PRAYER ANSWERING GOD – PART 2
1 JOHN 5: 14 – 15: This is the confidence which we have before Him that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. Once again, I would like to encourage you with an incontrovertible fact that God still answers prayers. I know this because the bible tells me in Heb.13:8 that “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever” (KJV). He has done it in the past; He would do it over and over again. Many times God answers prayers not because we deserve it but in order that His name might be glorified. However, many times God may not be obliged to answer our prayers if we refuse to honour Him or His commandments. In such situations, we may not get answers to our prayers. If that happens, then it is not that God does not answer prayers but for our sins and disobedience that has shut His ears against us. The bible tells us in 1Pet. 3: 12 that “for the eyes of the Lord [are] over the righteous, and his ears [are open] unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord [is] against them that do evil” (KJV). In this passage, we are clearly informed of when and why prayers may not be answered. God would not answer our prayers if we do not hate and eschew evil. Habakkuk 1: 13a says “your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing” (NIV). So, it implies that wherever there is iniquity, God’s eyes and ears are shut against such. As such any prayers from such a fellow would not be heard. However, because we have a God who is merciful, He is ready to answer again, if and whenever such a fellow repents of his/her sins and come back to God. The Psalmist says in Psa. 66: 18 that “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear [me]”. This tells us that one of the reasons why God would not hear a fellow is the presence of iniquities in a life. Beloved, do you still bear iniquities in your life? Are you easily offended? Do you wish your neighbour well? Are you ready to put God first in your affairs? The bible says in Jn. 9:31 that “We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the Godly person who does his will” (NIV). These two passages inform us that we would be pitching ourselves against God if we have iniquities in us. Unfortunately, it is very easy to get out of God’s will and become His enemies. You can be the best of God’s friend in a minute and become his greatest enemy the next minute; just as you can be his worst enemy in a minute and be His best friend in another. For instance, we know of King David, who was at peace with God until the minute he stepped upon the roof of his palace and saw the nakedness of Bathsheba (II Sam. 11:2) that changed his testimony and that of his household for the worse. David’s story contrast the case of Saul of Tarsus, the chief sinner (I Tim. 1: 15) whose testimony and destiny was reversed (Acts 9: 1-17) to become an eminent Apostle (II Cor. 11:5). In Paul’s own words in I Tim. 1: 15 he said, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst” (NIV). This contrast with his changed status described in I Tim. 1: 16 and II Cor. 11:5 where he says “For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles” (NIV).Beloved, what is the message of today? It is that we should beware and search ourselves when there is a delay in our prayers. We must check ourselves to be sure it is not because of sins. Remember, when David realised his sins he cried unto God for mercy (Psalm 51). I would enjoin you to cry to the Lord if you have to. You have all to gain and nothing to lose. My prayer is that your testimonies would be that once I was a sinner, but now I am saved. Shalom. Dr. Yinka Okude Pastor-in-Charge RCCG Jesus Sanctuary, Northampton HYMN: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS
PRAYER ANSWERING GOD – PART 1
1 JOHN 5: 14 – 15: This is the confidence which we have before Him that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. Beloved, for every day we spend on the earth terrestrial, we should count it as a gift and for a purpose. It is indeed a privilege to be alive and to be alive in His presence. I sincerely believe that each and every one of us has a reason to thank God. However, it is possible for someone to think that there is no reason to come before God daily with dancing shoes, praising lips and befitting offering unto the Lord for the great things that He has done. It is possible for someone not to see a reason why they should praise God. I know this because I am not immune to every of the challenges that is common to those who are alive in this side of eternity. I know that there are questions and prayers that have not receive the kind of answers that we expect. I also know that there are wishes and desires that God would have given answers that is contrary to our expectations. For these reasons, it is possible for us to have doubts in our minds whether God still answers questions. Beloved, I made bold to say, that inspite of what the situation may appear to be saying, that God does answers prayers. Yes, He does. Thus, let us rejoice today and see every day as another opportunity to come unto His presence with thanksgiving for His faithfulness, mercies, goodness and preservation. 1John 5: 14 -15 tells us that God hears and answers. But a look at the text clearly shows that the passage is made up of conditional statements. It says “if we ask”, “according to His will”, then “He hears us”. So, the first condition we must fulfill is ask. If we would ask ourselves, do we actually ask God or murmur or complain. The truth is that we must know how to ask from God without complaining. In order words, we must learn to make our request known to Him without complaining, and then answers would come for our request. Phil. 4: 6 says” Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God”. One lesson from the above passage is the importance of thanksgiving when we are making our request to God. An attitude of thanksgiving frees us from every weight of care that can blur our ability to appreciate God for His wonderful works in our situation and by implication deceives us into seeing and magnifying areas where we are still awaiting answers to our request. Thus, when we cultivate the attitude and habit of going to God daily with thanksgiving, what we are saying to the devil is that we would not allow him to use our weakness to derail us from God’s love. Remember, even our Lord Jesus Christ when he was faced with the challenge of the death of Lazarus, the first prayer he said was that of thanksgiving. We read in John 11: 41 – 42 “So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked upand said,“Father,I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here,that they may believe that you sent me.” I hope someone reading now would say to God, father I thank you because of my life, family and my salvation. Shalom Dr. Yinka Okude Pastor-in-Charge RCCG Jesus Sanctuary, Northampton HYMN: PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY, THE KING OF CREATION!
REASONABLE SERVICE – PART 1
Romans 12:1 – I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. J F Kennedy in his inaugural address in 1961 to his countrymen, as the new American President, charged them with this popular quote “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country”. This was a call to higher service from the Americans. This statement from a human leader can be seen as being similar to Rom. 12:1 – the request for reasonable service from us. What is similar between the two? The main similarity between Rom. 12:1 and the statement by JFK is the fact that they both call for a selfless service to a higher authority that the people believe in and are subject to. Why every American is so proud of their being number one nation and so believe that the country should be able to meet all their needs, some do not recognise the duties that also come from such privilege, hence the challenge by JFK. Similarly, many of us Christians only see God as the great provider that should continually meet our needs, without recognising our own responsibility towards Him. The bible says is in Luke 12:48 that “but he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more” (KJV). If you are indeed saved, you should be gracious that the Lord has given you the grace to be saved and to be called His son or daughter. This is a privilege. The bible says again in Matt. 22: 14 that “For many are called, but few are chosen.” As one of the few that are chosen, God deserves and demand a reasonable service from you. Secondly, both charge from JFK and Paul have rewards. While Kennedy believes that a change of orientation from His subject would lead to a greater goods and increased productivity for America, and by implication better life for all (reward); a call for reasonable and higher service from God would be rewarded with abundant life on earth and eternal life in heaven. The bible makes it clear that we have a God who is just. He said in His words in Heb. 6:10 that “for God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do” (NLT). Are you truly working for Him? However, what are the differences between the call of JFK to American and the call of Paul to God’s children? First, while JFK was referring to an earthly country, the call of Paul to the Romans and by implication to all believers is a call for a heavenly country. The bible says that our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3: 20a), and as such our service should be heaven-focussed. Secondly, while the reward envisaged by JFK is earthly (terrestrial), the reward from God is both terrestrial and celestial. The implication of this is that the reward from God would include abundant life on earth and eternal life in heaven. My dear brethren, I am persuaded that God would not owe anyone. Therefore, let us desire and work towards rendering unto God our reasonable service. May His grace be sufficient for you. Shalom. Dr. Yinka Okude Pastor-in-Charge RCCG Jesus Sanctuary, Northampton HYMN: I AM THINE O LORD, I HAVE HEARD THY VOICE
