“Guard my life and rescue me;
do not let me be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.
May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope, LORD, is in you.” (Psalm 25:20-21)

What are we to think when God withholds His answer to a prayer? Most likely, you’ve wondered this yourself at some point. As creatures bound by time, we can find those ticking seconds very frustrating!

God doesn’t see us simply in the here and now. He perceives the entire big picture at once – where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going. And He knows the exact impact on our lives of every little decision, action, or blessing.

Does God want to bring something into your life that would absolutely destroy you? Of course not! He knows what may be a tremendous blessing later could completely wreck your life now. For this reason, He often pauses to give you time to prepare for that blessing.

Learning to patiently wait on God is difficult. Doing so successfully demands at least three things from us. First, we must be sensitive to Him. That is, we must nurture our relationship with the Father so we can hear Him when He tells us to wait. Second, we must trust His judgment. Does God know more than we do? Of course. Then doesn’t it make sense to trust Him? Last, we must be obedient. If we try to accomplish something alone after God tells us to wait, then we’re headed for disaster. God blesses obedience, even obedient waiting.

The Lord doesn’t operate in a vacuum. He works within His relationship with you. Never forget He is actively walking with you, even when He withholds an answer to your prayer. It doesn’t mean He’s not there; it simply means He’s looking out for you even more.

Question: What have you been waiting on God about? Which other historical biblical figures also were required to wait on God?

Are you tired of living a Defeated Christian life? Why not check out this video?

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17).

While we want to be people of prayer, many of us find it difficult to keep our oft-repeated promise: “I’ll be praying for you.” The more disciplined among us maintain a prayer list or notebook and faithfully record both requests and answers. Unfortunately, the practice of prayer is one that frequently slips through the cracks of our busy lives.

Recently a friend wrote that every time she breaks an egg into a frying pan, she recalls a bit of egg-cooking advice I gave her over 50 years ago…and she prays for me! That simple prayer reminder spurred me to creative thinking about my own prayer life. While I take time daily to be quiet with God, pray for friends and family and urgent needs that have come to my attention, perhaps it is also time to use my friend’s “egg method.”

When I fold clothes fresh from the dryer, I often think about my elderly friend, June, who meticulously folded every item of clothing and linen when we stayed in her home. Ah, a perfect time to bring her now frail body before the Great Physician. Many years ago another friend gave me a time saving hint about ironing shirts—now I pray for this friend as my iron glides over my husband’s shirts. The newspaper becomes another prayer journal. As I read of rebel attacks, over-populated refugee camps, natural disasters in far off countries, I bring these people to the only true peacemaker.

I am making it a habit to slowly and carefully look at the pictures of a woman living under a ragged canvas tarp or a child listlessly leaning on his mother’s shoulder. Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision, wrote these words inside the cover of his Bible: “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.”

Whether everyday acts that remind us of friends, or news reports of needs far too vast for me to imagine their solutions, God has called me to be a person of prayer.

Jesus, I imagine You not only getting away to mountainsides for private conversations with the God of the universe, but also maintaining a daily “prayer” dialogue with the One you loved. Help me do the same.

Questions: What “prayer prompts” do you use?  How do these help you stay in relationship with God?

Human beings have an innate desire for knowledge. Not merely information; we are bombarded with enough of that every day. Research at the University of California, San Diego found that “In 2008, Americans consumed information for about 1.3 trillion hours, an average of almost 12 hours per day.” (UCSD) But you can have all the information in the world and be left with as many questions and as few answers as you started with.

If you have felt like you’re merely existing lately, but not truly living, maybe you’ve been asking the wrong questions. If you’re interested in hearing some thoughts on 10 Spiritual Questions and Their Answers from a best-selling author (30-million+ books sold) check out the article. Or send us your thoughtful questions and you’ll receive a reply from a mentor … maybe even with some thoughtful questions for you!

Related reading:
Is it Possible? – Could it be that God has been at work in your life all along?

Sometimes we have prayed and prayed about something but nothing seems to change. Maybe God is saying the same thing to us as he said to Moses, “why do you cry out to me? Do something!” There are times in which we can be like little children sitting on the floor crying and just waiting for someone to pick us up and fix everything. The truth is that God picked us up at the point of our salvation, and He fixed everything at the cross. From there it is our responsibility to take hold of what has been accomplished for us, apply it to our lives and go forward.

Too often we think that God should be moved by our “need,” but God is not moved by need, He is moved by faith. Faith requires action. It starts by knowing what God’s promise is for you in your specific area of need. Get into the word and find the scriptures that speak the truth about the matter and start to saturate your mind and spirit with that truth. This is what it means to have our “minds renewed” (Romans 12:2). By the power of the Holy Spirit, the word of God, and a decision on our part to go forward and take hold of the salvation promises that God has for us, things will start to change. Jesus said that it was finished at the cross, now it is for us to take up the cross and follow Him into victory!

Then He touched their eyes, saying ”according to your faith let it be done to you.” Matthew 9:29 (NJKV)

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:26 (NKJV)

Prayer Points:

• That we would be a people who pray and take action
• That we identify our need, renew our minds, and experience victories by applying the word of God

I was reunited with an old college classmate this weekend. We were both in the 1969 graduating class at Wheaton College, a Christian college in Illinois founded in 1860. He shared a humorous story with me about how a number of years ago, he got a chance to visit with Hudson T. Armerding – the man we lovingly referred to as “Hud,” who was the president of the college when we were students. Dr. Armerding confided in him that of the seventeen years that marked his presidency, we were definitely the worst class.

I have to admit; it is a distinction of which I am quite proud, because I am pretty sure what he meant by “worst.” He meant we had a high concentration of rowdy, non-conforming, troublemakers among us. In other words, we gave the administration a hard time. And though I’m sure some of it was unnecessary and non-productive, at its core there was an underlying hunger for truth among my peers at that time.

We wanted to know what was really going on in the upper echelons of power. We did not accept easy answers. We did not come to college to fill up blank notebooks with knowledge. We came with lots of questions. I can see where we would have caused administrators lots of grief, but I know a different story from some of the professors during that time. A number of them have told me they found our class to be among the best.

When students ask questions, it generally means they are hungry for answers, and that is a very good thing. It also means they might be thinking for themselves which will inevitably make for a much deeper ownership of the values and truths they are learning. Most teachers will tell you it is actually the troublemakers who will go on to make a significant impact on their culture.

Oswald Chambers has said that we don’t truly own our faith unless we have struggled over it in some form. Belief is not pure acceptance. God desires interaction and He revels in our working through the process of believing Him. He wrestled with Jacob and even let him win.

So don’t be afraid to question. Even doubt is a legitimate step in the process of faith. God welcomes the serious questioner. It means we care enough to persist in finding the answers we need. The person who is threatened by questions has much too small of an understanding of God.

Is it any surprise that the year of the “worst” class at Wheaton College was also the beginning of the greatest spiritual revival of our generation in this country? Nor has it escaped at least my notice that the latest crop of college freshmen doesn’t seem to be completely satisfied with the status quo.

Question: Do you use your questions to bring you closer to God?

About the Author: John Fischer

Which question would you most like to find an answer to?

1. What is the meaning of life?
2. Is there a God?
3. Do blondes have more fun?
4. What is the best diet?
5. Is there anybody out there?
6. Who is the most famous person in the world?
7. What is love?
8. What is the secret to happiness?
9. Did Tony Soprano die?
10. How long will I live?

The BBC reports that the list is based on approximately 1.1 billion searches made since the site opened in 2000.

Were there any questions on the list that surprised you?

I was surprised to see that “Do blondes have more fun?” was number three on the list. I wasn’t aware that it was such a contentious issue! A brief search revealed a 2003 ABC News report on this momentous (*cough*) question. It mentions that “a user survey of both sexes late last year confirmed that 55 percent agree with the old adage that blondes have more fun.” Good to know …

Not all the questions are so trivial though. Many speak to our soul cravings, the innate desires that we all share. “What is love?” and “What is the secret to happiness?” fall into this category, as well as “What is the meaning of life?”. We all crave meaning in life, so it’s not surprising that meaning tops the list of supposed unanswerable questions.

But what makes a question truly unanswerable? When are answers unknowable? Is it when something cannot be proven with 100% certainty? Then most of what we believe is unknowable. Take number 5 for example: “Is there anybody out there?” Restated slightly, this question could be asked in this way: “Do other minds exist?” Now, everyone believes that other minds exist. In theory you could be “in the Matrix” but no one actually believes that or lives their life that way. Even though it’s ultimately unprovable, we are right to believe that other minds actually do exist and we are not alone.

Question number 2 is a contentious one for sure: “Is there a God?” Recent books like “The God Delusion” and “God is not Great” have brought the issue to the foreground in contemporary society, causing others to respond with works like “The Dawkins Delusion?” and “The Dawkins Letters“.

Do these disagreements mean the question of God is unanswerable? I don’t think so, because we all have an answer to the God question. Your answer may be “yes” or “no” or “I’m not sure” or “I don’t care” but everyone has an answer. The question is, which answer is correct? There are in fact reasons to believe God exists, what will your answer be?

Another question that is tough to answer is number 6: “Who is the most famous person in the world?” It may be contentious to say, but I think the answer is Jesus. The Bible which tells Jesus’ story has been translated into 5000 or more languages (more than any other book) and the Bible Society in the UK estimates six billion copies had been printed by 1992. He has arguably had more impact on world history than any other person.

What makes Jesus so compelling? Jesus was unique in many ways, but the easiest way to explain his compelling nature is his identity. He claimed something amazing: To be God in the flesh. But Jesus didn’t just make the claim to be God: He backed it up. He proved his claim with a flawless life, amazing miracles, and stunning preaching. The crowds who gathered to see him cried out “Nothing like this has ever been seen!” and even the guards who were told to seize him exclaimed “No one ever spoke the way this man does.”

One of his claims was to forgive other peoples’ sins. This would be the height of arrogance for most people, but if Jesus was who he said he was, it would not only be entirely appropriate, it would be very good news for us. If we are honest with ourselves, we know that we do things that are wrong. There is no amount of good works that can cancel these things out; we can’t pull ourselves out of the quicksand by our own power. We need someone with a rope to pull us out. Jesus did that and more: He also took the punishment that we deserve on the cross, so that we can be forgiven. The only thing that can prevent us starting a renewed relationship with God through Jesus is our refusal. (Explore more about who Jesus is here.)

You can begin a personal relationship with Jesus right now by faith through prayer.

Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here’s a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. I want to make you the “most important thing” in my life. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.

Is this the life for you?

If you invited Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you’ll experience life to the fullest.

Watch The Other Six Days video. Explore what this video means to you through “The Other Six Days” interactive online study.

“Mark this well: The Lord has set apart the redeemed for himself. Therefore He will listen to me and answer when I call to Him” Psalm 4:3

My 93-year-old mother has known and walked with the Lord since she was 16. In all the years that I have known her, now more than 60, I have never known her to say an unkind or critical word or do anything that would be contrary to her commitment to Christ, made as a teenage girl.

Hers has been a life of prayer, study of God’s Word and worship of Him. The radiance and joy of her godly life has inspired not only her husband and seven children, but also scores of grandchildren and great and great-great grandchildren, and thousands of neighbors and friends.

A few days ago I invited her – for the hundredth time, at least – to come and live with us, knowing that all the rest of the children have made similar invitations. She responded, “No, I prefer to live alone. But I am not really alone, for the Lord Jesus is with me, comforting me, giving me His peace and assurance that He will take care of me.”

So she spends her days in prayer, in study of the Word and in being a blessing to all who enter her home, as the love of God flows through her. Only eternity will record the multitudes of lives that have been transformed through her godly example and her dedicated prayers of intercession.

Surely every Christian needs a daily engagement – with priority claim over everything else – to meet the Lord in the secret place if his life is to be a benediction to others.

Bible Reading: Psalm 5:1-7

Today’s Action Point: I recognize that if I am going to live a supernatural life, I must set aside time which will take priority over every other consideration. Only a genuine emergency will take precedence over such an engagement of prayer, study of God’s Word, worship and praise of my wonderful Lord.

Question: Are you ever really alone? How does it feel when there is no one else around?

About the Author: Dr. Bill Bright

General help for families

FamilyLife USA

Our counterpart organization FamilyLife USA seeks to win people to Christ, build them in their faith with practical tools for life and marriage and send them to impact others.

Single-Parent FamilyLife

We are here to offer ongoing support to single parent families and those wanting to help meet their needs.  Single Parent FamilyLife is a ministry of FamilyLife Canada.

I Questions

iQuestions.com features a collection of videotaped experts answering questions in his/her area of expertise.  Read the question and watch the video answer.  Topics include:  marriage & relationships, parenting, healthy living, faith, money, and career.

Troubled With

TroubledWith.com is a collection of articles, resources and referrals organized by topic around family issues and concerns.

HomeWord

HomeWord seeks to advance the work of God in the world by educating, equipping, and encouraging parents and churches to build God-honoring families from generation to generation.

Focus on the Family

Focus on the Family is a global Christian ministry dedicated to helping families thrive. They provide help and resources for couples to build healthy marriages that reflect God’s design, and for parents to raise their children according to morals and values grounded in biblical principles.

Help for specific issues

Peacemaker Ministries

Peacemaker Ministries specializes in conflict resolution.  They train and assist Christian adults and children to resolve personal, church, business, and legal conflict through biblical conciliation.

Beyond affairs Network

Beyond affairs Network provides specialized help for couples and individuals recovering from affairs. On their website you’ll find many services, resources and articles specific to an affair.

Sex addict.com

Those struggling with sex addiction or partners of addicts want solutions.  This organization helps people addicted to porn, spouses of addicts, through conferences, counseling, blockers, and other resources.  Get help here.

Why are you searching for God? What do you expect from God? Are you expecting him to solve your problems and remove all of life’s difficulties? He may not be what you expect. While God does give good things and loves to do so, he doesn’t want to be sought merely for what he can do for you. He wants you to find him because he is the ultimate gift – he wants you to enjoy a relationship with him. Make it your goal to find God himself, no matter what the outcome.

What’s your goal? Asking questions about God could keep you occupied for a lifetime, but the quest to find God is not meant to be one of life’s unsolved mysteries (though it may seem like it at times!). God wants you to find him. How open are you to actually finding God? Let other people question for the sake of questioning.

What’s your current concept of God? God wants to be known for who he really is. How would you feel if everyone was more interested in creating their own concept of who they think you are, rather than wanting to find out who you actually are? How much are you set on creating or confirming your own image of God? How much are you searching for God to discover who he really is?

Who do you think Jesus is? You may be thinking, “What does Jesus have to do with searching for God?” In Jesus, we find the clearest picture of God — Jesus is the exact representation of God. God stepped into history when he wrapped himself in flesh and came to live on earth in the person of Jesus. In your search for God, explore Jesus — look at his life and consider what he said and did. Then decide what you think of him.

How will you respond to Jesus? As you consider Jesus’ character and claims, at some point you will need to decide on what you think of what he said and did. In one scene of The Passion of the Christ Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Jesus later defines “life” more clearly: “And this is the real and eternal life: That they know you, the one and only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.” (John 17:3)

How will you respond to this gift of life? Just as you can’t force someone to accept a gift from you, Jesus can’t force you to take the gift of life he offers. Similarly, if you choose not to accept a gift from someone, it’s not really yours to enjoy unless you respond by receiving it.

Copyright TruthMedia 2004. May not be reprinted without permission.

So here you are. Somehow you’ve landed on this page. Wherever you are in your life, something has brought you to begin searching for God.

Maybe a crisis of some kind is causing you to look for explanation, comfort or relief. Maybe the things you’ve filled your life with –friends, success, pleasure – are not quite as satisfying as you anticipated. Maybe your life is good, but you want more meaning and depth.

Somehow you’re ready to stop pretending like you have life all together and you’re willing to consider how God might fit in the picture.

The question is, how are you supposed to search for a God that seems invisible — one that you can’t physically see and touch or audibly hear?

Next>>Questions to begin your search

Copyright TruthMedia 2004. May not be reprinted without permission.

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