| (Copyright 11-01-2024) by James Steinle (Swanville, Minnesota) |
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| I think we will see our prayers can be effective for others or ourselves; especially if our hearts, our faith and our active obedience are all a part of our entreaties. At the time I am writing this in early October 2024 much of the southeastern rural U.S. has been devastated by an unprecedented hurricane named Helene. Why and how did this weather system hang together like none other in known history for such a long time, causing enormous death and destruction in inland areas which is forested with trees and having much mountainous terrain? A hurricane that some believed was deliberately steered into what is known as back country conservative territory by the use of HAARP (which a number of countries have or are experimenting with in controlling weather). Many homes have been destroyed, families ripped apart, lives taken, and human bodies and limbs have been seen hanging from treetops. Livelihoods have been washed away and the ability to produce including crops eliminated. Supposedly 10,000 body bags are not enough! WHAT IS HAPPENING TO OUR BELOVED COUNTRY?! The answer to that lies within the pages of the Bible; hidden from view if we never read it or only read the New Testament. The whole book is there to learn from. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” (2 Timothy 3:16, KJV) So, the answer to what is happening to our country is that we as a people, have not been taught rightly by those doing the teaching to obey the commands of our God (Ezekiel 34), or, we individually have rejected the way of living righteously or obediently to the commands of a loving God (Ezekiel 18). We as a nation are not learning the ways that produce blessings, not only personally but for our country also. Without that, evil is allowed by us to start creeping in. It is our personal and collective choice. THE PROBLEM IS OUR HEARTS The principle for all this is especially found in the books of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. They are known as the blessings and curses chapters; well worth the read to see how they fit in with our modern society. In Deuteronomy 5:29 God laments, “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!” He has always wanted to have a close and familial relationship with humanity that He created through his Son. The plan for that to happen is an on-going one and will continue into the next millennium; culminating after that when a new heaven and a new earth are created with God the Father Himself and his Son Yayshua living with we their children. There will be no more tears or crying! (Revelation 21 – 22:1-5). Isn’t that something to long for?! So the question arose in my mind after hurricane Helene, ‘Yes, we want to pray for help for those in distress like from the natural or, unnatural disasters, but are our prayers, our anguish that we feel doing any good for any of them? Does the God of Heaven hear our cries for help? Especially for those that are considered brethren? WHAT DOES HIS WORD HAVE TO SAY ABOUT OUR PRAYERS? Some may have read enough of their Bible to remember what is said in Isaiah 59:2, “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” There are also some statements from our Mighty One not to pray for some He considers not worthy of prayers, at least at that particular time. (Read Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14 and 14:11). In those specific examples He was/is talking about those from the tribe of Judah who forsook God’s ways of justice towards others due to their hard heartedness and just wanted to do their own thing in worship. God told Jeremiah not to pray for these people who had forsaken the covenant they had with the Almighty as He would not hear those prayers. It isn’t till the Messiah returns as King of kings and LORD of lords that many of the hearts of the tribe of Judah will finally give up their own ways; having learned the lessons that come from severe correction. Thankfully they will learn! At times it may be that God allows terrible times to happen in the hope people will then finally turn to deciding to obey Him and receive His great mercy and blessings that He is able to make happen upon remorse and repentance. God, now in the New Testament or Covenant, has made His Son Yayshua [meaning “He (is) Salvation”] available, which then allows us to be given the Spirit that comes from the Father that sets us apart and gives us power to help overcome our own and the world’s evil carnal nature (Hebrews 3:1-15). That overcoming is not a onetime event but a lifetime effort once we have been converted and baptized. We will slip up and sin from time to time, but Yayshua or Jesus is now available to be our ever living High Priest who makes Atonement for us when we sincerely ask. (See Acts chapters 1, 2 and 3:19-23 on repentance and Hebrews 4:14-16 on our High Priest). We hopefully will not retain a heart that wants to sin deliberately! Because after conversion and baptism we now know better and will be held accountable. That would be putting our Savior to open shame and asking him to be crucified once again (Hebrews 6:1-7). It is my understanding from the Scriptures that in order to be baptized and receive the Holy or set-apart Spirit, we need to be of an age that we understand the concepts involved. If, in our heart we do not care enough about wanting to learn and obey what our God (the Mighty One) instructs us in showing love to Him, then why would He want to hear and respond to our prayers, even for others? If we do care enough to pray for others, that shows at least something about us to Him. And He is known for the mercy He desires to have toward us as shown previously above in Deuteronomy 5:29. If He per his mercy, actually does show he heard our prayer for someone else, even though we may not have been searching for Him or obedient, just think how much more he might respond if we are trying to learn from and obey him as our loving Parent (1 John 2:1-5)! EXAMPLES OF A REQUEST TO GOD Let’s learn about our requests to God. We have the example of the patriarch Abraham. He wanted to rescue his nephew Lot when Abraham learned the city where Lot lived was going to be destroyed by God due to their unrepentant hearts and deeds. We find this in Genesis 18 and 19. Abraham had such faith he was even willing to try to negotiate with God! He asked, if there were 50 righteous people, would God spare the city? God said he would spare it if there were 50 righteous men found in it. Abraham went down in the amounts until finally asking if the city would be spared if there were only 10 righteous in it; to which God also agreed. Trouble was, it appears only Lot was considered by God to be righteous, so only Lot and a couple of his daughters were spared. Lot’s wife was allowed to leave also, but her heart was not really into it as she turned to look back, apparently longingly, at what she was leaving. She was immediately turned into a pillar of salt which caused her to be an example to us. Do we see this mostly evil world as something we would be sad to see destroyed; knowing there is a wonderful world coming? Our Savior, our Elder Brother, gave us an example of what we should be focused on in Matthew 6:5-15, “5 And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. 14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (NKJV) In learning how to pray, we should read the above examples focusing our mind and thoughts on each part, thinking about the whys and wherefores of what is being said. We do not want to just get into the habit of rote repetition. We certainly would not do that if we were talking to another human! In Isaiah 1:18 He says, “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” (NKJV) That is the potential we humans can have if we are willing to change our ways and believe in His Son. (1 JOHN 5:4,5,14,15) BE DILIGENT IN PRAYER Our Heavenly Father does like to see if our hearts are really into what we are asking for. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” i.e., not half-heartedly but whole-heartedly! Our faith comes from reading and/or hearing and actively considering and thinking through what we read or hear about the words, instructions and examples in Scripture. James 4:2 warns us how to receive proper true blessings for ourselves or others, “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.” We need to realize our real and true blessings, or blessings for others, can come only from the Creator who made us and knows what we or others really need. Sometimes we need instruction and sometimes correction (both of which is love). That is up to our Heavenly Father, our spiritual Parent. We need to ask, appropriately and diligently, especially with an outgoing heartfelt concern for others and especially brethren, in their needs; just as our High Priest and Savior does for us to our Heavenly Father. ——————————————————————————————————– See James Steinle’s other articles at: Steinle, James – Church of God, Bismarck (church-of-god-bismarck.org) ——————————————————————————————————– |
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