The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

If we allow the Scripture verse above to be true –and I do!—then what is to be said about earnest and sincere petitions that are offered by earnest and sincere believers, but appear to not be answered? My late wife and I prayed for her healing, but despite excellent medical care, the LORD, in His wisdom, took her to be with Him.

Many Biblical personalities received no divine response to their prayers. Careful examination often reveals that where no response results, the character of the inquirer may be out of step with the will of God, his Creator.

One of the most notable such instances occurs in the life of King Saul. Saul’s life had slipped to a less-than righteous level when in vain he sought the LORD.

When Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him,

either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets (I Samuel 28:6).

In similar fashion, the LORD Jesus refused to respond to Pontius Pilate when asked to respond to the accusations against Him.

And He (Jesus) did not answer him (Pilate) with regard to even a single charge, so that the governor was quite amazed (Matthew 27:14).

Again, when standing before Herod, Jesus refused to respond.

And he questioned Him at some length; but He answered him nothing

(Luke 23:9).

Reason, based upon these few passages alone, would demand that we believe these men to have been righteous men in the eyes of our Heavenly Father; otherwise, what they prayerfully requested would have been forthrightly denied.

May we not, therefore, also conclude that it is not the wording of one’s prayer that arrests the attention of God, but rather the rightness of one’s life, giving vent to the indwelling Holy Spirit’s request that produces answered prayer?

Nor is it the physical position we assume that arrests the attention of the Father. Some persons are of the opinion we must be kneeling, while others believe we should bow our heads or fold our hands. All are respectful, and true prayer must be offered respectfully. Still, a study of the prayer lives of Biblical personalities, who lived righteously before God, reveals that there is no single, physical position assumed before God that affects a Divine response to prayer.

“…for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (I Samuel 16:7).

Let the reader be here reminded –and in no uncertain terms– that it is the righteous life of the born-again believer that alone knows the indwelling of Holy Spirit. Further, all true prayer originates with the Spirit and is addressed to the Father through the agency of the Son, Jesus Christ.

How many times I asked things of my earthly father before he responded “yes” to my requests! Can we not allow our Heavenly Father to answer according to His Divine will?

Don’t give up on prayer! And don’t give up on God! He is our only true and righteous hope!

I am earnestly praying for you.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”