"Don't worry about people having their own choice and free will. When God works a sinner can change his mind in a hurry."
(I posted this on my other blogger account, but realized it really belonged here, as God teaches me more and more on prayer...and faith) I have been in a lot of prayer, and although I know God can have the victory, I have been somewhat defeated by the thought that even though I could pray until my knees bleed, they still have free choice. I think I have gotten sidetracked with that thought. Today I got a letter from a missionary friend who says that churches in America are weak and have no power. He has seen things that he only ever read about here in America. He constantly encourages me to pray more - and a key of prayer is faith. If I am praying that God will intervene and change hearts...but then I fret about free will...am I having any faith? I am still working through all this, but I do know that the above quote gave me some peace and hope...and I wanted a place to post it where I could remember it.
It kind of reminded me of a song I learned when I was young:
When the Canaanites hardened their hearts against God,
And grieved Him because of their sin,
God sent along hornets to bring them to terms,
And to help His own people to win.
If a nest of live hornets were brought to this room,
And the creatures allowed to go free,
You would not need urging to make yourself scarce,
You’d want to get out, don’t you see!
They would not lay hold and by force of their strength,
Throw you out of the window, oh, no!
They would not compel you to go against your will,
But they would just make you willing to go.
When Jonah was sent to the work of the Lord,
The outlook was not very bright.
He never had done such a hard thing before,
So he backed and ran off from the fight.
Now, the Lord sent a great fish to swallow him up,
The story I am sure you all know.
God did not compel him to go against his will,
But He just made him willing to go.
CHORUS:
God does not compel us to go, oh, no!
He never compels us to go.
God does not compel us to go against our will,
But He just makes us willing to go.
Praying and fasting for my two wayward daughters.
Showing posts with label free will. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free will. Show all posts
Prayer
Matthew 7:7-11
I. What: prayer is asking, seeking and knocking
A. Asking and receiving - prayer according to the revealed will of God I John 5:14, 15
B. Seeking and finding - prayer according to the unrevealed will of God Jeremiah 29:12, 13 and Psalm 27:8
C. Knocking and opening - tenacious prayer, Matthew 17:14-21 (when God's will and your way is blocked by an obstacle)
II. Why: why should we pray?
A. Prayer is a command Luke 18:1, I Thes. 5:17
B. Jesus is our example throughout the NT
C. Prayers gets things from God, James 4:2
D. Brings joy, John 16:24
E. Delivers from troubles, Ps. 34:6
F. Brings wisdom, James 1:5
G. Sin not to pray, I Samuel 12:23 Pastor Bruce D. Cummons - "the greatest sin today in the ministry is prayerlessness".
H. Saves from Temptation, Matt. 26:41
III. How: how to pray
A. To God the Father in Jesus' Name, John 14:13, 14, by the Holy Spirit, Romans 8:26, 27; Jude 1:20
B. For God's will, Matt. 26:39
C. Daily needs
D. Forgiveness
E. Deliverance from evil
F. In faith, James 1:6-8
IV. Where: where to pray, Acts 12:5
A. In the assembly, Acts 1:13, 14 and Acts 2:42-47
B. In the closet, Matthew 6:6
V. Hindrances to prayer
A. I Peter 3:7, bad relationship with spouse
B. Selfishness, James 4:3
C. Unforgiving spirit, Matthew 5:22, 24
D. Unbelief, James 1:6-8
I. What: prayer is asking, seeking and knocking
A. Asking and receiving - prayer according to the revealed will of God I John 5:14, 15
B. Seeking and finding - prayer according to the unrevealed will of God Jeremiah 29:12, 13 and Psalm 27:8
C. Knocking and opening - tenacious prayer, Matthew 17:14-21 (when God's will and your way is blocked by an obstacle)
II. Why: why should we pray?
A. Prayer is a command Luke 18:1, I Thes. 5:17
B. Jesus is our example throughout the NT
C. Prayers gets things from God, James 4:2
D. Brings joy, John 16:24
E. Delivers from troubles, Ps. 34:6
F. Brings wisdom, James 1:5
G. Sin not to pray, I Samuel 12:23 Pastor Bruce D. Cummons - "the greatest sin today in the ministry is prayerlessness".
H. Saves from Temptation, Matt. 26:41
III. How: how to pray
A. To God the Father in Jesus' Name, John 14:13, 14, by the Holy Spirit, Romans 8:26, 27; Jude 1:20
B. For God's will, Matt. 26:39
C. Daily needs
D. Forgiveness
E. Deliverance from evil
F. In faith, James 1:6-8
IV. Where: where to pray, Acts 12:5
A. In the assembly, Acts 1:13, 14 and Acts 2:42-47
B. In the closet, Matthew 6:6
V. Hindrances to prayer
A. I Peter 3:7, bad relationship with spouse
B. Selfishness, James 4:3
C. Unforgiving spirit, Matthew 5:22, 24
D. Unbelief, James 1:6-8
Some Questions
There are some things I have been wondering about and thinking about regarding prayer lately. The first thing was God's will and prayer. A sermon on prayer (I will post the outline) got me thinking about this. I have prayed that someone (my daughter for instance) would get saved, for months on end I have prayed - done everything within my power to plead with her to get saved - and then been disappointed that she will not accept Christ. Part of my mind wants to find comfort in telling myself "Oh, she will get saved one day. It's just a matter of time" - yet I know that there is no guarantee!
Even though we pray for someone to be saved, or get right with God, or some other intercessory prayer, God will not violate the individual's free will. Now "free will" is a loaded term, but I mean simply, his freedom to choose. So how do we pray for those who are in open rebellion to God? Simply mention them by name? How can we specifically pray for them?
God will answer prayers that are in His will, but that do not overstep someone's God-given freedom to turn to Him...or to continue in their own way. I can't help thinking of a sheep and a shepherd in this vein of thought. A shepherd may try to get a sheep to safety, but the stubborn sheep may not want to be saved. It may see the greener grass on the other pasture, not knowing of the cliffs, the wolves, or the impending storm clouds.
How does the shepherd deal with the sheep? He may pull them in with his crook (influences that change our direction). He may call to them, but they must be able and willing to hear his voice. He may go and get them, and actually pick them up and remove them from the immediate danger - this is not lasting change, as if the heart is not changed, the sheep will go back to trouble as soon as possible. I have heard that when shepherding, if a sheep constantly runs away, the shepherd breaks it's leg, and then it stays with the shepherd as it heals, and that relationship is built. This might apply to a Christian who is running from God, when God allows events to occur in their life as a means of correction.
So to carry this over to prayer: pray for the lost (unsaved, or backslidden), that they would hear the call of God. Pray that they would be influenced to turn to God, and the flip side of this is, pray that Satan's influence would be thwarted. Pray that whatever is needed, God would correct and chastise the straying Christian. This may seem cruel, but you have to know the Saviour. He is ever merciful, good, and kind. The discipline He gives us will not scar us or damage us, but it will keep us from the scarring and damaging effects of sin.
Even though we pray for someone to be saved, or get right with God, or some other intercessory prayer, God will not violate the individual's free will. Now "free will" is a loaded term, but I mean simply, his freedom to choose. So how do we pray for those who are in open rebellion to God? Simply mention them by name? How can we specifically pray for them?
God will answer prayers that are in His will, but that do not overstep someone's God-given freedom to turn to Him...or to continue in their own way. I can't help thinking of a sheep and a shepherd in this vein of thought. A shepherd may try to get a sheep to safety, but the stubborn sheep may not want to be saved. It may see the greener grass on the other pasture, not knowing of the cliffs, the wolves, or the impending storm clouds.
How does the shepherd deal with the sheep? He may pull them in with his crook (influences that change our direction). He may call to them, but they must be able and willing to hear his voice. He may go and get them, and actually pick them up and remove them from the immediate danger - this is not lasting change, as if the heart is not changed, the sheep will go back to trouble as soon as possible. I have heard that when shepherding, if a sheep constantly runs away, the shepherd breaks it's leg, and then it stays with the shepherd as it heals, and that relationship is built. This might apply to a Christian who is running from God, when God allows events to occur in their life as a means of correction.
So to carry this over to prayer: pray for the lost (unsaved, or backslidden), that they would hear the call of God. Pray that they would be influenced to turn to God, and the flip side of this is, pray that Satan's influence would be thwarted. Pray that whatever is needed, God would correct and chastise the straying Christian. This may seem cruel, but you have to know the Saviour. He is ever merciful, good, and kind. The discipline He gives us will not scar us or damage us, but it will keep us from the scarring and damaging effects of sin.
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