The Promises of God

News flash: Little dogs hate baths

For more than twenty years as a Christian, I prayed and seldom received any answers to prayer. I just didn't know how to pray. Prayer to me meant begging, pleading and sometimes crying to God to do something He was reluctant to do. I prayed the ever-popular "if it be thy will" prayer because I had taken hold of the sovereignty of God. God is indeed sovereign, but He is also a faith God. He demands faith from His children, and without faith it is impossible to please Him. So when I got a hold of the below passage, it radically transformed my life. I believed He meant exactly what He said. I ignored what my churches, preachers and even my own experiences taught me, and I took Jesus at His word. Faith comes from hearing the Word of God.

I now never approach God without reminding Him of His word. I recall that almost two years ago, when I approached God with the below passage and stood on it, I received an amazing, life-changing answer to prayer. It wasn't a miracle or anything that might impress others, but it made me realize on a personal level that God is real, and His promise means exactly what it says. I had a dear Christian friend whom I had not heard from in many months. So, I asked God for my friend to call that very Sunday night on behalf of Mark 11:22-26. The hours came and went with no phone call. The doubts, of course, flooded my mind. When the doubts came in, I calmly read Mark 11:22-26 out loud to my doubts. Finally, the phone rang, and it was --- my nephew(God love his soul!). Was I taking this promise too literally? Was it really that simple? Shouldn't I have hedged the prayer with "if it be thy will" so God doesn't look mean, and I don't look like a fool when the answer never comes? A couple of more hours slipped by. I continued to stand on the Word, and would read it out loud to my doubts.

At 9:00 PM, it seemed very doubtful that my friend would call, and I had to get up early for work the next day. I still stood on the Word. Suddenly, the phone did ring. I answered the phone, saying without hesitation or any confirmation, "Hello brother Ken. I've been expecting your call." To my great delight, my friend Ken answered back. God is awesome! God answers prayer, but He is a faith God, and He honors His Word.

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
(Mar 11:22-26 KJV)