rejected

Praying people

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Remembering Joseph again today who had to wait two years in prison before his prayers were answered.

After two years had passed, the king of Egypt dreamed that he was standing by the Nile River. – Genesis 41:1 GNT

That is a long time to wait for a rescue, a long time to wonder if a saviour is coming, a long time to pray for God to come through.

What do answers to prayer depend on ?

Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. I assure you that whoever tells this hill to get up and throw itself in the sea and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. For this reason I tell you: When you pray and ask for something, believe that you have received it, and you will be given whatever you ask for. And when you stand and pray, forgive anything you may have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive the wrongs you have done.” – Mark 11:22-25 GNT

The two key words here have to be “believe” and “whatever.” Does “whatever” mean absolutely anything? Are there no restrictions? And “believe,” does that mean prayer depends on faith?

I think prayer is an act in of itself of faith so that is good. How do we get to the place of believing? “Whatever” is a little harder because the Bible has some great teaching regarding God having a lot to say about what we are praying for. It is not so absolute and all-inclusive and it is not a blank check.

I was sharing, just yesterday, with someone remembering the acts of Elijah. In one of his prayers, Elijah mentions to God that he was the only one left who was faithful. He was at his lowest. Even the most wise and observing people may give up. Persecution was present. The reason he felt alone was that those faithful were lost in the crowd of idolaters, crushed and driven into corners by the rage of persecutors.

 

God has not rejected his people, whom he chose from the beginning. You know what the scripture says in the passage where Elijah pleads with God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me.” What answer did God give him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not worshiped the false god Baal.” It is the same way now: there is a small number left of those whom God has chosen because of his grace. – Romans 11:2-5 GNT

God has never rejected His people.

“The more clearly Job saw who God was, the fuller his prayers became— moving from mere complaint to confession, appeal, and praise. In the end he broke through and was able to face anything in life. This new refinement and level of character came through the interaction of listening to God’s revealed Word and answering in prayer. The more true his knowledge of God, the more fruitful his prayers became, and the more sweeping the change in his life.” – Timothy Keller