Sometimes God says no... or does He?

A scholar several years ago actually counted all the prayers of the Bible and wrote a book about it. The publisher's preface to the book says there are 650 definite prayers in the Bible and 450 recorded answers. (See All The Prayers Of The Bible by Dr. Herbert Lockyer.)

Wonder how many of those answers were "no"? Most of us struggle with the "no" answer and puzzle over why others get positive answers and we don't.

We just had a friend die with cancer. He was prayed over many times, anointed with oil, and many tried their best to pray in faith. But he died. It seems the answer was "no".

And yet, we read optimistic verses throughout the Bible promising us affirmative answers. So, what's the problem?

Well, look at some of the rare "no" answers in the Bible.

Moses begged God to allow him to cross over the Jordan River and lead Israel into the promised land. But God said "Do not speak to me any more about this matter... you are not going to cross this Jordan." (Deuteronomy 3:26-27 NIV).

It seems that Moses lost his chance to lead Israel into the land because he had failed use his faith when causing water to come from the rock (Numbers 20:12). God was dishonored and Moses missed getting his answer.

Although the answer was "no", Moses later enjoyed the promised land when on the mountain top with Jesus and Elijah (Matthew 17:3).

In another case, King David prayed for his infant son to live, but he died. Although this child had never done anything in life, either good or bad, the whole relationship that produced him was toxic. David had stolen another man's wife and then had the man murdered. God's "no" answer must've had something to do with that situation.

Although the answer was "no", David still said, "Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." (2 Samuel 12:23 NIV). David saw the child again, this time joining him in the perfection of paradise.

And what about Paul's prayer for his thorn in the flesh? He says this "thorn" harassed him so he wouldn't become conceited after experiencing great revelations. He prayed three times for it to be removed, but God said, "no". He said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV).

So, Paul dodged a ministry-crippling conceit but retained his thorn in the flesh.

Did you notice a common theme in these three stories? It seems that human failings shredded these prayers and made them unanswerable. But did you notice this... God answered all three with something better!

When prayers don't match my rhetoric

The other day a friend blessed me with free tickets to hear a business man speak. And to enjoy a free meal. I accepted.

The meal was Chick-fil-A and the speaker, amazingly enough, was Dan T. Cathy, President and Chief Operating Officer of the corporation. He's also a son of the founder, S. Truett Cathy.

I already knew a little about the Chick-fil-A company. You know, the fast food restaurant that still remains closed on Sundays and refuses to violate their principled policy on the subject. I also knew that the Cathy family seemed to preach good moral values and church-going behavior.

Judy, my wife, and I arrived on time at the Convention Center but the place was already packed, so we chose one of the long lines headed toward the chicken buffet and visited to pass the time.

As we got closer to the serving line, we noticed another line coming from the other direction, but instead of receiving food, they were helping carry plates to the tables. With a towel over his arm, like any good waiter in a classy restaurant, a pleasant, polite man took my plate and said, "Let me help you to your table."

We chose a table and joined some who were already eating. I thanked the man who carried my plate, and he replied, "My pleasure."

When we began to sit next to Mike Riley, a friend of ours, I noticed him rise and go behind me saying, "Mr. Cathy, I've always wanted to shake your hand!"

Dan Cathy, President of Chick-fil-A, had served me by taking my plate to the table and I didn't even realize it. I had been served by the most important man there, the man who was about to speak on how to build a company by going the extra mile (Matthew 5:41).

Maybe this is one reason Chick-fil-A has experienced 39 years of positive sales growth. Maybe it's why they've grown to become the second-largest fast service chicken restaurant chain in the US with 1,340 locations and annual sales of $2 billion.

So what does this have to do with prayer? Well, it's fun to talk about prayer, read about it and study about it, but my prayer life doesn't often match my rhetoric. I want to be one of those God-chasers (as Tommy Tenney puts it) who actually prays, who prays often and prays consistently.

After Jesus had taught on the extra mile principle, and other wonderful things, in His sermon on the mount, he ended by talking about those who hear His words and put them into practice.

They are the wise ones. They get results. They build on solid ground. Their actions don't cancel their rhetoric.

I'm always amazed at this Prayer Workshop

This year's Prayer Enrichment Workshop continued to amaze me.

The people who sacrifice to attend amaze me.

Like Gene and Marsha. Gene continues to fight off stage 4 colon cancer, but he and Marsha and his parents came to the Workshop (and stayed for the whole program). He had told Marsha, "I'm going to the Prayer Workshop even if I have to lie in the floor on a pillow!"

Or like the two twin sisters who came - one who recently had a serious bleeding in her brain that has partially paralyzed her and the other who just buried her husband. They came. And they beamed with enthusiasm.

Or like the bus load of joyous worshipers who evacuated from hurricane-threatened Houston, Texas and came to the Workshop (they come every year). They courageously left homes behind to Ike's wrath and traveled uncertain roads just to get in on our Prayer Workshop. They inspire me and they humble me. Many of them will return to flooded homes, no electricity and shortages of supplies.

Each year we're blessed to fellowship with some amazing people who put up with significant hardships just to participate in this Prayer Workshop at a small Louisiana church.

The speakers who come keep on amazing me.

Like Terry Rush - a true mentor and hilarious, joy-filled proclaimer of God's huge heart. Terry pulls me upward and makes me better each time I'm around him.

And like Albert Lemmons, the greatest man of prayer I know... A man with 52 years of preaching experience behind him... a man whose main mission in life is to see God's people truly know Him in prayer.

Or like Barry Stephens, a loving, people-oriented preacher who always comes well-prepared and well-prayed... and who wants the Lord's church to catch the vision of what prayer can do to reach the broken people around us.

And like Larry Burrell, a powerful voice in the African American community as he and his congregation call people to search the Lord's word for the truth... rather than half-truths.

Or like Hugh Gower, who has always remembered where he was when God found him... and who can never forget God's grace. He found out that God loves him and he hasn't gotten over it yet. And he continues to work to see others find that same grace.

And the Calhoun Church still amazes me at Workshop time.

Our volunteers work so hard and so long that it must be a "God-thing". They spend their time, donate significant sums of money and invest their emotional energy in seeing that this Workshop happens.

But more than that, they are true servants. They make sure that our guests have meals, a pleasant place to meet and CDs of the sessions to take home with them. And above all, they make sure our guests get hugs, encouragement and the therapeutic atmosphere of true Christian fellowship. They are remarkable, sacrificial servants.

Whether guests, speakers or volunteers, I'm amazed at them because I see why they do it. They're connected to Him - the One who loved us and gave Himself for us... they do it because of a love that has pierced their hearts and made them alive to the higher life.

Annual Prayer Workshop; one of those remarkable hidden treasures

"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" (John 1:46 NIV)

Sometimes the most remarkable treasures come from the least likely places.

We've witnessed that for fifteen years at our church's annual Prayer Enrichment Workshop right here in Calhoun, Louisiana.

For the past decade and a half we've been honored to hear the best speakers we can find on the subject of prayer. Most of them are well-known in the Churches of Christ and Independent Christian Churches for the power of their presentations and the depth of their study.

This year isn't any different. Look at the list of awesome speakers slated to be with us this week - September 12-14.

Dr. Albert Lemmons has taught hundreds of prayer seminars on nearly every continent in his fifty-two years of ministry, and has written extensively about prayer and spiritual growth. He's a recognized scholar on the subject of George Muller and has spoken at our Workshop here in Calhoun for nearly its entire life.

Terry Rush directs the amazing International Soul Winning Workshop in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which draws thousands each year. He also serves as Preaching Minister for the Memorial Drive Church of Christ in Tulsa.

Dr. Barry Stephens teaches Bible at Lubbock Christian University and serves as Senior Minister for the exciting Monterey Church of Christ in Lubbock. Barry is also one of the Instructors in our CrossView College of Prayer audio series.

Larry Burrell, Senior Minister for the predominantly African-American Parkview Drive Church of Christ, has served that church for 29 years and has a local television broadcast titled Let God Be True.

Hugh Gower served the Calhoun Church for several years as our Prayer Ministry Coordinator and Director of our Food Bank. He's often asked to speak in churches about the subject of prayer. He now preaches for the Ward Chapel Church of Christ in North Louisiana.

And then there's me - Keith Roberts, author of Why God Waits For You To Pray, and Preaching Minister for the Calhoun Church.

Join us for this life-changing event... there'll be three and a half days of study, prayer, fellowship, food and networking with other prayer ministries and intercessors. Here's the schedule:

FRIDAY:

3:00 PM - Special Seminar - Albert Lemmons - "Preparing Your Heart & Your Faith For Revival"

7:00 PM - Terry Rush - "God Works!"

SATURDAY:

8:00 AM - Breakfast (provided by Calhoun Church)

9:00 AM - Terry Rush - "Envisioning the Invisible"

10:00 AM - Keith Roberts - "Why God Waits For You to Pray"

11:00 AM - Terry Rush - "An Attitude of Gratitude"

Lunch Break (provided by Calhoun Church)

1:30 PM - Albert Lemmons - Intercession's Power For Revival

2:30 PM - Larry Burrell - "Prayer Life of the Early Church"

3:30 PM - Hugh Gower - "Praying Together"

4:15 - 5:30 - Prayer Time & Fellowship

5:30 - Cajun Cookout

7:00 PM - Barry Stephens - "Let God Be God"

SUNDAY:

8:00 AM - Breakfast (provided)

9:00 AM - Worship - Barry Stephens - "The Church at Prayer"

10:00 AM - Barry Stephens - "An Intrusive God"

11:30 - Pot luck lunch - Calhoun Church's 43rd Homecoming!