Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus. the founder and perfecter of our faith. When Christians are in need, they naturally pray for God to provide.
Sometimes the answer is no. How we then react is crucial. We must come to understand that even the no answers are still answers. From the Moody Church in Chicago, this is Running to Win with Dr. Erwin Ludzer, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line.
Pastor Lutzer, you're teaching from 2 Corinthians chapter 12 in a series on the triumph of unanswered prayer. How will this passage help us when our answers are denied?
Well, of course, in this passage of scripture, The Apostle Paul discovers that even though God does say no, God says, I'm giving you a different gift. The gift of grace. And so, even as we look at passages like this, we're reminded that even those who walked with God, such as Paul, didn't always get the answer that they desired. I've written a book entitled Why Doesn't God Answer My Prayers? and actually The story of the Apostle Paul is one of the chapters.
There's also another chapter in this book, it's chapter 7, entitled Managing the Disappointment of Unanswered Prayer. How do we navigate that? I deeply believe that this book is going to be a blessing to many people. It's going to help them to understand that we have to continue to pursue God. even if we don't get everything that we think we deserve.
For a gift of any amount, this book can be yours, and at the end of this broadcast, I'm going to be giving you that contact info.
so you be ready, with a pen and pencil, because we want you to connect. and we want you to be blessed. through this ministry. Yeah. Oh no.
Grace comes in the midst of our need, and God says, Paul, The answer is no. But it isn't a harsh, uncaring no, it is grace that I am giving you.
So what is Paul's response now? We've looked at the request. We've looked at the reply. What is Paul's response? He says in the middle of verse 9 now, Therefore I will boast all the more.
Because of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. He says, If I receive grace, I also receive power. I accept it. I've prayed that I might be rid of it, but now I've made friends with it.
Now, theologically, you need to think very carefully at this point. Remember that this thorn was a messenger of Satan, a demon in point of fact. If Paul had lived today with some preachers, he would have been simply told: oh, you just need to ask that demon to banish. Because we have authority over all evil spirits, and we're told that we can even cause all the evil spirits in Chicago to leave, etc. We do have some authority, but our authority is not unlimited.
And there are times when God says, I want you to live with your infirmity. As far as we know, Paul died with it. But my strength is going to be perfected in that weakness. And Paul says, the demon who is clearly my enemy. The demon who wants to destroy me, who is thoroughly, irredeemably evil.
becomes an asset to me. Because of what God is going to do in my life as a result of his persecution and harassment. Wow. That's what the Apostle Paul says. It has often been said, you know, that what cannot be cured must be endured.
Paul is well beyond that. Look at what the text says. He says, I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness. This isn't simply a stoic endurance. Paul says, if through my weakness, The power of Christ is seen.
If through my weakness grace is given, then I can understand that I was asking for a kernel, but it is God who gave me a harvest. I was asking for a trinket. And God says, Paul, I want to give you true wealth. I want to give you.
Something far better than deliverance from your thorn. I want to show you my grace. and my strength. And you'll notice that he says, I will receive then God's power.
Now there are two ways to make a burden bearable. Let's suppose that someone were to ask you to carry a hundred pounds. I don't know about you, but I doubt very, very much that I can carry 100 pounds, and quite frankly, I don't want to try. But let's suppose that you can't do it. And there are two ways to get us to do it.
One way is to lighten the load. God comes along and says, It's no longer 100 pounds, but now it's 30. And I say, okay, 30 I think I can do. God lightens the load.
Sometimes God does that in our lives, He lightens the load. But there are other times when God simply says, I'm going to ask you to carry the load, but. I'm going to give you the shoulders upon which you can carry it. I'm going to strengthen you.
So God says, I will either Either lighten the load or I will supply the grace. For you. to bear it. And so the Apostle Paul. acknowledges that.
Now, what is the bottom line? Why should we be changed forever because we've heard this message? Why should this message be so transforming that we never look at our thorn in the flesh quite the same again? Let me give you some life-changing lessons. First of all, with burdens come blessings.
God doesn't willy-nilly give you a burden without giving you grace and giving you a blessing. There is a reason why that thorn will not go away. There is a reason for it. And God says, Yes, I have a reason, and the reason is grace and strength. Perfect.
in weakness. Hudson Taylor said these interesting words. He says, it matters little to my servant whether I send him to buy a few things or more expensive articles. In either case, I pay the bill. God says, you walk close with me.
Whether your burden is heavy or light, I will be there to meet your need and my grace. will be sufficient. It will fill up. what it is that you need to walk with me.
So that's the first lesson. The first lesson is that burdens can bring blessings and do bring blessings. Secondly, burdens are specifically chosen. For us. They are specifically chosen for us.
Notice that the Apostle Paul says: there was given to me. A thorn in the flesh. That's in verse 7.
Well, thank you very much, Lord, for your gift. I was expecting something else for Christmas, quite frankly. God says, Paul, this burden... is for you. Specifically.
You know, I uh All of my suits are bought just off the rack, but many years ago, more than 20 years ago. I was in Hong Kong, that great and wonderful city. And somebody convinced me to have a suit tailor-made.
So I had that suit tailor-made and it fit. Uh for a while. But afterwards, as the years went by, it began to shrink so horribly. That there was no possible way that I could get into it, try as I might.
So I think we've given it away. But here's the point I want to make. When God sends you a trial, it is not one just off the rack. It is tailor-made for you. Remember, you are number one on God's list of things to take care of in the universe.
And so it is apportioned to you. Paul It is given to you that you have this thorn in the flesh. This is yours. I have another one for others. But This is yours, Paul.
Do you realize that God is specifically interested in you? He's not just interested in the body of Christ somehow namelessly. He's interested in the body, but he's interested in individuals. Earlier, the choir sang so beautifully, Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to thy bosom fly. My how I love those words.
Because that's what it's all about at the end of the day. It's relationship with Christ and He is the lover of your soul. If you know him. And so, what God wants is for us to walk with Him and to know that. Burdens are specifically chosen.
By God for us. And then, number three, most importantly, You can be changed forever. If you listen carefully, Sufficient grace. comes with sufficient faith. Sufficient grace comes with sufficient faith.
Because here's what some of you are saying: you are saying to me. Be honest now. I can read your minds like the innards of a clock. Be honest with me. You know what you're saying?
You're saying God's grace isn't sufficient for me. You're like a widow by the name of Doris. who loved her husband and he dropped over dead in his 40s. And she looked at other women in the church who weren't madly in love with their husbands and said to herself, Why mine? She parked her Buick in the church parking lot.
dried her tears. came into church, sang the songs, did all the right things, got back into her car and wept all the way home saying, Your grace is not sufficient, your grace is not sufficient, your grace is not sufficient.
Some of you are going through bitter divorces.
Some of you are in situations which, if we knew the details, we would be amazed at the pain that is represented in this room and in our wider audience on the radio and internet and what have you. We would be amazed at the pain out there. And there's some people saying God's grace is simply not sufficient. And the reason is because because And I'm not being judgmental because I've been there. I've been there thinking God's grace wasn't sufficient.
But the reason is because you and I simply do not have the kind of faith that embraces what God gives us and accepts it as from His loving hand, even if the devil is involved. And that becomes more complicated. I wish I could talk about that more. I don't want you to be misunderstood. We should not have anything to do with the devil, and I do believe in rebuking him, but.
Instead of being able to accept Accept our thorn and most gladly rejoice in our infirmities because we don't have the faith. What happened? to Doris. She went into a prayer room. In a time when the church was hot with revival, She stayed there an hour, and that's about a good length of time to to get rid of the garbage.
About an hour. And she spilled out all of her anger at God, her loneliness. And she said, these are her words, cartfuls. of self-pity. And she came out and she used to give her testimony in churches around the country.
And her theme was, God's grace is sufficient. You see, what you and I won't do, we will fret with God, we'll pray the same prayers over again, and then we investigate to see whether or not God is doing anything, and it goes on and on and on. And what we will not do is commit and accept that we will not do. And God says, you know, for you, my grace doesn't appear to be sufficient. In the fall I flew from Chicago to Frankfurt.
on American Airlines. Once you're on the runway and you're going up into the sky, You can holler, you can press all the buttons, and it doesn't make any difference. Nobody's stopping for you at this point. You're committed. It's a story of a woman who for the first time flying was frightened to death, looked out the window constantly at the motors, constantly fretting about the motors.
Until a young man said to her, Lady, If you want to sleep, I'll watch over the motors for you for a while. But now, let us suppose that I'm on American Airlines. And I say to the stewardess, I think that maybe, because now we're beginning to cross the ocean, I think that the pilots might fall asleep. Do you think, would you go and check to see if the pilots are awake? You know, years ago before security was such a big issue, that was easier than it is today.
And I can imagine that she goes and she checks and she says, you know, all three of them are awake. And I say, oh, okay. But a half an hour passes and I say to myself, you know, people have fallen asleep in a half an hour. I've fallen asleep in less than a half an hour, and if one falls asleep, the other will get drowsy and. All three of them might be asleep.
Waitress, I mean. not waitress, but flight attendant. You know, you're laughing, but they sometimes do the duties of a waitress, you know. I say, would you check to see whether or not the pilots? are are awake and she does it again and she comes back.
20 minutes later, I can't ask her to do that again because she'll think I'm a little crazy.
So, what I say is: could you tell me what time the flight arrives in Frankfurt? And she gives me the time, and then I say, Well, You know, that's good, that's good. And are we on time? Yeah, we're on time.
Well, you know, since you and I are talking, would you just check to see if the pilots are awake? Doesn't take long until she comes to me and says, Look, I'll make you a deal. I'll pour you a cup of coffee if you go outside and drink it. Uh And what she says, if she's really honest, is, you are insulting. are pilots.
And you and I insult God day after day after day. We commit something to him, and then when things go bad and they get worse before they get better, we say, Well, now what's God doing?
So we wake up early and we spend three or four hours worrying before we go to bed. And then we don't see God doing this, and we continue to pray, pray, pray, and our prayers are nothing but an expression. of our unbelief. Because we refuse to commit and we refuse to accept and to say, this has come to me from God. Thank you, God, I commit it into your hands.
And I'm going to leave it there. And I'm not gonna be checking every day to see whether God's awake and whether he's doing anything. God is saying to many of us, myself included, you let me do it. You wait on me and I will work for you. That's what the Bible says.
And I will work for you. I'll work it out. But it has to be my timetable. It has to be my agenda. And what you are doing is you're coming to me with your timetable, your agenda, your self-will, your desire to run your life.
And then what you're saying is, where's God's grace in all of this? Pulses.
Okay, it is a messenger of Satan.
Okay, it does harass me. That's the word in the text. But I asked God and God said no. But God says Paul. I've got something better for you.
My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is perfect in weakness. And Paul says, I am so wholeheartedly committed to God, I believe in the greatness of God, that this couldn't happen apart from his will. Even if the devil is involved, that I'm going to accept it. And I'm going to thank God for it most gladly.
I will therefore glory. In mine infirmities, and I'm not going to insult God by telling him that. He's not doing anything. I'm going to leave that. With him.
So where are you? today. What part of your circumstances or people have you not accepted? What stands between you and God today? Your husband?
Give him to God. And then say good riddance. Your circumstance? You commit it to God. You're on the plane.
And the pilot. Never slumbers. or sleeps. Father, we ask in the name of Jesus that you'll make us people of faith.
So often, we've insulted you because we've refused, refused to give up the control of our lives. And then you've not come on board and we've blamed you. Give us, Father, that sense of faith. That says, Lord, as I wait on you, I'll let you work for me. Oh, we need that, Lord.
Grant it, we ask. In Jesus' blessed name. Amen. Amen. Yeah.
Um My friend, I do want to clarify this: that if you are going through a situation in which there is abuse, Go for help. But what I've also discovered is God often grants us much grace. in the midst of difficulty.
Now let me surprise you. What if I were to tell you that your redemption was founded on an unanswered prayer? Yes. If God had answered Jesus Christ's request when he was in Gethsemane, remove this cup, You and I. would not be redeemed.
But thankfully, Jesus did bow before the sovereignty of God and say, Nevertheless, Not my will. But thine be done. Here's the point. God may be doing more through unanswered prayer than He would be doing if He answered your prayer.
Well, that's just one nugget in my brand new book entitled Why Doesn't God Answer My Prayers? The subtitle is A Biblical Guide to God's Hidden Purposes. I sure hope that you have a pen or pencil handy, because I want to give you some contact info. I also want you to know that we exist in order to bless our listeners. And to help you even as we navigate together in this journey that we call life.
Very quickly, go to rtwoffer.com. Let me give that to you again. rtwoffer.com of course rtw offers all one word or pick up the phone and call us at 1-888-1. 218 ninety three thirty seven. Once again, go to rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218.
9337. Hope to hear from you real soon. It's time again for you to ask Pastor Lutzer a question you may have about the Bible or the Christian life. The Role of Women in the Church Some denominations ordain them, others prohibit them from even speaking. Jesse has this question about a controversial topic.
Should women preach or take the position of pastors and elders? I Timothy chapter two says, A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man she must be silent. But some people told me that Paul said this in 1 Timothy because the women at that time were not educated. Is this true?
Pastor Lutzer? How do you understand this?
Well, Jesse, thanks so much for asking a question that leads us right into the midst of some controversy. but I shall give you the answer which I believe is consistent with Scripture and consistent with my conscience in interpreting Scripture. I think that the Bible means what it says. that women should learn in quietness certainly, and they should learn in submission, and women should not teach men.
So in answer to your question, I don't think that they should become pastors. at least in the role of proclaiming the word of God. They should not become preachers to the congregation, nor elders. I think that is clear from Scripture. And it is not true that the reason Paul writes this is because the women were not educated.
Interestingly, when you read the passage, Paul roots this. not in contemporary issues regarding education, but he goes right back to Genesis, right back to Adam and Eve, and shows that this is based on what happened there.
So I think this is truth meant for the whole church.
Now, Jesse, having said that, I need to say very quickly that that oftentimes our churches have prevented women from serving in places where they can serve. I believe that women can teach other women. They can certainly teach children. Here at the Moody Church, we have women who read the scripture. Oftentimes, also in our morning service, they can serve as deaconesses.
Uh they can usher, they can serve communion. There are many, many different ways in which women can serve in the church.
So we need to keep the balance. But to be an elder I believe that that is A male roll. Hope this helps, Jesse. God bless you. I know that there are differences about this.
And we need to be tolerant and understand each other.
Some wise counsel once again from Dr. Erwin Lutzer. If you'd like to hear your question answered, go to our website at rtwoffer.com and click on Ask Pastor Lutzer or call us at 1-888-218-9337. That's 1-888-218-9337. You can write to us at RunningTowin 1635 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois, 60614.
Running to win is all about helping you find God's roadmap for your race of life. Many people have long-term health issues. Without divine healing, these issues don't go away. but their answers to prayer seem to be an ongoing no. They hear, my strength is made perfect in weakness, but wish their answer had been, here's your healing.
Next time I'm running to win, don't miss what to do when the answer disappoints. Thanks for listening. This is Dave McAllister. Running to Win is sponsored by the Moody Church.
