Prayer and Obedience...

This is the letter I've sent Terry for the email this weekend...I'm giving you guys a sneak preview. It's one of the perks of checking the site...ha.

Have you ever felt like you are praying and praying for something and nothing is happening? I have…alot. I’m a Christian so why doesn’t it seem like my prayers are being answered?? Are they being heard?? This is a confusing issue for many people…

The scriptures say in Matthew, “Seek first the his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Doesn’t this mean that God should always answer the prayers of his people??? Well not really…

Sometimes Christians will pray, yet they aren’t living in obedience…this is where the confusion crepes in. People think that because they are Christians that God is automatically obligated to grant their wishes. However, that’s just not how it works. Prayer and obedience are supposed to work hand-in-hand. Let me explain…

Imagine two points, two locations in two different places…A and B. Point A is where we as Christians are praying for things, but aren’t living in daily obedience. Point B is where we would be if we were living in obedience. Too often I find myself praying at point A and wondering why my prayers aren’t being answered. I get frustrated and discouraged very easily while I’m here. I wonder why God isn’t answering my prayers…sometimes I wonder if God is even hearing my prayers.

But God’s desire for us is to be living in obedience every day. He wants us to be living and praying from point B. It’s almost as if he were saying, “If you were living and praying from point B, then your prayers wouldn’t be the same as they are now while you are at point A. When you live in obedience to me…that will resonate in all aspects of your life. Your mind becomes transformed, your life becomes transformed, and your prayers are even transformed. Live in obedience.”

So if we are living in obedience and according to his will our prayers will be different than if we weren’t.  If we are seeking God’s kingdom as our first priority then it is inevitable that our desires will conform to God’s will…and God is in the business of His will becoming reality (so to speak).

The reason we get frustrated at point A is because it’s basically impossible to have desires and prayers that conform to God’s will when we aren’t obeying and abiding in God’s will, so he doesn’t grant it. However, when we are, God will grant these things (needs and prayers) because they are the things He desires as well…as he promises in Matthew 6.

* It is important to note that even when we are living in obedience God never promises that bad things won’t happen (cancer, death, disease, etc.) In fact, those things are inevitable (Romans 6:23) because of sin.