Welcome back everyone! You know… sometimes life just sucks. You think you’re doing everything right, but things don’t seem to be going your way. You start to get frustrated. What did I do wrong? Why can’t I seem to get a break? Where’s God? 

We’re all led to believe that when you do the right things, that everything will fall in line. That karma will somehow boomerang those good deeds back to you. Let me tell you something. That’s not biblical. You can do all the good things you can think of, and be one of the best people on the planet. Good works won’t get you into Heaven, nor do they grant you what you want here on earth like an allowance from the Father. As the old idiom goes, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Karma is not biblical either. There’s no such thing. In fact the Bible tells us that life isn’t going to be fair! As early as Genesis 35:9-10, the Bible tells us that God changed Jacob’s name to Israel meaning, “he struggles with God”!  A firm reminder to Israel that even though life would have struggles, God was right there with him! 

You see people get hung up on this notion that if they go to church, get baptized, call themselves a Christian that everything is suddenly going to be alright! That they’re going to see a bright light like Joliet Jake in the Blues Brothers and they can’t be touched because they’re on a mission from God! …… Then they’re disappointed because things are still tough. 

Jacob’s new name of Israel was a tribute to the fact that he still desired to stay close to God in spite of the many difficulties that arose in his life. Bad things are going to happen. Life’s going to be downright painful sometimes. Don’t let what’s going on in that storm control you to the point that you take your eyes off of God. Instead look at these as opportunities to grow. Grow personally and in your relationship with God. Take these problems and set them at his feet, and trust that He will help you overcome them. 

Now we all have to ask ourselves. Are you disappointed because you’re not getting what you want? Then ask if what you want glorifies God or yourself? 

In response to the first question, the Bible tells us in Philippians 4:19, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Jesus Christ.” The Word is telling us that we can trust that God will meet our “NEEDS.” There’s a difference between needs and wants. The Bible doesn’t say God will give us our “wants.” We won’t always get what we want, but we WILL get what we need. And when we fully trust in Jesus for our needs, our mindset changes from wanting things to accepting what we have. And it becomes sufficient. I’m not saying you won’t want things. But your mindset will change to one where you are no longer disappointed if you don’t get whatever that want is. 

For those who have their Bible turn to 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. The Bible says, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 

Paul had been praying for healing. Instead in Verse 9, God didn’t remove Paul’s affliction but instead made a promise to show His power in Paul. God showing His power in our weaknesses, brings light to our dark moments. This is something that should give hope and encourage us all! It’s also a reminder that when we recognize our own weakness, that we should depend on God to help us with them. When we admit these weaknesses, we are confirming and testifying to God’s strength in our lives! Verse 10 serves to remind us that when we feel strong, our egos kick in and we start believing that we can do things WITHOUT God. That’s when we risk no longer depending on God, and flexing our muscles like it was all on us. We lose sight of God in our own arrogance. That sin is called pride. This doesn’t mean we should try to be weak. It just means that in our weak moments we need to remember to look to God to do the heavy lifting for us. 

As far as “wants” go. Remember parents can’t always give their children everything. Especially if it’s something that won’t be good for them. Instead, we should all think of Psalm 23:1 where the Bible says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” Or as other translations read, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall NOT WANT.”

Onto the second question. Does what you want glorify God or yourself?  Turn to Matthew 6:22-23. In Matthew 6:22-23, the Bible says, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” Spiritual vision. Having good vision means being able to see things from God’s point of view. It’s really hard to do when we’re self-serving. Or another way of putting it is being selfish. 

Turn towards the back of your Bible now and we’re going to look at Hebrews 13:6. No, I’m not talking about it being the man’s job to make the coffee in the morning. 

In Hebrews 13:6, the Bible says, “So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” How do we learn to be content with what we have, or where we are in life instead of wanting more. More money, more luxuries, more of the things that display status. He who dies with the most toys still dies. We all have to remember to cherish and be thankful for the things we have, rather than resent what we don’t. We will find contentment when we realize that what we have is enough and that God is more than sufficient. Those who accumulate great wealth may be saying that by their own actions, God can’t or won’t take care of them. You look at somebody that seems to have a lot. Nice clothes, nice cars, nice home, and they seem like they have it all together. But in reality, they may well be struggling to afford that front. A front that doesn’t really matter because they’re spiritually dead. We’ve all heard the old saying, “more money, more problems.” And really it doesn’t matter how much of something you have when you give way to anxiety, and other insecurities because these things lead to the love of money and a lack of empathy for their fellow man. I’ll remind you that money isn’t the sin, it’s the love of it that is. When it becomes an idol. Many don’t even realize that they chase it because they’re blinded by sin. 

Truly trusting in the Lord to meet our needs, will bring real contentment with what you have, and where you are. We should all give thanks continually for the things we have. In Philippians 4:11 the Bible says, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Here Paul is telling us that the secret to happiness lies in Christ's power, and His promises. We should not only give thanks daily, but ask Him to remove the discontent from our lives and teach us to be happy about the blessing He’s given us instead. On a side note, I recommend reading this whole section in Philippians 4:10-20 which is specific to being thankful for your gifts. 

Let’s go now to 1 John 2:17, and the Bible says, “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” Here John has pointed out that when we allow our desires for possessions and sinful pleasures to grow, we don’t think about the fact that these things will all disappear one day. We lose sight of God’s bigger picture and the fact that these are all temporary desires. Temporary things. When we push these temptations to the side, as hard as it is at the time, we fall more in line with what God’s will is for us.

If what you want doesn’t glorify God, an unanswered prayer may actually be an answer. Like praying for your football team to win. He doesn’t care about that. Which brings us to my next point. Prayer. Prayer isn’t a bargaining chip! 

I’m going to share a true story with you. This is something I heard myself in the foyer of a church I served in. An individual was speaking with a few others about his understanding, which sadly is from the “Name it and Claim it” teaching, which we know are false teachings. His description of answered prayer went like this. 

“Say you’re in a good position financially, your bills are paid, your needs are met, and you’re able to save a little. Your long term goal is to be 100% debt free. So you keep praying for God to wipe out your debt. Then you happen to come across someone who is struggling to make a car payment and you happen to have enough money saved, that you’re able to make that payment for them. So you do it. You pay their bill. And in return God will wipe out your debt once you tell him too. Because God has promised to give us what we ask, and I’m going to demand that He keeps that promise.”

This is right up there with karma. Who is he, or anyone to demand anything of God? And sadly he’s not alone. A lot of people have bought into this ridiculous theology as if they’re a little God on this earth, and that God bends to their will. The name it, and claim it theology, and the Word of Faith teachings like to claim that you can live your best life now! And throw around words like abundance when talking about money. Nonsense like, “Oh, if you give to the church then God will bless you with more money, and then you can give even more to the church, and be blessed with more money” and repeat the cycle. That’s not what the Bible says! In doing this you’re creating another idol! You’ve put God in the backseat again! You’re saying you’re in control, NOT GOD! You’re saying that He answers to you, not the other way around! And that’s not the case!

Well what does it say? I’ll tell you. Let’s look at 1 John 5:14-15 which discusses prayer being in line with God’s will. The Bible says, “ This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of him.”

Let’s also look at Luke 11:9-13, as both go hand in hand. Luke 11:9-13, the Bible says, “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knows, the door will be opened. Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
 
Both of these verses are often misunderstood as promises that you will get anything you ask for. That’s not what either verse is saying. Look at the context! 

The Bible has spelled it out, that we should pray for what pleases the Lord, not what pleases us! Remember when I asked earlier if what you want glorifies God or yourself? This is why! Right here! When we talk to God we shouldn’t be demanding anything. We shouldn’t be bargaining. You know the prayer, “Lord if you do this for me, this one time, then I’ll swear off this forever.” And of course that prayer is Bologna and we all know it. Instead we should be asking God what He wants for us. And when we talk to Him about the things that are in alignment with what He wants for us, THEN He will give us the answers we’re looking for. 

Sometimes an answer to a prayer is delayed as well. We see this in Daniel 10:12-13. 

In Daniel 10:12-13, the Bible says, “Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the Prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.”

Here God sent a response to Daniel's prayer. However, the angel that was to deliver it was delayed. It wasn’t until backup arrived in the form of Michael, the archangel, that the messenger was able to deliver God’s response. Sometimes answers take longer than WE expect them too. It’s because a spiritual battle is going on all around us. Not because of anything we’ve done, but because the forces of darkness are attacking. So we have to continue to pray and be patient because we know the answer will arrive. It won’t arrive late, nor is it early, it arrives precisely when it’s meant too. Hmm… I bet I know where Gandalf got his idea for arriving places from. 

Another answer to not hearing the answer you’re looking for is that you’re continuing to live in sin. You keep saying you repent, but have you really? To repent is to acknowledge your sin, and then to act on that. To turn away from it. You need to lean on the Fathers strength and move away from it. You can’t just say, I’m sorry it won’t happen again, just to do it again. Nobody likes an abusive relationship! God even tells us this! Turn to Proverbs 1:23-28.

In Proverbs 1:23-28, the Bible says, “Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings. But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. 

Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me, since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord. Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

And again in Proverbs 16:29, the Bible says, “The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.” 

Like any parent, God is telling us what we need to hear. And in our childish way we either listen, or we don’t. We choose. It’s just like a parent telling a child, you better stop or something is going to happen. But they don’t listen and that consequence comes. All the adults in the room laugh and say, “told ya!” Our Father is reaching out his hand, saying take it! And we keep slapping it away. His warning is that if we keep slapping that hand away, He’s going to stop offering it. That we need to listen and stop sinning!

It’s pride again. Our pride, our sin is blinding us from what’s right. It’s hardening our hearts against the only one that can really help us. We keep going back to that sin. That drink, that slot machine, that bedroom with someone that isn’t your spouse, whatever that sin is! You can’t rebuke the demons of your life if you keep opening the door for them to come back in! That’s what’s blocking your answer! You can’t ask for something and then continually go back to it! Instead we need to identify that sin, and turn from it! That’s what repentance is! It’s a change! And we also need to ask God to help us because we can’t overcome our sin without Him! He’s just waiting for us to get out of our own way, humble ourselves, and come back to Him. And being the good parent that He is, he’ll help us in our NEEDS! We just have to choose Him over ourselves!

One of the biggest hindrances in our relationship with God is ourselves. I know I mentioned a number of sins today, but the ongoing theme is pride. We are our own worst enemy. As much as we like to say the Devil made me do it, there are plenty of times when he didn’t need to. We did it for him. Just like the men in our Reluctant Leaders series, and so many others throughout the Bible and history, we need to get out of our own way. We need to be humble and go to God with our problems and ask Him to help us resolve them. And when we have the answer, even if we don’t like that answer, we need to move forward on it. Those are our marching orders.

Getting an answer from the Lord can be a long wait. So we need to be patient. And we need to check: Is it for His glory? Is it in alignment with what he wants for us? And finally are we living obediently or in sin?