God does answer prayer

     God has been doing some wonderful things in our midst that many would pass off as a coincidence.  Sometimes we do not see God responding the way we think He should respond and we begin to believe that God does not answer prayer.  However, when we begin seeing with the eyes of faith, we begin to see God doing amazing things in our midst.  This past month God has answered four specific prayers in Lynwood Baptist Church.

     First, we have been praying for one of our new members to find a job.  She is a new Christian and God is doing amazing things in her life.  I had the privilege of baptizing her on February 28.  She had been without work for some time and had been struggling to pay her rent and her bills.  We walked alongside her and helped her when we could, but we begin praying earnestly for God to provide her employment.  She not only started a new job last week, she started a job in her line of expertise.  God met her need in ways that we could not begin to imagine.  Some would look at such a situation and mark it down as a coincidence.  Afterall she had been looking for quite some time, it was only a matter of time for someone to hire her.  However, the Bible says that our God will supply all our needs.  She needed a job and God provided it for her.

     Second, one of the members of Lynwood Baptist Church was seeking a promotion at his job.  He had interviewed for the job before only to be passed over for another.  However, when the job came open again he sought the position once again.  We began praying that God would work in this situation and God answered our prayers and provided the promotion to him.  To make things even better, this promotion has allowed my friend to have an impact in the lives of those who work under him.  God not only provided him with the promotion, but with a new opportunity to minister to people.  Some would say that it was just a coincidence and that it all happened as a natural result of his pursuit of the job.  However, the Scripture states that none of us would have any position of authority if God did  not place us in that position.

     Third, a family at Lynwood Baptist Church was suddenly told to move out of their rental house and they had no where to go.  They had lived in their house for seven years and were told to vacate the house within one month.  There was not much time to find a place to live at the price they could afford.  They began looking at other cities in which they could live and afford to rent, but that would mean that their children would no longer be able to attend the same schools.  With less than a week remaining, God not only provided them a home, but a home in the same subdivision in which they lived.  He even worked it out where they could have the option to buy the home.  Some would say that it all happened because of their persistence in their search.  But yet God revealed that He cares enough to provide for our needs and sometimes He even gives us our desires. 

     Finally, God allowed my family to receive a contract on our house in Texas.  As you know we have been living in Illinois since July of last year and our house in Texas has been on the market since May of 2009.  If things go according to plans it looks like the house will close on May 14, 2010.  We have been praying for months for the house to sell and even though it did not go the way we envisioned, God nevertheless sent a buyer to purchase our house.  In this present economy and with the competition in the area, only God could have sent the right person at the right time to purchase our house.  God does answer prayer if only we will believe.

     We are so prone to look at the situations around us and become cynical.  Perhaps we do not see God moving the way we think He should and as a result we do not think that God answers prayer.  When God does answer our prayers we fail to see that truth and we miss the blessing of giving Him the praise.  God is in the business of answering prayers if we will only believe.  The book of James states that when we pray we are to believe and not doubt.  If we pray and then do not really believe that God will answer our prayers then we reveal that we have doubt and little faith.  God longs to answer our prayers, but He also longs for us to believe.  Generally He will not answer our prayers the way we think He should.  But if we will open our eyes, believing that God does answer prayers, we will see Him working in ways we never imagined.

      Because God has been so faithful to answer our prayers this past month, I have a problem.  I have submitted to God four more prayers that I am asking Him to answer.  I hope I have enough faith to see His answers.  Don't give up on praying and most of all don't give up on believing.  God desires to hear our prayers and He is ready and able to answer our prayers.  What are you waiting for?  Get to praying and see what God will do!