1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,480 S1: Hi friends, thanks so much for downloading this podcast and 2 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:05,480 S1: I hope truly that you will hear something that will encourage, edify, 3 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:08,160 S1: equip and enlighten you to get out there and influence 4 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:10,880 S1: and occupy until he comes. And on that note, may 5 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:12,760 S1: I take just a few moments here to describe this 6 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:15,800 S1: month's truth tool? It's by pastor Jack Hibbs. He's written 7 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:18,599 S1: the book called Called to Take a Bold Stand. I 8 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:21,480 S1: absolutely love this book because it reminds us that in Christ, 9 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:24,480 S1: all things pass away, all things become new, that we 10 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:27,200 S1: are standing for his truth, that we have a new nature. 11 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:30,080 S1: Because of him, we should be living boldly. But far 12 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:33,120 S1: too often we retreat out of fear from cultural blowback. 13 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:35,600 S1: So I want to encourage all of us to just 14 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:37,800 S1: stand up for Christ, to be unashamed of who we 15 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:40,080 S1: are in him, and to go into a culture that's 16 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:43,600 S1: telling us in no uncertain terms, they're lost and they're hurting. 17 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:45,720 S1: So if you'd like a copy of Pastor Hibbs new 18 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,400 S1: book called Call to Take a Bold Stand, just give 19 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,600 S1: a gift of any amount by calling eight 7758 we 20 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:54,120 S1: are listener supported radio, and this is my way of 21 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:58,160 S1: saying thank you. So that number again is 877, 58. 22 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:00,160 S1: Or you can go online in the market with Janet 23 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,360 S1: or go to the bottom of the page. There's the 24 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:05,920 S1: cover of Pastor Jack's book, click it on, give a 25 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:07,720 S1: gift and you'll be good to go. And we'll send 26 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:09,320 S1: you a copy as a way of saying thank you. 27 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:11,960 S1: Don't forget, you can also become a partial partner. Those 28 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:14,080 S1: are people who give every single month at a level 29 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:16,200 S1: of their own choosing. My way of saying thank you 30 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:18,000 S1: to the partial partners is to make sure you get 31 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:20,480 S1: a copy of each month's truth tool, and you get 32 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:23,080 S1: our weekly newsletter, which includes some of my writing and 33 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:26,040 S1: an audio piece only for my partial partners. So whether 34 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:27,640 S1: it's a one time gift or you want to be 35 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,520 S1: an ongoing giver and become a partial partner, that's your call. 36 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:33,280 S1: But I want to thank you in advance. 877 Janet 37 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:36,240 S1: 58 or online at In the Market with Janet partial. 38 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:45,600 S1: For now, please enjoy the broadcast. Hi friends. This is 39 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:47,640 S1: Janet partial, and I want to welcome you to the 40 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:50,760 S1: best of in the market. Today's program is pre-recorded so 41 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:52,680 S1: our phone lines are not open. But I do hope 42 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:55,040 S1: you'll enjoy today's edition of The Best of In the 43 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:56,520 S1: Market with Janet Parshall. 44 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:58,520 S2: Here are some of the news headlines we're watching. 45 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:01,040 S3: The conference was over. The president won a pledge. 46 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:03,240 S4: Americans worshipping government over God. 47 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:06,920 S5: Extremely rare safety move by a major 17 years. 48 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:09,000 S6: The Palestinians and Israelis negotiated. 49 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:24,760 S5: This is not. Hi, friends. 50 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:27,240 S1: Welcome to In the Market with Janet. Partial. Thank you 51 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:29,480 S1: so much for spending the hour with me. You know, 52 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:32,080 S1: in that cacophony that you just heard that represents the 53 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,200 S1: marketplace of ideas, I'll tell you a very popular theme 54 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:37,920 S1: that's thought about and talked about in practice. And that's 55 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:41,160 S1: the issue of prayer. How do I know? Well, because 56 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:43,040 S1: just look at our country as an example. We have 57 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:46,200 S1: the National Prayer Breakfast in February. We have the National 58 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:49,560 S1: Day of Prayer in May. We often have prayer events 59 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:52,679 S1: and gatherings on Capitol Hill. We've got chaplains in both 60 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:55,080 S1: the House and the Senate, and they open every session 61 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,720 S1: that the members gather in prayer. And that's great. That's 62 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:02,160 S1: a hallmark of a nation that was raised on Christian principles, 63 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:05,440 S1: built on Judeo-Christian ideas and values. And that's marvelous. And 64 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:07,000 S1: that's the culture. But now, let me talk to you 65 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,440 S1: about your life and prayer. Oh, wait, come back here. 66 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:12,119 S1: I know what it is about this conversation about prayer. 67 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:14,760 S1: So many people are so frustrated in this part of 68 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:17,919 S1: their life, and yet it's like breathing. It should be. 69 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,600 S1: I mean, we have been given permission to enter boldly. 70 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,800 S1: That word sits there in Hebrews before the throne of grace. 71 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:27,240 S1: And yet we just don't get it. We think it 72 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:29,359 S1: has to be formulaic. We think it has to be 73 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:32,360 S1: done a certain way. We think that if we don't have, 74 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,200 S1: if we have any confessed sin in our life, that 75 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:36,960 S1: somehow our prayers don't go beyond the ceiling. We have 76 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:40,040 S1: all of these bizarre ideas about prayer, and the worst 77 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:43,120 S1: one of all is when you think that God is 78 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:46,000 S1: not there. He's not an absentee God by any stretch 79 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:49,040 S1: of the imagination. But somehow, in our little puny mortals minds, 80 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,760 S1: we think if we pray and our prayer doesn't get answered, 81 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:53,720 S1: at least we think it hasn't been answered because we 82 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,360 S1: didn't get the answer we wanted. That somehow God is 83 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:58,920 S1: not answering our prayers. And you know what's dangerous about that? 84 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:01,880 S1: You can grow cold if you think that God isn't 85 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:04,640 S1: going to answer your prayers. You don't understand what prayer 86 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,000 S1: is about and where purpose and his will fits into 87 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:10,240 S1: all of this. You will grow cold. And the Bible 88 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:11,920 S1: tells us that's going to happen in the latter days, 89 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:13,600 S1: and I don't want that to happen. So I was 90 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:17,200 S1: absolutely thrilled when a book came across my desk written forward, 91 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:19,000 S1: written by my friend Anne Graham Lotz. The book is 92 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:21,719 S1: called Why Doesn't God Answer My Prayers? And it's a 93 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,240 S1: biblical guide to God's hidden purposes. Who do you think 94 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:26,240 S1: wrote it? Well, you don't have to use a lifeline 95 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:28,159 S1: or call a friend. I'm going to tell you, Doctor 96 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:30,080 S1: Erwin Lutzer did so, you know, right out of the gate. 97 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:32,400 S1: It's going to be good. He is pastor emeritus of 98 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:34,640 S1: the Moody Church in Chicago, where he served as the 99 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:38,560 S1: senior pastor for 36 years. He's a respected theologian. He 100 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:41,600 S1: got his undergrad degree from Winnipeg Bible College. Back to 101 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:43,679 S1: that in a minute. He got a master's from Dallas 102 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:47,200 S1: Theological Seminary, another master's in philosophy from Loyola University. Then 103 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:50,600 S1: he got an honorary LL.D. from the Simon Greenleaf School 104 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:52,320 S1: of Law. So I guess you could call him pastor 105 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:55,640 S1: emeritus doctor lawyer Erwin Lutzer. But then that would take 106 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,400 S1: up most of the hour. So I won't say that 107 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:59,679 S1: he is, by the way, not only an award winning author, 108 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:01,840 S1: but he's the featured speaker on not one, but two 109 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:06,080 S1: radio programs heard nationwide on more than a thousand networks 110 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,680 S1: and 1000 stations. So I'm so glad we're going to 111 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:10,720 S1: talk about this. Roll up your sleeves, friends. Put on 112 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:13,320 S1: your spiritual thinking cap. We're going to think critically and 113 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:16,080 S1: biblically about this concept of prayer, because what a gift 114 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:18,000 S1: it is to be able to commune with our king. 115 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:20,280 S1: And yet we get all messed up in this area. 116 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:22,599 S1: Doctor Lutzer, the warmest of welcomes. I want to go 117 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:25,960 S1: to Winnipeg. My mama spent every summer as a child 118 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:28,240 S1: growing up on Lake Gimli. Did you ever visit it 119 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:29,800 S1: when you were at Winnipeg Bible College? 120 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:33,440 S7: I'm sure I did, but, you know, I look back 121 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:37,120 S7: on those days, which were many, many years ago and 122 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:39,840 S7: all that I remember, Janet, is the snow during the 123 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:43,880 S7: winter and how we could walk across a river. And 124 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:46,960 S7: then one day I was walking across a river and 125 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:49,640 S7: the ice began to crack. I did not realize that 126 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:53,200 S7: it was spring, and as a result of that, I 127 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:55,720 S7: became very fearful. And of course I made it to 128 00:05:55,720 --> 00:06:00,080 S7: the shore. But it's a great city. Winnipeg Bible College 129 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:02,760 S7: many years ago. I learned a lot there. 130 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,400 S1: Wow, excellent. You got to tell me about the LLC. 131 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:08,560 S1: I'm thrilled that you got that honorary degree. Tell me 132 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:09,080 S1: about it. 133 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:13,760 S7: Yeah. Simon Greenleaf School of Law has been in existence 134 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:17,440 S7: for a while. It was founded many years ago by 135 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:20,839 S7: a man by the name of John Warwick Montgomery. And 136 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:25,000 S7: so it was back then that he awarded me an 137 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:29,559 S7: honorary doctorate. And, um, you know, even as I think 138 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:33,320 S7: back over my life, I realized that so many people 139 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:38,160 S7: along the way encouraged me and helped me. And, uh, 140 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:41,320 S7: I just take delight in the fact that God has 141 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:44,760 S7: graciously guided me by his hand of providence. 142 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:48,480 S1: Well, how interesting do you think that if you hadn't 143 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:51,719 S1: followed the Lord's directive to become a pastor and a 144 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:53,720 S1: writer and a teacher, that you might have been interested 145 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:54,719 S1: in going into the law? 146 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:58,600 S7: I don't think so. I think, to be honest, I 147 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:01,720 S7: think that politics might have been something that I'd be 148 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:04,960 S7: very interested in. You know, I've always wanted to talk. 149 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:08,120 S7: And if I wasn't talking as a preacher, I might 150 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:12,440 S7: want to talk as a politician. But let's not go there. Janet. 151 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:17,440 S7: Because I am so glad that I was called of 152 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:19,800 S7: God to do ministry. And by the way, I knew 153 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:22,280 S7: that ever since I was a child, at about the 154 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:26,080 S7: age 14. Really, as you might know, I became enamored 155 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:30,080 S7: with Billy Graham. And, um, as a result of that, 156 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:34,520 S7: even on the farm in Canada, I knew that that 157 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:37,600 S7: was not my destiny. But I didn't know what God 158 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:39,600 S7: would have in store for me. And it's all been 159 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:41,200 S7: of him and his grace. 160 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:43,960 S1: Wow. And what a rich, full life it has been. 161 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:46,440 S1: You've traveled the world. I love the tours that you lead, 162 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:49,600 S1: by the way, as you teach church history. But I 163 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:53,320 S1: also am so thrilled. Not only do you have 36 wonderful, 164 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:57,000 S1: fruitful years as pastor at Moody Church, but also the 165 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:59,880 S1: fact that you still write books and you still influence 166 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:02,480 S1: our lives with your important teaching. And, you know, I 167 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:04,679 S1: made some remarks about prayer before I have to tell you. 168 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:06,560 S1: Decades of sitting in front of a microphone, I have 169 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:08,640 S1: to tell you, I can literally hear people leave the 170 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:11,240 S1: room when we get to the subject of prayer for 171 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:13,600 S1: the believer. Why is it that this is such a 172 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:15,240 S1: pragmatic topic for us? 173 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:18,120 S7: The reason I wrote the book that we're talking about 174 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:21,640 S7: why doesn't God answer my prayers? Janet, you and I 175 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:26,840 S7: know that so many people deconstruct because God has not 176 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:30,640 S7: answered their prayers. I know somebody, for example, who has 177 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:34,319 S7: just turned their back on God because God, they feel 178 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,359 S7: God wasn't there for them during a time of abuse. 179 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:41,120 S7: They prayed. They didn't think that their prayer was answered. 180 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:44,920 S7: Or you think of the opening illustration in my book 181 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:48,120 S7: of a woman who says God has forsaken me. She'd 182 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:51,880 S7: been listening to TV preachers that told her that if 183 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:54,960 S7: she had enough faith, her husband would would be healed. 184 00:08:54,960 --> 00:09:00,440 S7: He wasn't healed. And so she took the blame for that. And, um, 185 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:04,000 S7: you know, thankfully she didn't walk away from the faith. 186 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:08,440 S7: But I know many young people, especially who feel that 187 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:12,360 S7: they prayed. God did not answer. And so they say, 188 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:14,640 S7: spiritually speaking, I'm out of here. 189 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:15,280 S1: Yeah. 190 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:16,520 S7: Why should I bother? 191 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:19,480 S1: Which is why, one of many reasons I'm so glad 192 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:21,679 S1: you wrote this book. Doctor Erwin Lutzer is with us 193 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:24,559 S1: for the entire hour. That's really a treat. And his 194 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:27,080 S1: newest book is called Why Doesn't God Answer My Prayers? 195 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:31,000 S1: The subtitle, A Biblical Guide to God's Hidden Purposes. That 196 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:33,000 S1: subtitle gives you a sneak peek of what this book 197 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:36,000 S1: is all about. I've got some very important questions to 198 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:38,600 S1: ask about prayer. When we come back, I'm going to 199 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:40,560 S1: start with this question. Why do we bother to pray 200 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:42,920 S1: at all if God is sovereign? I'm anxious to hear 201 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:45,600 S1: Doctor Luther's answer to that. We'll continue right after this. 202 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:53,959 S1: The Bible calls us to be bold and courageous for 203 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:55,920 S1: the cause of the cross, but too often we retreat 204 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:58,800 S1: because of fear of cultural blowback. That's why I've chosen 205 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:01,280 S1: Call to Take a bold stand as this month's truth tool. 206 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:04,599 S1: Discover how to overcome the fear of intimidation or persecution. 207 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:06,880 S1: As for your copy of Call to Take a Bold Stand, 208 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:08,360 S1: when you give a gift of any amount to in 209 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:13,040 S1: the market, call 877 Janet 58. That's 877 Janet 58 210 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:19,080 S1: or go to in the market with Janet. Pastor emeritus 211 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:21,800 S1: Doctor Erwin Lutzer is our guest. He was the pastor 212 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:24,199 S1: at Moody Church for 36 years. He still holds two 213 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:26,560 S1: radio programs that go out on hundreds and hundreds of 214 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:29,360 S1: stations all across the country. And thank you, Lord. He's 215 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:32,000 S1: still very much writing and teaching us. His latest book 216 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,800 S1: is called Why Doesn't God Answer My Prayers A Biblical 217 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:38,560 S1: Guide to God's Hidden Purposes. And I love this book, 218 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:41,040 S1: as you can well imagine, it is just filled with 219 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:44,319 S1: rich theology and wonderful Bible teaching and lutzer. I'm going 220 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:45,960 S1: to take this out of order because I want to 221 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:48,160 S1: go to really, the last chapter you wrote is sort 222 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:49,720 S1: of an umbrella under which to have the rest of 223 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:53,120 S1: our discussion, because if we don't understand the power of 224 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:55,920 S1: prayer and the purpose of prayer, then we're never going 225 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,400 S1: to really get to those frustrating questions about, well, why 226 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:00,240 S1: do I think he doesn't hear my prayer and where 227 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:03,600 S1: that comes into alignment with his will? So I this 228 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:05,280 S1: and as I read the book, I kept thinking, this 229 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:07,319 S1: is really as much about the character of God as 230 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:10,040 S1: it is about the nature of prayer. So if God 231 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:12,240 S1: is sovereign and he knows all things, and he has 232 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:16,200 S1: since before there was even the time, then why do 233 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:18,920 S1: I pray? Is does it really? We read in the 234 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:21,240 S1: scriptures that the prayers, the fervent prayers of a righteous man, 235 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:24,719 S1: availeth much so. I'm not changing God's mind. Why would 236 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:27,360 S1: I bother to pray if God already knows the outcome? 237 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:32,760 S7: Janet, that's a fascinating question and many people stumble over it. 238 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:37,960 S7: But isn't this interesting? In Matthew chapter six, beginning at 239 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:43,439 S7: verse seven, Jesus is discussing that very point. He says 240 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:48,079 S7: to his disciples, don't use repetition like the heathen do, 241 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:50,839 S7: for they think that they shall be heard for their 242 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:56,440 S7: much speaking. And your heavenly father already knows what you need. 243 00:11:56,840 --> 00:12:02,120 S7: We might expect Jesus to say so don't bother praying. No. 244 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:05,600 S7: What does he say in this manner? Therefore pray. And 245 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:09,319 S7: then he goes into the Lord's Prayer. So what Jesus 246 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:13,320 S7: is saying is just because God knows the future and 247 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:17,880 S7: knows in advance what we need, that's not to be 248 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:22,240 S7: a deterrent for our prayer. Rather, we should pray according 249 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:25,440 S7: to the Lord's Prayer. And how does it begin? Our father, 250 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:28,640 S7: which is in heaven, and so forth. Now, one of 251 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:30,800 S7: the points I make in the book, and I think 252 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:35,280 S7: I make it multiple times, probably, is simply this the 253 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:40,079 S7: real reason of prayer is not just to get answers 254 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:45,839 S7: from God. It's to have fellowship with God and to realize, ultimately, 255 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:48,840 S7: we need that fellowship with God even more than we 256 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:53,480 S7: need the answer to our requests. You know, the prodigal son, 257 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:57,800 S7: he came home because he was hungry, but I suspect 258 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:01,200 S7: he really needed his father more than he did his dinner. 259 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:04,360 S7: And what you and I have to understand is that 260 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:08,040 S7: God uses all the needs around us so that we 261 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:11,960 S7: keep drawing to him so that we keep that relationship, 262 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:14,839 S7: and so that it is really a means by which 263 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:17,720 S7: we are brought into the presence of God. There's a 264 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:20,400 S7: lot of mystery, and I point that out when it 265 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:24,679 S7: comes to human responsibility and divine sovereignty. Well, that's something 266 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:29,199 S7: we could discuss at length and understand that nobody really 267 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:34,680 S7: comprehends it. But the point is, let us always remember 268 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:38,160 S7: to draw near to God as you open the program 269 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,200 S7: and talked about that privilege to come to the throne 270 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:46,440 S7: of Grace. It is there that we encounter God, and 271 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,440 S7: it is our needs that keep drawing us to him. 272 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:52,680 S1: Yeah, exactly. Oh, I love the fact that you talk 273 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:56,720 S1: about it's really about developing, developing fellowship with God. You know, 274 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:59,000 S1: so often in our prayer life, rather than coming with 275 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:01,480 S1: a list of needs and wants just to realize that 276 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:03,560 S1: I have the privilege, again, hearkening back to what we 277 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:06,480 S1: just referenced in Hebrews, the privilege of being able to 278 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:08,400 S1: approach the throne of grace. You know, you've met a 279 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:10,439 S1: lot of important people in the world, as have I. 280 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:14,360 S1: I met the prince who's now the king and in England, 281 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:16,360 S1: and we were told ahead of time what we were 282 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:18,800 S1: and were not allowed to say. We never touch His Majesty. 283 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:21,080 S1: We do not speak before him. We keep our hands 284 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:23,840 S1: to ourselves. If you feel so led as a US citizen, 285 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:26,720 S1: you may curtsy and had a moment of moral quagmire 286 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:29,800 S1: there personally, but I passed on that. But the the 287 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:32,240 S1: point is, I had all these rules and regulations. I 288 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:35,800 S1: can now talk to the King of Kings, and I 289 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:37,520 S1: don't have to do any of that. I can rush in. 290 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:40,080 S1: I can lay my broken heart at his feet. I 291 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:43,560 S1: can sing my praises right before him. And yet we're 292 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:45,840 S1: so reticent to do it because we think he's somehow 293 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:48,400 S1: in absentia. You write in the book, the purpose of 294 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:50,680 S1: prayer is not to inform God, but to bring our 295 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:53,680 S1: thoughts and our will in line with his purposes. Therein 296 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:55,760 S1: lies another biggie for the believer as they're trying to 297 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:58,760 S1: grow upon him, which is if we thought prayer was 298 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:00,680 S1: an interesting topic, so was the idea of trying to 299 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:03,840 S1: find God's will. How do we bring our needs to him? 300 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:05,960 S1: But more importantly, how do we learn to know what 301 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:07,800 S1: his will is for our life and to pray in 302 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:08,760 S1: accordance with that? 303 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:11,360 S7: Well, if anyone is listening today and they don't know 304 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:14,960 S7: what God's will is, and of course we've often gone 305 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:18,880 S7: through that, I know this much is God's will, that 306 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:22,160 S7: we give him praise. That's a good place to begin. 307 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:27,840 S7: I begin every morning by quoting part of Psalm, different Psalms. 308 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:30,760 S7: I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise 309 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:33,720 S7: shall continually be in my mouth. And then it goes 310 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:36,480 S7: on and on. So here's what you need to do 311 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:39,960 S7: as far as God's will is concerned. What I tell 312 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:43,280 S7: God when I'm facing a decision is this I'm saying, Lord, 313 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:46,960 S7: you know that it's my intention to do A, B, 314 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:50,080 S7: or C, and then I tell him and then I say, 315 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:54,120 S7: but if I'm wrong, would you close the door? So 316 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:58,000 S7: often when I have prayed that a door has either 317 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:02,240 S7: been opened or closed, and there's a promise that we 318 00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:05,360 S7: can hang on to in James. You know, if any 319 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:08,000 S7: of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God who 320 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:12,640 S7: gives to all men Liberty. Liberty? Uh, he gives liberally. 321 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:18,360 S7: He gives with great liberty. The answer, chapter number two 322 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:21,080 S7: in the book is this. And I feel so deeply 323 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:25,400 S7: about this, it is that some people say, God help me, 324 00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:30,960 S7: but what they aren't praying is God changed me. So 325 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:32,840 S7: the first thing that you have to do if you're 326 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:36,360 S7: seeking God's will, is to lay everything before him and say, 327 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:41,600 S7: I'm willing to do whatever you show me to do. 328 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:45,920 S7: I do not want any distance between my will and yours. 329 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:50,160 S7: And then you'll be surprised at the various ways in 330 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:54,080 S7: which God can lead us to make a good decision, 331 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:59,000 S7: or the decision that he desires us to have. So 332 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:01,600 S7: it's so important that we keep that, you know, the 333 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:05,120 S7: Bible says, pray without ceasing. I have to tell you, Janet, 334 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:08,040 S7: I'm praying right now in the back of my mind, 335 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:13,560 S7: I'm committing this interview to the Lord and recognizing that 336 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:16,400 S7: I have to do it in dependence upon him, because 337 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:20,119 S7: if it's not done in dependence upon him, it will 338 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:21,600 S7: fall on deaf ears. 339 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:24,119 S1: Yes, amen and amen. Well, I want you to know 340 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:26,520 S1: we're both praying because I want to make sure I 341 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:29,480 S1: ask the right questions that honor and glorify him, and 342 00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:32,440 S1: give you the opportunity to answer the questions so that 343 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:35,800 S1: back the head prayer. I do that all the time 344 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:37,919 S1: as well. I love the book. It's called Why Doesn't 345 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:40,440 S1: God Answer My Prayers? And then he offers a biblical 346 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:43,439 S1: guide to God's hidden purposes. Doctor Erwin Lutzer back after this. 347 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:48,720 S1: We have the privilege of spending the hour with Doctor 348 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:51,920 S1: Erwin Lutzer, who's the pastor emeritus of the Moody Church 349 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:55,080 S1: in Chicago. He had that position for 36 years, and 350 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:59,440 S1: he is still on radio, on multiple stations and multiple programs, 351 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:01,879 S1: and he is still a very prolific writer. And every 352 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:03,520 S1: one of his books, I can't wait every time I 353 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:05,600 S1: know that Doctor Lutzer has a new book coming out, 354 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:08,480 S1: and this most recent did not disappoint. It's called Why 355 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:11,520 S1: Doesn't God Answer My Prayers? And it's a wonderful guide 356 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:15,000 S1: to really understanding our prayers, coming into alignment with God's 357 00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:18,560 S1: often hidden purposes. It's such a book of encouragement. I 358 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:21,280 S1: so appreciate it. Doctor Lutsey you started the book out 359 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:24,280 S1: as you do. It's your inimitable style going right to 360 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:27,040 S1: the core of the problems with the prosperity gospel. This 361 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:29,439 S1: whole idea of name it and claim it and why 362 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:31,800 S1: I'm going to guess that you did it this way, 363 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:33,600 S1: but I think it's in keeping with the rest of 364 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:35,800 S1: the theme of the book, is that we don't want 365 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:38,240 S1: people to have a misunderstanding of prayer, because we don't 366 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:39,959 S1: want you to grow cold. We don't want you to 367 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,280 S1: fall away. We don't want you to turn your back 368 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:46,159 S1: from your relationship with Jesus because you had a misunderstanding 369 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:48,560 S1: of prayer. You know, if name it and claimed it worked, 370 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:50,560 S1: the Apostle Paul would be the poster boy for this. 371 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:52,359 S1: He prays over and over again for this thorn to 372 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:54,840 S1: be removed. It doesn't get removed. If anybody should have 373 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:57,760 S1: been deserving a quote prosperity gospel, it would have been Paul. 374 00:18:57,800 --> 00:18:59,679 S1: Tell me what the problems are with this idea of 375 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:00,879 S1: prosperity gospel. 376 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:05,160 S7: Well, the prosperity gospel teaches that when Jesus died on 377 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:09,520 S7: the cross, as far as the propitiation is concerned, is 378 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:12,320 S7: he paid for our sins, he redeemed us body, soul, 379 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:16,679 S7: and spirit. So from that they deduce that you can 380 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:21,680 S7: claim and demand healing whenever you want it. I point 381 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:24,439 S7: out the story of some friends of ours who believe 382 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:27,800 S7: that they would never die. They said, every day we're 383 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:31,120 S7: going to be receiving healing from God, and so we're 384 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:35,639 S7: going to live until Jesus returns. Well, I hope that 385 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:38,000 S7: you aren't too surprised when I tell you that they 386 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:41,400 S7: did die. Now, what's wrong with that? I do believe, 387 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:45,560 S7: and I point out that Jesus did die for us body, soul, 388 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:50,600 S7: and spirit. But we don't receive our entire inheritance in 389 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:53,879 S7: this life. As a matter of fact, it's very clear 390 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:57,000 S7: you pointed out the Apostle Paul prays that his thorn 391 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:00,520 S7: in the flesh will leave him. We don't receive it all. 392 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:05,800 S7: Jesus came to abolish death, but we all die. So 393 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:11,120 S7: here's the problem. If you are taught that whenever you 394 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:13,840 S7: are sick, you can be healed. If you have enough faith, 395 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:17,720 S7: think of the guilt that that generates on somebody because 396 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:21,880 S7: you know, he prays, she prays for a child or whatever. 397 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:25,920 S7: The healing does not occur. They blame themselves. And then 398 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:27,960 S7: I don't want to be too hard on this. But, Janet, 399 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:30,639 S7: I've seen issues in which if there is a healing 400 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:34,400 S7: and of course I believe that God sometimes heals, then 401 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:38,119 S7: the faith healer takes the credit. Yes. So the point 402 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:42,080 S7: is that no matter what happens, you're the person who 403 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:46,160 S7: loses in this. And for people to come into somebody's 404 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:50,719 S7: hospital bed and room and say to them, you know, 405 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:53,280 S7: if you just had the faith right now, you could 406 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:57,200 S7: stand up and walk. We've known people who took their 407 00:20:57,240 --> 00:21:01,200 S7: glasses and threw them into the stove because, after all, 408 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:03,240 S7: that was a step of faith that they were going 409 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:08,720 S7: to be healed from whatever, uh, whatever eye problem they had. Well, 410 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:12,320 S7: they weren't. They had to go buy their glasses again later. 411 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:18,440 S7: So let's not promise things that aren't there now. I 412 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:23,400 S7: do believe in divine healing at Moody Church. Us as elders, 413 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:27,080 S7: we gathered together and we prayed for sick people who 414 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:28,960 S7: wanted to be prayed. But one of the things we 415 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:33,560 S7: always did before that is we counseled them. Sometimes we 416 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:36,320 S7: discovered that there were issues in their life that they 417 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:39,920 S7: were not facing, so it became a spiritual problem and 418 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:43,320 S7: not just a physical problem. And sometimes there were those 419 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:47,520 S7: who returned who said, absolutely they were healed. Sometimes they weren't. 420 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:53,040 S7: But we had to depend on God and ultimately bow 421 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:56,440 S7: to his will. You know, Janet, while I'm on this topic, 422 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,239 S7: I can't help but go to chapter six of the 423 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:03,440 S7: book where I point this out that Jesus in the 424 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:11,240 S7: Garden of Gethsemane, in Mark chapter 14, three times he says, father, 425 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:16,200 S7: all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. 426 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:22,890 S7: What if. Jesus prayer would have been answered? You and 427 00:22:22,890 --> 00:22:27,130 S7: I would not be redeemed. I mean, this is so sobering. 428 00:22:27,130 --> 00:22:30,689 S7: When I was typing this out on the computer, I 429 00:22:30,730 --> 00:22:33,810 S7: left the computer and got on the floor with my 430 00:22:33,810 --> 00:22:37,330 S7: face toward the Lord, thanking him that the cup was 431 00:22:37,330 --> 00:22:40,450 S7: not taken from him. So one of the things I 432 00:22:40,450 --> 00:22:43,810 S7: want to emphasize to everyone listening today is this that 433 00:22:43,810 --> 00:22:47,770 S7: if your prayer is unanswered, God may be doing many, 434 00:22:47,810 --> 00:22:54,209 S7: much greater things through an unanswered prayer than he does 435 00:22:54,810 --> 00:22:57,570 S7: a prayer that is answered in the way in which 436 00:22:57,570 --> 00:23:00,410 S7: we prayed it. So at the end of the day, 437 00:23:01,330 --> 00:23:04,690 S7: we pray for our needs. We commit them to the Lord. 438 00:23:05,330 --> 00:23:08,410 S7: And at the same time, what does Paul say? Be 439 00:23:08,410 --> 00:23:11,970 S7: anxious for nothing. In everything by prayer and supplication. Let 440 00:23:12,010 --> 00:23:14,970 S7: our requests be made known unto God, and the peace 441 00:23:14,970 --> 00:23:19,570 S7: of God which passes all understanding will be ours through 442 00:23:19,570 --> 00:23:22,730 S7: Jesus Christ. So Paul isn't saying there you're always going 443 00:23:22,770 --> 00:23:25,810 S7: to get what you want. He's saying that there's going 444 00:23:25,810 --> 00:23:28,770 S7: to be a substitute. And since you referred to it, Janet, 445 00:23:29,210 --> 00:23:33,890 S7: Paul's thorn in the flesh. God wasn't just callously saying no. 446 00:23:34,369 --> 00:23:37,210 S7: He said, I am going to give you a substitute. 447 00:23:37,530 --> 00:23:39,690 S7: And that is I'm going to give you grace to 448 00:23:39,730 --> 00:23:43,609 S7: bear it. And the apostle Paul said these remarkable words 449 00:23:44,170 --> 00:23:49,889 S7: more gladly will I therefore rather glory in my infirmities, 450 00:23:50,290 --> 00:23:53,090 S7: that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Paul 451 00:23:53,090 --> 00:23:55,850 S7: is saying, if this is what it takes for me 452 00:23:55,850 --> 00:23:59,369 S7: to have the power of Christ upon me, I'll bear 453 00:23:59,369 --> 00:24:00,170 S7: the thorn. 454 00:24:00,890 --> 00:24:01,250 S5: Wow. 455 00:24:01,850 --> 00:24:05,330 S1: And that example, Doctor Lutzer exactly is what you talk 456 00:24:05,369 --> 00:24:08,370 S1: about when you're referring to God's hidden purposes. God did 457 00:24:08,850 --> 00:24:11,649 S1: not answer. That's a double negative. Forgive me for that. 458 00:24:11,930 --> 00:24:14,330 S1: He wasn't ignoring. He wasn't silent. He wasn't the God 459 00:24:14,330 --> 00:24:17,770 S1: who was not there. He had his purposes. This is 460 00:24:17,770 --> 00:24:20,370 S1: why so much of our prayer life is predicated on 461 00:24:20,369 --> 00:24:24,530 S1: knowing the character of God and being able to trust him. Nevertheless, Lord, 462 00:24:24,530 --> 00:24:28,050 S1: not my will, but yours. Doctor Erwin Lutzer is with us. 463 00:24:28,050 --> 00:24:29,610 S1: I want to linger in the garden. It was one 464 00:24:29,609 --> 00:24:31,530 S1: of my favorite chapters in the book. When we get back, 465 00:24:31,530 --> 00:24:44,850 S1: I have more questions. Stick around. Tired of the endless, 466 00:24:44,850 --> 00:24:47,530 S1: biased spin you hear on mainstream media and in the market, 467 00:24:47,530 --> 00:24:49,610 S1: we're using God's Word as our guide as we examine 468 00:24:49,609 --> 00:24:51,770 S1: today's events, and we want you to be informed and 469 00:24:51,770 --> 00:24:54,530 S1: bold about his truth. This is a listener supported program, 470 00:24:54,530 --> 00:24:56,130 S1: so if you value what you hear and you want 471 00:24:56,130 --> 00:24:58,490 S1: us to continue on your station, become a partial partner 472 00:24:58,490 --> 00:25:03,969 S1: with your monthly support, call 877. 58. That's 877 Janet 473 00:25:03,970 --> 00:25:07,530 S1: 58 or go online to in the market with Janet Parshall. 474 00:25:10,609 --> 00:25:13,330 S1: What a privilege to spend the hour with Doctor Erwin Lutzer. 475 00:25:13,369 --> 00:25:16,250 S1: He is pastor emeritus of the Moody Church in Chicago. 476 00:25:16,250 --> 00:25:19,490 S1: He was pastor there for 36 years, but the Lord 477 00:25:19,490 --> 00:25:22,210 S1: has certainly got him bearing much fruit in this season 478 00:25:22,210 --> 00:25:24,650 S1: of his life. He still holds multiple radio programs and 479 00:25:24,650 --> 00:25:27,570 S1: thousands of channels across the country. He travels. He gives 480 00:25:27,570 --> 00:25:30,609 S1: some fabulous tours, by the way. In fact, Doctor Lutzer, 481 00:25:30,770 --> 00:25:32,690 S1: I understand that you're going to be doing one with 482 00:25:32,690 --> 00:25:35,250 S1: Gary Hamrick and with Frank Turek, and you're taking a 483 00:25:35,250 --> 00:25:38,570 S1: little cruise to Alaska, and it's going to be about apologetics. Oh, 484 00:25:38,609 --> 00:25:41,130 S1: to be on that cruise with you. That sounds absolutely fabulous, 485 00:25:41,130 --> 00:25:43,730 S1: by the way. But he joins us today as the 486 00:25:43,730 --> 00:25:45,649 S1: author of a brand new book called Why Doesn't God 487 00:25:45,650 --> 00:25:47,810 S1: Answer My Prayers? And I want to go to the 488 00:25:47,810 --> 00:25:51,410 S1: chapter you referenced before, because this I had to stop 489 00:25:51,410 --> 00:25:53,250 S1: because there are times when I was reading it where, 490 00:25:53,250 --> 00:25:55,850 S1: like you, Doctor Lutzer, it took my breath away and 491 00:25:55,850 --> 00:25:57,969 S1: you take the time. And I'm glad you did, to 492 00:25:58,010 --> 00:26:02,210 S1: describe what the cup means. And when you fully comprehend 493 00:26:02,250 --> 00:26:04,770 S1: what the cup is and you describe this beautifully in 494 00:26:04,770 --> 00:26:09,050 S1: the book, you understand the profundity when he prays. If 495 00:26:09,050 --> 00:26:12,010 S1: it be your will, take this cup from me. Explain 496 00:26:12,010 --> 00:26:14,290 S1: to our friends what that means when he's talking about 497 00:26:14,290 --> 00:26:14,970 S1: the cup. 498 00:26:16,250 --> 00:26:18,810 S7: The cup, of course, is the cup of God's wrath 499 00:26:18,850 --> 00:26:24,970 S7: against sin. It is. It is taking hell which is forever. 500 00:26:25,570 --> 00:26:30,290 S7: And compressing it into the three hours of darkness when 501 00:26:30,290 --> 00:26:33,369 S7: Jesus was on the cross during that time of darkness, 502 00:26:33,770 --> 00:26:37,370 S7: and he was, his fellowship with the father was broken. 503 00:26:37,570 --> 00:26:41,530 S7: It doesn't mean that the Trinity somehow broke apart, but 504 00:26:41,570 --> 00:26:45,490 S7: there's a lot of mystery there. But Jesus said, My God, 505 00:26:45,490 --> 00:26:51,409 S7: my God, why hast thou forsaken? Forsaken me? But, Janet, 506 00:26:52,090 --> 00:26:55,770 S7: if people were to latch on to this one idea, 507 00:26:56,330 --> 00:27:03,330 S7: it could be transforming. Just think this Jesus speaking a 508 00:27:03,330 --> 00:27:06,530 S7: little later because the disciples forsook him, by the way, 509 00:27:06,530 --> 00:27:11,010 S7: and I point out that Prayerless disciples end up being 510 00:27:11,250 --> 00:27:15,010 S7: backslidden disciples, and that has huge implications. But here's the 511 00:27:15,010 --> 00:27:22,409 S7: thing Jesus says to Peter, the cup which my father 512 00:27:22,410 --> 00:27:26,730 S7: has given me, shall I not drink it? Jesus didn't 513 00:27:26,730 --> 00:27:29,050 S7: say the cup that Judas gave me. Shall I not 514 00:27:29,050 --> 00:27:32,130 S7: drink it? The cup that the Sanhedrin given me, the 515 00:27:32,450 --> 00:27:37,369 S7: the cup that Pilate gave me. Shall I not drink it? No. 516 00:27:38,410 --> 00:27:43,290 S7: Jesus saw past all of the evil. He saw past 517 00:27:43,290 --> 00:27:47,850 S7: all of that, and knew that God was using this 518 00:27:47,850 --> 00:27:52,690 S7: evil to bring about his will. So he accepted the 519 00:27:52,690 --> 00:27:56,290 S7: cup from the hand of the father. I can't help 520 00:27:56,290 --> 00:28:00,609 S7: but think that today we're speaking to someone and they're saying, 521 00:28:00,810 --> 00:28:04,650 S7: I have someone who wants to crucify me. I have 522 00:28:04,650 --> 00:28:08,370 S7: somebody who wants to do me in. If they can 523 00:28:08,369 --> 00:28:12,210 S7: look beyond this and see the will of God and say, Lord, 524 00:28:12,210 --> 00:28:15,570 S7: I receive this cup from your hand. Even though an 525 00:28:15,570 --> 00:28:19,930 S7: evil hand may be the immediate cause, we have to 526 00:28:20,170 --> 00:28:24,010 S7: have such a great view of God that we say, 527 00:28:24,010 --> 00:28:30,250 S7: even here I receive the cup from your hand, and 528 00:28:30,250 --> 00:28:33,210 S7: that makes all the difference in the world. It enables 529 00:28:33,210 --> 00:28:36,970 S7: you to give up bitterness, to lay it down for 530 00:28:36,970 --> 00:28:41,570 S7: those who are perhaps opposed to you, or doing things 531 00:28:41,650 --> 00:28:45,890 S7: even lying about you. If it comes from the father, 532 00:28:46,450 --> 00:28:49,090 S7: you say, then, father, I need the grace to bear it. 533 00:28:49,090 --> 00:28:52,650 S7: And isn't it wonderful, Janet, that even though Jesus prayed 534 00:28:52,650 --> 00:28:55,890 S7: three times that the cup be removed, that at the 535 00:28:55,890 --> 00:29:01,050 S7: end of the day I love that word nevertheless? Nevertheless, 536 00:29:01,610 --> 00:29:05,050 S7: I bow to your will. Thy will be done. I 537 00:29:05,050 --> 00:29:08,450 S7: will drink the cup and thank God that he did. 538 00:29:09,650 --> 00:29:12,090 S1: You make the statement. And I think this was so 539 00:29:12,130 --> 00:29:15,690 S1: eye opening to the entire thesis of the book. Our 540 00:29:15,690 --> 00:29:19,570 S1: redemption is founded on an unanswered prayer. I mean, if 541 00:29:19,570 --> 00:29:21,970 S1: God had answered that prayer, then what would have happened? 542 00:29:22,010 --> 00:29:25,250 S1: How would there have been that final and complete sacrifice? 543 00:29:25,250 --> 00:29:28,010 S1: How would there have been the remission of my sins? 544 00:29:28,010 --> 00:29:30,410 S1: How without the shedding of blood there is no remission 545 00:29:30,410 --> 00:29:31,969 S1: of sin? So then what would have happened? I mean, 546 00:29:32,010 --> 00:29:35,290 S1: it just creates this cascade of what ifs. If he 547 00:29:35,290 --> 00:29:37,970 S1: had had that cup passed from him. So to think 548 00:29:37,970 --> 00:29:40,610 S1: about it and it really, is it an unanswered prayer 549 00:29:40,610 --> 00:29:42,810 S1: or is it just an answer to a prayer? But 550 00:29:42,810 --> 00:29:45,290 S1: it was an answer we didn't want. It was something else, 551 00:29:45,290 --> 00:29:47,970 S1: and it was part of God's purposes rather than ours. 552 00:29:47,970 --> 00:29:51,170 S1: In other words, do I want my petition answered and filled, 553 00:29:51,170 --> 00:29:53,090 S1: or do I want his purposes played out? 554 00:29:54,130 --> 00:29:57,050 S7: Yes, you've said it very well, actually. And of course, 555 00:29:57,050 --> 00:30:00,570 S7: we know that Jesus came to this earth in order 556 00:30:00,570 --> 00:30:03,370 S7: to drink the cup. That was the major reason why 557 00:30:03,370 --> 00:30:07,210 S7: he came. But at the same time, in his humanity, 558 00:30:07,610 --> 00:30:12,690 S7: as he faced the horror that awaited him, he prayed 559 00:30:12,690 --> 00:30:17,770 S7: as he did remove this cup. And yet, thankfully, if 560 00:30:17,770 --> 00:30:19,930 S7: the cup were removed, of course you and I would 561 00:30:19,930 --> 00:30:24,290 S7: be unredeemed, because one of the things that, uh, in 562 00:30:24,290 --> 00:30:27,850 S7: university today, you take a course in religion, they will 563 00:30:27,850 --> 00:30:32,050 S7: tell you all religions demand blood. Christianity is the same. 564 00:30:32,090 --> 00:30:35,850 S7: You know, without the sacrifice of blood, there's no remission 565 00:30:35,850 --> 00:30:43,170 S7: of sins. But in Christianity, what's unique is God becomes 566 00:30:43,170 --> 00:30:47,570 S7: the sacrifice. There's no other religion out there like that. 567 00:30:47,930 --> 00:30:53,810 S7: God demands perfection. And then through Christ, God supplies the 568 00:30:53,810 --> 00:30:58,130 S7: perfection that he demands. And he does it through the 569 00:30:58,130 --> 00:31:03,570 S7: death of Jesus Christ. And that cup and I shudder. Yeah. 570 00:31:03,610 --> 00:31:05,370 S7: If God had answered that prayer. 571 00:31:05,930 --> 00:31:07,570 S1: Do you know I underlined that part of the book, 572 00:31:07,570 --> 00:31:10,650 S1: Doctor Lutzer. That's how impactful it was for me. That Christianity, 573 00:31:10,690 --> 00:31:12,530 S1: you write, is no different than any other religion. The 574 00:31:12,530 --> 00:31:15,610 S1: gods of other religions also demand a blood sacrifice, such 575 00:31:15,610 --> 00:31:17,970 S1: as the blood of an animal. True enough, and this 576 00:31:17,970 --> 00:31:21,850 S1: is critical. You're right. Only in Christianity does God become 577 00:31:21,850 --> 00:31:25,330 S1: the sacrifice. Now here again is this interesting juxtaposition. So 578 00:31:25,330 --> 00:31:28,210 S1: the cup is the wrath of God that was poured out. 579 00:31:28,290 --> 00:31:31,170 S1: I mean, and isn't it interesting that now substitutionary atonement 580 00:31:31,170 --> 00:31:34,050 S1: is actually a flashpoint in some churches that people just 581 00:31:34,050 --> 00:31:36,690 S1: don't want to deal with the wrath of God? Well, 582 00:31:36,690 --> 00:31:40,010 S1: it had to be satisfied. And so the wrath is 583 00:31:40,010 --> 00:31:42,610 S1: also at the same time, the manifestation of his love 584 00:31:42,610 --> 00:31:45,770 S1: for us, is it not? If God becomes the sacrifice 585 00:31:45,770 --> 00:31:48,450 S1: and no other religion in the world puts out that idea, 586 00:31:48,490 --> 00:31:50,770 S1: doesn't that say something about God's love for us if 587 00:31:50,770 --> 00:31:53,610 S1: he himself is willing to become the sacrifice? 588 00:31:54,610 --> 00:31:57,690 S7: You know, Janet, I thought about these things for many years, 589 00:31:57,690 --> 00:32:00,610 S7: and I have to say this God is a very 590 00:32:00,610 --> 00:32:04,210 S7: complex being. On the one hand, the wrath of God 591 00:32:04,210 --> 00:32:07,770 S7: might just read the book of revelation. On the other hand, 592 00:32:07,810 --> 00:32:11,610 S7: God is love. And so what you see in God 593 00:32:11,930 --> 00:32:15,209 S7: and it all meets at the cross. Where was the 594 00:32:15,210 --> 00:32:19,330 S7: greatest injustice done? At the cross? Where do we see 595 00:32:19,330 --> 00:32:24,090 S7: the greatest love? At the cross? So the point is 596 00:32:24,090 --> 00:32:27,330 S7: that God, on the one hand, a God of wrath 597 00:32:27,370 --> 00:32:31,810 S7: against sin, but also a Redeemer. And since we're on 598 00:32:31,810 --> 00:32:34,410 S7: the topic of unanswered prayer, I want to say this 599 00:32:34,410 --> 00:32:37,290 S7: to all the listeners, to those who have never believed 600 00:32:37,290 --> 00:32:42,250 S7: on Jesus Christ as their Savior. That's one promise that 601 00:32:42,250 --> 00:32:45,370 S7: we find over and over again in the Bible that 602 00:32:45,370 --> 00:32:48,970 S7: you can count on. And that is this, that whoever 603 00:32:48,970 --> 00:32:51,850 S7: calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 604 00:32:52,170 --> 00:32:55,570 S7: And as many as received him, to those he gives 605 00:32:55,570 --> 00:32:58,730 S7: the authority to become the children of God, even to 606 00:32:58,770 --> 00:33:01,650 S7: those who believe on his name. So there are some 607 00:33:01,650 --> 00:33:06,770 S7: promises that we know he always answers. But of course, 608 00:33:06,770 --> 00:33:11,250 S7: the focus of my book is what about those unanswered prayers? 609 00:33:11,570 --> 00:33:14,050 S7: You know, there's something else I have to say very quickly, 610 00:33:14,050 --> 00:33:16,890 S7: and that is that in the 11th chapter of Hebrews. 611 00:33:16,890 --> 00:33:19,810 S7: And I think this is in a different chapter in 612 00:33:19,810 --> 00:33:22,810 S7: the 11th chapter of Hebrews, you have all those miracles 613 00:33:23,330 --> 00:33:27,770 S7: crossing the Red sea, Daniel, closing the mouths of lions 614 00:33:27,770 --> 00:33:30,570 S7: and all. And then in verse 35, you have a break. 615 00:33:30,850 --> 00:33:35,890 S7: And others and others, they were hunted down. They wandered 616 00:33:35,890 --> 00:33:41,370 S7: about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, and 617 00:33:41,370 --> 00:33:45,970 S7: no miracles. Let me say this with a great deal 618 00:33:46,610 --> 00:33:50,490 S7: of compassion and hope. You don't have to see a 619 00:33:50,490 --> 00:33:56,970 S7: miracle in order to be in God's Chapter of Faith 620 00:33:57,170 --> 00:34:01,210 S7: and heroes. You have two groups of people. Some saw 621 00:34:01,210 --> 00:34:05,490 S7: the miracles, some didn't. Both of them made the 11th 622 00:34:05,490 --> 00:34:09,890 S7: chapter of Hebrews because they kept on believing, even though 623 00:34:09,890 --> 00:34:11,489 S7: they didn't see a miracle. 624 00:34:12,890 --> 00:34:15,089 S1: Well, this is why. Is it not right to say 625 00:34:15,090 --> 00:34:18,370 S1: that this whole idea of thinking that God doesn't answer 626 00:34:18,370 --> 00:34:21,250 S1: our prayers is bound up in the concept of who 627 00:34:21,290 --> 00:34:24,569 S1: you think God is? If I trust him completely, even 628 00:34:24,570 --> 00:34:26,330 S1: if I don't get the answer to the prayer that 629 00:34:26,330 --> 00:34:29,850 S1: I want, I can pause and say, well, it's already 630 00:34:29,850 --> 00:34:31,930 S1: been vetted in the throne room of heaven. What God 631 00:34:31,930 --> 00:34:34,529 S1: is going to do is going to be for his purposes. 632 00:34:34,530 --> 00:34:37,730 S1: I want what he wants because he loves me, and 633 00:34:37,730 --> 00:34:39,690 S1: I know that he has plans for me that are 634 00:34:39,690 --> 00:34:43,170 S1: going to be for my benefit, for my blessing, ultimately 635 00:34:43,170 --> 00:34:45,649 S1: to bring honor and glory to him. You can't talk 636 00:34:45,650 --> 00:34:48,529 S1: about prayer. I don't think without understanding the character of God. 637 00:34:48,530 --> 00:34:49,770 S1: Am I right or wrong on that? 638 00:34:50,290 --> 00:34:54,450 S7: Oh, Janet, you have actually said it very beautifully that 639 00:34:54,450 --> 00:34:58,370 S7: if there isn't an answer to prayer that we want, 640 00:34:58,410 --> 00:35:01,770 S7: there's a different answer. You know, I, I just was 641 00:35:01,770 --> 00:35:06,810 S7: blown away by Habakkuk. Here he is, a prophet. He's 642 00:35:06,810 --> 00:35:10,810 S7: calling on God to do something. Look at the violence. 643 00:35:11,130 --> 00:35:13,450 S7: And then he hears from God. And God says, you know, 644 00:35:13,489 --> 00:35:16,490 S7: I am doing something. I'm going to bring the Babylonians 645 00:35:16,530 --> 00:35:21,570 S7: against you and to destroy your country. Well, thank you very, 646 00:35:21,570 --> 00:35:25,890 S7: very much. And then he has this dialogue with God. 647 00:35:26,170 --> 00:35:28,930 S7: And then at the end of the book, even though 648 00:35:28,930 --> 00:35:31,730 S7: he knows now that the Babylonians are coming, and his 649 00:35:31,730 --> 00:35:34,650 S7: prayer certainly was not answered the way he prayed it. 650 00:35:35,010 --> 00:35:38,730 S7: What does he say, though the fig tree will not 651 00:35:38,730 --> 00:35:42,930 S7: bear fruit. Though there be no cattle in the stalls. 652 00:35:43,530 --> 00:35:46,529 S7: And he goes on and talks about all of the 653 00:35:46,530 --> 00:35:50,650 S7: things that you need to live, though all that disappears. 654 00:35:50,810 --> 00:35:55,130 S7: Yet I will rejoice in God my Savior. He didn't 655 00:35:55,130 --> 00:35:58,690 S7: get the prayer that he wanted to have answered. It 656 00:35:58,690 --> 00:36:03,090 S7: wasn't answered. But God says, Habakkuk, I've not forgotten my 657 00:36:03,090 --> 00:36:05,450 S7: people in the midst of what I'm going to do. 658 00:36:06,130 --> 00:36:09,170 S7: You have to trust me, and you can rejoice when 659 00:36:09,170 --> 00:36:11,770 S7: everything around you falls apart. 660 00:36:12,050 --> 00:36:16,010 S1: Mm. Such encouragement in the book. Why doesn't God answer 661 00:36:16,010 --> 00:36:18,489 S1: my prayers? I hope you will get a copy of this. 662 00:36:18,489 --> 00:36:21,129 S1: And by the way, I say this often, particularly books 663 00:36:21,130 --> 00:36:23,410 S1: that are impactful for me and mine is dog eared 664 00:36:23,410 --> 00:36:26,650 S1: and underlined and footnoted. There is so much more in 665 00:36:26,650 --> 00:36:28,370 S1: this book that even the gift of one hour of 666 00:36:28,370 --> 00:36:32,089 S1: Doctor Lutzer time affords us, we cannot possibly cover. I 667 00:36:32,090 --> 00:36:35,010 S1: just want you to start thinking deeply, critically, and biblically 668 00:36:35,010 --> 00:36:37,610 S1: about prayer. Get a copy of this book back after this. 669 00:36:40,570 --> 00:36:43,850 S1: Why doesn't God answer my prayers? A Biblical Guide to 670 00:36:43,890 --> 00:36:46,330 S1: God's Hidden Purposes. It is the brand new book by 671 00:36:46,330 --> 00:36:49,890 S1: Doctor Erwin Lutzer, pastor emeritus of the Moody Church. He 672 00:36:49,890 --> 00:36:53,529 S1: was senior pastor there for 36 years. He is still 673 00:36:53,530 --> 00:36:56,610 S1: very much still bearing fruits in the season of his life, 674 00:36:56,610 --> 00:36:59,930 S1: hosting radio programs, taking tours, writing books and we are 675 00:36:59,930 --> 00:37:02,850 S1: the better for it. I, I want to talk about 676 00:37:02,850 --> 00:37:04,890 S1: one of the chapters that you wrote about, when the 677 00:37:04,890 --> 00:37:07,009 S1: answer is yes, but it's not what you expected. I 678 00:37:07,010 --> 00:37:09,049 S1: was thinking the entire time I was reading this book, 679 00:37:09,090 --> 00:37:11,410 S1: and I had to stop and say out loud, Lord, 680 00:37:11,410 --> 00:37:14,410 S1: thank you so many times for not answering prayers that 681 00:37:14,410 --> 00:37:16,450 S1: I prayed. I look and maybe you just have to 682 00:37:16,450 --> 00:37:18,609 S1: walk with the Lord long enough, and you look back 683 00:37:18,610 --> 00:37:20,650 S1: in your life and you think, oh, it would have 684 00:37:20,650 --> 00:37:22,450 S1: been horrible if what I had prayed for the Lord 685 00:37:22,450 --> 00:37:25,330 S1: had given me. So there's something there again, about learning 686 00:37:25,370 --> 00:37:27,730 S1: to trust the heart of God, even if you can't 687 00:37:27,730 --> 00:37:30,569 S1: see his hand. And an unanswered prayer just might be 688 00:37:30,570 --> 00:37:32,530 S1: the very best thing in the world that could happen 689 00:37:32,530 --> 00:37:36,130 S1: to us. But that requires our growing in understanding of 690 00:37:36,170 --> 00:37:38,930 S1: who God is and deepening our trust in him, does 691 00:37:38,930 --> 00:37:39,450 S1: it not? 692 00:37:40,570 --> 00:37:43,890 S7: You know, the other day someone texted me and said that, uh, 693 00:37:43,890 --> 00:37:47,890 S7: their son in law wanted to run for Congress, but 694 00:37:47,890 --> 00:37:51,290 S7: they are very disappointed because they weren't able to. ET cetera. 695 00:37:51,290 --> 00:37:53,810 S7: ET cetera. And I wrote back and said, you have 696 00:37:53,810 --> 00:37:58,450 S7: no idea what. God may have spared your son in 697 00:37:58,450 --> 00:38:02,930 S7: law from. And so what we have to do is I. 698 00:38:03,210 --> 00:38:07,250 S7: Always say God can see around corners and we can't. 699 00:38:07,810 --> 00:38:11,290 S7: But this chapter I think that you're referring to is Abraham. 700 00:38:11,290 --> 00:38:12,850 S7: This is fascinating. You know. 701 00:38:12,890 --> 00:38:13,250 S1: He. 702 00:38:13,450 --> 00:38:16,690 S7: He bargains with God not not really bargains because he 703 00:38:16,690 --> 00:38:21,770 S7: has nothing to bargain with. But he goes through with 704 00:38:21,770 --> 00:38:24,530 S7: God and says, if there are 50 righteous, would you 705 00:38:24,530 --> 00:38:29,049 S7: destroy Sodom? God says no. And then, um, uh, you know, 706 00:38:29,090 --> 00:38:32,570 S7: he says, what about 40? What about 30? What about ten? 707 00:38:33,090 --> 00:38:37,930 S7: And finally it ends there. And Abraham's desire is that 708 00:38:37,930 --> 00:38:43,210 S7: lot and his family be spared. And so Abraham goes 709 00:38:43,210 --> 00:38:47,009 S7: home that night after bringing the number down to ten. 710 00:38:47,370 --> 00:38:49,290 S7: And I'm sure that he said to Sarah, you know, 711 00:38:49,330 --> 00:38:52,489 S7: I just spared Sodom and Gomorrah because surely there are 712 00:38:52,489 --> 00:38:56,370 S7: ten righteous there. There's lot. There's his daughters, his sons, 713 00:38:56,410 --> 00:39:01,930 S7: his sons in law, his other, uh, relatives. There may 714 00:39:01,930 --> 00:39:05,090 S7: have been Christian or we wouldn't say Christian in the 715 00:39:05,090 --> 00:39:09,650 S7: Old Testament, but believers. But he goes out in the 716 00:39:09,650 --> 00:39:13,529 S7: morning and Sodom and Gomorrah are burning. So he's saying 717 00:39:13,530 --> 00:39:16,970 S7: to himself, I didn't get an answer to my prayer. 718 00:39:16,969 --> 00:39:20,690 S7: But what he didn't realize is that God did answer 719 00:39:20,690 --> 00:39:25,969 S7: his prayer. His heart by rescuing lot and taking him 720 00:39:25,969 --> 00:39:28,210 S7: out of the city. Now the rest of lot's story 721 00:39:28,210 --> 00:39:32,650 S7: is very dark, but the point is that God answered 722 00:39:32,690 --> 00:39:36,609 S7: Abraham's prayers. But it wasn't in the way in which 723 00:39:36,610 --> 00:39:40,410 S7: he thought God was going to answer his prayers. So 724 00:39:40,410 --> 00:39:43,609 S7: there are times when we don't get the answer that 725 00:39:43,610 --> 00:39:46,650 S7: we want, but we get the answer that God wants. 726 00:39:46,930 --> 00:39:50,210 S7: It's a different answer, but it is still an answer. 727 00:39:52,170 --> 00:39:55,330 S1: Should we be prepared going to that point? Because it's 728 00:39:55,370 --> 00:39:57,210 S1: I love the story, and I love the way you 729 00:39:57,210 --> 00:39:59,890 S1: point out that he got a very unexpected response to 730 00:39:59,930 --> 00:40:03,250 S1: his prayer. How do I learn? Um, in my prayer 731 00:40:03,290 --> 00:40:05,490 S1: life as I'm maturing in him, how do I learn 732 00:40:05,489 --> 00:40:09,610 S1: to not only surrender totally because I want his purposes 733 00:40:09,610 --> 00:40:11,650 S1: in my life, not my purposes. In fact, you make 734 00:40:11,650 --> 00:40:14,290 S1: the point. You will become quickly disappointed. You write with 735 00:40:14,290 --> 00:40:17,330 S1: prayer if you presume that its first purpose is getting 736 00:40:17,330 --> 00:40:19,450 S1: you what you need or want. How many of us 737 00:40:19,450 --> 00:40:21,650 S1: as believers think that's what the purpose of prayer is? 738 00:40:21,690 --> 00:40:23,650 S1: I can boldly approach the throne of grace so I 739 00:40:23,650 --> 00:40:27,330 S1: can tell you, Lord, what I need. Wrong approach. Totally 740 00:40:27,330 --> 00:40:29,930 S1: wrong approach. How do I learn to become sensitive and 741 00:40:29,930 --> 00:40:33,290 S1: discerning to the unexpected? Answer and recognize it as such? 742 00:40:33,530 --> 00:40:35,610 S1: The answer that God wanted for me. 743 00:40:36,730 --> 00:40:39,330 S7: I can give you an answer immediately, but I want 744 00:40:39,370 --> 00:40:42,650 S7: to say this that there are many people, as you described, 745 00:40:42,690 --> 00:40:46,129 S7: who view prayer as I do, an oxygen mask on 746 00:40:46,130 --> 00:40:49,770 S7: a plane. I'm glad that it's there. Only once did 747 00:40:49,770 --> 00:40:51,850 S7: I have to use it, and that's when we were 748 00:40:51,850 --> 00:40:55,130 S7: flying overseas. I won't tell you which country we were in, 749 00:40:55,489 --> 00:40:58,890 S7: but the point is, we're just glad it's there. And 750 00:40:58,890 --> 00:41:01,089 S7: that's the way God is. I have a need. Oh, 751 00:41:01,130 --> 00:41:03,970 S7: I'm going to pray. But here's the thing. And here's 752 00:41:03,969 --> 00:41:08,290 S7: an answer to your question, Janet. Go through the prayers 753 00:41:08,290 --> 00:41:13,650 S7: of Paul and pray them. And what you will discover 754 00:41:14,050 --> 00:41:19,690 S7: is that Paul never prays for healing. That I know 755 00:41:19,730 --> 00:41:24,250 S7: of what he does is he always prays that we 756 00:41:24,250 --> 00:41:29,050 S7: might understand God and what Jesus Christ has done for 757 00:41:29,050 --> 00:41:34,410 S7: us much better. You know, the Apostle Paul prays, Ephesians, 758 00:41:34,410 --> 00:41:37,330 S7: the eyes of your heart being enlightened, that you might 759 00:41:37,330 --> 00:41:39,810 S7: know what is the hope of your calling and all 760 00:41:39,850 --> 00:41:43,210 S7: of the blessings of the inheritance of the saints. And 761 00:41:43,250 --> 00:41:48,370 S7: he is constantly pointing us beyond our immediate needs. And 762 00:41:48,370 --> 00:41:51,130 S7: it's not wrong, of course, to pray for our immediate needs. 763 00:41:51,130 --> 00:41:54,689 S7: We all do that. But he keeps pointing to the 764 00:41:54,690 --> 00:41:59,330 S7: kingdom purposes that God has, and that's the way in 765 00:41:59,330 --> 00:42:03,570 S7: which he prays. So go through look at the prayers, 766 00:42:03,570 --> 00:42:06,210 S7: the two great prayers in Ephesians. Look at the way 767 00:42:06,210 --> 00:42:10,130 S7: in which he prays in the book of Philippians, and 768 00:42:10,130 --> 00:42:13,730 S7: you will understand. He really does help us to pray. 769 00:42:13,730 --> 00:42:16,730 S7: In fact, I'm looking at this one now that I 770 00:42:17,090 --> 00:42:21,690 S7: know by memory, but I have to begin it here. 771 00:42:21,730 --> 00:42:23,810 S7: Look at look at this prayer. I pray this often 772 00:42:23,810 --> 00:42:27,450 S7: for my children, and it is my prayer that your 773 00:42:27,450 --> 00:42:30,169 S7: love may abound yet more and more with knowledge and 774 00:42:30,170 --> 00:42:33,650 S7: all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent. 775 00:42:33,650 --> 00:42:36,930 S7: And so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 776 00:42:36,930 --> 00:42:40,330 S7: filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus 777 00:42:40,330 --> 00:42:43,609 S7: Christ to the glory and praise of God. It is 778 00:42:43,610 --> 00:42:45,930 S7: so much better to pray a prayer like that than 779 00:42:45,930 --> 00:42:49,010 S7: repeat the same prayers. God bless them. Keep them, keep 780 00:42:49,010 --> 00:42:52,529 S7: them healthy. That's not wrong to pray, but we have 781 00:42:52,530 --> 00:42:57,410 S7: to get beyond the visible world to the invisible, as 782 00:42:57,410 --> 00:43:00,969 S7: Paul says elsewhere. And therefore, what we have to do 783 00:43:01,010 --> 00:43:04,890 S7: is to direct our thoughts and our prayers. God word. 784 00:43:05,650 --> 00:43:10,170 S7: And that's the real reason for prayer. And then oftentimes 785 00:43:10,170 --> 00:43:13,770 S7: we do have to say, nevertheless, I have these other 786 00:43:13,770 --> 00:43:18,370 S7: prayer requests. Nevertheless, thy will be done and we entrust 787 00:43:18,410 --> 00:43:21,370 S7: it to him. And there's a big difference between committing 788 00:43:21,370 --> 00:43:25,570 S7: something to God and constantly praying about it after you've 789 00:43:25,570 --> 00:43:29,489 S7: committed it to God. You give him praise and thanksgiving 790 00:43:29,690 --> 00:43:31,850 S7: that it's in his hands and not yours. 791 00:43:32,450 --> 00:43:35,850 S1: Amen. What a note to end this conversation on Doctor Lutzer. Wow. 792 00:43:36,210 --> 00:43:39,250 S1: again friends, so much more in this book that we 793 00:43:39,250 --> 00:43:40,969 S1: were not able to cover in an hour. But this 794 00:43:40,969 --> 00:43:43,009 S1: isn't a book report. This is just to get you 795 00:43:43,010 --> 00:43:46,650 S1: starting to think deeply, more deeply about the nature of God, 796 00:43:46,650 --> 00:43:50,330 S1: more deeply getting into his word and understanding prayer. Because, 797 00:43:50,330 --> 00:43:53,250 S1: as Doctor Lutzer pointed out, prayerless Christians are the ones 798 00:43:53,250 --> 00:43:56,210 S1: that start to backslide. You get cold, you walk away. 799 00:43:56,210 --> 00:43:59,650 S1: You don't know that relationship because you can't find yourself 800 00:43:59,650 --> 00:44:02,089 S1: in a place where you totally press into him and 801 00:44:02,090 --> 00:44:04,569 S1: trust him completely. So if you're in my class, you 802 00:44:04,570 --> 00:44:06,330 S1: always hear me say this about a book that impacts 803 00:44:06,330 --> 00:44:09,250 S1: me personally. This would be required reading, so check it out. 804 00:44:09,250 --> 00:44:11,890 S1: It's on our information page. It's called Why Doesn't God 805 00:44:11,890 --> 00:44:14,009 S1: Answer My Prayers? And by the way, at the end 806 00:44:14,010 --> 00:44:18,009 S1: of every chapter, there's a beautiful prayer that exemplifies a 807 00:44:18,010 --> 00:44:19,969 S1: point that's just been made in the previous chapter, and 808 00:44:19,969 --> 00:44:22,890 S1: that's going to help you learn how to pray appropriately 809 00:44:22,890 --> 00:44:25,689 S1: as well. Doctor Lutzer, thank you for a memorable and 810 00:44:25,690 --> 00:44:28,370 S1: rich conversation. And thank you, friends. We'll see you next 811 00:44:28,370 --> 00:44:30,570 S1: time on In the Market with Janet Parshall.