Sometimes God Says NO

He always answers

We have read it. We have claimed it. We want to believe it. God answers ALL Prayer. We love Passages like these...

{Matthew 7:7}

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you"

We love this one as well..

{Mark 11:24}

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

What about this one???

{John 15:7}

"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."

So we go before God, believing in, and claiming these passages. We say Prayers like this...

Lord, I want that new Red Sports Car. Or, better yet, just let me hit the Lotto and then I can buy it myself. Then I promise I will do some good with the money too. What? Hey your Word says "whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be mine." So come on God,, "ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for me" SO?????? Where is my big pile of money????

We will leave aside the whole concept of Prayer for a few minutes. Study the "Our Father" Prayer if you want to see an effective and Righteous formula for Prayer. You can find it Here in the archives. Let's just focus on God's answer here. Make no mistake, He DOES answer every Prayer His Children Pray..

The problem is not, He doesn't answer. The problem is how do we receive it. Do we like it? Is it what we expected? Is it want we wanted? Or, do we miss it? Yes, sometimes, the answer is even, "No." You see, He does answer. Always. But what that answer is, is not always what we think it should be..

Brother Bob's Vehicle breaks down. He cannot afford to keep fixing it. But he needs a Vehicle to continue to go to work. So he Prays to God.. "God!! You know I have need of a Car. This one is no good. Please Lord. Your Word declares that "whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be mine." Your Word declares that "My needs will be met." That "You know what I have need of before I even do." So GOD!! I need a new Car."

Now in his mind, Bob is going through all those new models out there, The Sion TC, the Honda Accord. The Mustang, hey, He is God, All things are possible in him. Right? How about a new Chevrolet Corvette? He get's excited because he really has ZERO doubt in his heart that God will hear his Prayer and will give him a new Car.

So he goes to Church and talks with the Pastor. The Pastor announces Bob's need to the Congregation right before Prayer. At the end of Service, Old Farmer Joe comes to Bob and says "I have a Car for ya. Not all that pretty anymore, but she runs like a top, and she has never let me down." So Bob agrees and goes to Joe's Farm.

They go to a Barn in the back and Joe opens the door and pulls off the cover exposing a 1968 Chevy Cadillac. Dull. A few dents. A little spot of rust here and there. Bob looks at it and thinks to himself, "what a piece of junk. Not to mention the thing is a boat. I don't want this. Where is my Mustang, or Corvette? I need a Car God, Not a Boat." God answered His Prayer. He just didn't like the answer.

What about Steve? Steve has a Job that doesn't really give him enough money to pay his bills. So he Prays "God, I need a Raise. I need a Promotion. You know I have need of more money. You know I'm trying to Tithe. You know I'm "Seeking first the Kingdom of God.." So add all these things onto me? I'm the hardest worker there. I deserve the Promotion to the Management Position that just came open.. GOD!!! Help me.."

Steve goes to work and finds a Pink Slip. He was laid off. He becomes angry with God and angry with the whole concept of Prayer. He yells to God, "GOD!! This is how you take care of your Children???? The Job I had was not paying all the Bills. But it was something. Now I got NOTHING. What is wrong with you God? I needed that Promotion, not to get Fired! You have made things even worse!!" God waits for him to get done. Then He asks Steve a simple question. "How do you get a better Job, until; you lose the one you have?"

You see, God is in the Past. He is in the Present. He is in the Future. God is everywhere, in every time. God is omnipotent. He created time and space, therefore He moves freely through it. He knows what lay ahead because he is already there. We are not. We are fleeting. The Word declares Human Life is but a Vapor. Here one moment and gone the next. {James 4:14} We do not see what is before us. We do not know what awaits us. We do not know what we will ACTUALLY do. But God does.

You do not know that if you hit the Lotto, you will be good for a year or so. You will buy a new house, car, take care of your family. You will give some to Charity. Your Pastor will be surprised at the Tithe you pay that week. But then you get bored. You turn to dangerous living. You turn to drugs and alcohol. You are surrounded by people that want to make you happy. People that want your money. You cheat on your spouse. ETC. So God says "No."

You do not know that if you get that new shinny red Sports Car, you will be loving it for a month or so. But then your foot will get a little heavy. Hey, what's the point in having a car that can do 210, if you do not do, well, 210? You do not know that you will be speeding down the road and crash into a Minivan with a Family coming home from Dinner and a Movie and kill three of the four people in the Minivan. He says "No."

Then you have the other side of the same coin. What happens IF we do not get exactly what we want? In the Bible, In Romans, Paul had a GREAT DESIRE to visit Rome. But God said "No." God had prevented him from getting there up to a certian point. The combination of these two factors, Paul's impassioned desire to go to Rome and God's sovereign "No," resulted in his sitting down to write the letter to the Romans. what is today called the "Magna Carta" of the Christian faith.

Are you following? You see, I do not have to guess at the ending of a Movie, or I will not be surprised at the Plot twists, if I saw the Movie. If you have not, I could tell you all there is to know about it before you see it, because I already have. God has already seen the Movie that is YOU. He knows what is going to happen. We do not...

{Psalm 39:4-7}

" Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am.

Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.

Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee."

You see, perhaps there are some "No's" in our lives that God is planning to use greatly, if we would just faithfully do what lies directly in front of us, instead of worrying about why we didn't get exactly what we wanted.

Yes, God answers all Prayers. Sometimes the answer is "No." Sometimes the answer is "No" for our own good. As we tell our kids, No, to touching the Hot Stove, or playing in Traffic, God tells us "No" to protect us from ourselves. Sometimes the answer is "No" for His own good, and to further His Will, Way, and Plan for our Lives. Sometimes God says "No" for His Kingdom sake, and even for others.

We do not know why God answers the way He does. We just have to trust in the fact He has already seen the Movie and knows all the Twists and Turns in our Lives. We must trust in Him to know better than us, for us. We must take comfort in the knowledge that we may not always get want we want, but we will ALWAYS get what we need.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, be Blessed, be a Blessing, and Jesus is Lord!!