WHY does GOD not ANSWER our PRAYERS? (our way?)

[Gibs]

Dear Robert, Jesus taught the law, He madd it clear He didn't do away with it that it is eternal. Yes as eternal as God is Himself.

And in the last verse pasted here He cautions strongly not to teach men to break the least commandment. Notice also not one jot or tittle bit is to pass from it!

Mt 5:17 ¶ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Mt 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Mt 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

He will even put it on display shortly,

Re 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[JoeMo]

Umfundize,

Just as in Jesus' time, keeping God's commandments has little if anything to do with receiving God's grace - from answering prayer to receiving miraculous healing. Also, just like in Jesus' time, miracles abound, but people refuse to acknowledge them. How many people in Jesus' day asked Him "What signs will you show us that we may believe?" They had likely seen many already, but refused to accept them as real. So it is with today's non-believers and believing cessationists. They see miracles; and pass them off a tricks or "spontaneous healings". They see gold dust, glory clouds, angels or holy fire in/around a church; and pass it off as some "special effect", mass hysteria, or other mummery concocted by the church. They see human life itself and pass it off as the end-product of evolution. If someone chooses to not believe, how much evidence would it take to convince them otherwise?

You have seen my testimony above. Most people (including some here on CA) likely think it is some sort of bovine excrement concocted by me to bring myself glory; or some sort of hysterical hallucination brought about in a frenzy of pseudo-religious ecstacy or LSD-induced trance. I assure you, it is not.

As Adventists, many of us have been warned that satan can perform miracles like God; and that the very elect can be deceived by them. Why would God perform a miracle for people who would readily suspect it as satan's work?

If we want to experience miracles, we have to start watching for what God is doing; not what He is NOT doing.

Admittedly, miracles are rare. If they were commonplace, they would cease to be amazing.

[Gibs]

God does answer our prayers, and a yes or a no. What do we expect and should we? We just need not be questioning Him but mindful to walk with Him. He does take care of His Own be assured, He is the faithful Shepherd!

Here I find is a beneficial read from EGW,

"The promise is not that we will have strength today for a future emergency, that anticipated future trouble will be provided for beforehand, before it comes to us. We may, if we walk by faith, expect strength and provision for us as fast as our circumstances demand it. We live by faith, not by sight. The Lord's arrangement is for us to ask Him for the very things that we need. The grace of tomorrow will not be given today. Men's necessity is God's opportunity. . . . The grace of God is never given to be squandered, to be misapplied or perverted, or to be left to rust with disuse. . . . {AG 261.2}

While you are bearing daily responsibilities in the love and fear of God, as obedient children walking in all humility of mind, strength and wisdom from God will be given to meet every trying circumstance. . . . {AG 261.3}

We are to keep close to the Source of our strength day by day, and when the enemy comes in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord lifts up a standard for us against the enemy. The promise of God is sure, that strength shall be proportioned to our day. We may be confident for the future only in the strength that is given for the present necessities. . . . Do not borrow anxiety for the future. It is today that we are in need. {AG 261.4}

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[JoeMo]

Amen Bro. Gibs,

It is by practicing our faith now; building our "faith muscles" in these relatively easy times, so that, when the end comes, we will be spiritually fit to withstand the onslaughts of the wicked one and stand up for the Kingdom of God! When our eyes are open to see the miracles of God happening all around us now, we will be able to discern the authentic from the counterfeit. Believe me - there will be plenty of supernatural manifestations at the end - and some will be overwhelmingly evil.

We serve a good God. But just because He is good does not mean He is safe. While His beloved are protected by His mighty right hand, those who are in rebellion against Him - who have refused the gift of His grace and salvation - will have plenty to fear. It is up to us here and now to recognize and practice His mighty works, that our words may be backed up by His awesome signs and wonders when the time comes.

We need to "practice" healing miracles. If people don't get healed, we can chalk it up to "practice". We need to practice deliverance. If people aren't delivered, we can chalk it up to "practice". I and the people in my church have been "practicing" for six years now; and you know what? People get healed and delivered! Not every time; but often enough to keep us motivated to keep "practicing"! See my testimony several pages above.

EGW told us that Jesus had no powers that are not available to us now if we would just ask. Jesus promised us that we would do even greater works than He would. Christians in other parts of the world (including Adventists) are healing the blind, deaf and crippled - even raising people from the dead! God can use us to do the same thing. All we have to do is ask, believe, and "practice"!

Blessings to you all on this Sabbath Day!

JoeMo

[Gerr]

All,

I'm having a problem distinguishing "saved in sin" and "saved from sin" If I come to Jesus "just as I am", I am likely "in sin" 1 John says that if we claim we have no sin, we lie.

Yes, we come to Jesus just as we are. But does He leave us the way we are?

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I would propose that people who are actively engaged in continuous sin - as Gerry proposed above - are not truly in Christ; but it's not my place to judge. Yet IMO some people cant' help clinging to particularly "sticky" sins (like alcohol and drug addictions) until God directly intervenes. Are they lost? Again, it's not my place to judge.

I can't judge either. I can only give you the Word which says, ESV | ‎1 Jn 3:8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

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I still sin - does that make me "saved in sin"? I don't "continue in sin" (i.e., sin willfully with malice and forethought)- does that make me "saved from sin"?

As long as we are in this "body of death", we will continue to sin. But are you still making a practice of sinning? Is sin still your master? By that I mean that when boss sin tells you to do something you do it willingly.

[Gerr]

Soooooo, I'm still saved while robbing the gov't and God, and all the while I'm also cheating on my spouse? If we are saved in our sins, WHO would be EXCLUDED from heaven or God's new earth?

ESV | ‎Mt 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me' date=' ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ‎22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ‎23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Do you think these people didn't want to be saved?

ESV | ‎Mt 25:1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. ‎2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.11 Afterward the other virgins [the foolish'] came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ ‎12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

Do you think the foolish virgins wanted to be saved? Do you think Cain didn't want to be saved? Judas? King Saul?

[Gerr]

Originally Posted By: JoeMo

WHEW! Thanks Woody - Gibs and Gerry had me worried there for a minute! Looks like we need to crank up the praises some more! I'm gonna post one right now!

Nah - don't listen to them peoples JoeMo.

You can go to the bank on it. We corrupt peoples are saved IN our sins.

I personally have not seen any sinless peeps walking around. Have you?

Banking human opinions can be dangerous. But I can bank with confidence what the Word says, i.e. "Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil...." 1 Jn 3:8 ESV.

[Gibs]

Here is another "stickler" verse on this subject and matches others for content I posted earlier,

1Jo 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

Sounds to me as obedience does get priority to say the least. Love does beget obedience so what we need is far more love.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[Robert]

Dear Robert, Jesus taught the law, He made it clear He didn't do away with it that it is eternal.

No, it's not eternal...the law didn't exist before Sinai. And yes, Jesus didn't do away with the law, instead He fulfilled the law and delivered humanity from under its jurisdiction. We received this through faith.

[Gerr]

No law, no sin. So why was Cain guilty of murder? How did Joseph know it was sin to have sex with his master's wife?

[Gibs]

Robert, He fulfilled the law, yes by keeping it as we are to do. No way are any taken away from it. It is actually to be transferred into your heart and when it isn't there it is revived again to school master you of your sining.

Yes without the law there would be no sin. You could do all the evil ya wanted and be saved, but hold the horses, it is far from being so.

Oh how men want to abolish the law and it can't be done. You would have to abolish God Himself to accomplish that feat.

The law has always been and Satan was the first lawless one! He was the first "anomos"(negative artical) alpha lawless one!

Yes Jesus Christ fulfilled the law as we must also and that is the reason He came in one of us that the way would be made that His Power could be in any who would comply and walk the walk He did. We have none, nil, no excuses will be accepted. All who will be in His Kingdom will be overcomers here in this probationary time which is about over.

He is calling all saints, get your spiritual houses in order as I am coming now very, very soon.

Satan will break out here very shortly for his last hellish hurrah and it will be over.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[Robert]

Robert, He fulfilled the law, yes by keeping it as we are to do.

"The principle that man can save himself by his own works lay at the foundation of every heathen religion." Ellen G. White, —The Desire of Ages, p. 35.

[Robert]

The law has always been....

Really?

Gal 3:7 ...the law, which came four hundred and thirty years afterward, (after Abraham) does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. (God promised Abraham salvation by faith in the coming Messiah:) 18 For if the inheritance is by the law, it is no longer by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. 19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions

Romans 5:13 Sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses.....

Between Adam and Moses humans were dying, but not due to the second death (the curse of the law). Why? Because of indwelling sin (our bent to self) produced death.

God gave the law, not to replace the promise of salvation by grace, but to expose our sinfulness that we might be justified by Christ's doing and dying.

John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

So before Moses the law of Ten Commandments did not exist.

If fact, at the end of the age, the Ten Commandments will come to and end.

[Robert]

In fact, at the end of the age, the Ten Commandments will come to and end.

Matt 5:18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. (NKJV)

What is going to happen in the future?

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

When the earth passes away the law will come to an end.

[Gibs]

Didn't get em here,

Re 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

Jesus made a copy of these and gave to Moses.

Notice God puts them on display! He shows His immutable eternal law to the disobedient and all. This as we know is the last roundup scene.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[JoeMo]

I thought the topic of this thread was "Why Does God Not Answer Our Prayers (our way)?" - not the same old tired debate on law vs. grace. Please stick to the topic!

[Robert]

Re 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: .....

Yes, assume this somehow refers to the law....Doesn't matter, it's before the earth is destroyed. When the earth and sinners comes to an end, so does the law. Read my quotes again....

[Robert]

He shows His immutable eternal law.....

Matt 5:18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. (NKJV)

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

When the earth passes away all is fulfilled. The law is no longer needed. It was given to meet sinful man in his fallen condition. It was given to make matters worse.

[Robert]

I'm going to start another thread named, "Is the law eternal?"

[Gibs]

To get thread back on track I will repost this as I find it answers the question, "Why does God not Answer our Prayers? (our way?)

Our way? Well we should not expect that so much as to ask aright and do we when we are not caring or loving Him enough to regard His wishes.

1Jo 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

Sounds to me as obedience does get priority to say the least. Love does beget obedience so what we need is far more love.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[John317]

I'm having a problem distinguishing "saved in sin" and "saved from sin" If I come to Jesus "just as I am", I am likely "in sin" 1 John says that if we claim we have no sin, we lie.

Let's say I'm a robber or a murderer. Being saved FROM sin means that I will no longer go on robbing or killing people. For a murderer to be saved "in sin" means he goes on killing people and thinking that he's saved "in his sins," i.e., while he continues practicing his sin. The truth is that God saves us from our sins.

A former murderer will doubtless need to stop other sins as the Holy Spirit convicts him of those sins, but you can be sure that if he is truly converted, he won't go on murdering people.

The same principle applies to other kinds of sins as well. For example, the adulterer will stop committing adultery; the homosexual will stop practicing homosexuality; the liar will stop deliberately practice lying, etc. That is the difference between being saved from sin and being saved in our sin.

Read 1 John 1: 5 to 2: 6 carefully. Also study 1 John 3: 1-10. There's no contradiction there.

[JoeMo]

I was being sarcastic John. I do know the difference. I am not perfectly sinless; but I am confident in my salvation. I don't find that either hypocritical or inconsistent. If I need to worry about my salvation every time I sin, I would give up. Yes; I have overcome much; but there is still so much to overcome. God is still working on me; and partnering with me on overcoming many things. I plan to cooperate with Him. He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it unto perfection.

[Woody]

I was being sarcastic John. I do know the difference. I am not perfectly sinless; but I am confident in my salvation. I don't find that either hypocritical or inconsistent. If I need to worry about my salvation every time I sin, I would give up. Yes; I have overcome much; but there is still so much to overcome. God is still working on me; and partnering with me on overcoming many things. I plan to cooperate with Him. He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it unto perfection.

[John317]

I was being sarcastic John. I do know the difference.

Really? Where's the indication of "sarcasm" in your posts?

Originally Posted By: JoeMo

I'm having a problem distinguishing "saved in sin" and "saved from sin" If I come to Jesus "just as I am", I am likely "in sin" 1 John says that if we claim we have no sin, we lie.

You're sentence doesn't show your insincerity or sarcasm, but I'll accept your word for it that you really do understand the difference between being saved in sin and being saved from sin.

Being saved from sin has nothing to do with claiming or thinking a person is "perfect" in the sense of being without sin. So, the idea of "having no sin" is not relevant.

Ellen White talks about the essential difference between being saved in sin and being saved from sin.

Look at this statement:

Quote:

There are but two classes in the world,--the class that know God, and the class that know him not. The spiritual man belongs to the first class, the natural man to the other; and it is according to our estimate of the character of the Father and the Son that our class is determined. It is natural for the man whose soul is flooded with the love of Jesus, to see in God his father and his friend. He can and will teach others in harmony with the light which shines into the chambers of his heart. He will teach men the one way from sin to righteousness, revealing to the world the character of Him who is the way, the truth, and the life. Through the plan of redemption, a way has been provided whereby the sinner may be led from the depths of ruin upward to the paradise of God. This provision has been wrought out through an infinite sacrifice on the part of the Father and the Son. The love of God is expressed to man in the priceless gift of his Son; but Christ was given to a lost world, that we might be saved, not in our sins, but from our sins. {RH, February 10, 1891 par. 2}

Sinners cannot be saved by their good works; for all the powers of man belong to God, and in whatever we offer to God, we must say with David, "Of thine own have we given thee." The language of the truly repentant heart is,--

"In my hand no price I bring.

Simply to Thy cross I cling." {RH, February 10, 1891 par. 3}

Jesus alone has power to save from sin, to free from the power of evil; and to doubt him who has laid down his life for us, is to grieve and insult the Father, who has in one gift poured out all heaven to a lost world.

Quote:

I saw that the outside appearance was an index to the heart. When hung with ribbons, collars, and needless things, it plainly shows that all this is in the heart, and unless that such persons are cleansed from their sins, they can never see God, for the pure in heart alone will see him. {4bSG 21.1}

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We should know what we must do to be saved. We should not, my brethren and sisters, float along with the popular current. Our present work is to come out from the world and be separate. This is the only way we can walk with God, as did Enoch. Divine influences were constantly working with his human efforts. Like him, we are called upon to have a strong, living, working faith, and this is the only way we can be laborers together with God. We must meet the conditions laid down in the word of God or die in our sins. We must know what moral changes are essential to be made in our characters, through the grace of Christ, in order to be fitted for the mansions above. (5 T 535)

[JoeMo]

OK, John.

Have a nice week. God's Blessings on you.

I truly believe that everything I post is in accordance with the context of scripture. I'm not all that concerned about it being in context with SoP. I believe teaching love and grace and taking that to the streets is God's way; and being so separate from the world that we are downright exclusive while teaching fear and condemnation is not. I believe that God is looking for a reason to save as many as possible; not that He is looking for a way to destroy as many as possible. I't's OK if we don't agree on all points as long as we feel like we are in harmony with God.

Blessings,

JoeMo