Is God Listening

Good Evening Gentlemen, 

Tonight thought is about prayer.  Have you ever wondered as a Christian if God is really listening to every prayer?  I mean you know he is God, but does he really listen to each one?  Let's say for a moment he does hear every prayer; does he answer them?  If we are supposed to come to him in prayer shouldn't he answer them? 

Matthew 21:22 says this: "And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." So when I pray, and God does not seem to answer my prayer, does that mean I don't have faith?  Didn't I have enough faith in the first place and that is why I came to him in prayer?  I have faith he could heal a person from cancer.  I have faith I would keep or get a job.  Do you ever feel that you are just interpreting the scriptures wrong? 

Well think about this...

1 John 5:14-15

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.

This seems sometimes complicated to understand. I believe the key words here is "if we ask anything accordingly to his will he will hear us.  So are we just supposed to pray for His will and not our will be done?  Does this remind you of verse?  Can you think of anyone that has prayed like this before?  As I read this I immediately thought of Jesus Christ when he was praying to His Father.

Going a little farther, in Mathew 26:39, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.  Yet not as I will, but as you will it".  Jesus knew he had come to die for the sins of the world.  He did not want to go through the pain and suffering, but He had to do so, so that we could be free in Christ.  What Jesus did for us, no other has ever done before, nor since. 

When we pray, I believe we need to pray that God's will be done.  I believe it is perfectly normally to have a specific prayer request.  God would love to answer every prayer the way we want them answered, but fortunately God is sovereign and truly knows what is best for our lives, and for His purpose.  Have you ever prayed so hard for something and you felt as God had let you down?  Do you still feel that way?  if you do, then I pray that God will give you Peace. 

Philippians 4:7  "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

God bless,

E. Talk