Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Why No Answers When We Pray?

(Isaiah 59:1-2)

(outline by Pastor George Ragsdale)

I. Asking amiss (with wrong motives)
A. James 4:3
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

B. 1 John 5:14-15
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that HE hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.

II. Selfishness
A. James 4:3
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss (wrong motives), that ye may consume (spend) it upon your lusts (pleasures).

III. Unbelief
A. Mark 11:24
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

IV. Discord with spouse
A. 1 Peter 3:7
…that your prayers be not hindered.

V. Hypocrisy
A. Matthew 6:5
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

VI. Sin: living an unrighteous life
A. Psalm 34:15-17
15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry.
17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

VII. Ingratitude
A. Philippians 4:6
Be careful for nothing (don’t be anxious about anything): but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Conclusions:
A. “Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.” (Psalm 5:1-3)

B. “Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.” (Psalm 42:8)

7 comments:

Dr. Russell Norman Murray said...

Hi Jeff,

Not only asking amiss, but not asking along the lines of God's will. There at times may or may not be error, but a prayer may not be answered in a certain way because it is not God's will.


1 John
13These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

16If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. 17All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.

18We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

21Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

Blessings with life, Sir Jenkins of Ocala.

Jeff said...

Thank you, Dr. Murray, and very good point.

For example, Elijah prayed that he might die. But God had more work for Elijah to do, so it was not in God's will for Elijah to die at that time. And in the end, Elijah didn't even die, but was caught up into heaven by a whirlwind (1 Kings 19:4; 2 Kings 2:11).

David prayed for the life of his son. Yet the son died because of David's sin with Bathsheba.

Paul prayed that his "thorn in the flesh" be removed. Paul's thorn was not removed, so that Christ would be glorified, not himself, and to keep him from becoming proud (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

Dr. Russell Norman Murray said...

Your blog can be used at Christian dance parties...

(If dancing is allowed.)

Smart thinking, Mr. Jenkins.

Well-done.

Jeff said...

Thanks very much, Dr. Murray.

Dr. Russell Norman Murray said...

Mohler

Couple vs. California city in regard to home Bible Study--seems to me you discussed this previously. City backs down

Dr. Russell Norman Murray said...

Merry Christmas, Mr. Jenkins to you and family. I hope your family is doing better.

Jeff said...

Thank you very much, Dr. Murray, and Merry Christmas to you as well. My sister recovered miraculously as a result of hundreds of prayers. Her recovery is truly amazing.

I have been sick with a cold, but I'm over that now. Hopefully my regular computer will be fixed soon, so I won't have to use this unbelievably slow dinosaur anymore, from 15 years ago.