Very Interesting Response to Prayer Request

I posted someone's true need for prayer, and I posted the outcome of those prayers.  There were more people reading the results than the prayer need.

That says to me that people are still wondering if God answers prayers, or maybe they're wondering if God is real.  Well, of course He does, and yes, He is!

For those of you who say you have personal experience proving that God does not answer prayer, I say, read the Bible.  It says in the New Testament Book of James, chapter 5, verse 16, that the prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  The key word there is righteous.  That word means that you are acting in accordance with divine law, that you are free from guilt or sin.  The only way we can be free is by accepting Christ as the one and only Son of God, confessing our sins to Him, asking His forgiveness, and submitting to His will.  If you say your prayers are not answered, perhaps you should review those simple steps.

Going through the motions does not make you righteous.  God knows your heart.  There is absolutely nothing that you can hide from Him, so if you are just following the "how to" steps, your prayers will still not be heard by Him.  Again in the New Testament, Matthew 7:21-23 says:  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but (only) he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’  You may say words, but in your heart you don't really mean them or believe them.  God knows your heart, God knows the truth - and so do you.

Look again at those steps.  They can also be an outline for prayer.  We should begin with humility and submission.  Now, I am not a very submissive person - unless there is someone worth being submissive for, like God.  Then we should confess our personal sins to Him and ask His forgiveness.  Always remember to thank Him for His goodness, and then petition Him for your needs.  These things must be done in the name of Jesus, because, even with all of our confession and humility all our righteous acts are like filthy rags (Old Testament Isaiah 64:6).  Only Jesus is sinless enough to carry our prayers and to stand before God Himself.  And so end your prayers with, "It is in the name of Your precious and Holy Son, Jesus, that I pray these things."

Also know that God's answer to your prayer may not be exactly what you were looking for and may not come as quickly as you want.  Well, if you believe that God is omnipotent (that means all-knowing and all-powerful) then you should believe that His timing will be perfect and His response will also be perfect.  If you are not hearing back from God, perhaps that is because he wants you to be still and know that I am God. (Old Testament Psalm 46:10)  Can you do that?  Do you have so much faith that you can go against man's nature and just be still?

For those of you who are searching, God has already found you.  All that is left is for you to accept Him and follow those steps.  Each day you will sin again, but if you become a true follower of Jesus, each day you will sin less.  Your joy will grow, and more importantly, your peace will grow, too.  Accept our God of love, not a god of hate, not a god of earthly success or money.  Your prayers WILL be answered in God's time, in God's way, and in every circumstance.