One of my spiritual pursuits is to become a student of prayer. It has fascinated me the last several years almost to the place of setting aside other popular areas of studies. Some of my current studies have taken me to books written by Andrew Murray, R.A. Torrey, Elmer Towns and Peter Lord. I always find it interesting to find new insights I have learned every time I start a new book or personal study of the Scripture. Most recently I have been reading “The Power of Prayer and the Prayer of Power” by RA Torrey. In chapter five of this book the question is asked “Who can pray so as to get what they ask?” In other words why isn’t God answering my prayers?
1 John 3:22
And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. NKJV
I noticed that we have no problem asking anything we want expecting God to answer and then wondering why He doesn’t. We put the burden to perform totally on God because God is the kind of Father who enjoys giving to His children. Well, what I noticed from the study is this…the second part of the verse. Because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. I believe what has been missing or overlooked maybe in my prayer life is the determination of keeping His commandments and doing those things that are pleasing to Him. The answers to our prayers are determined by our part of this discipline as much as they are from God being our caring heavenly Father!
That’s my story and I am sticking with it!
Leave a comment and let me know what you think!
Wendell Bishop
www.firstsanford.org
February 18, 2010 at 4:55 am |
Hey Pops! Encouraging blog. Thank you for sharing your wise words!
February 18, 2010 at 6:05 am |
Hey kim! What a thrill to share. Be safe as you travel!