Problems galore? There are answers abundant

By PHIL LYONS, Pastor, Restoration Church
For the Daily Times

GLASGOW October 20, 2006 11:46 am

— Most folks today are experiencing problems of some kind in their lives that are causing pressures, pain, anger, discouragement, hopelessness and other varied emotions that there seems to be no end to. Some of these are caused by other people, some by our own choices and mistakes, and some, we have no idea how it happened or how to get relief.
There is hope however, but the answer is not in winning the lottery, or the bingo jackpot, or even in some magical answered prayer. Whether you are an unsaved person, or a backslidden person, or a Christian person, the answer is basically the same. Yes, the unsaved person needs salvation, and the backslider needs to return to fellowship, but we’re not just talking about going to Heaven.
We are talking about how to experience answers, results, change, and help, in the here and now. Maybe the answer is not easy, or even instant, but it is assured.
2 Chronicles 7:14 says “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
Phil. 4:6 says “In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
Luke 18:1 (Amplified) says “Men ought to always pray and not faint, lose heart, give up, turn coward, or turn out badly.”
James 5:16 says that the fervent, continued, heart felt prayer of a righteous person makes tremendous power available, dynamic in its working.
I know we are all busy, involved, and preoccupied with many things, even some good ones, but maybe we need to examine our lives and our schedule. I examined mine recently and found that I had allowed a lot of my time to be filled with things much less important than seeking God, turning from my busy ways, and committing my life to Him to a greater degree.
Prayer should be our first choice, not our last resort. We preachers are usually more involved in God’s work than in seeking His Face. There is no one who could not come closer to the Lord. Regardless of how spiritual we may think we are, or how committed we think we are, or how close we feel we are, I just bet there is room to come closer.
We might be like the elderly couple who were riding in their car one day, when the wife said, “I wonder why we don’t sit close together like we used to, when we go places?” The husband replied, “I haven’t moved.”
If we are not as close as we once were to God, guess who has moved? Not God!
God is calling us to prayer, to a more consecrated walk, to a more intimate relationship with Him because He wants to help us in our struggles, hurts and frustrations, and He can’t unless we turn more fully to Him.
If God seems far away, draw closer. If you are struggling, draw closer. If things are not changing in your life, draw closer. If you need help, draw closer to Him. It’s like the old song says, “And the things of the earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His Glory and Grace.” As we heed His call, He will show us love, mercy and delivering power.