Billions of people around the world
pray memorized prayers.
But do they get answers to their prayers?
Do you get answers to your prayers?
Are prayers just talking to ourselves?
Or is there a real God who answers prayers?
Are there practical keys and strategies for answered prayer?
Our free study guide, Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer,
will help inspire your prayer life and help change your
life for the better.
Be sure to write down the contact information
to order your free copy.
Jesus' disciples asked Him,
"Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."
That's in Luke 11:1.
Jesus then gave them the model prayer or the outline prayer.
Perhaps you've memorized it and repeat it often.
But do you pray with meaning?
You need to know the five keys for answered prayer.
You can have an amazing and abundant life by following
these keys from your Bible.
Stay tuned.
♪
Warm greetings to all our friends around the world.
Millions of people feel helpless and do not
know how to get the help they need.
There is one source that can give you powerful
help and encouragement.
That's the power of prayer.
The Bible reveals simple and straightforward keys
to answered prayer.
My friends, you can have your prayers answered,
if you follow the biblical keys and strategies.
It tells Ephesians 3:15 that God is the Father
"from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named."
Jesus taught us to begin our prayers by addressing
our Father in heaven.
Our Father in heaven loves you, and He will listen to your
prayers and act upon them, if you follow the instructions
in your Bible.
Today on Tomorrow's World, we'll share with you
five key strategies for answered prayer.
And we'll be offering you an inspiring free booklet titled:
Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer.
My friends, you can learn to pray in a way that
will bring results from your Father in heaven.
In spite of the daily stresses we all face,
you can have peace of mind through daily prayer.
The Bible gives us key principles for effective prayer.
Our inspiring free booklet Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer
will give you sound biblical principles for effective prayer.
This inspiring free booklet will help you and your family
in your study of the Bible and your relationship with your
Father in Heaven, and with your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Be sure to write down the phone number or address
to request your free copy.
You can also order this free booklet on our website at
TWTV.ORG/Prayer.
My friends, your Bible gives promising and guaranteed
keys to answered prayer.
Let's consider just five important ones.
Our first key strategy for answered prayer is:
Seek God's will, and not your own.
If you have your Bible, turn to Acts 13.
King David was called a man after God's own heart.
That's a very high honor.
King David was one who God said would do His will.
The Apostle Paul is speaking about the history of Israel.
Acts 13:22, "And when He [God] had removed him
[King Saul], He raised up for them David as king,
to whom also He gave testimony and said,
'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My
own heart, [Listen] who will do all My will.'
From this man's seed, according to the promise,
God raised up for Israel a Savior--Jesus...."
What was the key characteristic that
God saw in David?
David was wholehearted in doing God's will.
So the first strategy for answered prayer is to
Seek God's will.
Remember the outline prayer.
We should all pray every day,
"Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
That's Matthew 6:10.
My friends, we all make choices every day.
Sometimes our human nature gets in the way of doing
what we know is right.
So, we have to pray for God's strength to do His will.
Of course, when it comes to making important decisions, we
need to get all the facts, get wise counsel, and pray about it.
Perhaps you're deciding on a career, or a professional
training program.
Which should you choose?
Perhaps you are involved in a romantic relationship, but there
are some questions that make you hesitate in considering
marriage with this individual; perhaps you are being persuaded
by friends to do illegal drugs, engage in illicit sex, or pursue
other sinful practices; perhaps you need to decide on buying
a home or a condo.
Ask God that His will be done.
Why?
Because He knows what is best for you.
Notice the Apostle John's assurance concerning
answered prayer and doing God's will:
1 John 5:14,
"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if
we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know
that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."
Yes, you can have the confidence that God is
hearing your prayers if you are dedicated to doing His will.
My friends, when you seek God's will, and not your own,
God will give you great peace of mind and joy.
King David expressed his joy with doing God's will.
Psalm 40:8,
"I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law
is within my heart."
Yes, it was a delight for David to seek God's will.
In fact, that is key number six in our inspiring
free booklet, Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer.
Here is what Roderick Meredith writes on pages 10-11:
"Another key to successful prayer is to be absolutely
sure that--as far as possible--you align your
will and your requests with God's will....
As you zealously study the Bible and yield to let Christ
live within you, His will increasingly replaces your own.
It affects how you pray.
You come to realize that God has made all men and
women in His image--that He will 'call' all mankind
to understanding and repentance in His time.
With this in mind, you will not be praying just
for your own good, but for the good of others as well.
Then you can sincerely say to God, as Jesus did:
'not My will, but Yours, be done'"
That's Luke 22:42.
My friends, seeking God's will is one of the most
important keys to answered prayer.
There are many more strategies that will help
you get answered prayers.
We'll discuss more keys in the next part of our program,
but first, I'd like to offer you this inspiring
free booklet: Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer.
Roderick Meredith asks,
"Why does God not answer most people's prayers?
Do you know how to pray in a way that will get real results?"
These twelve keys will help you draw closer to God, and
you can look forward to more of your prayers being answered.
This inspiring free booklet will also help you in your
study of the Bible.
So, pick up the telephone right now and request your
free copy, Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer.
Just ask for the booklet on prayer.
You can order the booklet on our website at
TWTV.ORG/Prayer-- or you can write to us at one of
our regional addresses.
♪
For today's free offer call...
Or go to...
This clear and straight-forward resource
will help you understand this vital truth--
straight from the pages of the Bible.
If you're calling for the first time, you will also
receive a free annual subscription to Tomorrow's
World magazine.
Six inspiring issues discussing news, science,
and modern culture will help you make sense of
your world from a biblical perspective.
Call today and join millions around the world
who are turning to Tomorrow's World for
truth, prophecy, and hope in these confusing times.
Call now!
Or go to...
♪
We've discussed one very important strategy
for answered prayer: Seek God's will.
When we knowingly experience doing God's will, we can be
very satisfied, content, and even joyous on occasion.
As we read earlier, King David stated in Psalm 40:8,
"I delight to do Your will, O my God,
and Your law is within my heart."
Another major strategy for answered prayer is
Study your Bible daily.
The Bible reveals the mind of God and the Way of God.
The more you're in harmony with God's way of life,
the more you will be in harmony with God's will.
The Bible gives numerous examples of God's
intervention for nations and individuals.
When you read about the lives of Christ, the apostles, and
the heroes and heroines of the Bible, your faith will grow.
Romans 10:17...
"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by
the word of God."
God will increase your faith if you are reading your Bible.
Yes, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Think of the times when God rescued the prophet
Daniel from the lion's den; God delivered the
three Hebrew men from the fiery furnace; God rescued
the whole nation of Israel from the bondage in Egypt and
brought them through the Red Sea; An angel led the
Apostle Peter from a Jerusalem prison, that's in Acts 12:5-11.
In Philippi, God delivered Paul and Silas from an inner prison,
Acts 16:24-40.
Many were miraculously healed when the shadow of
the Apostle Peter passed over them, Acts 5:14-16.
Yes, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
My friends, many of you have experienced answered prayers,
and perhaps some of you have even experienced miraculous
healing based on the promises of your Bible.
You need to read your Bible daily.
You need spiritual food every day of your life.
In our inspiring free booklet, Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer,
Dr. Meredith emphasizes this key to answered prayer:
"Study the Bible":
"To know God, to understand His will and to believe in
His promises, you need to regularly study His
inspired Word in an orderly way--just as you might study
a science textbook or a volume on history.
A good place to start is the book of Matthew--
the first book in the New Testament.
Read this through slowly and carefully--noting what
Jesus actually said, paying particular attention to
the many examples of answered prayer."
And that's page 4.
My friends, apply this strategy for answered prayer:
Study your Bible daily.
We've briefly discussed two strategies for answered prayer:
Seek God's will and Study your Bible daily.
A third, and extremely important strategy is:
Claim God's promises.
Some scholars have estimated that there
are more than 3,000 promises in the Bible.
The words "promise," "promises," and "promised"
occur more than 120 times in the New King James Version
of the New Testament.
One of the most inspiring references concerning God's
promises is in 2 Peter the first chapter.
Turn in your Bible to 2 Peter 1:2,
"Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of
God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power
[Listen to this] has given to us all things that pertain
to life and godliness, through the knowledge
of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by
which have been given to us exceedingly great and
precious promises, that through these you may be
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped
the corruption that is in the world through lust."
My friends, read that carefully again.
God has given you and me "exceedingly great and
precious promises".
And He promises to supply all our needs.
Philippians 4:19...
"And my God shall supply all your need according
to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
My friends, I've claimed that promise of Philippians 4:19
many times, and God has answered wonderfully.
You can claim God's promises as well.
There are so many promises in the Bible, but let me share
a few of them with you.
We've presented them on previous programs, but these
are supremely encouraging:
God has promised to answer our prayers (Matthew 7:7-8);
He has promised to fulfill all our needs (Philippians 4:19);
He has promised to guide our lives (Proverbs 3:5-6);
He has promised us long life, if we honor our father and mother
(Ephesians 6:2-3);
He has promised us to give us the desires of our heart, if we
delight in Him (Psalm 37:4-5);
He has promised us peace of mind (Philippians 4:6-7);
He has promised us the ability to endure trials
(1 Corinthians 10:13);
He has promised us the gift of the Holy Spirit
(Acts 2:38; Luke 11:13);
He has promised us the gift of His love (Romans 5:5);
and He has promised us eternal life (1 John 2:25).
My friends, study these promises in your Bible.
Remind God that He has given you these promises.
Ask God in faith to fulfill these promises in your life,
and you'll begin to have a greater peace of mind.
Seek God's will in your life, and you'll be
fulfilling one of the keys to answered prayer.
There are many, many more promises in the Bible for
you and your family, and for all human beings on earth.
You may want to make your own list.
A third key to answered prayer is to Claim God's promises.
We'll continue with another major key in the
next part of our program, but first I'd like to give
you another opportunity to order this inspiring free
study guide Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer.
Some of us lack the faith to pray.
This booklet will give you the encouragement and
keys to answered prayer.
Dr. Meredith lists Key Five in this study guide
as "God Often Hears the Unconverted."
He quotes the humble publican in the parable, Luke 18:13,
"God, be merciful to me a sinner[!]"
Then he states this:
"So the Creator will often hear the prayers of weak or
spiritually blinded people who humbly pray to Him.
He will not hear them if they knowingly disobey
Him or are in a wrong attitude.
He will not hear those who directly pray to idols or
to false "gods."
But our merciful Father will hear those who--though
ignorant of His full revelation--sincerely
cry out to Him as the Creator and the true God"
Pages 8-9.
This study guide, Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer,
will help you and your family grow in Christian faith.
Just call the number on the screen.
So, pick up the telephone right now and request your
free study guide, Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer.
You can also order our free booklet on our website
at TWTV.ORG/Prayer--or you can write to us at one of
our regional addresses.
♪
This clear and straight-forward resource
will help you understand this vital truth--
straight from the pages of the Bible.
Call now!
Or go to...
♪
On today's program, we briefly discussed three
keys to answered prayer;
Key Number One: Seek God's will
Key Number Two: Study your Bible daily
Key Number Three: Claim God's promises.
A fourth strategy for answered prayer is to
Follow Christ's instructions.
We've already seen Christ's outline for the model prayer.
But He also gave us important topics to pray about.
He has given His Church the responsibility to preach
the gospel of the Kingdom of God to all nations.
God is calling people from all nations to respond
to that message.
Jesus had compassion on the people of His day.
Even now, He still has compassion on those who
respond to the gospel.
Notice this instruction in Matthew the 9th chapter.
Matthew 9:35,
"Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages,
teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of
the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every
disease among the people.
But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved
with compassion for them, because they were weary
and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.
Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest
truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send
out laborers into His harvest.'"
My friends, Jesus told His disciples to pray for
more laborers to work in the spiritual harvest.
Even today, there's a large spiritual harvest.
God wants more laborers, more members in the body
of Christ, the Church of God, to serve new people
whom He is calling all over the world.
Are you praying for more laborers to serve in
the spiritual harvest?
One important key to answered prayer is to
follow Christ's instructions.
Christ gave us another major instruction to
follow in Matthew the 19th chapter.
A young rich man wanted to know what he needed to do
to gain eternal life.
What was Jesus' answer?
Matthew 19:17,
"No one is good but One, that is, God.
But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."
Jesus then stated several of the Ten Commandments.
The Apostle John assures us that this is a key
to answered prayer.
1 John 3:22,
"And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because
we keep His commandments and do those things that
are pleasing in His sight."
Yes, my friends, we need to follow Christ's
instruction to keep His commandments.
Turn in your Bible to Matthew the 24th chapter.
What else does Christ instruct us to pray for?
Bible prophecy foretells the Great Tribulation to come.
One of the key signs will be the Abomination of Desolation,
as Jesus points out in Matthew 24:15.
In verse 20, He tells us to pray about our escape
from the Great Tribulation:
"And pray that your flight may not be in winter
or on the Sabbath.
For then there will be great tribulation, such
as has not been since the beginning of the world
until this time, no, nor ever shall be.
And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be
saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened."
Historically, true Christians fled Jerusalem before its
destruction in 70 AD.
Now in the end-time, Jesus warns us about this unique
time in all history called the Great Tribulation.
He promises His faithful servants protection in
Luke 21:36...
"Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be
counted worthy to escape all these things that will come
to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."
Those who are watching world news, and prophetic events,
will know when it's time to flee to a place of protection.
But Jesus tells us to be prepared.
How?
By praying that our flight will not be in the winter
or on the Sabbath.
Those who have experienced severe winter storms know
just how difficult it is to travel.
And Christ who is Lord of the Sabbath, as it tells
us in Mark 2:28, instructs us to pray that our flight
not be on the Sabbath.
Yes, Christ expects His servants to observe the
seventh-day Sabbath.
Be sure to pray that your flight will not
be in the winter or on the Sabbath day.
The fourth strategy for answered prayer is to
Follow Christ's instructions.
We'll discuss one more important key to answered
prayer in the conclusion of our program, but first
I'd like to offer you our inspiring free study guide,
Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer.
These twelve keys will help you to pray more effectively.
Share these keys with your children, your parents,
and with your family and friends.
These practical principles can make a dramatic difference
in your life, and in the life of your family and friends.
Let me share with you some of these twelve keys:
Key #4, Forgive Others; Key #5, God Often Hears
the Unconverted; Key #6, Seek God's Will.
This free booklet covers more vital information
than we have time for on this program.
So, pick up the telephone right now and request your
free copy, Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer.
Just ask for the booklet on Answered Prayer.
♪
For today's free offer call...
Or go to...
This clear and straight-forward resource
will help you understand this vital truth--
straight from the pages of the Bible.
If you're calling for the first time, you will also
receive a free annual subscription to Tomorrow's
World magazine.
Six inspiring issues discussing news, science,
and modern culture will help you make sense of
your world from a biblical perspective.
Call today and join millions around the world
who are turning to Tomorrow's World for
truth, prophecy, and hope in these confusing times.
Call now!
Or go to...
♪
Our Father in heaven expects all of us to pray to Him.
Jesus gave us certain keys and strategies for answered prayer.
We've discussed four such strategies: Number One:
Seek God's will; Number Two: Study your Bible daily;
Number Three: Claim God's promises; and Number Four:
Follow Christ's instructions.
Number Five is: Pray for others.
Human beings are very selfish and carnal.
We know of many who have the "gimme" or "get" attitude
in their prayers rather than the "give" attitude.
The Apostle Paul quoted Jesus with one of the most
important principles for Christians in Acts 20:35,
"I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this,
that you must support the weak.
And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said,
'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
I remember as a little boy, my parents taught me
to pray for others, particularly our family.
And I remember as a teenager praying for an aunt
afflicted with cancer.
Do you pray mainly for yourself, or do you pray for others?
The Apostle Paul exhorts us in James 5:16,
"Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray
for one another, that you may be healed.
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."
Notice that as we pray for others, God expects us to
pray fervently, to put our hearts into our prayers.
Jesus even tells us to pray for our enemies in Matthew 5:44,
"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who
curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for
those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you
may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes
His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and
sends rain on the just and on the unjust."
In this end-time, we see worsening leadership in
various national governments.
But at the same time, God expects us to pray
for our leaders.
In 1 Timothy 2:1,
"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,
for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead
a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
who desires all men to be saved and to come to the
knowledge of the truth."
Yes, a fifth strategy for answered prayer is:
Pray for others.
Effective prayer can change your life.
Our Father in heaven wants to hear from you in prayer.
Jesus made this clear in Matthew 7:7,
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks
finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Or what man is there among you who, if his son
asks for bread, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to
your children, how much more will your Father who is
in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you,
do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."
My friends, our Father in heaven loves you.
He has given you authority through the name of Jesus
Christ to make your requests known to Him.
As a loving Father, God promises to give
"good things" to those who ask Him.
Continue to pray for the true gospel to be
preached in all the world.
Apply these strategies of prayer and draw closer to
your Savior and your Father in heaven.
There are more effective keys to answered prayer
than we have time for on this program.
Be sure to request your inspiring free study guide,
Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer.
And be sure to join us every week on Tomorrow's World.
In this world of growing chaos and confusion,
you need the solid guidance that comes from your Bible.
Gerald Weston, Wallace Smith, Rod McNair, and I
will continue to share with you the teachings of
Jesus Christ, the good news of the coming Kingdom of God,
and the exciting end-time prophecies and their meaning.
So, be sure to join us again next week, right here,
at this same time.
♪
For today's free offer call...
Or go to...
Call today and join millions around the world
who are turning to Tomorrow's World for
truth, prophecy, and hope in these confusing times.
The preceding program is produced by the
Living Church of God.
♪
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