Unanswered Prayer

Well subject this morning is unanswered prayers. We continue the series with wings like eagles and I like to start with a a quotation from a very famous theologian happens to be American's name is Huckleberry Finn and some of his opinion on prayer and quotes from this eminent theologian Huckleberry fin, Ms. Watson, she took me in the closet and prayed, but nothing come of it.

She told me to pray every day and whatever I asked what I would get it, but it weren't so, I tried it once I got the fish line but no hoops were in any good to me without hoops I try for the next three or four times with some of I couldn't make it work is referring to. By-and-by one day asked Ms. Watson to try for me but she said I was a fool.

She never told me why and I could make it out no way I sent down one time back in the woods another long think about it, I say to myself if a body can get anything they pray for why don't Deacon win get back the money Lawson Park. Why can the widow get back or silver snuff box that was stole as a good theologian, but is a terrible grammarian. Why can the widow get back her silver snuff box that was stole.

Why can't Miss Watson find out. No says I to myself, that ain't nothing in it for many think about prayer that there ain't nothing in it, and sometimes the people of God, we might not put it as starkly as Huckleberry Finn, but certainly we feel that emotionally we pray and we pray and we pray and we pray fervently we pray diligently and we pray with faith and yet it seems that God does not answer our prayers.

This is very difficult for us, particularly for us living in a culture of instant satisfaction of instant results we don't like to wait as a nation were not very patient. Are we. We get upset if were in the fast food line and the food isn't delivered within 90 seconds. When we take someone we expect them to respond at least two minutes later culture is preoccupied with personal fulfillment. Instant gratification instant escapism into our entertainment and whatever we want. We like to get it and would like to get it quickly on your amazed how quickly I miss and can get things to your door when you are under something and just a matter of hours. It's there and if that isn't quick and of I was there going to deliver it by drilling has come to but exciting isn't it.

Who wants to wait for something that you have ordered and so this concept that were thinking about from Isaiah 40 which is a key tags that those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mind up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. This whole concept of waiting on God is very very difficult for us because most of us are very impatient were very selfish were very self absorbed and that we are very insistent in our expectations delivered to us no will, because the doctors if he hasn't seen us within 10 minutes were getting a little ticked off subject is on and search. This is a difficult subject, I'm Sam have an answer all of your questions and I am sure that every one of us here has prayed to God and know something about this problem of answered prayer � should open your Bibles to the first book of the Bible Genesis if you didn't come with a my book is one in the pew in front of you sent me find it is the first book in the Bible, the book of Genesis I were going to understand two things about unanswered prayer today as I say Morgan answer all your questions. But here's the first one.

The answer to our prayers may be delayed to teach us that with God nothing is impossible by giving outside strange, but bear with me the answer to our prayers to your prayers may be delayed to teach you that with God nothing is impossible. We pray for a new job. We pray for healing. We pray for the salvation of a friend. We pray for the resolving of the personal problem or situation in our family and our circumstances and the answer doesn't seem to come on let's read from Genesis 12 and I want to illustrate this principle from the life of Abraham and Sarah Genesis chapter 12 verse one the Lord said to Abraham go from your country. He's in good of the Chaldeans we recognize as present-day Iraq. So when you go from your country, Abraham, Abraham, as it was called then and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you, you never been there and I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing I will bless those who bless you and him who dishonors you I will curse. And the new all of the families of the art shall be blessed. Here is the beginning of what we call the Abraham and covenants and Abraham is going to be tremendously blasted from his land he promised personal blessing and he's promised a family problem is at this time. He has no children.

God is promising that he's going to take this man this great man, Abraham, and make of him a great nation. In fact, in Abraham, all of the families of the Arthur going to be blessed. But the children of the obey God.

They walk with God.

Their living by faith. No one would've thoughts Abraham and Sarah are not newlyweds at this point, but not in their teens a rather old and one would've thought that with such a blessing God would have given them many many many children think of Abraham's grandson Jacob is good enough.

12 sons. That's pretty good isn't it. But the little children so and that's the story unfolds, we read in Genesis 12 there for God to go to what is called the promised land of Canaan, and when they're there. There's a farm in a defined themselves down in Egypt and that these have done a remarkable thing that left everything they've known and gone into it took totally unknown situation, or being God there are people of faith, but when they're in Egypt's Abraham's faith waivers.

He doubts. In fact, he tells a lie about his wife Sarah. This man could been marked by faith would be marred by obedience instead of trusting God in a difficult situation is characterized by distant regions is characterized by line, so we tend to think instinctively, emotionally, that when we do what God wants us to do when we step out in faith that everything is going to go smoothly, but we're going to see that there's a continuing pattern in the life of his godly couple Abraham and Sarah, a continuing pattern of belief and unbelief turnover to chapter 15. The years pass and still there is no child, how can from you Abraham come this great nation when you don't even have one child. Exodus is so Genesis 15 after these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision for your knowledge with others that last week the great command to fear not, fear not, Abraham, I am your shield, your reward shall be very great. There's a promise reiterated this from his remember is going to be great, but Abram says the Lord God will you give me, for I continue childless, and the end of my houses Eliezer of Damascus and Abraham said, behold, you've given me no offspring and a member of my household will be my heir. Behold, the word of the Lord came to him.

This man shall not be your your very own son shall be your heir. Abraham I want to trust you. I'm telling you you're going to have your own son and your brother my side and said, look towards heaven, a number the stars of you are able to number them. Then he said to them, so shall your offspring be. And he believed the Lord and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Amazing the years go by Abram and Santa getting older and older, and still there is no son and God. You are repeating the promise, but I've got no air if I died.

Now all I have is going to be left to my servant to the house of Eliezer of Damascus and God said no no no no no. Your tent look at the sky you seal the stars so shall your descendents be. Chapter 16 Abraham believes God strong in these faith but chapter 16 Nocera, Abraham's wife had borne him no children, but I don't of Genesis. Once you do understands that the years are going on and still, Sarah is without children. She had a female Egyptian side with his name was Hagar and Sarah said to Abraham, hold no. The Lord has prevented me from bearing children go into my servant, it may be that I shall obtain children by her. Who were using and Abraham listened to the voice of Sarah has been stolen. Old business into your life is going against the word of God and the promises of God that was endure but sit Abram did he live 10 years in the land of Canaan. Sarah Abram's wife took Hagar the Egyptian or servant and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife and you went into Hagar and she conceived, and that is born Ishmael chapter 17 chapter 17 verse one the years continue I will does Abram know.

Still, there is no child of promise. Still, Sarah has another child for Lizzie. When Abram was 99 years old is old enough to be a great-grandfather is 99. Listen to this.

The Lord appeared to Abram and said to him I am God Almighty walk before me and be blameless that I may make my covenant between me and you and may multiply you greatly. The covenants of promise is being repeated.

Then Abram fell on his face, and God said to them, bold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations no longer shall your name be called Abraham but your name shall be Abraham, father of a multitude for I've made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations and kings shall come from your and I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after your and I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojourners, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession and I will be there God is 99 God repeats his promise. You say, why would God do this, so this man you made these promises, 20, 30 years ago. Why would you do this, I don't know. But God is faithful, and God is always true to his promises� Read the story from the prayers were not being answered heavily desperately longs for a son, and when it didn't come they tried to organize things themselves so unfamiliar acting as if they knew better than God.

Their faith falters the outcomes into their lives so Sarah suggested Abraham I will take Hagar as your wife. When she conceives Ishmael is born, but he is not the child of promise. Chapter 18 verse nine Genesis 1890 said to witness it or your wife, and he said she's in the tent and the Lord says I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son that it is the promise repeated in the time given to it here from the your wife is going to have a son and said it was listing at the tent door behind them. Eaves dropping no Abraham and Sarah were old advanced in years, you better believe it, but I do want you to understand there is a way of woman had ceased to be when Sarah just past the age of bearing a child so set out laughed to himself, say after I worn out and my Lord Abraham is old Abram was 10 years older than her. Shall I have pleasure. The Lord said to Abraham, why did seal a laugh and say, shall I indeed bear a son, know that I moved is anything too hard for the Lord can answer the question is anything too hard for the Lord. No New Testament we know a virgin will conceive. Nothing is too hard for the Lord at the appointed time. I will return to you about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son to the last of the whole idea.

All of these promises given to Abraham become increasingly unlikely as the years go by. You can pray all of you want, but the sun is not coming now because it all past the age of having children. This is an impossible situation from your phone that when God seems to hesitate in answering our prayers we like Abraham and Sarah often don't God our faith waivers.

We panic and we sometimes take independent action that is independent of God. Here is a Christian woman.

She prays she prays for a godly husband as she wants to marry a man who is a strong follower of Jesus Christ so that he can have a Christian home that they can raise Christian children in their home. She was a man that she could love and that she can respect is not a good prayer. Yes, it is a good prayer.

Many women pray for that prayer.

But for this young woman the years go by and God has not answered your prayers. What that's what sometimes happens our faith waivers. She doubts God and instead of continuing to wait on God.

She takes independent action and perhaps even talked foolishly by some of her so-called friends into dating and eventually marrying a man who does not love Jesus Christ rationalizes it and say well he may come to saving faith. After we are married, rather than waiting on the look use it while waiting on the Lord's heart, I notice, is one of the hardest things that we do in the Christian life is to wait on the Lord you would not situation this morning, you prayed to God's over something, and God seems to be hesitating, and you attempted to take action according to your own desires and your own wishes, rather than waiting on God for his purposes to be fulfilled is the case, it is the case illustrated by the story of Abram and Santa that God sometimes delays in answering our prayers. God sometimes does not answered our prayers immediately to demonstrate that with him. Nothing is impossible. Had God forgotten his promise to Abraham and Sarah, does God make a promise and then turn from it. Genesis 21. Read with me. There Genesis 21. I'm skipping over so much of the story. You can fill in Julie later this week.

Genesis 21 one the Lord visited Sarah seed said the Lord, that the said as he promised, and Sarah conceived fine. She conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to a wonderful notice. The Lord's promises fulfilled. Notice that Isaac is born at the time of which God spoken to him is the case that God's timing is always perfect. The psalmist says eyes were God's way is perfect, only wiser than God.

Don't try to eye with God and tried to manipulate God. God is far wiser, and God is far kinder than any of us and that the right time the right moment. God comes through and this son. The son up from his Isaac called laughter is born God's timing is absolutely perfect. My from our perspective, the longer the delay, the less likely it seems that our prayers will be answered but the delay this evening. Delay in answering the prayer is not because God doesn't care, but because he wants to teach us that with God nothing is impossible if they were almond set another child early in their life that is that this is very natural.

It happens all the time but now because of the delay because of the various experiences they realize that God is Almighty that with God. God can do all things and when God answers our prayers when God finally answers our prayers. In these very difficult circumstances is not the case that our faith is strengthened as we wait on God's marvelous thing to know that God has acted.

And God has done something that we buy ourselves, could never ever do this many people here who could testify this morning they would come up here and testify of situations in their life when they have prayed and prayed and it seems really hopeless and then God answered our prayer. Most of you know the good and I can United States so I could attend Dallas theological seminary. We came in on what is called a student visa which means that they could work. Which meant I decided the only work I could do was on campus. I did some grading of the some teaching assistant for which Alessandra gave me four dollars an hour which was a little lower than I had been used to, but that it was and under the visa. At least then I don't know what the rules are not that thing within two or three months after graduating, we can leave the country that was any problem to us. When replying to the visa because we were intending to go back to Scotland.

But God really not that we wanted to, God called us to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

So we graduated we went to Pittsburgh, a lawyer in dollars helped us to get a visa extended so we went there to minister and we had been there for her for some time, maybe up to a year and that one day good and I got a letter from immigration so you might've received a similar letter and it was that you to get out of the country. I was really by the end of the year. Your visa is as come to an end. It's it's not going to be renewed and if you don't leave you will be deported is great in the headlines in the Pittsburgh is that pastor deported arrested great headline so we, since this mystified us with prayed and prayed for God to lead us at the Pittsburgh and called the attorney the said nothing really.

You can do, he says, but don't worry, he said, just in the search script circumstances stay where you are, they're not really going to the port your are so many people in this country is legal advice. Any charges for it more than four dollars an hour. MSA said to him I said I can't do that. I'm a pastor I can go against the law and we prayed. We believe the Lord was having is in Pittsburgh is that no John this is on because we just sit tight and eventually will work something out.

And I said no no no I can't do that and this would have meant us leaving the country disrupting a ministry going back to the UK and wanted to come back into the US applying in the American Embassy in London is on long elaborate but difficult procedure and adjuster us into a tailspin. What was God doing what would you do in the circumstances, you pray, pray. We pray call the church to pray but missing no answer was no legal answer and we thought this may be God is directing us from here but know that God was blessing the ministry. Some of you will be surprised with the church actually wanted us to stay in the we wonder what to do and time went on, I made some inquiries can we go to the immigration office and speak to the person I could plead my case absolutely impossible. You can do that no nothing you can do rather than the state illegally or have to leave the country while working to leave the country. One thing we decided we were not going to be there legally and we prayed and we pray time went on, and no answer was coming and then miraculously it was Americo through contact someone said look, I know the head of immigration in Pittsburgh and I might be able to get you to see if that be wonderful. My attorney says not been worked under that I said to fellow.

Let me let me going plead my case so I went, which was Americo the immigration office interview from another country, you know, you just can't walk into the immigration office and silicon.

The special case of mercy upon me, please, let me say doesn't work that way.

I going long story, the man said look I can give you legal advice isotonic Nebraska legal advice but this point in the right direction and the he said well if you do such and such under the desert. I can guarantee it and I don't deal with it a ghost another office, but you might possibly be allowed to say I called the lawyer very excitedly. The lawyer said that doesn't work, that my mind doesn't know what he's talking about is it is the head of the immigration so I said okay but the forms applied visa was granted and we realized it certainly wasn't because the brilliance of the lawyer in dollars.

The good news wasn't enough to pay him and it wasn't because of my brilliance filling in the form what was it, it was God through the delay had been at work and with God. Eventually not in our timing eventually answers a prayer like that, you know, don't you, that God is in this that there is a living God and that God wanted us to stay there and that God is a God who loves us. Who cares for us and sometimes delays answering our prayers so that we may understand that our dependence is on God alone and that God can do the impossible is the second one. So the answer to a prayer may be delayed to teach is that with God nothing is impossible. Secondly, the answer to our prayers may be denied to draw us closer to God and to make us more effective in the service. The answer can be delayed but sometimes this is even harder.

The answer to our prayers may be denied to draw us closer to God and make us more effective in his service turned to the New Testament to second Corinthians chapter 12 second Corinthians 12 and I'm going to read the first 10 verses I was one boasting, says Paul, though there's nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago was caught up to the third heaven within the body. Right of the body. I don't know, God knows and I know that this man was caught up into paradise within the body. Right of the body I do not know God knows and you have things that cannot be told which man may not matter on behalf of this man. I will boast but on my own behalf, I will not most accepted my weaknesses though if I should was wish to boast, I would not be a fool. Thought I would be speaking the truth by refrain from it so that no one may think more of me that he sees in me or hears from me so is our seven to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations of thought was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me to keep me from becoming conceited.

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me but he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for my powder is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ than I'm content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.

For when I'm weak, then I am strong. Paul prays for the removal of the song three times we don't know the thorn was with in all probability I think it was some physical disability, causing Paul frustration and irritation and Paul thought very understandably, that if this messenger of Satan this far in his flesh. If it were removed, he would be able to serve God with more devotion, more enthusiastically, with the last distraction of this thorn, so we prayed for his removal. Your that kind of prayer. Many of you have on removed thorns in your life. Don't you like Paul, it might be a physical condition which is debilitating, frustrating and embarrassing but absent is a difficult employment situation. You work in an office where your boss is unreasonable and impossible to please process a problem in your family a problem child whose rebellions is defined as almost unmanageable part of the problem is that you have no children you like Sarah and Abraham in your prayed long and deservedly for a child, but no child has come, perhaps, is a difficult person here at Calvary person who rubs you the wrong way as you serve the Lord in the make, serving the Lord that much more difficult Thorn in Your Flashes His Betrayal by a Member of Your Family or Friend, Someone in Your Family. Some Relationship Is Turned against You in Mind, You Perhaps Some Personal Crisis Has Come into Your Life That Could Be a Frozen Than One Things, but This Thorn Causes You Pain It Causes You Distress Is a Real Thorn When You Think about It Almost Causes of Physical Pain in Your Stomach, You Pray and You Prayer Know There's No Relief in Sight. This Is a Continuing Open Sore Is It What Is Huge Problem in Your Life so You Earnestly Fervently with Faith, Praying for the Removal of the Thorn When You Pray That Life Would Be so Much More Enjoyable. There Would Be so Less Distractions That You Could Really Serve the Lord and Do the Will of God Much Better You Think Was up to No the Thorn Is on Removed Wednesday to You from the Authority of Scripture Is What Paul's Account and Then Removed Thorn Is Not Unanswered. The Lord Heard Paul's Prayer. You Pray, Whatever You May Think the Lord Hears Your Prayer the Lord Is Kind He Hears the Prayers of the Righteous Three Times. Paul Entreats the Lord That This Thorn Might Depart from Him.

Look at Verse Nine. Again, Here's the Answer. But He Said to Me, My Grace Is Sufficient for You, for My Power Is Made Perfect in Weakness. Therefore I Will Boast All the More Gladly of My Weaknesses, so That the Power of Christ May Rest upon Me.

The Lord's Answer Was Not Last Thorn, but More Grace and More Power Than That the Lord's Answer Was Not Last Thorn about More Power and More Grace. And the Lord Tells Paul That the Thorn Is Not Going to Be Removed, but He's Going to Experience More Grace and More Strength God's Grace Is Going to Be Sufficient for You, Paul.

Paul You Are You Know God's Power but God's Power Is Going to Be Perfected in and through Your Weakness That the Demonstration of the Power of God Is Going to Be Paul Not Because You're Great Not Because Your Gifted but in Fact Because of Your Weakness.

Paul Says I Was Becoming Rather I Could Become Brothers Conceited to Part from God's Grace. When the Prayer Is Not Answered Part from Drawing on That Grace and That Strength of Them Asking You to Draw on, You Would Become Bitter. You Become Discouraged You Become Very Very Weak, Remember God Is a God of Grace God's Grace Is throughout Scripture. Time and Time Again We Read Grace and Peace to You and Christ Himself Is the Is the Grace Know This Verse Nine. My Race Not Just Grace Is the Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ. He Is Grace. And He Is Sufficient for You, Yes, in Your Weakness and God's Power Is Perfected Is Seen against Not a Background of Strength, but against the Background of Weakness to through the Thorn Experiences in Her Life Was One of Them There Difficult Their Heart, the Painful and Intense, but As in the Case the Draws Closer to Christ. Therefore, What Seems to Be a Problem. That Thorn What Seems to Be the Worst Problem in Your Life. Thorn May in Fact Turn out to Be the Source of a Great Lesson. CS Lewis Calls It a Severe Mercy You Have a Situation in Your Life Which Is Very Severe. It's Very Very Tough Is Very Difficult That You Would Love for the Lord to Remove the Bonsai's Is Lewis. That Situation Which This on One Hand, Very Severe, Is in Fact a Demonstration of the Mercy of God, so That That Situation That Tough Situation That Thorn the Situation Is in Fact a Blessing That God Has Allowed in Your Life so That You Will Boast about Your Weaknesses, so That the Power of Christ May Rest upon Me Than the Verse Nine. Did You Notice That the Power of Christ May Rest upon Me. The End of Verse 10 for When I'm Weak Is a Paradox of the Christian Life for When I'm Weak, Then I Strong through the Experience of the Thorn through the Experience of the Weakness You Will Know God in a Deeper Way. In a More Intimate Way As He Provides His Grace and His Strength on the Bus with Us Were Thorn with Me.

Why Would We Do That, Why Would We Want Something Painful, Embarrassing, Difficult in Our Life but God in His Sovereign Purposes Allows Them.Doesn't the so That Our Dependency and Are Sufficient Say Are Not on Ourselves but on Christ for When I'm Weak, Then I Am Strong and Paul Is Making a Point That the Thorn in Our Lives. Keep It Gives Us Humble and Makes Us More Effective in the Service of Jesus Christ.

You Don't Think of Paul As a Proud Man but Had This Amazing Experience of Being Caught up in the Third Heaven and the Paradise Itself so We Could Posted about That.

So God Allows This Messenger of Satan. This Thorn in the Flesh, You Say Oh I Would Be Humbled without the Thorn Know You Would Love Notes. These Thorn Skippers Humbled Him Is What Paul Is Saying in Verse Seven to Keep Me from Becoming Conceited Because of the Surpassing Greatness of the Revelation of Thought Was Given Me in the Flesh, a Messenger of Satan How to Harass Me to Keep Me from Becoming Conceited You More Humble Than Paul Daniel for Verse 37 Says That God Is Able to Humble Those Who Walk in Pride and Humility Is of the Very Essence of the Christian Faith That Our Lord Jesus Christ Was the Greatest Man Who Ever Walked This Earth, but Was the Humblest and God Has His Ways Hesitantly to Life Situations and Experiences in Our Life. Keep Us from Being Crowds from Being Arrogant from Exulting Ourselves or You If You Become a Bit Private Bit Self-Important Begun to Think Life Is All about You and Thank Our God Is Not Is Is Is Blessed to You, Bit Arrogant Member on Palm Sunday, the Crowd Shouted, Hosanna, Hosanna, but the Donkey Was Smart Enough to Know That the Choice Was Not for the Donkey, but for the Man on the Donkey, but Sometimes We Think We Are the Center of the Universe. Sometimes We Think Where the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Calvary Church Where the Smartest Person in the Room. We Are Gifted Yes. And God Has Given Your Wonderful Gifts Wonderful Abilities Wonderful Talents in God and His Grace Is Using Many of You Mightily Is a Source of Blessing to Many. However, These Very Blessings.

As Was the Case Involves These Very Blessings Were Good from God May Be the Source of Pride and Arrogance on Your Part. So God in His Grace May Bring Thorn into Our Lives to Keep Us from Exulting Ourselves in That Thorn Makes Is More Effective in Christ Service the Side of the Living and the True God. Have You Noticed That God's Power Is Perfected in Weakness, the Very Opposite from the World Who Wants to Be the Top Dog Who Wants to Be Number One.

Jesus Said No the One Who Is at the Bottom the One Who Serves Everyone He's the Greatest She's the Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And so Paul Says Earlier in Second Corinthians We Have This Treasure That Is the Gospel in Our Thin Vessels. He Describes Himself As a Clay Parts, yet As Broken and Unscarred, Sometimes with Doubts Sometimes Inconsistent in Our Faith so That the Surpassing Greatness of the Power May Be in God and Not in Ourselves When We Realize That Truth through the Heart of the Thorn. We Realize That God Is with Us As We Serve Him and Realize Yes It Is in Fact a Severe Mercy. So the Answer to Our Prayer May Be Delayed to Teach Us That Nothing to Teach Us That with God Nothing Is Impossible.

The Answer to a Friend May Be Denied to Draw Us Closer to God and Make Us More Effective in His Service to Keep Us Humble and to Make Sure That Our Dependence Is Not on Ourselves, Not on Our Gifts Are Not Abilities, Not Enough Resources but on God Himself and Often in Life We Just Don't Know Why God Has Chosen Not to Answer the Prayers. But They Keep Us in These Situations, Keep Us on Their Knees Dominate the Keep Us Humble and the Keep Us Looking to God and to God Alone Because When Things Go Well in Our Lives, We Tend to Become a Bit Cocky.

We Tend to Take God for Granted. We Tend to Become Self-Sufficient. We Tend to Behave like Small Children. God Wants Us to Grow in Maturity to Continue to Live by Faith, so That God Is Our Strength and God Is Our Help, Our Present Refuge in the Time of Trouble.

Gamaliel, the Great Rabbi Said Make His Will, God's Will. You Are Will, in Order That He May Make Your Will Is Will Not My Will but Yours Be Done of the Prayer of Jesus Was in the Box. My Will Be Done, but Your Wealth, That's Prayer at a High Level Is. That's Prayer and Mature Level.

He Asked for Strength so That You Might Achieve. He Was Made Weak That He Might Obey the Asked for Help That You Might Do Greater Things. He Was Given Infirmities, That He Might Do Better Things. Yes, for Riches That He Might Be Happy, He Was Given Poverty That He Might Be Wise. Yes, What Power You Might Have the Praise of Men. He Was Given Weakness That You Might Feel the Need of God, Yes, Were All Things That You That You Might Enjoy Life. He Was Given Life That He Might Enjoy All Things He Has Received Nothing That He Asked for All That He Hoped for His Prayer Is Answered Now As I Conclude, after Remind You That There Is One Prayer That God Always Answers Usage on Was That Prayer Is a Prayer of the Tax Gatherer. In Luke Chapter 18 Is Just Jesus Told the Story of Two Men Who Prayed One Was Very out Again What One Was Very Full of Himself. One Wanted to Remind God Everything Is Done in the Had Not Done Is of God Didn't Know What Was Very Full of Himself. The Pharisee Together Was the Tax Gatherer Is a Bit of a Rescue. Sure He Had Defrauded People, but He Finds Himself in the Temple and Rather Than Reminding God of His Great Mercy He Can Hardly Lookup This Prayer Is a Very Simple One Is a Prayer That All of Us Need to Pray If Were Going to Get to Heaven Never Going to Be Saved by the Grace of God Is Prayer Was Chartreuse to the Front. God Be Merciful to Me As an You Prayed That Prayer You Prayed That Prayer God's Is Going to Hear It. Jesus Said That Man Went down from the Temple to His House Justified Declared Righteous before a Holy God Is and What You Say John, I'm Saying That You Must Acknowledge That You're a Sinner and That Salvation Is Not on What You Do Not on Your Achievements, Not through Some Religious Ritual, but It Is Purely by the Grace of God on the Mercy of God. What Is the Foundation of That Grace the Cross of Christ. We Gather Every Sunday under the Cross on the Ceiling, Out Of Mind.

There That This Is Our Only Way of Salvation That We Have Sinned and Come Short of the Glory of God. But If You Look to Christ to Pray This Wonderful Prayer God Be Merciful to Me a Sinner and Acknowledge That Christ Died on the Cross for Your Sins. It Was Buried and He Rose Again.

And If You Cry out to Christ. He Will Come and You'll Save You Forgive Your Sins Give You an You Live a New Purpose for Living That You and I Become Part of the Family of God. And so I Understand That All of Us of Prayers That Are Not Answered in Those Great Dilemmas and Delays and Denials Understand That What I Plead with You to Make Sure before You Leave, You Prayed This Prayer God Be Merciful to Me a Sinner and for Those of Us Who Are Following the Savior Today and Are Struggling with an Answered Prayer. I Say This, Have You Not Known, Have You Not Heard the Lord Is the Everlasting God, the Creator of the Ends of the Earth.

He Doesn't Fainter Grow Weary. His Understanding Is Unsearchable. He Gives Power to the Faint, and to Him Who Has No Might He Increases Strength Even Use Show Faint and Be Weary, and Young Men Shall Fall Exhausted but They Listening. They Who Wait for the Lord Shall Renew Their Strength They Shall Mount up with Wings like Eagles, They Shall Run and Not Be Weary, They Shall Walk and Not Faint You Buy with Me. If You've Never Played God Be Merciful to Me a Sinner and We Cry out to Christ Declined You to See If You Are Struggling with His Answered Prayers Wait for the Lord and He Will Renew Your Strength. Father, We Do Cry out to You. All of Us.

Some for Salvation, Some of Never Come to the Cross Never Known Christ As Their Savior Prefer Them Open Their Eyes Open to See Jesus Help Them to See Their Sin, Bring Them to the Cross for Those Who Are Burdened for Those Who Are Dealing with Unanswered Prayers and Thorns in the Flesh Bring Healing, Bring Power for Your Grace and Your Strength on Them. We Pray in Christ