When The Answer Is Denied Part 2

Run with endurance the race of warriors looking to Jesus, founder and professor of art. When Christians are in need, they naturally pray for God to provide.

Sometimes the answer is no. We then react is crucial.

We must come to understand that even the no answers are still answers from the church in Chicago. This is wanting to serve as clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. Restaurants are when a child dies despite our prayers. It's a hard pill to swallow God's no is really an answer Dave.

I really like the way you put it that even when God says no, that is an answer. Certainly not the answer that we would like to have. But yes, it is an answer because as this message emphasizes God in the midst of this supplies grace and how desperately we need that grace. You know I have a burden for my grandchildren, and you may be a parent you may have small children. You may also have grandchildren. Here's what I'd like to suggest to you, we are finding it very difficult to communicate our faith to the next generation. But my wife has written a book entitled some Bible verses. Every kid should know and then the subtitle is and what they mean.

This book contains about 20 different topics. I mean I'm talking about creation. I'm talking about the armor of God, forgiveness, redemption, even words like justification, all of that is being talked about in this book in a simple page for each of these issues with an illustration, but also some personal issues such as forgiveness, accepting ourselves, getting along with others for a gift of any amount. This book can be yours. Now here's what you do go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Now let us be encouraged through God's word grace, in the midst of our need and God says Paul. The answer is no, but it isn't a harsh, uncaring know it is grace that I am giving you.

So what is Paul's response.

Now we looked at the request we looked at the reply.

What is Paul's response. He says in the middle of verse nine. Now therefore I will boast all the more because of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me is as if I received grace.

I also receive power.

I accept it. I've prayed that I might be rid of it.

But now I've made friends with it now.

Theologically, you need to think very carefully at this point.

Remember that this thorn was a messenger of Satan, a demon in point of fact, if Paul had lived today with some preachers, he would have been simply told all you just need to ask that demon to banish because we have authority over all evil spirits and were told that we can even cause all the evil spirits in Chicago to leave, etc. we do have some authority but our authority is not unlimited and there are times when God says I want you to live with your infirmity far as we know Paul died with it, but my strength is going to be perfected in that weakness and pulses that demon who is clearly my enemy, the demon who wants to destroy me, who is thoroughly redeemable. He evil becomes an asset to me because of what God is going to do in my life. As a result of his persecution and harassment while that's what the apostle Paul says it is often been said you know that to what cannot be cured, must be endured. Paul as well. Beyond that, we can look at what the text says he says I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness. This isn't simply a stoic endurance pulse as if through my weakness.

The power of Christ is seen if through my weakness.

Grace is given, then I can understand that I was asking for a kernel but it is God who gave me a harvest I was asking for a trinket God says Paul, I want to give you true wealth. I want to give you something far better than deliverance from your thorn. I want to show you my grace and my strength, and you'll notice that he says I will receive then God's power. Another two ways to make a burden terrible. Let's suppose that someone were to ask you to carry 100 pounds. I don't know about you but I doubt very very much that I can carry 100 pounds, and quite frankly I don't want to try but to let suppose that you can't do it, and there are two ways to get us to do it. One way is to lighten the load, God comes along and says that it's no longer 100 pounds, but now it's 30 and I say okay 30. I think I can do. God lightens the load.

Sometimes God does that in our lives. He lightens the load, but there are other times when God simply says I'm going to ask you to carry the load. But I'm going to give you the shoulders upon which you can carry it, I'm going to strengthen you. So God says that I will either either lighten the load, or I will supply the grace for you to Barrett and so the apostle Paul acknowledges that now what is the bottom line.

Why should we be changed forever because we've heard this message. Why should this message be so transforming that we never look at our thorn in the flesh quite the same again. Let me give you some life-changing lessons. First of all with burdens, blessings God doesn't willy-nilly give you a burden without giving you grace and giving you a blessing. There is a reason why that thorn will not go away.

There is a reason for it. And God says yes I have a reason and the reason is grace and strength, perfect in weakness.

Hudson Taylor said these interesting words. He says it matters little to my servant whether I send him to buy a few things or more expensive articles. In either case, I pay the bill God's as you walk close with me.

Whether your burden is heavy or light. I will be there to meet your need and my grace will be sufficient.

It will fill up what it is that you need to walk with me so that's the first lesson first lesson is that burdens can bring blessings and do bring blessing. Secondly, burdens are specifically chosen for us. They are specifically chosen for us. Notice that the apostle Paul says there was given to me by thorn in the flesh.

That's in verse seven. Thank you very much, Lord, for your gift. I was expecting something else for Christmas. Quite frankly, God says Paul, this burden is for you specifically, you know, I all of my suits are but just off the rack, but many years ago. More than 20 years ago I was in Hong Kong that great and wonderful city and somebody convinced me to have a suit. Taylor made so I had that suit tailor-made and it fit for a while, but afterwords as the years went by and began to shrink so horribly that there was no possible way that I could get into it. Try as I might so I think we've given it away. But here's the point I want to make when God sends you a trial. It is not one just off the rack. It is tailor made for you. Remember you are number one on God's list of things to take care of in the universe. And so it is apportioned to you, Paul. It is given to you that you have this thorn in the flesh. This is yours.

I have another one for others, but this is yours Paul do you realize that God is specifically interested in you is not just interested in the body of Christ somehow named Leslie he's interested in the body, but is interested in individuals earlier, the choir sang so beautifully Jesus, a lover of my soul, let me to thy Buddhism fly. I have a love those words because that's what it's all about. At the end of the day it's relationship with Christ and he is the lover of your soul.

You know him and so what God wants is for us to walk with him and to know that burdens are specifically chosen by God for us in the number three most importantly you can be changed forever. If you listen carefully sufficient grace comes with sufficient faith, sufficient grace comes with sufficient faith. Because here's what some of you are saying you are saying to me be honest now I can read your mind like the innards of a clock. Be honest with me know what you're saying you're saying God's grace isn't sufficient for me. You're like a widow by the name of Doris who loved her husband and he dropped over dead in his 40s and she looked at other women in the church weren't madly in love with her husband's and said to herself why mine.

She parked her Buick in the church parking lot dried her tears came into church sang the songs did all the right things got back into her car and wept all the way home, saying, your grace is not sufficient. Your grace is not sufficient. Your grace is not sufficient. Some of you are going through bitter divorces. Some of you are in situations which if we knew the details we would be amazed at the pain that is represented in this room and in our wider audience on the radio and Internet and what have you.

We would be amazed at the pain out there and there's some people saying God's grace is simply not sufficient. And the reason is because because and I'm not being judgmental because I've been there. I've been there, thinking God's grace was insufficient but the reason is because you and I simply do not have the kind of faith that embraces what God gives us and accepts it as from his loving hand. Even if the devil is involved. That becomes more complicated. I wish I could talk about that more I don't want you to be misunderstood should not have anything to do with the devil and I do believe in rebuking him, but instead of being able to accept accept our thorn and most gladly rejoice in our infirmities because we don't have the faith.

What happened to Doris. She went into a prayer room in a time when the church was hot with revival. She stayed there an hour and that's about it. Good length of time to to get rid of the garbage about an hour and she spilled out all of her anger at God her loneliness and she said these are her words cart full of self-pity and she came out and she used to give her testimony in churches around the country and her theme was God's grace is sufficient. See what you and I won't do. We will fret with God, will pray the same prayers over again and then we investigate to see whether or not God is doing anything and it goes on and on and on and what we will not do is commit and accept that we will not do God's as you know, for you, my grace doesn't appear to be sufficient in the fall I flew from Chicago to Frankfurt on American Airlines. Once you're on the runway and you're going up into the sky, you can holler, you can press all the buttons and it doesn't make any difference. Nobody stop in for you at this point you're committed.

The story of a woman who for the first time flying was frightened to death, looked out the window constantly at the motors constantly fretting about the motors until the young man said to her lady.

If you want to sleep all watch over the motors for you for a while but now let us suppose that I'm on American Airlines and I say to the stewardess stewardess. I think that may be because now were beginning to cross the ocean.

I think that the pilots might fall asleep. Do you think would you go and check to see if the pilots are awake know years ago before security was such a big issue that was easier than it is today and I can imagine that she goes and she check since he sees this in all three of them are awake. I say okay but half an hour passes and I say to myself, you know, people have fallen asleep in 1/2 an hour I find fallen asleep in less than 1/2 an hour, and if one falls asleep, the other will get drowsy and all three of them might be asleep waitress mean not waitress, but to flight attendant you're laughing.

They sometimes do the duties of the waitress you know I say would you check to see whether or not the pilots are awake and she does it again and she comes back 20 minutes later I can ask her to do that again because she'll think I'm a little crazy. So what I say is, could you tell me what time the flight arrives in Frankfurt and she gives me the time and then I say well you know that's good that's good.

And are we on time. Yet we are on time will you know since you and I are talking to just check to see if the pilots are awake. Doesn't take long until she comes to me and says look I'll make you deal will pour you a cup of coffee if you go outside and drink it and what she says if she's really honest as you are insulting our pilots and you and I insult God, day after day after day we commit something to him and then when things go bad and they get worse before they get better with it will now what's God doing so wake up early and we spent three or four hours worrying before we get out of bed and then we don't see God doing this we continue to pray, pray, pray, and our prayers are nothing but an expression of our unbelief because we refused to commit to and we refuse to accept and to say this has come to me from God thank you God. I committed into your hands and I'm going to leave it there and I'm not good to be checking every day to see whether God's awake and whether he's doing anything God is saying to many of us, myself included, you let me do it.

You wait on me and I will work for you.

That's what the Bible says I will work for you all work it out but has to be my timetable has to be my agenda and what you are doing is you're coming to me with your timetable, your agenda, your self will your desire to run your life. And then what you're saying is worse God's grace in all of this pulses okayed as a messenger of Satan.

Okay, it does harass me.

That's the word in the text, but I asked God and God said no but God's.

As Paul got something better for you. My grace is sufficient for you, my strength is perfect in weakness and pulses. I am so wholeheartedly committed to God. I believe in the greatness of God that this couldn't happen. Apart from his will, even if the devil is involved, that I'm going to accept it and I'm going to thank God for it. Most gladly I will therefore glory in mine infirmities and I'm not going to insult God by telling him that he's not doing anything I'm going to leave that with him. So where you today. What part of your circumstances or people have you not accepted what stands between you and God. Today, your husband, give them to God and then say good riddance.

Your circumstance you committed to God. You're on the plane and the pilot never slumbers or sleeps. Father we ask in the name of Jesus that you will make us people of faith. So often we've insulted you because we've refused refused to give up the control of our lives, then you've not come on board and we blamed you give us father that sense of faith that says Lord as I wait on you all that you work for me. Oh we need that Lord grant if we ask in Jesus blessed name, amen, amen. Hello my friend, this is pastor of that certain certainly in this world we all need grace. We all need wisdom in all of us need to recognize that we need to communicate our faith to the next generation. Whether you have children or not grandchildren or not, you know, children who need to know the word of God and the truth about Bible doctrine. My wife has written a book entitled awesome Bible verses. Every kid should know and what they mean.

Now, this book was written for those who are about 6 to 12 years old. It has one page on about 20 or 30 different topics, with an illustration that will communicate to your child. For example, issues discussed our justification, obedience, conscience, temptation, guarding your mind, anger, discernment, the fear of the Lord. I can think of a better resource to be able to communicate your faith to the next generation than to be able to use this book with children for gift of any amount for making this resource available to you. Here's what you can do. Go to RT W offer.com that's RT W offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 ask for the book awesome Bible verses. Every kid should know. RT W offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 it's time again viewed as investor loads or a question you may have about the Bible or the Christian life. The role of women in the church. Some denominations ordain them. Others prohibit them from even speaking.

Jesse has this question about a controversial topic, should women preach or take the position of pastors and elders. First Timothy chapter 2 says a woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man. She must be silent but some people told me that Paul said this in first Timothy because the women at that time were not educated. Is this true pastor Luther how do you understand this or Jesse.

Thanks so much for asking a question that leads us right into the midst of some controversy but I shall give you the answer which I believe is consistent with Scripture and consistent with my conscience in interpreting Scripture. I think that the Bible means what it says that women should learn in quietness, certainly, and they should learn in submission and women should not teach men so in answer to your question, I don't think that they should become pastors, at least in the role of proclaiming the word of God.

They should not become preachers to the congregation nor elders. I think that is clear from Scripture, and that it is not true that the reason Paul writes this is because the women were not educated. Interestingly, when you read the passage Paul roots. This not in the contemporary issues regarding education goes right back to Genesis right back to Adam and Eve and shows that this is based on what happened there. So I think this is truth meant for the whole church. Now Jesse. Having said that I need to say very quickly that often times our churches have prevented women from serving in places where they can serve. I believe that women can teach other women. They can certainly teach children here at the Moody church. We have women who read the Scripture oftentimes also in our morning service, they can serve as deaconesses they can assure they can serve communion. There are many many different ways in which women can serve in the church so we need to keep the balance, but to be an elder. I believe that that is a male role. Hope this helps. Jesse God bless you. I know that there are differences about this and we need to be tolerant and understand each other some wise counsel once again from Dr. Erwin Luther if you'd like to hear your question answered. Go to our website@rtwoffer.com and click on ask pastor Luther or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 you can write to us running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 running to win is all about helping you find your race. Many people have long-term health issues without divine healing. These issues don't go away their answers to prayer seem to be an ongoing no they hear. My strength is made perfect in weakness but wish their answer had been. Here's your healing, next time I'm running to win. Don't miss what to do when the answer disappoints for Dr. Erwin Luther this is Dave McAllister running to win is sponsored by the Moody church