Tuesday, June 18, 2013

the first condition for GOD to answer your prayer…

we are going to look at the subject of prayer for a while here on the front porch.  now
a good question to ask is does GOD promise to answer everyone’s prayers? 

and the answer is no.  it’s very clear in scripture that GOD completely ignores some people’s prayers.  in fact, the bible says that GOD has laid out some conditions to answered prayer and if you meet these conditions you have every right to expect that what you ask for will be answered in prayer.

now the first condition is you must have an honest relationship to GOD. 

john 15.7 (niv), if you remain in ME and MY words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you.

that’s a beautiful promise.  but in scripture every promise has a condition or every promise has a premise.  and the promise here is, “I will give you whatever you ask in prayer” and the premise is “if you remain in ME.”  in other words, “if you have a honest relationship with me.” 

so how do you remain in CHRIST?  the next sentence tells it.  MY words remain in you.”  in other words, GOD says that if we fill our minds with the bible, the word of GOD, then we will be in CHRIST. we will be abiding in HIM.  GOD requires that we listen to HIM first before HE listens to us.  if i don’t pay attention to what GOD says to me in HIS word, why should HE pay attention to me when i talk to HIM?  if i ignore HIS word, why should HE pay attention to what i say to HIM?

the starting point is to have an honest relationship to GOD. how?  through the word of GOD.  that’s why bible study is important.  you say, “are you saying if i don’t study my bible i won’t have answered prayer?”  no, what i’m saying is your prayer life will never be more effective than how much you understand scripture.  the more you understand the bible the more you’ll know how to pray affectively.

just a thought from the front porch…

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