"WHY"

Why? Why can I not get my prayers answered? Why am I not hearing from God? Why is my life full of problems? Why can't I get the things I want?

There could be many reasons. Let us ask ourselves if we plan,prepare,pray(for God to work according to what he knows we need and want),persist and be patient. These are questions we need to consider as to why we do not get our prayers answered.

I remember a young man asking me one time about this one. He said he prays and prays and what he wants does not happen. I told him it is like that song that says,unanswered prayers are sometimes the answer. He was praying for a girlfriend to come back to him. She did not even with all his prayers. He then told me later that he found someone that did answer his prayer and she was far better than the one he thought he wanted.

I remember and old man that was to be a real Christian ask me if I get my prayers answered. I told him I did, he said he does not and he is not sure why. Before I had the answer for him, he died and it has always been my regret that I could not answer him. Now I think I have a good answer that would help him.

We seem to think that just because we have been "Saved", that that is all we need to do. Wrong, we need to please God with reading the Bible, studing his word and giving time to be alone with him. We have to realize that he needs to work with us and change our thoughts, ideas and habits. When we are saved we become a new person in Christ. It however, does not happen over night. Sometimes it takes 30 to 40 years or more for us to decide that we do not have all the answers and that we need to depend upon him. No matter how smart we are or how good we have been or what we have done. WE need to rely upon him.

1. We need to examine our heart and deal with our negatives, sins, short comings and do it his way and not our way.

2. We need to seek his direction and avoid our emotions to a situation or a problem from what we think. Our logic and our worldly training is a different intellegence from God's intellegence. That is what is so maraculous about what he does.

3. Answers usually require our involvement. We can not just ask and think it is going to drop in our lap. We can ask for a car, but is it something we can take care of? Can we afford the gas, the insurance, the changes of oil and hoses every three months or so? Can we afford the tires that need to be changed every year or so,and other problems. Such as, we had a real hard snow 18" of snow and ice on the windshild. I turned on the heater to high as was told, to get it to melt fast, well now I have a cracked windshield and have to replace the window. It will probably cost me $250 to $300 to get it replaced. Boo Hoo!!! well that is the cost and I have to do it. We have to prepare for the unknown and to care for the car.
We have to be the right age according to the law, we have to take driving classes, we have to get a license to drive. Then we have to get a car, but because of all the above we have to have and income to cover the things that need to be done for a car, we have to be responsible for that vehicle. That is the way God works too!
We also have to have the temperament to be a responsible driver, cool under pressure and eat properly to feel good to keep an open mind and care for other drivers out on the road. It is a big job. Are we ready for the responsibility?

God is with us after we have accepted him into our lives, but we have to take the time, responsibility to plan, pray, prepare, be persitant and be real patient for him to prepare us and give us what he knows we want and need. We have to hang around the right people to learn from them and to learn discernment as to who is right to be with, what is bad for us and to take time to listen and watch for God to work.

We have to understand that God works in different ways, he is with us and if we are not aware, we will miss his calling, his little things he does and not know he was there. He could be presenting himself as a bird, a dog, a bum on the street, the neighbor, or just a text, a phone call. God and Jesus are here as the Holy Spirit that is within us. Are we listening, hearing and waiting for him, he is already with you?

God Bless

"A BOWL OF SOUP?"

March 13, 2012

Today my lesson was about what I can learn from Jacob and Esau. The lessons do not change from their time to our time. Esau gave up/sold his birthright for a bowel of soup. He was hungry, he could not wait. He chose the short term benefit and gave up his right to the long term benefits. We often choose the instant rewards and give up our long term benefits. We often do not take the time to consider what we are giving up to get that immediate instant rewards. There for we go around and complain that we are not getting treated properly, life is not fair or many other complaints, which are excuses for our choice to take the instant gratification. If we will just wait on God and be patient; he will reward our waiting, time with him. We will learn his lessons and we will reap the long term benefits. Are we giving up our bowl of soup today, for our right to long term happiness? God Bless