his book, The Way Of The Heart: Connecting With God Through Prayer, Wisdom and Silence, the author––the late Henri J.M. Nouwen––emphasizes the need for not only solitude, but a solitude that is enhanced by silence. This silence is an extraordinary silence. It is not merely “emptiness and silence, but fullness and presence, not the human silence of embarrassment, shame or guilt, but the divine silence in which love rests secure.” 5

One of the most overlooked, yet vital aspects of our personal prayer lives is the time of silence. We often devote a great deal of time pouring our hearts out to God, only to walk away after the final “amen,” instead of allowing time for silent solitude and the opportunity for the voice of the Holy Spirit to speak to us in return.

In my own personal philosophy, I firmly believe that persistence pays, even in spiritual matters. This is especially true in our prayer life. Jesus, himself, exhorts us to “always pray and not give up” in Luke 18:1.

In Ephesians 6:18 (NLT), the Apostle Paul says, “Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere.”

For a prime example of persistence in prayer, we should examine the life of George Müller. In Spiritual Secrets of George Müller, he speaks of not being discouraged, but persevering in prayer. He wrote, “I therefore seek to ‘let patience have her perfect work,’ and go on in prayer, being fully assured that the Lord will not suffer me to be confounded.” 6

George Müller knew that God’s timing is not always the same as ours, but he also saw that God’s timing was perfect. He said, “help comes at the right time. We may have to wait upon the Lord, yea, even a long time; but at last He helps.” 7

Müller later goes on to admonish those who give up in prayer: “they cease to ask God, and thus they lose the blessing, which, had they persevered, they would surely have obtained.”8 Then, he details a particular matter which he had brought before the Lord an estimated twenty thousand times, and for which the answer came eleven and a half years after the first request.

There are times when the answer is slow in coming because the request is not right. The long journey of persistent prayer can be very valuable because it can not only deepen the level of intimacy we enjoy with God, but we also find that, through this more intimate fellowship, that same journey of persistent prayer is preparing us to truly know what it is we should be asking of the Lord in the first place.

This discussion of the long journey of prayer, bring us to the second aspect of my personal theology of prayer, and that is the question, “What if God doesn’t answer?”

LEARNING WHY THE LORD LINGERS

We have established the importance of how to pray, but here we shift our focus to what happens after we pray––specifically the silences that can trouble us when God doesn’t answer.

There are periodic times of personal frustration in the lives of some believers when their prayers are not immediately answered. They might say to themselves, “Didn’t Jesus say, ‘Ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened?’” (Matt. 7:7)

It can be disheartening when it appears that God didn’t come through for us. Even Jesus’ cousin, John, questioned the savior in a time when he expected deliverance from his trials. In Matthew 11:2-3, the Bible says, “When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?’” In other words, “What are you waiting for? I need you to get me out of this mess!”

Like John the Baptist, we sometimes ask the same question, not realizing that the reasons for God’s delay (or denial) are actually very simple.

There are such things as wrong or inappropriate prayer requests. James 4:3 says, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” The King James translation calls this “asking amiss.”

Three prominent disciples during the time of Jesus—Peter, James and John—accompanied Jesus to the top of a high mountain, and there, suddenly God’s full glory descended upon Jesus (see Matt. 17; Mark 9; Luke 9). The three disciples stood back in awe. They beheld the splendor of God just a few feet away. And they were so taken with Jesus’ transfiguration that they said, “Jesus, allow us to build shelters up here, and we’ll just live up here the rest of our lives, and we’ll bask in your glory.” (my paraphrase) But, Jesus did not grant that request because it was not the right request. It was not in keeping with God’s will and plan for Jesus.

We find in Mark 10:35-37 that one time James and John went to Jesus and asked if they could make reservations for the best two seats in heaven. They said, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” (verse 37) Again, the answer was no. Again, wrong request. According to Jesus, this decision was not his, but the Father’s, to make. No doubt James and John were motivated by thoughts of self-glory. Wrong request and wrong motive.

In Luke 9:51-56, we find that Jesus and the disciples were denied a travel permit through a certain part of Samaria. That denial aggravated the disciples so much that they requested that Jesus destroy the entire region with fire from heaven. Instead of granting their request, Jesus rebuked them. As Christ stated in Luke 19:10, his purpose on earth was to “seek and save the lost.” He came to transform, not to torch. The disciples’ request was motivated by the need for retribution. Jesus denial of their inappropriate request was motivated by compassion.

The point is obvious. Even Jesus’ own disciples were fully capable of making inappropriate requests of Jesus. And when the requests were wrong, Jesus said “no.”

Are we, too, capable of making wrong requests to God? Of course. We probably already have and, no doubt, will again in the future. Are we capable of making requests that are totally self-serving, blatantly materialistic, convenience-oriented, shortsighted, and maybe just immature? Yes, we are.

Fortunately for us, one of the most wonderful qualities of God is that he loves us far too much to say yes to wrong requests. If the request is wrong, God will answer the prayer, but his answer will be “No.” When that happens, we must bear in mind that not everyone who says no to us is being selfish. Sometimes people––parents, a boss, even a pastor––may say no to protect us. We shouldn’t expect God to do anything less.

So, when we pray diligently about a matter, only to sense resistance from heaven, it is imperative to review the request. It may be the problem. The request might be destructive, self-serving, shortsighted, or even too small. Self-reflection is required. The request may need to be modified or put to rest.

Sometimes we find in our prayer life, that if the timing of a request is wrong, God will say, “Wait.”

Parents may notice in child-rearing challenges that second only to the word “No,” the words “Not yet” rank as the most awful words in the English language to little children. Unfortunately, the little child in all of us still wants God to meet every need, to grant every request, to move every mountain, and to do it now! And when the all-knowing, all-wise Heavenly Father deems it best to lovingly say to his children, “Not yet,” our immature response is often, “But God, I want it right now, right now! You don’t understand how badly I need this right now! Not three years from now, not three months from now, not three weeks from now, not three days from now. Read my lips as I pray to you, God. I want it now, now, now!”

Of course, God is no more intimidated by our childish fixation on instant gratification than our earthly parents were. He simply chooses from time to time to shake his head at our immaturity and say, “Kick and scream, but not yet.”

It is essential for us to understand that God’s delays are not necessarily God’s denials––that often God isn’t saying no, he is merely saying, “Not quite yet. Trust me. I know what I’m doing. I have my reasons.”

He states it this way in Isaiah 55:8-9: “My thoughts and my ways are not like yours. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, my thoughts and my ways are higher than yours.”

The fact that “my ways are higher than your ways; my thoughts are higher than your thoughts,” ought to be one reason why Jesus encouraged people to pray and not lose heart, because sometimes our requests are okay. What we ask for is good and proper and right. But for reasons known only to God, he simply chooses occasionally to say, “I’ll grant it, but in my time.”

In my own personal experience there have been times I thought my prayers were going unanswered only to find out later that God was saying, “Not yet,” so that he could carefully orchestrate a greater miracle than I had the faith to pray for in the beginning.

There are some possible reasons God has for his “Not yet.” Among them are such concerns as the possibility of us developing some character, some endurance, some trust, some patience, or some submission, while God is orchestrating the timing of the answer to prayer. As human beings we tend to be much more concerned about comfort and convenience than we are about building character through patiently waiting on and trusting in God’s timing.

Sometimes the prayers that are sweetest to have answered are the ones that we have entrusted to God for a long, long time.

What happens if there is something wrong with us, personally? In that event, God denies our request in order to help us grow to greater maturity in the faith.

Unfortunately, the nature of our flesh is such that it is a lot easier to point the finger at God for not answering prayer than it is to look in the mirror and to say, “Maybe I’m the problem.” Multitudes of people have grappled with the mystery and the agony of unanswered prayer, but how many have the humility to come before a holy and just God and honestly say, “God, is it me? Am I the obstacle to the miracle that I’m praying for?”

More often that not, that’s not the question. It’s usually, “God, why aren’t you moving my mountain?” Unanswered prayer is often a reason to take a spiritual inventory and say, “Maybe it is me.” Sometimes, what we find is unpleasant.

Often, the reason for unanswered prayer is uncleanness in the human heart. It’s unconfessed sin. Consider these scriptures:

Psalm 66:18: “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” In other words, if I’m leading a life of disobedience to God, the Lord will not hear my prayers.

Isaiah 59:2 says, “your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”

Psalm 24:3-4 asks, “Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart.” If we want to boldly approach the throne of God in prayer, we must first be certain that have confessed our trespasses to God and asked for his forgiveness.

The sin that hinders our prayer life could be any number of things. Unanswered prayer could be due to discord in relationships. In Matthew 5:23-24, Jesus warned that if there is relational discord, if there are private wars going on between people, if there are broken friendships, then it cuts us off from close fellowship with God. Jesus continues in that passage by saying, “Drop everything and attempt to reconcile those relationships. Then go back to the altar and worship and pray.” (my paraphrase)

If those passages are not sobering enough, listen to this word of instruction from I Peter 3:7: “Husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way. Grant them honor so that your prayers won’t be hindered.” Of course, vice versa is true too. “Wives, live with your husbands in an understanding way. Honor them so that your prayers won’t be hindered.” Dishonorable treatment of others can hinder our prayers.

So can dishonorable treatment of God. In Malachi 1, despite clear instruction from God to offer only the best lambs for worship sacrifices unto the Lord, the Israelites decided to take their best lambs to market and get top dollar for them. They would identify the worst lambs in their flocks—the lame, the blind ones, the ones who were no good, the ones who were ready to die—and they would offer those blemished lambs as worship offerings to God. God spoke to the people about that through the prophet Malachi and in verse 9 said: “Go ahead, beg God to be merciful to you! But when you bring that kind of offering, why should he show you any favor at all?”

To paraphrase: “After disobeying me and dishonoring me, you have the audacity to entreat my favor? You’ve got to be kidding! You mock me with your disobedience, and without batting an eyelash you make requests and fully expect me to grant them?” If that is our attitude, we would be well advised to remember Galatians 6:7: “Be not deceived! God is not mocked!”

Politicians are often eager to end speeches with “God bless America.” But, why? Why should God bless America when America won’t bless God? Likewise, God says, “Why should I honor your requests when you don’t honor mine? Where is the integrity?”

If the truth were known, often the only obstacle standing in the way of us receiving our requests is simply us. The requests aren’t always wrong. Most of them are probably right. The timing isn’t necessarily the biggest problem. God has a heart inclined to meet our requests. But when we’re wrong, God will show us that it’s time to grow up and put our sin away.

Thankfully, in those times when we simply and don’t honestly see the sin that’s hindering our prayers, we can ask God to reveal it. Psalm 139:22-24 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

If we ask God to reveal our sins, he will. Then, it is up to us to make the changes.

When God Says “Yes!”

There is undeniable power in prayer. When the request is right, when the timing is right, and when we are right, then God says “Yes!” In effect, He is saying to us, “Just let me release my power in your life. Let me be great in you and through you. Free me to address and meet your needs.” He is a loving Father who desires to lavish blessing upon his children if we will humble ourselves, admit our dependence upon him, and ask.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:9-11, “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

It is within God’s unfathomable heart of love to meet our needs and grant our requests if we will only embrace the power of true prayer with clean hands and pure hearts.

Notes

Unless otherwise indicated, scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked “NLT” are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.