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Vol. 3 ... #10
When you pray and don't hear the answer
Sometimes I will pray and immediately the answer or direction I need to take will come into my mind. When this happens, I always know the Holy Spirit has put that into my mind.
John 14:26 ... Jesus says ... 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Other times, I will pray and nothing at all comes into my mind ... no answer nor direction.
Recently, a young man said something about the Bible and it really troubled me. He said the Bible was so "legalistic". I turned to God and said, "This really troubles me."
I went about my business around the house and within the hour I was reminded of the following scripture.
Mt. 7 ... Jesus said ... 13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
I knew immediately that scripture was the answer to my prayer concerning the young man saying the Bible is "legalistic" ... I rejoiced greatly in this scripture, rejoicing in the Word.
The world wants freedom to sin. The Bible restricts us to God's way which keeps us from the sins of this world, delivering us and saving us.
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I once went to lunch with a Catholic woman. After a few years, I began telling her of sins in the way the Catholic church is set up. She strongly objected, saying I had "no right" to speak evil against the Catholic church. The Bible is our right to speak concerning all church sins.
God called my attention to the following scripture: Let him that stole, steal no more. Eph. 4:28
Then God said to me: When you know the truth and fail to share that truth with the one who does not know the truth, you steal from that person.
It is not only our "right" to share truth from Bible but it is also our duty to share truth from Bible, giving that person opportunity to be saved by the truth.
I have several examples in my life where someone is going in a way contrary to Bible and I have shared Bible and that person has turned and gone way of Bible! I've seen this happen with people who are not Christian and with people who had the Holy Spirit. And I have see people reject truth and go their own way.
I have learned, "Just speak truth when you have truth."
I Peter 2 ... 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed (rejected) indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
7 Unto you therefore which believe HE (Jesus, The Word) is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of HIM who hath called you out of darkness into HIS marvellous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Another example of prayer: My mother and I lived in a house which had a very small kitchen. I asked God if there was anything I could do to correct the problem. When both my mother and I would be into the kitchen at the same time, I would pray again.
When you pray and do not receive the answer, is it weak faith to pray again?
Paul said: Pray without ceasing. I Thess. 5:17
Jesus gave this example. Lk. 18 ... 1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
I pray each time I am troubled.
When God brings the answer to me, then I am no longer troubled.
But until I have heard from God on the matter that troubles me, I pray each time I am troubled.
Concerning that small kitchen, for about 4 years, I was troubled and prayed each time I was troubled ... "Is there any way this can be corrected?"
One day, I went into the kitchen and it was as if a light came on in my head ... I knew what to do about this problem ... There was a built in pantry in this small kitchen. I moved the pantry to the attached garage adjacent to the kitchen. I moved the refrigerator to the former pantry space which was at the end of the cabinet. This opened up the walk area and made the kitchen seem larger. It also gave me room for approximate 5 ft of additional counter top and cabinet area.
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When Jesus spoke in Lk. 18 about praying and continuing to pray over the troubled area, Jesus said God would help us when we are persistent in continued prayer ... Then Jesus said, "Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"
It takes faith to pray.
The evil increases on this present earth before the end ... as the evil increases, some will depart from the faith because of the evil around them. They will give up and go with the evil doers. It will seem hopeless to them. And they will depart from the faith and from the love of the Word of God.
We must keep the love of the Word of God inside us at all times. We throw logs on the fire by reading godly exhortations and Bible!
Toward the end, we will need "even more" godly exhortations because of the increased evil of this world.
Hebrews 10 ... 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Jesus said ... Mt. 24 ... 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
... 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
The apostle Peter said ...
I Peter 4:18 ... And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
It is so important for those who belong to God to increase our time with God through prayer and Bible reading and the reading of godly exhortations as the evil increases on this present earth.
For this reason, we have increased the number of godly exhortations we publish making such available as follows:
Daily exhortations on our Blog: Jesus Ministries Exhortations
Amazon.com ... Exhortations, Vol. 1,2,3
10 books (e-books & paperback) ... "Life in Christ" series: see Joan Boney on amazon.com
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I find I am watching much less TV and doing much more reading of Bible and reading of godly exhortations, examining the way I am going on this present earth ... correcting myself as needed by the Word of God... keeping myself in the faith in God and in HIS Word, by HIS Spirit as I deliberately choose to read HIS Word to us.
Godly exhortations build us up in the faith in a world where darkness increases more and more.