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 PRAYER

Jesus Christ NEVER taught on what we call "unanswered prayer." James wrote that a divided loyalty between trusting the Lord God for life and at the same time relying on the world's systems to get what you want will result in you not getting anything from God you may have prayed about. God will never reinforce the unbelief that flows from divided loyalty. THAT is not unanswered prayer. That is God saying, "No." to your request.

God saying, "No." to your requests is not unanswered prayer. It is His grace. His "No" is just what I would want if I knew what He knows. The Lord also answers with, "Not now; not yet." because we are not yet prepared to receive what we think we need. God works in us both to will and to do His good pleasure. If I am praying for something God wants to do in me and the Holy Spirit is working in me preparing me to receive what God has in store, His "Not yet." is NOT unanswered prayer.

As we seek Him above anything else, even the things I think I need, I learn to trust Him. Even when what He provides is not the answer I thought I needed or even anticipated, my prayer was still answered. God can answer, "Yes. No. or Wait." All are answers to prayer. God always hears the prayers of those He has redeemed by the Blood of Christ Jesus. God has made us His own heirs, join heirs with Christ Jesus. Satan lies and it is the same lie he used on Adam and Eve in Eden, "God is holding out on you. You need more than what He provides." Nothing could be farther from the truth. Life, its meaning and significance comes from God and nowhere else. "God cannot give us joy apart from Himself. It does not exist."  wrote C. S. Lewis.

Abraham had a promise from God of an heir from the union of Sarah and him. The fulfillment of that promise came 25 years later. Joseph waited years and endured false accusations, imprisonment and isolation from everything familiar, but the dreams God had given him were fulfilled. He just had to wait upon the faithfulness and timing of God.

We live in a world that demands and expects instant gratification. The world system would want us trained in a kind of spiritual autism, where only our wants, whims and demands take centerstage in life. That insidious lie in grounded in the demonic lie that we can be our own salvation. That lie drives jealousy, envy, greed and pride...a deadly cocktail.

NEVER stop seeking the Lord God. Always bring before Him every known need, concern, hope and every promise He has made to you in His Word. Prayer flows from worship because we see in God's Word what He has done for mankind. He has done what we could never do, ever. Worship focuses our hearts and minds on the Lord and giver of Life. Worship reinforces the truth that God is infinitely trustworthy.

Pray always; yield all of life to Him; every relationship, every need, everything the Holy Spirit brings to mind. Pray for those who have no one to pray for them. Pray for leaders, for those still lost and enslaved by sin, pray for your neighbors, your neighborhoods, your city, your state, your country and for the world.

God is faithful and will answer your prayers, sometimes instantaneously, sometimes later, and sometimes "No." Never stop seeking the Lord. He is Life within you, your hope, your salvation, your healer, your confidence.

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