It has stood the test of time.
00:00:07.96\00:00:12.23
God's book.
00:00:12.23\00:00:14.40
The Bible.
00:00:14.40\00:00:17.13
Still relevant in
today's complex world.
00:00:17.13\00:00:22.13
It Is Written. . .
00:00:22.13\00:00:25.50
sharing hope around the globe.
00:00:25.50\00:00:30.03
Hudson Taylor was a missionary
to China in the 19th Century.
00:00:36.90\00:00:40.80
He spent 51 years there,
and his medical missionary work
00:00:40.80\00:00:44.13
drew huge numbers of people
to make decisions for Christ.
00:00:44.13\00:00:47.76
Hudson Taylor was a real
man of faith, and he believed in
00:00:47.76\00:00:51.06
the power of prayer.
00:00:51.06\00:00:53.60
Now the story goes that there
was a time when the boat in
00:00:53.60\00:00:56.70
which he was
sailing became becalmed -
00:00:56.70\00:00:59.83
drifting because there
was no wind to fill its sails.
00:00:59.83\00:01:03.20
As a result, the vessel
drifted dangerously close to
00:01:03.20\00:01:06.66
an island inhabited by
cannibals, who were apparently
00:01:06.66\00:01:10.56
waiting excitedly to have
these sailors over for dinner.
00:01:10.56\00:01:14.36
The captain came to Taylor
and asked him to pray for the
00:01:14.36\00:01:17.70
winds to come up.
00:01:17.70\00:01:19.40
Now, Missionary Taylor
agreed to pray but only
00:01:19.40\00:01:22.20
if the captain
raised the sails first.
00:01:22.20\00:01:26.33
The captain refused because
he said he didn't want to make a
00:01:26.33\00:01:30.03
laughingstock of himself.
00:01:30.03\00:01:31.50
When the captain
later repeated his request,
00:01:31.50\00:01:34.03
Taylor replied again,
I'll not pray unless you
00:01:34.03\00:01:36.93
first put up the sails.
00:01:36.93\00:01:39.56
This time the captain
agreed to do so, and Taylor went
00:01:39.56\00:01:41.80
to his room to pray.
00:01:41.80\00:01:43.50
It wasn't long and
there was a knock at his door.
00:01:43.50\00:01:47.10
"Have you begun to pray?"
00:01:47.10\00:01:48.66
"Yes, I have", was the reply.
00:01:48.66\00:01:51.86
"Well would you please stop.
00:01:51.86\00:01:53.43
We've got more wind now
that we can safely handle!"
00:01:53.43\00:01:57.20
[speaking as if he
were yelling outloud).
00:01:57.20\00:01:59.23
Great story.
00:01:59.23\00:02:00.20
True story.
00:02:00.20\00:02:01.26
But let me ask a question:
Does it always happen that way?
00:02:01.26\00:02:06.40
What happens when you
pray, and it seems as though God
00:02:06.40\00:02:09.70
didn't answer your prayers?
00:02:09.70\00:02:12.23
Today, Prayer in the Real World.
00:02:12.23\00:02:16.36
What happens when you pray and
it doesn't work out perfectly.
00:02:16.36\00:02:21.00
Now our story illustrates
something very important: God
00:02:21.00\00:02:24.23
is in the business of
doing great things in answer
00:02:24.23\00:02:26.93
to our prayers.
00:02:26.93\00:02:27.96
There is power in prayer.
00:02:27.96\00:02:30.36
The Bible encourages us
to pray without ceasing.
00:02:30.36\00:02:34.26
Prayer has been described
as being "the breath of the
00:02:34.26\00:02:37.53
soul." Through prayer
we communicate with God.
00:02:37.53\00:02:41.16
There can't be a real
relationship with God without
00:02:41.16\00:02:43.56
communication with God, and
a person who communicates with
00:02:43.56\00:02:46.90
God in prayer opens himself
or herself up to the blessing
00:02:46.90\00:02:51.53
of God's presence.
00:02:51.53\00:02:52.86
Prayer lifts a person up to
God and opens us up to God's
00:02:52.86\00:02:57.76
mind and God's purposes.
00:02:57.76\00:03:01.50
In that famous passage in the
Bible where Paul writes about
00:03:01.50\00:03:04.26
the armour of God, he writes
that we should be "praying
00:03:04.26\00:03:07.90
always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit,
00:03:07.90\00:03:11.46
and watching thereunto
with all perseverance and
00:03:11.46\00:03:13.93
supplication for all saints."
00:03:13.93\00:03:16.63
Now, let's
analyze this a little bit.
00:03:16.63\00:03:18.90
You will see that the Bible
writer Paul urges us to pray
00:03:18.90\00:03:21.86
always; also, to bring
our requests, our petitions to
00:03:21.86\00:03:27.30
God, and to persevere in
prayer - to pray and pray
00:03:27.30\00:03:32.70
and not give up.
00:03:32.70\00:03:35.36
And Jesus taught us
exactly the same thing.
00:03:35.36\00:03:38.86
I'm going to look at a passage
in the gospel of Luke 18,
00:03:38.86\00:03:42.90
in Luke chapter 18.
00:03:42.90\00:03:43.46
We start off in verse 1.
00:03:43.46\00:03:44.80
Here's what Jesus did:
00:03:44.80\00:03:46.06
It is very evident that
God wants to hear from us,
00:03:55.13\00:03:57.33
and he cares about
what we think and feel.
00:03:57.33\00:04:00.76
And that line that says God
wants us not only to pray, but
00:04:00.76\00:04:03.90
to persevere in prayer --
God is serious about that.
00:04:03.90\00:04:07.26
He wants us to
pray and not to quit.
00:04:07.26\00:04:10.50
Now, that passage
goes on to say this: Hang
00:04:10.50\00:04:14.36
in there with me.
00:04:14.36\00:04:16.30
We are going to read
several verses together.
00:04:16.30\00:04:17.46
Still in Luke 18:
00:04:17.46\00:04:19.13
This passage
suggests several things to us.
00:05:09.80\00:05:16.20
To begin with, it teaches
us about the character of God,
00:05:16.20\00:05:19.86
not by example but by contrast.
00:05:19.86\00:05:22.80
Unlike the unjust judge,
God is willing to come to
00:05:22.80\00:05:25.00
the aid of His people.
00:05:25.00\00:05:26.46
And He is willing to do so
'speedily', the Bible says.
00:05:26.46\00:05:29.23
God wants to bless us.
00:05:29.23\00:05:32.63
He wants us to thrive.
00:05:32.63\00:05:35.06
Now that's not to say God
wants to make us all rich, or
00:05:35.06\00:05:38.13
that He wants to make us all
architects or brain surgeons,
00:05:38.13\00:05:40.96
or school teachers or
physicists or anything else.
00:05:40.96\00:05:43.36
It is to say that God wants to
bless us - that is, to prosper
00:05:43.36\00:05:49.36
us, to encourage us, maybe
to challenge us, or whatever us
00:05:49.36\00:05:53.66
in the way that God
sees is best for us.
00:05:53.66\00:05:56.16
the Bible says.
00:05:59.53\00:06:02.30
We know that for sure.
00:06:02.30\00:06:03.10
God is willing to give us
good gifts more readily than
00:06:03.10\00:06:04.80
earthly parents are willing
to give good things to their
00:06:04.80\00:06:07.86
children, according to
what it says in the Bible.
00:06:07.86\00:06:10.10
When you come to God in
prayer, you can afford to
00:06:10.10\00:06:12.93
believe that God is wanting
to give to you the very best
00:06:12.93\00:06:16.20
of blessings.
00:06:16.20\00:06:18.33
Now, think about what the
Bible says to us about prayer.
00:06:18.33\00:06:22.26
Jesus said,
00:06:22.26\00:06:24.50
That's a bit like
being given a blank cheque!
00:06:36.90\00:06:40.06
Now of course there are some
conditions that apply to this.
00:06:40.06\00:06:42.93
David wrote that if we regard
iniquity in our hearts the
00:06:42.93\00:06:45.86
Lord will not hear us.
00:06:45.86\00:06:47.53
And if we're serious about
having our prayers answered,
00:06:47.53\00:06:50.23
we've got to hunger and thirst
after righteousness - those
00:06:50.23\00:06:53.56
are the ones who will be filled.
00:06:53.56\00:06:55.90
God said that He would
pour water upon dry ground.
00:06:55.90\00:06:58.53
And one of the most remarkable
verses in the entire Bible
00:06:58.53\00:07:01.83
says this,
00:07:01.83\00:07:03.16
That is God saying, "If
I've given you Jesus, then what
00:07:18.40\00:07:21.56
would I not give you?"
00:07:21.56\00:07:23.60
And all that is good.
00:07:23.60\00:07:25.40
It's great!
00:07:25.40\00:07:27.56
It's incredible.
00:07:27.56\00:07:29.10
It's indispensable.
00:07:29.10\00:07:31.60
But as we go back to our Bible
story, we notice something.
00:07:31.60\00:07:36.20
This woman who was appealing
to the judge finally wore him
00:07:36.20\00:07:41.20
down by her "continual
coming." She's known as the
00:07:41.20\00:07:45.13
'importunate
widow' - importunate means
00:07:45.13\00:07:48.56
"troublesomely urgent",
or "persistent in request or
00:07:48.56\00:07:51.96
demand." Which indicates
that this woman did not get what
00:07:51.96\00:07:55.10
she was seeking on
the first go round.
00:07:55.10\00:07:58.20
She had to ask, and ask again.
00:07:58.20\00:08:00.66
And that sometimes
raises questions in our minds.
00:08:00.66\00:08:04.56
Let's be honest here.
00:08:04.56\00:08:07.16
If we were doing a
reality show about prayer, we'd
00:08:07.16\00:08:10.03
probably have a dozen people
living in a big house sharing
00:08:10.03\00:08:12.60
their experiences about prayer
and you know for sure there'd
00:08:12.60\00:08:16.20
be at least one person driving
a new car and enjoying great
00:08:16.20\00:08:19.56
health, tons of money, just
got a promotion at work, and
00:08:19.56\00:08:23.33
this person would be
praising the Lord because God is
00:08:23.33\00:08:26.53
answering her or his prayers.
00:08:26.53\00:08:28.33
But then there would be
someone else, who prayed
00:08:28.33\00:08:32.86
for their child to get
well and their child died.
00:08:32.86\00:08:35.90
Even though they prayed and
fasted and prayed and fasted.
00:08:35.90\00:08:41.16
[Music] [Soft crying]
00:08:41.16\00:09:02.86
There would be someone
in that house, maybe a wife
00:09:02.86\00:09:04.70
who had been praying for the
salvation of her husband, and
00:09:04.70\00:09:07.06
he never becomes a Christian.
00:09:07.06\00:09:09.40
A man prays for safe travel,
winds up being cut out of his
00:09:09.40\00:09:13.30
car by the jaws of life and he
can never walk normally again.
00:09:13.30\00:09:18.60
[Music] [sound of cane on table]
00:09:18.60\00:09:26.63
Most people can relate
to that on some level -
00:09:26.63\00:09:28.53
because many people, maybe
most people, have prayed for
00:09:28.53\00:09:32.50
sunshine and got rain instead.
00:09:32.50\00:09:34.90
And you wonder -
did God hear my prayer?
00:09:34.90\00:09:40.50
In a moment, in a moment
I am going to expose prayer
00:09:40.50\00:09:45.30
for what it REALLY is...
00:09:45.30\00:09:48.43
In Matthew 4:4
the Word of God says
00:09:48.43\00:09:53.06
Every Word is a one minute
Bible-based daily devotional
00:10:00.26\00:10:02.56
presented by Pastor
John Bradshaw and designed
00:10:02.56\00:10:05.63
especially for
busy people like you.
00:10:05.63\00:10:07.80
Look for Every Word on
selected networks or watch it
00:10:07.80\00:10:11.60
on-line everyday on our
website itiswritten.com.
00:10:11.60\00:10:15.76
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:10:15.76\00:10:17.93
Watch Every Word.
00:10:17.93\00:10:18.83
You'll be glad you did.
00:10:18.83\00:10:20.53
here is a sample It
isn't always a bad thing
00:10:20.53\00:10:32.63
when God doesn't
answer your prayer.
00:10:32.63\00:10:34.96
In his autobiography, "My
Dream" It Is Written founder,
00:10:34.96\00:10:38.50
George Vandeman, tells of a
time when as a young man under
00:10:38.50\00:10:41.33
heavy conviction he cried
out and said, "Holy Spirit,
00:10:41.33\00:10:44.73
leave me!
00:10:44.73\00:10:45.70
And don't ever come back!"
00:10:45.70\00:10:47.50
Thankfully, that
prayer was never answered.
00:10:47.50\00:10:49.13
In fact, that prayer
actually helped George recognize
00:10:49.13\00:10:51.90
his great need of God's grace,
and it led him on the road
00:10:51.90\00:10:55.16
to repentance.
00:10:55.16\00:10:56.60
We make mistakes.
00:10:56.60\00:10:57.66
We say things we shouldn't.
00:10:57.66\00:10:59.33
We sometimes even insult God.
00:10:59.33\00:11:01.13
And you know what?
00:11:01.13\00:11:02.26
We don't need to
think that closes the door
00:11:02.26\00:11:04.63
of mercy to us.
00:11:04.63\00:11:05.50
Psalms 103:14 says,
00:11:05.50\00:11:07.36
God knows what you're made
of, and He loves you and puts up
00:11:11.43\00:11:14.13
with you and is
patient with you anyway.
00:11:14.13\00:11:17.23
You can be glad
about that today.
00:11:17.23\00:11:18.70
I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
00:11:18.70\00:11:20.36
Let's live today by Every Word.
00:11:20.36\00:11:24.70
If you are a regular viewer
of It is Written, there's a good
00:11:24.70\00:11:27.20
chance you are curious
about who we are and what we do.
00:11:27.20\00:11:30.06
This ministry is
dedicated to sharing the gospel
00:11:30.06\00:11:33.03
around the world.
00:11:33.03\00:11:35.06
There are many ways we
try to accomplish that.
00:11:35.06\00:11:37.23
To get an inside view through
written and visual reports,
00:11:37.23\00:11:40.30
photos and videos, visit
our website: itiswritten.com and
00:11:40.30\00:11:45.30
while you are there, you
will also discover the many
00:11:45.30\00:11:48.40
inspirational resources
that are available to help you
00:11:48.40\00:11:50.60
in your Christian walk.
00:11:50.60\00:11:52.03
I invite you to
visit itiswritten.com.
00:11:52.03\00:11:55.36
You'll be glad you did.
00:11:55.36\00:11:59.36
Today, we are looking at
prayer in the real world.
00:11:59.36\00:12:02.53
You know, it's a
wonder that people don't pray
00:12:02.53\00:12:05.00
more than they do.
00:12:05.00\00:12:06.26
I read where someone wrote
that the darkness of the evil
00:12:06.26\00:12:09.00
one encloses those
who neglect to pray.
00:12:09.00\00:12:12.16
I think that's right.
00:12:12.16\00:12:13.76
And prayer doesn't have to
be drudgery: In prayer, you're
00:12:13.76\00:12:17.83
opening up your heart as to
a friend, you're talking about
00:12:17.83\00:12:21.30
things that clearly
interest you and things that are
00:12:21.30\00:12:23.43
important to you, and you're
inviting the presence of God
00:12:23.43\00:12:26.03
more and more into your life.
00:12:26.03\00:12:28.66
And don't think for a
moment that your prayers
00:12:28.66\00:12:30.76
have to be flowery,
eloquent masterpieces.
00:12:30.76\00:12:32.80
They just don't need to be.
00:12:32.80\00:12:34.06
Prayer is about honest
communication with God.
00:12:34.06\00:12:37.20
But if we're being honest ..
00:12:37.20\00:12:38.83
IF we're being honest, we'd
have to admit that sometimes
00:12:38.83\00:12:42.43
God doesn't give us
what we want when we pray.
00:12:42.43\00:12:45.66
And that's not only when
we pray the 'selfish' prayers.
00:12:45.66\00:12:48.33
You pray for a million dollars
and you don't get it, it isn't
00:12:48.33\00:12:51.16
always very hard to
figure out why that might be.
00:12:51.16\00:12:53.36
You pray for fine weather for
your daughter's wedding and it
00:12:53.36\00:12:55.76
rains, well, you know, that's
just the way it goes sometimes.
00:12:55.76\00:13:00.43
But if I can go way
deeper than that for a moment,
00:13:00.43\00:13:02.46
think about this.
00:13:02.46\00:13:04.13
You pray and pray for a
pregnancy, and finally the
00:13:04.13\00:13:06.36
pregnancy test is
positive - two red lines!
00:13:06.36\00:13:09.70
- and you look forward to this
prayed-for baby, and the big
00:13:09.70\00:13:12.50
day arrives, and the
child is born severely disabled.
00:13:12.50\00:13:18.50
That can be not
only difficult, it can be
00:13:18.50\00:13:21.40
faith-shaking.
00:13:21.40\00:13:23.90
You pray for God's blessing on
your day, and you find out two
00:13:23.90\00:13:26.16
hours later that the company
you work for is downsizing,
00:13:26.16\00:13:29.40
and, 'Well, sorry, Joe, we
appreciate all you've done for
00:13:29.40\00:13:32.33
us, but....' And now
you're facing serious
00:13:32.33\00:13:35.00
financial difficulty.
00:13:35.00\00:13:37.30
So what happened to "Ask and
you shall receive?" Now, here
00:13:37.30\00:13:40.13
is where prayer is
exposed for what it really is.
00:13:40.13\00:13:43.66
You see kids in the department
stores at Christmas time.
00:13:43.66\00:13:45.73
They sit on Santa's knee
and they tell him what they
00:13:45.73\00:13:48.06
want for Christmas.
00:13:48.06\00:13:48.90
No, that's not what prayer is.
00:13:48.90\00:13:52.30
A child with his or her
grandparent on a hot summers
00:13:52.30\00:13:54.63
day equals ice cream.
00:13:54.63\00:13:56.73
If a kid can't get ice cream
out of Grandpa on a hot day,
00:13:56.73\00:13:59.23
Grandpa has to
have a heart of granite.
00:13:59.23\00:14:03.33
But that's not what prayer is.
00:14:03.33\00:14:05.46
What prayer really is is this.
00:14:05.46\00:14:07.76
Prayer is an exercise
in learning to trust in the
00:14:07.76\00:14:10.76
sovereignty of God.
00:14:10.76\00:14:12.80
Let me explain.
00:14:12.80\00:14:13.86
Question: Who knows best?
00:14:13.86\00:14:16.50
God does.
00:14:16.50\00:14:18.66
That's right.
00:14:18.66\00:14:19.40
Does God want for our
lives what is best for us?
00:14:19.40\00:14:22.56
Oh yes He does.
00:14:22.56\00:14:24.30
Is it always easy to understand?
00:14:24.30\00:14:26.46
No, no it isn't.
00:14:26.46\00:14:28.40
A woman set out for work and
a maniac driver runs her off the
00:14:28.40\00:14:31.26
road and she totals her car.
00:14:31.26\00:14:32.30
She gets into a squabble with
insurance, her broken shoulder
00:14:32.30\00:14:36.10
never heals, it never
works the same again . . .
00:14:36.10\00:14:39.30
[Actress: Yes, please!
00:14:39.30\00:14:40.40
Somebody needs to
call me back on this claim.
00:14:40.40\00:14:42.46
I have not received any money
and I am going to be losing my
00:14:42.46\00:14:44.76
apartment. . .
00:14:44.76\00:14:47.26
[ music] . . . Yes, thank you.]
00:14:47.26\00:14:49.16
She loses time off
work and she loses money and
00:14:49.16\00:14:51.46
she finally has to move into
another apartment because she
00:14:51.46\00:14:53.36
gets behind on the rent in the
one she's in. . . Can you easily
00:14:53.36\00:14:55.83
call that "God's will?"
00:14:55.83\00:14:57.23
Not easily.
00:14:57.23\00:15:00.50
It's possible, but you
wouldn't easily entertain the
00:15:00.50\00:15:04.86
idea that God thought it
was a good idea for this woman's
00:15:04.86\00:15:07.60
life to become miserable.
00:15:07.60\00:15:09.56
Yet, is it possible that God
can bring something beautiful
00:15:09.56\00:15:15.16
out of the brokenness
of this woman's situation?
00:15:15.16\00:15:18.63
Sure it is.
00:15:18.63\00:15:19.60
Maybe not right away,
but maybe sooner or later.
00:15:19.60\00:15:23.50
I heard about a man who
worked in a Christian school,
00:15:23.50\00:15:26.20
but lost his job in
shaky circumstances.
00:15:26.20\00:15:29.30
No income, no insurance, no
explanation - just discarded
00:15:29.30\00:15:33.83
like he didn't even matter.
00:15:33.83\00:15:35.93
Was it God's will for him
to be treated so badly and meet
00:15:35.93\00:15:39.76
with so much misfortune,
in a place where he expected
00:15:39.76\00:15:42.60
to always be treated
with dignity and respect?
00:15:42.60\00:15:46.73
You'd find it hard to say
that God was wanting this man's
00:15:46.73\00:15:49.93
life to take a
turn for the worse.
00:15:49.93\00:15:52.46
But is it possible that God
could bring something good out
00:15:52.46\00:15:56.16
of this man's situation?
00:15:56.16\00:15:58.13
There's a Bible verse
that suggests that this is so.
00:15:58.13\00:16:01.13
It's in Romans 8:28,
00:16:01.13\00:16:04.06
You know what?
00:16:12.10\00:16:13.30
I had a lady tell me one time
that she believed the terrible
00:16:13.30\00:16:16.30
illness that claimed her
mother's life were the best
00:16:16.30\00:16:20.80
thing that ever
happened to her mother.
00:16:20.80\00:16:22.63
No, she wasn't
bitter or ugly either.
00:16:22.63\00:16:24.60
She was meaning that
in a kind, Christian way.
00:16:24.60\00:16:26.60
A young wife told me that
her husband's VERY serious,
00:16:26.60\00:16:31.86
life-threatening illness
was the best thing that ever
00:16:31.86\00:16:35.20
happened to their family.
00:16:35.20\00:16:36.73
The husband agreed.
00:16:36.73\00:16:39.43
Sometimes life doesn't
make a whole lot of sense.
00:16:39.43\00:16:41.70
[Music . . .] An illness.
00:16:41.70\00:16:43.30
An injury.
00:16:43.30\00:16:43.86
A job loss.
00:16:43.86\00:16:44.93
A death.
00:16:44.93\00:16:46.70
And we pray that God will
change things, and so very
00:16:46.70\00:16:48.50
often He doesn't.
00:16:48.50\00:16:52.06
You know what we're called
upon to do in times like that?
00:16:52.06\00:16:54.03
We're called upon to
trust God, to say, "I might not
00:16:54.03\00:17:00.50
understand this, but I'm
willing to trust God anyway."
00:17:00.50\00:17:05.26
A dear friend, an elderly man,
told me several times that his
00:17:05.26\00:17:08.80
grief was at times so
overwhelming having lost his
00:17:08.80\00:17:12.30
wife and his only child, that
he'd pull up a chair, he'd ask
00:17:12.30\00:17:16.60
Jesus to sit down in it,
and then talk to Jesus and say
00:17:16.60\00:17:21.73
this, he'd say, "Do you
not like me very much, to allow
00:17:21.73\00:17:26.20
these things to happen to me?"
00:17:26.20\00:17:28.90
That's honest, isn't it?
00:17:28.90\00:17:30.70
See, there's a
struggle sometimes.
00:17:30.70\00:17:32.66
Think about Joseph.
00:17:32.66\00:17:34.16
Joseph was horribly treated.
00:17:34.16\00:17:36.33
He was sold by his brothers to
be a slave in another country.
00:17:36.33\00:17:40.46
What else happened?
00:17:40.46\00:17:41.73
Falsely accused when he
got there, thrown into prison,
00:17:41.73\00:17:43.93
forgotten in a prison cell. . .
00:17:43.93\00:17:46.53
but in all of
that, what did Joseph do?
00:17:46.53\00:17:50.60
He trusted God and then . ..then
it worked out okay for him.
00:17:50.60\00:17:55.60
[Music . . .]
Now, what about the
00:17:55.60\00:17:58.00
martyrs of yesterday.
00:17:58.00\00:17:59.16
They trusted God . .
.they still lost their lives.
00:17:59.16\00:18:04.53
Let me suggest something to
you: Before we pray, it would
00:18:04.53\00:18:07.80
be good for us to understand
something about who God is.
00:18:07.80\00:18:12.63
God is the
Majesty of the universe.
00:18:12.63\00:18:16.73
He is the
Sovereign of the heavens.
00:18:16.73\00:18:19.03
And even though we might
sometimes have a hard time
00:18:19.03\00:18:21.03
understanding the vagaries
of life, we can afford to trust
00:18:21.03\00:18:25.23
God no matter what
our experiences bring us.
00:18:25.23\00:18:30.13
God has never given
you a reason to doubt him
00:18:30.13\00:18:32.93
or mistrust Him.
00:18:32.93\00:18:34.63
What he asks is this: Trust me.
00:18:34.63\00:18:40.43
Remember, way back in the
book of Genesis, the Word of God
00:18:40.43\00:18:42.03
says this: "Shall not the
God of all the earth do right?"
00:18:42.03\00:18:46.73
And we ought to be able to
say: "Yes, he will." Now, did
00:18:46.73\00:18:51.03
you ever hear the story of Job?
00:18:51.03\00:18:55.13
A good man - described by
God as 'perfect' - a man who . .
00:18:55.13\00:19:00.40
yes, prayed.
00:19:00.40\00:19:03.83
Yet Job was a man who
experienced real hardship.
00:19:03.83\00:19:07.73
Hardship didn't understand
that for a long time, couldn't
00:19:07.73\00:19:10.13
make sense of it.
00:19:10.13\00:19:12.30
We'll make sense of Job's
experience straight ahead.
00:19:12.30\00:19:16.36
[Music] Planning for your
00:19:16.36\00:19:19.90
financial future is a
vital aspect of Christian
00:19:19.90\00:19:21.56
stewardship.
00:19:21.56\00:19:22.66
For this reason, It Is Written
offers free planned giving and
00:19:22.66\00:19:25.76
estate services to our viewers.
00:19:25.76\00:19:27.60
For more information on how
we can help you, please call
00:19:27.60\00:19:30.86
1.800.922.2219.
00:19:30.86\00:19:33.56
To receive additional
material on the advantages of
00:19:33.56\00:19:36.33
life-income plans such as a
Charitable Gift Annuity which
00:19:36.33\00:19:40.53
can provide you with tax
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00:19:40.53\00:19:43.83
Call today or visit
our planned giving website
00:19:43.83\00:19:47.00
www.hislegacy.com.
00:19:47.00\00:19:50.93
You may also
write to It Is Written
00:19:50.93\00:19:53.33
Planned Giving and
Trust Services, Box O,
00:19:53.33\00:19:56.56
Thousand Oaks, California 91359.
00:19:56.56\00:19:59.56
Our toll-free number
again 1.800.922.2219 and the web
00:19:59.56\00:20:05.00
address
hislegacy.com The book of Job
00:20:05.00\00:20:12.46
tells the story of a
man who struggled to come to
00:20:12.46\00:20:15.53
grips with the
Sovereignty of God.
00:20:15.53\00:20:18.26
Now Job was a man of prayer!
00:20:18.26\00:20:20.53
Yet, in spite of his prayers,
he suffered and he struggled,
00:20:20.53\00:20:24.53
and cried out to God
and complained in anguish.
00:20:24.53\00:20:28.10
It was as though Job was
trying to get God's attention.
00:20:28.10\00:20:32.16
But ultimately God
got Job's attention.
00:20:32.16\00:20:37.46
In Job 38 we read what I
believe is one of the most
00:20:37.46\00:20:41.23
potent passages of
Scripture in the Bible.
00:20:41.23\00:20:44.66
God speaks to Job and says
in Job 38, starting in verse 4,
00:20:44.66\00:20:49.26
That's all from Job 38.
00:21:29.13\00:21:31.73
God was saying, "Job,
just how big are you anyway?"
00:21:31.73\00:21:36.00
What Job had to
realize was this: he was just
00:21:41.76\00:21:45.36
a little man, and God is
transcendent, God is a great,
00:21:45.36\00:21:51.60
God is a perfect,
God is a mighty God.
00:21:51.60\00:21:56.36
Earlier in the book
of Job, Job had said,
00:21:56.36\00:21:58.66
You know something?
00:22:01.63\00:22:04.53
God wants us to
pray like we mean it.
00:22:04.53\00:22:07.46
One thing I know that every
person needs is the presence
00:22:07.46\00:22:10.63
of God, and God's presence
is manifest most powerfully in
00:22:10.63\00:22:15.36
answer to our prayers.
00:22:15.36\00:22:16.33
God said this,
00:22:16.33\00:22:18.03
God promises to do great
things in answer to our prayers.
00:22:32.70\00:22:36.06
But he doesn't promise to
always do things that make
00:22:36.06\00:22:40.36
a lot of sense to
us, at least at the time.
00:22:40.36\00:22:43.46
And in those moments
we're called to trust.
00:22:43.46\00:22:46.10
That's prayer in the real
world and we can trust the
00:22:46.10\00:22:49.06
heart of God.
00:22:49.06\00:22:50.46
You know, it's my conviction
that we're living on the
00:22:50.46\00:22:53.23
edge of eternity.
00:22:53.23\00:22:54.30
No, I'm not setting a date,
I simply believe that on God's
00:22:54.30\00:22:57.80
time clock there's not a lot
of time left for Planet Earth.
00:22:57.80\00:23:01.33
And if you read the Bible,
it indicates that there are some
00:23:01.33\00:23:05.70
times ahead for people of
faith that will really try
00:23:05.70\00:23:08.36
their faith.
00:23:08.36\00:23:10.36
What then?
00:23:10.36\00:23:12.76
God would have you and me
possess a faith so real, that
00:23:12.76\00:23:16.73
regardless of our experiences,
no matter what we are called
00:23:16.73\00:23:20.40
to go through, we
can still trust Him.
00:23:20.40\00:23:23.86
The reality is this: The Bible
says we have a High Priest in
00:23:23.86\00:23:28.16
heaven - his name is
Jesus - interceding for us.
00:23:28.16\00:23:31.96
You know, Satan knows that,
and he wants to keep us from
00:23:31.96\00:23:35.56
being connected to Jesus.
00:23:35.56\00:23:37.13
Jesus said that we are to come
boldly to the throne of grace
00:23:37.13\00:23:40.40
so that we could obtain
mercy, and grace to help
00:23:40.40\00:23:43.16
in time of need.
00:23:43.16\00:23:44.43
If we get mercy, and if we
get grace to help us in our time
00:23:44.43\00:23:46.96
of need, via the practice of
prayer, you can be sure Satan
00:23:46.96\00:23:52.06
will do all he can to
KEEP you from praying.
00:23:52.06\00:23:58.36
Now keep in mind: Prayer
doesn't work any change in
00:23:58.36\00:24:03.36
God; prayer it is to
bring us into harmony with Him.
00:24:03.36\00:24:10.40
The greatest example of
what I'm talking about was given
00:24:10.40\00:24:15.60
to us by Jesus Himself.
00:24:15.60\00:24:17.76
The spotless Lamb of
God, guilty of nothing except
00:24:17.76\00:24:20.63
faithfulness and love and
mercy and kindness, well now
00:24:20.63\00:24:23.86
he finds Himself being
propelled towards the cross on
00:24:23.86\00:24:27.96
which He would die.
00:24:27.96\00:24:29.63
As Jesus looked ahead to
the cross He did not deserve to
00:24:29.63\00:24:32.16
die on, He actually
shrank back from that experience
00:24:32.16\00:24:35.93
in His humanity.
00:24:35.93\00:24:37.46
He prayed to His
Father saying, "Lord, if it is
00:24:37.46\00:24:40.00
possible, let
this cup pass from me.
00:24:40.00\00:24:42.93
If we can avoid this,
I'd be happy to do so.
00:24:42.93\00:24:45.53
I don't really want to die
on a cross." But Jesus prayed,
00:24:45.53\00:24:50.46
"Nevertheless, not my
will, but thine be done.
00:24:50.46\00:24:56.76
I don't want this, but if it
is your will, I'm all for it.
00:24:56.76\00:25:01.13
If you think this is the
way to go, I'll go trusting
00:25:01.13\00:25:04.80
You..." That's real trust.
00:25:04.80\00:25:06.33
And you can trust
God in just the same way.
00:25:06.33\00:25:11.13
That's prayer in the real world.
00:25:11.13\00:25:14.16
It doesn't always work out
the way we wish but it does work
00:25:14.16\00:25:17.70
out if we trust
God and let God be God.
00:25:17.70\00:25:22.13
Let's pray together.
00:25:22.13\00:25:23.50
÷Music . . .] Our Father in
00:25:23.50\00:25:26.53
heaven, we have had many
experiences where we have
00:25:26.53\00:25:28.73
prayed for something
great, maybe for somebody to be
00:25:28.73\00:25:31.16
healed and it
didn't work out our way.
00:25:31.16\00:25:34.70
We prayed for experiences
in our own lives and we have
00:25:34.70\00:25:37.03
ended up going
through difficult experiences.
00:25:37.03\00:25:41.26
I pray that you will
help us to trust you.
00:25:41.26\00:25:44.90
Remind us that prayer in the
real world isn't all about us
00:25:44.90\00:25:47.80
taking a shopping list to you
and having you fill that out.
00:25:47.80\00:25:51.46
It's about communication
and wrestling and trusting,
00:25:51.46\00:25:54.63
and having faith.
00:25:54.63\00:25:57.13
Let us be people of
prayer and people of faith as we
00:25:57.13\00:26:02.10
experience prayer in the
real world, I pray, in Jesus'
00:26:02.10\00:26:06.63
name...Amen.
00:26:06.63\00:26:15.00
Perhaps our program today
has touched your heart and
00:26:30.36\00:26:32.63
impressed you with a personal
need for deeper Bible study.
00:26:32.63\00:26:35.83
If you desire to listen to
God and follow where He leads,
00:26:35.83\00:26:39.03
we've got a wonderful resource
that can help you do that
00:26:39.03\00:26:41.93
in a systemic way...
00:26:41.93\00:26:42.96
the Discover Bible Guides.
00:26:42.96\00:26:44.93
These study guides will
take you through the essential
00:26:44.93\00:26:47.63
truths taught in Scripture.
00:26:47.63\00:26:49.20
They give you the big
picture showing how it
00:26:49.20\00:26:51.46
all fits together.
00:26:51.46\00:26:52.86
The Discover Bible Guides
are a wonderful way for you to
00:26:52.86\00:26:55.56
become grounded in the
Word of God and to see how Jesus
00:26:55.56\00:26:58.86
Christ relates to all
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00:26:58.86\00:27:01.93
Please call or write us and
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00:27:01.93\00:27:05.40
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00:27:05.40\00:27:06.70
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Or for even easier and
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00:27:14.06\00:27:16.50
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00:27:16.50\00:27:19.30
[Music ..]
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00:27:19.30\00:27:23.10
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00:27:23.10\00:27:24.93
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00:27:28.10\00:27:31.63
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00:27:31.63\00:27:33.60
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00:27:36.96\00:27:39.20
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00:27:39.20\00:27:42.46
Thank you for your letters
and for your continued support.
00:27:42.46\00:27:44.63
Thanks for joining me today.
00:27:44.63\00:27:48.10
I look forward to
seeing you next time.
00:27:48.10\00:27:50.86
Until then, remember...
00:27:50.86\00:27:51.96
It is written, Man shall
not live by bread alone but by
00:27:51.96\00:27:57.33
every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God.
00:27:57.33\00:28:00.43
[Music . . .]
00:28:00.43\00:28:03.93