Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. I'm sick. God could heal me, but apparently He won't. That's a bitter pill for many to swallow, so much so that they leave the Christian faith altogether. How to handle it when the answer is no.
An issue we'll address today as Pastor Erwin Lutzer talks about his new book on unanswered prayer. From the Moody Church in Chicago, this is Running to Win with Dr. Erwin Lutzer, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. Why Doesn't God Answer My Prayers? That's the title of Erwin Lutzer's new book, a book we'd like each of our listeners to have.
Here again to discuss that book is Pastor Lutzer, along with Pastor Larry McCarthy. This is Pastor Luther, and I'm so glad that you have joined us today for a discussion on my new book entitled, Why Doesn't God Answer My Prayers? The subtitle is A Biblical Guide to God's Hidden Purposes.
Now, at the end of this program, you're going to be receiving info as to how this book can be yours. I feel very deeply that it's going to be a blessing to you, but also think about those who have left the Christian faith. Perhaps you have children. Or you know other people within your church or your community who have said to themselves, because God didn't answer my prayers, I'm out of here. I'm abandoning the Christian faith, like one man said to me, What good is God to me?
He said it in anger. Because his wife miscarried, and he, of course, was expecting that she would have their first child So he left with anger toward God. What good is God? If he doesn't heal, if he doesn't take care of my needs, and if he doesn't do what I think a good God should. Those are the kinds of questions that we attempt to answer biblically In this book.
Now, joining me today is Larry McCarthy. He's one of the pastors here at the Moody Church. He's the pastor of Compassion Ministries. And also outreach. Larry, welcome to another discussion of Why doesn't God answer my prayers?
Pastor Luther, my. It is my honor to be here with you, and I just think this book is going to bless so many people. You've covered so much territory that we've already covered that prayer is so much more than just getting what we need. It's about developing friendship, fellowship with God. That when we pray, we want to obey and give thanks and commit and submit.
But we come to something that I hear all the time that people are wrestling with. In their walk. Let me see if I got this straight. You're telling me that God could, that He can, that He's able. But he won't.
And that's exactly what makes people angry. And they often leave the Christian faith.
Well, today we're actually in chapter 7. Chapter 7 has to do with how do we manage? our disappointment with God. And that, of course, is exactly what you brought up, Larry. We are disappointed because he can But he won't.
Can you imagine this? The author of the book of Hebrews says to believers that you accepted joyfully. The plundering of your property. Larry, do you know of anyone? Who would accept joyfully the plundering of their property?
Not unless it's some kind of insurance fraud. No. All right, yeah. I just read that and I say, that's not me. I don't think I'd have been able to handle that the way the early Christians did.
But as the author says, it's because you know. that you have a better heritage. And it's the future that you are looking at. It's eternity that you are looking at. And not time.
But I want us to zero in on Hebrews chapter 11.
Now, Larry, as you know, Hebrews 11 is a very famous chapter. Because it's a catalog of heroes. many of whom saw miracles. Yes. Many heroes of the faith are listed here, and they did see miraculous things accomplished, but that's not.
What got my full attention here, it's those who didn't see the miraculous things, that other list that's here in Hebrews 11. You want to speak to that? I want to speak to that because I've often pondered that. You know, when I was younger, I would read Hebrews chapter 11 and think that the purpose was to show all of the miracles that the heroes of God made throughout the centuries. You know, they raised people from the dead.
They saw, of course, the miracle of crossing the Red Sea. Moses is listed. Abraham is listed. All of these people They saw miracles. And only upon closer examination, Larry.
did I realize that there's a break. In verse 35. Yes. Now, all of our listeners have to know that the breaking up of scripture Into chapters and verses was done arbitrarily. I don't mean that it was simply done.
casually, they did it carefully. The intention was so that we'd be able to find passages more quickly. But I think they made a big mistake in verse thirty-five. They should have said this is a separate verse. As a matter of fact, it's a separate category.
Because the author goes on to say, and I'm doing this from memory, you know, what more shall I say? And then he lists other miracles. And then he gets into verse thirty five. And he says, But others, some He says. They endured persecution.
And after that he begins to talk about what they went through. They were hunted down. They hid in caves and in dungeons and. and were persecuted and were put to death. And I'm reading it and I'm saying, Where are the miracles?
There are none. I want everyone to listen to this carefully, Larry. The Purpose of Hebrews eleven. is not to show us How faith produces miracles, though sometimes it does. But to show us that faith sometimes does not produce miracles.
And sometimes the greatest of faith is to believe God. When we don't see a miracle. Yes, and this chapter makes that really clear. Our faith and our circumstances. And even though our circumstances, we can't use our circumstances.
To weaken our faith or weaken our perspective that God is still very much in control. I wonder though, can we linger a little bit on and just talk about martyrdom? and the way that they died and how that i in itself drew people to the truth of the gospel? Larry. I want to tell you that not too long ago I visited a country.
I won't tell you which one. where I saw the way in which people were persecuted. Here is a room where Someone was tied down. He was vilified He was left there to die. and was tortured.
But next door Through a thin wall Someone else was lying in a bed listening to the screams of his friend so that he would know that he was next and that this is what he would have to endure. You and I have no idea. no idea of what people have endured. And much of this Is in Hebrews chapter 11 near the end of that chapter. In fact, I won't even take out time to tell you the way in which people died in horrid ways.
But they believed in another world.
Now, there are several lessons that grow out of this. Faith sometimes changes our circumstances. Obviously, you have the miracles. But faith sometimes doesn't change our circumstances. And the folks that go on from verse 35 and following here in Hebrews chapter 11, they also made the catalogue of faith, even though they didn't see a miracle and they died as martyrs.
So that's important to learn. But here's the basic lesson for all of us faith does not judge God. by miracles. Faith doesn't say that because God didn't come through the way in which I think He should have. I'm leaving the Christian faith.
Faith says, I believe that what God does is just. And the other thing that I want to emphasize is. You notice that um There was a difference between the two, and God gets to choose. This person gets a miracle. This person doesn't.
But blessed are they who go on believing no matter what. You remember when John the Baptist was in prison? He sent a delegation. And said to Jesus, Are you the one that we should be looking for, or should we look for somebody else? Because he wasn't seeing the kingdom being brought in the way in which he thought.
Well, he's locked up. He's like, If you're bringing the kingdom, why am I locked up? Exactly. And then Jesus goes and says, you know, tell him how the dead are being raised and so forth. But then Jesus said this, Of those born of women, none is greater than John the Baptist.
Now I want everyone to pause for a moment and to ask this question. When did Jesus say that? He said that when John the Baptist was in prison, having doubts.
So to all those of you who doubt, honest doubts before God are completely welcomed. Oh, that's good.
So come to God with your doubts. Mm-hmm. And what we need to do. is to not judge God by circumstances, but believe that he knows best. Pastor Lutzer, in this chapter you reference the plague.
and how people died in the plague, and how the way they were dying Drew people to truth. Why'd you use that example in this context here? The reason I use the example is because Cyprian. who wrote about the plague said that Christianity would never have spread across North Africa were it not for the plagues. When Pagans Die And I've done funerals where the person who died was an unbeliever.
There is just so much hopelessness. And the Christians died with hope. They knew that there was another world out there, that they were going to experience the presence of God. And Cyprian said, The people saw how differently Christians died, and they said that. The Christians carry their dead as if in triumph.
Now, in this book, and I want to emphasize again that it's entitled Why Doesn't God Answer My Prayers? The subtitle, A Biblical Guide to God. God's hidden purposes. We have to move on, Larry.
Okay. Chapter 8 is Getting beyond our requests. to God. All right, fill in the blanks for me. What what does that mean?
Or are you saying, and I want to, for our listeners, I'm sure some of them are saying, well, wait a minute. Are you saying I'm not supposed to ask God for things and healing and blessings and promotions and. A spouse, am I not supposed to ask for stuff? We can ask God for anything, and we're invited to. Yes.
We make our requests known unto God. But notice that the Apostle Paul, when he says that, doesn't go on to say, and you're going to get exactly what you requested. He says, the peace of God. Which passes all understanding will keep your heart and mind.
Now, I want to. say to all those who are listening, because this could be very transforming. I learned this in my own life. There's a great difference between asking God for something. and committing something to God.
Because asking means, although we can ask, we're invited to ask. But committing means I'm taking the weight from my shoulders. and I'm transferring it to the shoulders of Jesus, about whom it is said that the governments of the world shall be upon his shoulders.
So there's a sense in which we get relief when we really commit something to God, but absolutely. What we should do Is to make sure that we ask for whatever we want to ask for. But at the same time We need to leave the results with God. Amen. That committing it to God, that a sense of relief.
you can experience because it's now in his hands and I don't have to carry this. And when it comes back on your shoulders, You again commit it to God. You don't allow it to come back. without committing it to God? And within time.
There'll be that sense of peace to know that this is not my problem. This is God's problem.
Now, I want to share with the listeners.
Something that transformed my prayer life. Oftentimes, when we pray for our children, we say, Oh Lord, you know. Give them good grades, give them health, keep them from evil, do this, do that. And I understand that. But I think that what we should pray for our children is Scripture.
Now, earlier in a previous discussion, I mentioned that there are some prayers that we should pray. for which we do not have to say at the end. If it be thy will, because we know exactly What God's will is. For example, and I'm doing this from memory. But the Apostle Paul says in Philippians, and I frequently have prayed this for my children.
I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all discernment, that you may approve things that are excellent, that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, being filled with the fruit of righteousness, which is by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and the praise of God.
Now, Larry. At the end of that, if you pray that for your children and your grandchildren, you don't have to say, If it be thy will. Because what you've done. You have moved from the things of this world to what we call Kingdom Prayers.
Now, just to be very personal, this morning. I texted to one of our granddaughters. And I said, I've prayed this for you. It's Psalm 27, verse 1, where it says, The Lord is my light, my salvation. and my stronghold.
So I wrote to her. And I said, this is the prayer I prayed for you today.
Now, I could have prayed, you know, give her strength, give her wisdom, help her, and so forth, and that would have been appropriate. But we need to move beyond simply asking God for things and worshiping Him. and claiming his promises. Boy, this book is just full of so much practical stuff. If I could go back to Hebrews 11 for a minute, it says, The Lord rewards those who diligently seek Him.
If I diligently seek, that's when I get all my stuff.
Well, it depends what all your stuff is. I think. That that verse should be taken. and maybe it should be put on our refrigerators. on our desks.
Yeah. Because imagine this, God says, I reward those who diligently. Seek me out.
Now, I don't know everything that that means, but I do know this. It certainly means a lot more than bringing a bunch of requests to God and expecting Him. To answer whatever we ask, it means, and remember the title of this chapter. getting beyond our requests. to God.
Hmm. What that means, Larry, is that every morning And I've been doing this for years. The first five minutes or so, even before we open the Bible. Should be spending time worshiping God, giving Him glory. Submitting to him and doing all those things because The Bible speaks about the fact that we should have fellowship with God, and God has fellowship with us.
Yes. There's a passage of scripture that often is misinterpreted. It's not just that we have fellowship one with another. but God has fellowship with us. And that's the point.
That I emphasize in this book in several different ways. And once we do that, We are going to be able to handle the disappointment of unanswered prayer. And while I'm speaking about it, I want to say something else that I emphasize. If you're disappointed with God, tell him that. Amen.
You have to just spill out your heart to God. I mean, think of what Asaph says to God in Psalm 77. I mean, he just tells God, where are you? In effect, I'm disappointed in you. I can't depend upon you.
He just spills out his heart. But at the end of the psalm, he's giving praise to God. Tell God where you are at spiritually. He can handle it. And so, what we have to do is to think in terms of fellowship with God.
Now, Larry. We're hurrying here, but chapter nine, which is the last chapter of the book. Deals with the question of if God knows what he wants to do and God knows the future. Should we bother praying? Yeah, and I hear that question a lot from From people, Pastor, you know, just I know you want to get to this, but the reward is not payment.
and diligently seeking. God's not paying you because of what you've done. Reward is very different from payment. Reward really is grace. Yes.
And you really highlight that in that chapter in the book. But Whoa. When we pray to God, we're not informing God of anything. That's true. He already knows.
Jesus said this. And then He went on to say, pray this way.
So Jesus says, Your Father knows what you need. But still pray about it. And so in this chapter, we invite people. to embrace the mystery. the connection Between God And his purposes And yet we play a role.
You know what I'd like to do, Larry? is I would like to pray right now. Oh, yes. Amen. And I want to emphasize before I do that at the end of this prayer, you'll be given information as to how this book can be yours.
And I really truly believe It's going to be a blessing to you. It's going to be a blessing to your children and all those whom you know. who have experienced deep disappointment with God because He didn't come through. the way in which they think He should. But let's pray.
So often we have experienced disappointment with you. We have struggled with our own doubts. Hmm. We have wondered where you have been during times of distress, during times of illness and accident. We've often wondered whether or not you've guided us when we discover that we are in a situation.
That is distressful, and we look back over the wrong decisions that we have made. We pray, O Lord God. increase our faith. Help us to remember that we don't have to understand. in order to believe and to trust, and that that kind of faith brings you glory and honor.
At the time of Jesus Christ. And then, Father. I spill out my heart on behalf of all those who are listening who have never savingly believed on Christ. They've not believed the basic promises that are for everyone that if they believe they can be saved. Draw them to yourself right now.
Overcome their doubt, their anger, their self-pity, their darkness. and show them the light of the glory of God. in the face of Jesus Christ. And we thank you today, Lord, that we don't have to have all of our prayers answered, but we thank you that those are prayers that we know can be answered and will be answered. according to your good will and purpose.
May all those who are listening right now draw near to God with the promise. that you will draw near to us. In Jesus' name. Amen. And amen.
This is the last day we're making a special resource available for you. It's entitled, Why Doesn't God Answer My Prayers? It's a book with a subtitle, A Biblical Guide to God's Hidden Purposes. What this book will do is it will increase your faith. It will give you hope in the various situations of life, oftentimes periods of disappointment and heartache, but at the same time, enable you to worship God with greater faith and greater hope.
For a gift of any amount, this book can be yours. Here's what you do: you go to rtwoffer.com. That's rtwoffer.com or you pick up the phone and call us at 1-888-888. 218. ninety three thirty seven.
What you and I must do is to recognize that oftentimes we need to get past our requests. directly to fellowship with God. Today, get your copy of Why Doesn't God Answer My Prayers? You can write to us at Running2Win 1635 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois, 60614. Running to Win is designed to help you understand God's roadmap for your race of life.
Next time, Pastor Lutzer begins a series on What We Believe. a look at the key doctrines that define what Christianity is all about. We'll begin our series with a look at the Bible, the book we trust. Plan to join us. Thanks for listening.
For Pastor Erwin Lutzer, this is Dave McAllister. Running to Win is sponsored by the Moody Church.
