Read Romans 5:1-8
Key Verse: 5:6 Christ died for us when we were unable to help ourselves. We were living against God, but at just the right time Christ died for us.
A sinner's prayer is always answered! When we come to Jesus and we say, "Lord, save me, I am sorry for my sin. There is nothing in me by which I can save myself, I am powerless, helpless, unable to save myself. Please come into my heart and cleanse me, please forgive my sin and give me the gift of eternal life." Why is a prayer like this, when prayed from the heart, always answered? Several reasons can come to mind such as God's great love for us, God's own desire that none should perish. But what I want to focus on is the sinner's need. They bring nothing to the table except their need for salvation. They have nothing to offer to God to aid in their salvation. The forgiveness of God, and the free gift of eternal life is something God gives because of what Christ has done. We are unable to save ourselves or help in any way. We are "helpless"
"In the first place, helplessness. This is unquestionably the first and the surest indication of a praying heart. As far as I can see, prayer has been ordained only for the helpless. It is the last resort of the helpless. Indeed, the very last way out. We try everything before we finally resort to prayer...Listen, my friend! Your helplessness is your best prayer. It calls from your heart to the heart of God with greater effect than all your uttered pleas. He hears it from the very moment that you are seized with helplessness, and He becomes actively engaged at once in hearing and answering the prayer of your helplessness. He hears today as He heard the helpless and wordless prayer of the man sick with the palsy. If you are a mother, you will understand very readily this phase of prayer. Your infant child cannot formulate in words a single petition to you. Yet the little one prays the best way he knows how. All he can do is to cry, but you understand very well his pleading. Moreover, the little one need not even cry. All you need to do is to see him in all his helpless dependence upon you, and a prayer touches your mother-heart, a prayer which is stronger than the loudest cry."
When we talk about prayer, what does it mean to be helpless? It means we come to God with nothing to offer, no bargaining chips, no deals, no promises on our part, we make no demands of God. Often I have heard people try and blackmail God - they say they can't believe in a God who doesn't at once answer their prayer. God didn't do what they asked, they'll say. Perhaps it was a loved one who was sick. Perhaps a death in the family. But it was made to God as a demand for their continued faithfulness. While God may, answer any prayer at any time in any way he chooses...it is not best to come to God and bring ones own agenda.
When we pray, we lift up "requests" and they remain that...requests. We all know the pain of an unanswered prayer. We have all had people we have prayed for who went on to be with the Lord. I am not making light of the pain which we all feel at times. I am just saying we need to Let God be God. If he chooses not to answer our request, he does do with good reason. We can't always see that reason, but we can always trust that in the end, God did hear us and pains with us. I know for sure that God does not take pleasure in choosing not to answer one of our prayers. While Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane He likewise chose not to answer the cries of His own Son. The death of Jesus was necessary for a greater purpose, our salvation.
We come to God and ask him for all kinds of stuff. But when we ask, lets ask with hopeful hearts, not demanding ones. In our pain of unanswered prayer, remember that Our God walks with us, and understands. We just need to trust. Maybe we will never know why, maybe it even feels that God is picking on us, but He isn't. He has the deepest concern for each of us...we need to trust that He knows what he is doing.
Lord Jesus, I am not always sure why you haven't always answered my prayers the way I would like you to, but I trust you. You are MY GOD, you are MY LORD, and I trust you with all decisions, even those of life and death. Even as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you are with me. You are there to comfort me and guide me. One thing I ask, help me grow in my understanding of you and your ways. Draw me closer to you as a friend. Forgive anything in me that stands between us. We long to have a broken and contrite heart. Lead us to that end. In Jesus name we pray, AMEN
Key Verse: 5:6 Christ died for us when we were unable to help ourselves. We were living against God, but at just the right time Christ died for us.
A sinner's prayer is always answered! When we come to Jesus and we say, "Lord, save me, I am sorry for my sin. There is nothing in me by which I can save myself, I am powerless, helpless, unable to save myself. Please come into my heart and cleanse me, please forgive my sin and give me the gift of eternal life." Why is a prayer like this, when prayed from the heart, always answered? Several reasons can come to mind such as God's great love for us, God's own desire that none should perish. But what I want to focus on is the sinner's need. They bring nothing to the table except their need for salvation. They have nothing to offer to God to aid in their salvation. The forgiveness of God, and the free gift of eternal life is something God gives because of what Christ has done. We are unable to save ourselves or help in any way. We are "helpless"
"In the first place, helplessness. This is unquestionably the first and the surest indication of a praying heart. As far as I can see, prayer has been ordained only for the helpless. It is the last resort of the helpless. Indeed, the very last way out. We try everything before we finally resort to prayer...Listen, my friend! Your helplessness is your best prayer. It calls from your heart to the heart of God with greater effect than all your uttered pleas. He hears it from the very moment that you are seized with helplessness, and He becomes actively engaged at once in hearing and answering the prayer of your helplessness. He hears today as He heard the helpless and wordless prayer of the man sick with the palsy. If you are a mother, you will understand very readily this phase of prayer. Your infant child cannot formulate in words a single petition to you. Yet the little one prays the best way he knows how. All he can do is to cry, but you understand very well his pleading. Moreover, the little one need not even cry. All you need to do is to see him in all his helpless dependence upon you, and a prayer touches your mother-heart, a prayer which is stronger than the loudest cry."
When we talk about prayer, what does it mean to be helpless? It means we come to God with nothing to offer, no bargaining chips, no deals, no promises on our part, we make no demands of God. Often I have heard people try and blackmail God - they say they can't believe in a God who doesn't at once answer their prayer. God didn't do what they asked, they'll say. Perhaps it was a loved one who was sick. Perhaps a death in the family. But it was made to God as a demand for their continued faithfulness. While God may, answer any prayer at any time in any way he chooses...it is not best to come to God and bring ones own agenda.
When we pray, we lift up "requests" and they remain that...requests. We all know the pain of an unanswered prayer. We have all had people we have prayed for who went on to be with the Lord. I am not making light of the pain which we all feel at times. I am just saying we need to Let God be God. If he chooses not to answer our request, he does do with good reason. We can't always see that reason, but we can always trust that in the end, God did hear us and pains with us. I know for sure that God does not take pleasure in choosing not to answer one of our prayers. While Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane He likewise chose not to answer the cries of His own Son. The death of Jesus was necessary for a greater purpose, our salvation.
We come to God and ask him for all kinds of stuff. But when we ask, lets ask with hopeful hearts, not demanding ones. In our pain of unanswered prayer, remember that Our God walks with us, and understands. We just need to trust. Maybe we will never know why, maybe it even feels that God is picking on us, but He isn't. He has the deepest concern for each of us...we need to trust that He knows what he is doing.
Lord Jesus, I am not always sure why you haven't always answered my prayers the way I would like you to, but I trust you. You are MY GOD, you are MY LORD, and I trust you with all decisions, even those of life and death. Even as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you are with me. You are there to comfort me and guide me. One thing I ask, help me grow in my understanding of you and your ways. Draw me closer to you as a friend. Forgive anything in me that stands between us. We long to have a broken and contrite heart. Lead us to that end. In Jesus name we pray, AMEN
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