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God of Answers
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 9516 |
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March 18, 2012 |
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 "Yet He commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven; He rained down manna upon them to eat and gave them food from heaven. Man did eat the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance." (Psalm 78:23-25)
God protects His beloved children with His blazing eyes and gives them whatever they ask.
Matthew 7:7 reads, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." However, it doesn't mean we can unconditionally receive answers to whatever we ask. Only when we ask according to God's will as His children and we obey His words can we receive answers.
1. God Meets Us and Gives Answers to Us
The Israelites were God's chosen people. In God's providence, they had to live under the bondage of Egypt for 400 years. The sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help rose up to God as written in Exodus 2:23. God appointed Moses as their leader and let them come out of Egypt and guided them into the land of Canaan, the 'land flowing with milk and honey'.
On their journey God manifested many signs and wonders before the Israelites' eyes. He guided them with the pillar of cloud during the day and with the pillar of fire during the night. He let them drink water from the rock. He opened heavenly gates and sent them manna to feed them when they had no food.
The Israelites who had suffered from the bondage came out of Egypt and headed for the Canaan land. Their journey from Egypt to Canaan is closely related to our Christian lives. The journey indicates our Christian life on this earth, from when we lived in sins in the world and to when we finally enter the heavenly kingdom.
God wants us to achieve a victory in the world which is like the wilderness and take a better dwelling place in Heaven by force. So God finds us and guides our ways in life just as He worked on the sons of Israel. He doesn't want us to live a Christian life that we see fit nor to stand still. God wants us to become wise children who ask, seek, and knock diligently because only then can we receive God-given abundant blessing.
What parents want their children to suffer from poverty or diseases? Even evil parents want to give good things to their children. God is more eager to give us good things than our parents. He promised in the Bible He would answer those who seek and ask.
John 15:16 reads, "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you." But God doesn't bless just anyone or solve everybody's problems. He answers our prayers when we have hearts or deeds that deserve His answer.
There are forefathers of faith who receive answers and blessing by pleasing God. I hope you will closely check yourself seeing their examples.
2. What kind of man receives God's answers?
1) Those who Have Unchanging Faith under Any Circumstances
Abraham could obey God's command to give his only son, Isaac as a burnt offering since he believed God is the almighty God who can revive the dead. Because he had such faith God chose him as the forefather of faith and gave him all kinds of blessings including children, health, wealth, and fame. However, many people doubt and disobey God's will when it doesn't agree with their thoughts or they think it might cause loss. When things aren't going well they easily complain, lose heart, and fall into despair. This is because they don't trust God completely.
Numbers 23:19 says, "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" When we have unchanging faith in any circumstances like Abraham we can receive answers from God.
2) Those who Offer Fire-like Prayer with an Earnest Heart
Elijah knelt down on the earth and put his face between his knees while praying to receive answers as described in 1 Kings 18:42. He prayed so earnestly that he put his face between his knees. Through such prayer he brought down a great amount of rain on earth where it hadn't rained for three and a half years.
3) Those who Revere God, Give Alms, and Pray All the Time
Cornelius was a Gentile but he was a devout man who feared God, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually. God knew him and met him. Namely, God sent the apostle Peter to his house and let him, his family, his relatives, and even his friends receive the Holy Spirit and salvation. (Acts chapter 10)
4) Those who Go Forward Boldly with Faith
Armed only with a sling and a stone, David defeated Goliath, the Philistine who defied God and the Israelites as recorded in 1 Samuel 17:32-49. The Philistine armies fled and Israel won a landslide victory. David was just a little shepherd. Since he had faith and trust in God, however, he could boldly fight against the giant Goliath with no fear.
Do you have a serious problem before you? Do you have anything that seems impossible for you? I hope you will just boldly go forward with faith by trusting in God.
3. The Hearts of Men who Quickly Met God
Joseph was betrothed to Mary. One day she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. They hadn't come together yet, but she was pregnant. How shocking it would be! According to the Law a woman who committed adultery should be stoned to death. But Joseph didn't want to disgrace her, so he planned to send her away secretly.
Because Joseph was such a good and righteous man he could hear from an angel of the Lord, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 1:20)
It was the same with Zacharias and Elizabeth recorded in Luke chapter 1. Luke 1:6 says, "They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord." They didn't commit sins but only obeyed the Word of God and gave joy to God. But they had no child although they were quite old. Now God gave them a great present. It was their son, John the Baptist.
1 Samuel chapter 1 also talks about a woman named Hannah who suffered because she had no child. She prayed earnestly and vowed before God she would give her son to Him if He let her have a son. She received the answer to her prayer. Hannah gave birth to Samuel and she took him to the priest, Eli when she weaned him. She gave her son as God's servant.
If she had been an ordinary person, she might have broken the promise with God because she had gained a son after such a long suffering. But Hannah kept her vow completely. Afterwards, God gave three sons and two daughters to her and Samuel became a great prophet of Israel.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, all your problems will be solved and your heart desires fulfilled when you meet the almighty God. Therefore, I pray in the name of the Lord that you will receive whatever you ask from God by revering Him, acting in goodness, and possessing unchanging faith.
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