It Really Does Matter What You Believe About Prayer
Matthew 7:7-11

7. "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
8. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
9. "Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10. "Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11. "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

INTRO:
A father and his son were seated at the dining room table, while the mother was finishing the final preparations on the family’s dinner. While the father and son were seated, the father asked the son if he would say the prayer for the meal. The youngster nodded his head, and said that he would pray. Mother came in, placed the last of the meal on the table, and sat down. The boy looked around the table at the food for a moment, and began to pray. He said, "God, I’m not sure what it is, but thanks anyway, and I’ll still eat it."

Sort of a humorous look at a young person and prayer. I remember as a little boy my mother would come into my room before I was asleep. Sometimes she would read to me and always she would remind me to pray. The prayer which she taught me very very early to pray is one which so many little children have learned: “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.” I learned to pray very early in my life ... even if it was a simple little “rote” prayer from which I learned. I will admit to you however that not all of my years have been as prayerful as I would like now for it to have been. Maybe during middle years I thought I could handle everything pretty much on my own ... why bother God with things I should handle myself. I took to the responsibility I learned I must take to, of country, family and job. Now that I am older I have found that I really cannot handle everything “on my own” and that there are those times I really need to turn things over to God in prayer. It does really matter what we believe about prayer. I admit there are those that have problems with prayer.

I. SOME PRAYER PROBLEMS:
A. There are those who say that “Everything in the universe works according to laws of nature. And prayer will do no good because God does not interfere.”
B. Then there are those who say, “God knows everything and since He knows my needs why should I pray?”
C. Of course others say “God didn’t answer my prayer. Because He did not answer me I no longer believe in the power of praying.”
D. Similar to that are those who say God did not grant my prayer as I needed. “If God is so loving, why did He not answer as I asked?” But I’d like for us to just lay aside those concerns for a bit this evening. We have admitted they exist for some people. What I would like for us to do is affirm some things. And the first is -
II. GOD DOES HEAR OUR PRAYERS
A. Yes, there are some “qualifiers” to God’s hearing of our prayers. I’d like us to look at some of them for just a minute from scripture.
1. The first of these is from the book of 1 Peter 3:12 - For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.'' The word “But” is the qualifier. Next I invite you to turn in your bibles to –
2. the Old Testament and Isaiah 59:1,2 - 1. Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. 2. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. See that word “but” again, the qualifier. Now in the little book of Micah there is another passage that suggests the qualifier to which we have made reference –
3. looking now at Micah 3:4 - 4. Then they will cry to the Lord, but He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, because they have been evil in their deeds. There is that word “but” again.
4. God chooses not to hear the prayers of people who choose to live sinful lives. That said however, we come back to the affirmation that God hears the prayers of righteous people.
B. Jesus certainly believed God would hear our prayers. Let’s look at this very familiar passage –
1. Matthew 6:9-13 – 9. "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. 10. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11. Give us this day our daily bread. 12. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. for Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Now I have a question. Why would Jesus teach us to pray if God is not going to be listening? Or in –
2. Matthew 7:11 - 11. "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Why would Jesus have taught us to ask of God if God is not listening? If God does not hear? Now I’d like you to turn to -
3. 1 John 5:14-15 14. Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. Do you notice the word - confidence? “this is the confidence that we have in Him”. John goes on to explain that God hears our prayers. Then God must be listening. If God does not hear our prayers do you think that Jesus words have credibility? Lets look at -
4. Luke 18:1 - 1. Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, Why teach us to put such confidence in prayer if God is not listening?
5. How could Jesus be credible if He teaches us to do a pointless thing
C. New Testament writers certainly believed God would hear our prayers. There is this beautiful passage in -
1. Philippians 4:6-7 - 6. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7. and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. If God does not hear our prayers, why are we encouraged in scripture make our requests known to Him? Then there is that passage we read a little bit ago –
2. 1 Peter 3:12 - - For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. If His ears are open to our prayers, then He must be hearing our prayers. Right? God does hear our prayers.
3. Then I look at this whole thing again from a different perspective and I say to myself – if in fact God does not hear the prayers of righteous people then as I read and study the New Testament how much more of what I read is really not all that accurate? If the New Testament says God hears our prayers, this is our confidence and God does not hear our prayers how can I place any credibility whatsoever in the rest of the message? Logic would tell me I can’t. But God does hear our prayers. I would also affirm -
III. GOD DOES ANSWER OUR PRAYERS
A. There are some things we need to know - for example
1. turn back to the passage over in 1 John 5:14 - 14. Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. There is something here we really need to understand about prayer “...according to his will...”
2. One of the first things we need to understand about prayer is God will not answer prayers contrary to His will. We need to understand that God does not see things as we see. We need to understand that in my little tunnel vision kind of existence I may not pray for things that are not in accord with, in keeping with, God’s will as He views things. His will for my life, His will for the lives of those around me. I must understand from the start that yes, God hears my prayers, but my prayers must be in keeping with His will. And then -
3. 1 John 3:22 - 22. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. “...we receive...because we keep his commandments...” Now here we see that God answers the prayers of those are keeping his commandments and doing things that are pleasing in His sight. Now what things are pleasing in His sight? That is where we must come back to the scriptures to find the things that we must do that are pleasing to him. We find in the gospels and in the epistles and in the book of Acts, information given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit by which we live our lives. By which we conform our lives, and that pleases God. We need to understand that God answers the prayers of those that are doing his commandments. Those that are living their lives in keeping with the things that please him.
B. Having said that, now there are some things we must acknowledge...
1. We must acknowledge that every answer may not be affirmative – God isn’t always going to say yes and we, like little children in this respect, we tend to want “yes” answers from God. Perhaps the difference between little children and us is we do not usually have a hissy fit when we are “told” no. Or do we?
2. We need to understand, acknowledge, that every answer to our prayers may not be immediate — we tend to want “now” answers. I don’t know when I first heard this but it has been said that this is the “now generation”. Instant answers. Microwaves and instant mashed potatoes, the Now Generation. Indeed God may wait awhile. God may say to us as we have all understood from years past in the study of prayer – “wait awhile”.
3. We also need to acknowledge that every answer may not be “as requested” — we tend to want to lock God into our details.
i. A child asks for an action figure for Christmas. I can almost guarantee that is not the end of the discussion. Not just any action figure, it must be a specific one.
ii. Nina and I have noticed as we ask for gift lists for birthdays and Christmas that some of those lists can be very specific. Our precious grandson when he was a lot younger, wanted a Lego set, but not just any Lego set, he wanted a Technic set and not just any Technic but a race car and it has to be green! Now of course he is much more grown up, in college, and his requirements are easier. For Christmas he wanted a Fit Bit, a specific model Fit Bit and a certain color or just black.
iii. Now this puts a little difficulty on us because we have to go all over looking for a “specific” gift. If it can’t be found you get something close, running the danger that you may hear “that wasn’t the one I wanted!” I wonder if this is not how we are sometimes with God? I want this, I need this, I’m asking you God and here is what I need from you. Well, the answer to our prayers may not be exactly as we request.
4. I heard a story from a church of Christ preacher about a doctor named Jerry, a wonderful family physician. There was a need for a doctor in the Chimala mission in Tanzania. This doctor and others in the community and the congregation prayed for someone to go and fill this need. The next thing the preacher heard was that Jerry was going. He stayed there a couple years and when he came back and was visiting with this preacher the doctor said; “You better be careful what you pray for”. The preacher asked “Why is that?” The doctor replied that he prayed that God would send a missionary to Tanzania and I was the one that went! He sent me!” Be careful what you pray for because you may be the answer.
5. Here is something else and this is maybe a bit more difficult for us to understand, “every answer may not be easily identifiable” - we tend to want neat little packages. I know I’m that way. I’m reminded of the daddy in Mary Poppins, I like my life to me calm, well ordered and serene. Neat packages. But God does not always do things in neat packages. He does not always do things that we are able to “see” in the immediate. Kind of reminds me this poem;

I know not by what methods rare,
But this I know, God answers prayer.
I know not when he sends the word
That tells us fervent prayer is heard.
I know it cometh soon or late:
Therefore we need to pray and wait.
I know not if the blessing sought
Will come in just the guise I thought.
I leave my prayers with him alone
Whose will is wiser than my own.—Eliza M. Hickok

6. But having said all of that –
C. God does hear and God does answer the prayers of righteous people. Now turn with me to James and in that little book look at chapter 5 and start in the middle of verse 16
1. James 5:16b-18 - ....The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. This Bible example is given for a very good reason. God wants us to know that here is a man who prayed and his prayer was answered. He was a man like us, one of flesh and blood. The qualifier here is that he was a man of God. He prayed and God answered his prayer.
2. You and I can pray powerfully just as Elijah did. With the confidence that God answers our prayers.
3. One other aspect of this I would like to give a little attention to. Look with me at 6 verses in; Isaiah 38:1-6 - 1. In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, "Thus says the Lord: 'Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live. '' Think about that “Thus says the Lord”. The message that Isaiah is delivering to Hezekiah came from God. 2. Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, 3. and said, "Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.'' And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4. Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, 5. "Go and say to Hezekiah, 'Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; and I will add to your days fifteen years. 6. "I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.'' The point is, the prayer of righteous people can change things ... God had wanted Hezekiah to know that his days were numbered, he needed to get his affairs in order. Hezekiah prayed and his prayer changed things. Folks, don’t ever doubt that your prayers are heard, don’t ever doubt that your prayers can change things. You are praying to the almighty, the God of everything, and nothing is beyond His power.
4. Just keep in mind, just because I “did not get my way” does not mean God does not answer.
IV. PRAYER DOES ENHANCE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER
A. One way that it enhances our relationship is that it places us in the position of trusting Him. I’m going to look at -
1. Psalms 112:7 - 7. He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Now this Psalm is describing the man who fears God. “...his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord”. Relationships grow stronger in the presence of trust. The more we place our trust and confidence in God the stronger our relationship with God becomes. Conversely, remember that relationships grow weaker in the absence of trust.
2. Relationship grows stronger in the presence of trust - weaker in the absence of it!
B. Prayer enhances our relationship with God because it is communication with God. All relationships that are strong require communications do they not? Remember how Jesus taught us to pray in –
1. Matthew 6:9 - 9. "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. “Our Father which art in heaven...” This is not a cold business transaction, it is not an e-mail without personality, it is communication with our Father.
2. Prayer must never become a rote exercise ... this is deeply personal communication of the great concerns of ones heart ... only then is it really communication -- which becomes communion.
C. Prayer enhances our relationship with God because it provides us with peace. Remember in -
1. Philippians 4:6-7 - 6. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; Now listen, right after the encouragement to pray 7. and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. “And the peace of God...shall guard your hearts...” Relationships in which there is peace and contentment and confidence are strong relationships.
2. Only, however, if we really believe that God hears and answers -- can this peace come!

CLOSE: Oh yes, God hears and God answers the prayers of righteous people. I think that if He did not, if I believed for an instant that God does not answer the prayers of the righteous I would probably no longer be able to come up here and talk. Because I would have very little comfort to share with other people and I would always be questioning the integrity of the Word of God. The Word, which affirms over and over again that God hears and God answers the prayers of his people. In that is my confidence and I have no doubt, of that confidence.

Now I talked about a number of things to do with prayer, how God hears those who are righteous, those who keep his commandments and do his will. How God answers prayer according to his will and how prayer can enhance our relationship with God.
There are other things about prayer I would like to talk about, the importance of private prayer, the use of public prayer, the purpose of prayer in worship and prayers of repentance. I’ll save those for another time perhaps.

As I said at the beginning of this lesson, God chooses not to hear the prayers of people who choose to live sinful lives. However remember; 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

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We learn from the New Testament how to be saved. We need to hear the word; believe in Jesus; repent of our sins; we must confess our belief that Jesus is the Son of God; and be baptized for the remission of our sins... If we follow these steps, the Lord adds us to His church.

Perhaps there is someone in the assembly today with the need to be buried with Christ in baptism. If you have never done these things, we urge you to do so today. If anyone has this need or desires the prayers of faithful Christians on their behalf, we encourage them to come forward while we stand and sing.

# 84 - Have Thine own way

Taken from sermon by Cecil A. Hutson
08 January 2006