Answered Prayers?

Does God answer your prayers? Because if he doesn't you might want to consider a few things.

Number one -- are you praying in God's will? Jesus said "you may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:14) That doesn't mean just slap "in Jesus name!" at the end of your greedy prayers, so asking for that Ferrari to get to church faster or that million dollars to "give generously" probably isn't going to cut it. Handing God your plan and asking him to bless it and roll with it probably isn't going to cut it, and neither is listing off all your problems and asking him to solve them for you. Though you know sometimes he does accommodate us weaker men to teach us something about his power and his love.

Instead of making it about you, why not make it about him? After all, he's the boss. God, show me how to love people better and myself less. God, give me the power to endure whatever storm you allow my way and use it to point other people to you when they see a supernatural strength holding me up. God, help me to not be tempted by the trappings of this world, but help me to spend my life wisely to build up your kingdom. God, help my to love my wife like you love your church, because I certainly can't do that in my own strength. God show me my sin and keep me from becoming arrogant and self-righteous. God help me to be bold to speak truth but still remain loving in doing it. And so on...

Number two -- is there sin your life? Isaiah wrote "Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." (Isaiah 59:1-2).

Sin just puts up a big wall between us and God. It makes us desire so much to stay away from him, rather than get closer to him. Whenever we find ourselves in this position, we need to repent and confess our sin(s) to God. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

Number three -- who are you praying to? Is your god that you're petitioning the God of the universe, the maker of all things? The one who loved people so much he sent his Son Jesus to die to pay a price for sins that we cannot pay? Is your Jesus the one who has always existed? The one through and for whom all things were created? The one who is in his very nature God? The one who made himself poor so we could become rich, through his death on the cross? The one who took all the sins of the world on himself to satisfy the perfect justice of God and show the perfect mercy of God?

If that's not your God or not your Jesus, your god has no power to answer prayer. The one true God is being patient with you and wanting you desperately to come to him. Seek him and find him. Having that close and personal connection with God through Jesus Christ is far greater than anything else found in any other religion or lack thereof.

I don't just spew this out willy nilly. I know this firsthand from the evidence in my life. God answered my prayer to save me from the pit of hell in such a big way there was no doubt it was from him. And as a baby Christian, God answered stupid more selfish prayers just to show me his power and his concern for me. But as I grow up in him, he's stopped with that nonsense and is removing the desire to pray such prayers from my heart and mind, teaching me to focus on him, and not myself. Every prayer I prayed that lines up with the will of God, he has answered, hands down. Prayers for greater faith in my wife so that he can use her to lift me up when I fall. Prayers for the love of God in my children's hearts. Prayers for additional resources so I can give more to those in need. Prayers to get rid of temptations that are right before me. Prayers to see my sin and not think too highly of myself. The list goes on. My God, my Jesus, is so faithful to answer prayer, it's crazy. If you don't have that, you need it.

Let me close by sharing something God put on my heart as I started this. Don't just pray short silly prayers before bedtime or at meals. Don't just cry out to God when you've got problems and you need him to swoop in and save the day. Don't just recite rote memorized prayers that mean nothing. Do what the Bible says, pray continually -- have that continuous awareness of the presence of God and a running conversation with him. Talk to him like you would your best friend who is always there with you and there for you. It's not about ritual or "religious devotion" or whatever you want to call it, but a real heart for a real, living, personal, God -- the God of the universe who cares deeply and intimately for you. He wants something real, not some lip service. And when you give that to him, just see what he gives back.