[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Answering Common Claims of Atheists

Belief in God was once taken for granted by many, but now, not so much. In fact, a breed of “militant atheist” has arisen, inspired by the likes of evolutionist Richard Dawkins and the late Christopher Hitchens.

Such atheists claim to hold the high ground in terms of intellect and reasoning, saying that only the ignorant or the foolish would continue to believe in God in the modern era.

Today, we’ll look at THREE COMMON OBJECTIONS that atheists make concerning the existence of God, and we’ll put them to the test. So join us for today’s episode of Tomorrow’s World, “When Atheists Attack!”

God Had NO Beginning—And Needed No Creator

Greetings, and welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible. Today, we’re going to address three common objections atheists give concerning belief in God. We’re also going to give you an opportunity to request our free resource The Real God: Proofs and Promises. Be sure to note the contact information you might need to get your free copy when it appears on your screen.

An atheist is someone who believes there is no God—as distinct from theists, who believe there is a God, and agnostics, who are uncertain one way or the other.

Of course, God’s opinion about atheists is made plain in the Bible, as in Psalm 14:1, where He inspired King David to write,

“The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”

God liked that statement so much, He had it essentially repeated in Psalm 53.

Still, God’s take on their lack of wisdom has not deterred some. In the early 2000s, the so-called “New Atheism” hit—championed by biologist Richard Dawkins, author Christopher Hitchens, neuroscientist Sam Harris, and philosopher Daniel Dennett—or as some have called them, the “Four Horsemen” of New Atheism.

But in reality, the only thing “new” about the “New Atheism” was the attitude: more militant, more aggressive—but otherwise presenting the same old questions as the old atheism.

And we should highlight here at the start: Questions are good! We SHOULD ask questions! But when we do, we need to be OPEN to the answers—even if they aren’t the answers we were expecting or the answers we wanted. And we should be willing to put those answers to the test—especially in a day and age like ours, a period prophetically described in the Bible as a time when “truth is fallen in the street” (Isaiah 59:14), and convincing lies are far easier to come by.

So, what do you do when an atheist comes to YOU with questions? Well, frankly, you should evaluate the scenario first. Sometimes someone doesn’t really want answers—they are just looking to “score points,” and even if you answer their question, it goes in one ear and out the other. Yet, we should be ABLE to answer, and the Apostle Peter encouraged Christians in the first century to make sure they were ready to do so, to the best of their ability. In chapter 3 and verse 15 of his first letter, Peter writes that we should

“sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear…” (1 Peter 3:15).

And, really, being ready for that defense is not just for the sake of your inquisitor. YOU need to know, for yourself, that God exists, that He is real, and that He is involved in both world affairs and your life.

So—how do you answer when someone questions your faith in God? For the rest of today’s program, we’re going to tackle three common questions atheists ask.

Here’s the first:

“If God made everything, who made God?”

We’re starting with this one, because it is a quick one! Someone who asks this is making a classic category error. The world around us—all the matter, space, and energy—had a beginning. Both the most up-to-date science and most rational lines of inquiry agree: The universe and all the matter, space, time, and energy that is in it had to have a beginning—whether that beginning was the famous Big Bang or something else. And, having a beginning, it had to have a CAUSE of some sort.

But God HAS no beginning. He is not among the things that are “made”—and having no beginning, He requires no creator. The Bible makes the distinction in these categories plain in John 1:3. Speaking there of the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ, through whom the Father created all things, John writes,

“All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:3).

There are those things that are made, and then there is God, who existed before and apart from those things.

The world around us—matter, space, time, and energy—had a beginning, and, therefore, HAS to have a cause—a reason for it to come into existence. I like to quote from Julie Andrews’ character Maria in The Sound of Music on this point: “Nothing comes from nothing. Nothing ever could.”

Therefore, there must be a CAUSE for the universe that exists apart from the universe’s matter, space, time, and energy—a timeless cause that precedes all matter, space, and energy—and God fits that description. And, asking what made him is to misunderstand what and who God is.

The Gaps in Evolutionary Theory

Welcome back! In the first part of today’s program, we addressed the question, “If God made everything, who made God?” We can summarize the answer: “No one. Unlike the physical universe, God is eternal and had no beginning.” The person who asks misunderstands, or misrepresents, what the word “God” even means. In fact, you could add, “Without something fitting God’s description, there would be no universe at all.”

That last point is important, because sometimes atheists accuse believers of hiding behind a “God of the Gaps”—that is, claiming that believers only use “gaps” in scientific knowledge as evidence that God exists, but that, as those “gaps” are filled, the evidence for God supposedly evaporates. You could imagine this as saying that someone ignorant of how the water cycle works on earth might believe that a divine being just creates rain from nothing and, thus, rain becomes a “proof” that God exists.

Then, when scientists discover the water cycle, that “proof” evaporates, like a shallow puddle on the sidewalk on a hot day.

It is the “God of the Gaps” fallacy that many atheists have in mind when they ask the following question:

“Why do we need God if evolution explains everything?”

After all, evolution is the reigning scientific dogma of the day and is considered by many to be one of the crowning achievements of science and human reasoning. So, if evolution really does explain everything, why do we need God?

In answering this question, we need to recognize at least three mistakes revealed by the question. First, the theory of evolution doesn’t explain “everything.” The origin of the universe, the laws of physics and mathematics, consciousness, objective morality—the list of things for which a transcendent God remains the best explanation is LONG! When they say “everything,” they usually mean evolution explains LIFE. And I can understand why someone would be sensitive about this. The existence of life on planet earth definitely demands some sort of explanation!

But does EVOLUTION explain it? That is the questioner’s second mistake. The theory of evolution is FAR from sufficient to explain the wondrous variety of life we see on earth, let alone the origin of that life!

Finally, when we take an honest look at the complexity of life—it’s interwoven systems of dependence, the collection of complicated organs and nerve networks that must work together in a mind-bogglingly coordinated way, the abstract coding and error-checking systems of DNA—again, when we take an honest look at life’s complexity, we find that the current theory of evolution is FAR from able to explain that coordinated complexity.

In fact, the idea that evolutionary theory DOES currently explain all of these things is generally a façade, and there is currently a great deal of debate about how to address the theory’s persistent shortcomings.

The UK newspaper The Guardian recently reported on the turmoil in the evolutionary sciences:

“Strange as it sounds, scientists still do not know the answers to some of the most basic questions about how life on Earth evolved. Take eyes, for instance. Where do they come from, exactly? The usual explanation of how we got these stupendously complex organs rests upon the theory of natural selection” (“Do we need a new theory of evolution?” TheGuardian.com, June 28, 2022).

Then, after summarizing the usual evolutionary tale of the gradual development of the eye, the article continues:

“This is the basic story of evolution, as recounted in countless textbooks and pop-science bestsellers. The problem, according to a growing number of scientists, is that it is absurdly crude and misleading.”

“For one thing, it starts midway through the story, taking for granted the existence of light-sensitive cells, lenses and irises, without explaining where they came from in the first place. Nor does it adequately explain how such delicate and easily disrupted components meshed together to form a single organ. And it isn’t just eyes that the traditional theory struggles with. ‘The first eye, the first wing, the first placenta. How they emerge. Explaining these is the foundational motivation of evolutionary biology,’ says Armin Moczek, a biologist at Indiana University. ‘And yet, we still do not have a good answer. This classic idea of gradual change, one happy accident at a time, has so far fallen flat.’”

In fact, one could go so far as to say that, if random mutation and natural selection really DID create all life on earth, then evolution would have to be evidence that God DOES exist, because all of the giant, coordinated, improbable LEAPS evolution would have to take would require a DIVINE BEING to help it along!

It seems that, to prop up their own faith, evolutionists tend to depend on their own “God of the Gaps.” Or, perhaps, their “Darwin of the Gaps.”

In actuality, the complexity of life positively and forcefully argues for an INTELLIGENT SOURCE behind its creation! Only intelligence has ever been observed to be able to create such complicated, PURPOSE-ORIENTED structures as what we see within even the SIMPLEST of lifeforms!

Appealing to God’s existence and agency as an explanation for life is not hiding behind a “God of the Gaps.” Quite the contrary—the intelligent design present in all life is POSITIVE EVIDENCE for the existence of intelligence BEHIND life.

God is Not to Blame for Mankind’s Problems

In the first part of today’s program, we addressed the question, “If God made everything, who made God?” We can summarize the answer: “No one. Unlike the physical universe, God is eternal and had no beginning.” In fact, SOMETHING fitting God’s description is needed even to HAVE a universe to begin with. Then, in the last segment, we tackled the question, “Why do we need God if evolution explains everything?” And we noted that “Evolution doesn’t explain everything and, in fact, fails even to explain what it is supposed to: life.” Frankly, believing all the claims of evolutionists takes more faith than believing in a Creator.

But the third common attack you might hear from an atheist neighbor or acquaintance comes with an emotional wallop, which is often the source of its strength:

“How can God be good if there is so much evil in the world?”

Of course, history certainly records many great evils—the Holocaust inflicted on the Jews, the Soviet starvation of Ukranians in the 1930s, and chattel slavery in the pre-Civil War American South are just a few examples. And for many of our viewers, the presence of evil in the world hits home in a personal way. Many of you have been robbed, assaulted, or abused.

There is no getting around it—our world is filled with evil. But if so, the atheist asks, how can God be good? After all, why would a good God allow such things? Is He too weak to stop it? Or is He just unaware that evil things happen? If so, then He isn’t really “God.” Yet, if He is all-powerful and all-knowing, and yet He does nothing, then they claim He isn’t “good,” and therefore isn’t really “God” that way, either. They claim this dilemma simply means there is no all-seeing, all-powerful, GOOD God to begin with.

So, what do we make of this?

Well, it’s interesting how quick people are to put the blame on GOD for mankind’s evil—and, frankly, that is exactly what the devil would want us to do! It’s interesting that when Adam and Eve first sinned by disobeying God and eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the first thing they both did was try to pass the buck. After God asks them about it, we read their responses in Genesis 3 [vv. 12–13]:

“Then the man said, ‘The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.’ And the LORD God said to the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’ The woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate’” (Genesis 3:12–13)

So, Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the devil. In fact, if you look more closely, Adam blamed GOD. Note, he said, “The woman whom YOU gave to be with me”! And to this day, people continue to blame God for the evil mankind is responsible for.

Consider the evils we mentioned earlier, the Holocaust, the cruelty of the Soviets, and slavery—or, for that matter, robberies, assaults, or abuses. Those are evil actions inflicted by human beings. And the blame for them should lie with those human beings.

Still, the question remains, why does God ALLOW such human beings to commit evil? Part of that answer is founded upon the need for humans to have FREE WILL—which must include the ability to choose to do the wrong thing. God’s purpose for us requires growing in CHARACTER—specifically, learning to possess God’s OWN character—to choose the right over the wrong. And growing in CHARACTER requires the ability to make choices—free-will choices, which includes the possibility of choosing evil and causing suffering, along with the possibility of choosing the good and to endure suffering.

When you understand the purpose of God, you come to understand that the eternal good that God is producing through His plan of developing His own righteous character in human beings is of such reality-altering significance, that it will outweigh all the evil mankind has ever committed or experienced. In fact, the Apostle Paul says just that in Romans 8:18:

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:18–21).

Notice—the current sufferings we experience aren’t even worthy to be compared to the glory to come. In fact, notice too that Paul says that creation itself is suffering and will be delivered in that day to come. One of the curses of mankind’s sin in the Garden of Eden was that we removed God as the caretaker of creation, as if we can do it all ourselves without Him. God explains to Adam in Genesis 3:17–19 that creation will no longer be accommodating to man in any special way but will go its own course. Mankind needs to learn the full lesson that we NEED God, and that attempting to build a world without Him leads only to suffering—as we are then left vulnerable to the afflictions of nature, our own evils, and the twistings and persecutions of the devil.

If you’re a parent, you understand what God is doing, if you think about it. How many times must parents allow a child to experience a taste of the results of their own bad choices before they know the lesson will sink in? Well, in God’s case, He’s not just teaching one child, but all of humanity—and the lessons need to make an impact for eternity. The stakes of these lessons could not possibly be higher.

Yet, we have God’s promise that, at the time of restoration of all things, the glory that is revealed in the children of God will far outshine any evil that has ever been committed and any suffering that has ever been experienced such that they will not even come to mind any more, forever. We should all pray that time comes quickly.

So, to summarize an answer to this third attack, “Evil in the world is a consequence of man’s free will. Yet God is using our choices to achieve an eternal good that will far outweigh any suffering mankind has ever experienced.”

A Challenge to Prove God Exists

The fact is, we are living in an increasingly skeptical world in which God is being effectively shoved into a corner as the movers and shakers in society seek to create a civilization that pretends He does not exist. Faith in God is under continued and sustained assault.

If you will seek to know the God of the Bible and will be willing to set aside your own preconceived ideas, your own selfish desires and outlook, and embrace the way of life that Jesus Christ commands of those who follow Him, you can become convinced and convicted of the REALITY of the God who inspired that Bible.

You will increasingly begin to see in your life, day by day, the fruit of your choices, and that fruit will become one of the most powerful proofs of God’s existence you could ever hope to possess. And it can strengthen you in a way few things can and enable you to stand strong and tall whenever atheists attack.

Just as God challenges us in Malachi 3:10 to put Him to the test by obeying Him, I challenge you today to do the same. You won’t regret it.

Thank you so much for watching!

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[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

A Stressed-Out World

Today’s world stresses many of us. We worry about Russia’s ongoing war with the Ukraine, the pressures of inflation, pandemic death and disease, natural and manmade disasters, crime and violence, relation[ship] conflicts, and even traffic congestion.

With all these pressures of life, how can we live peaceably? How can you deal with these stresses and challenges? My friends, there is one way that can help solve your problems. Your Bible shows the way to peace and prosperity. You can have amazing help from the divine promises in your Bible. Listen to this promise in Matthew the seventh chapter—Matthew 7:7: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Our Father in heaven gives us the promise of answered prayer. Do you get answers to your prayers? Your Bible gives keys to effective prayer.

My friends, you can solve many of the problems of life if you know the proven keys to powerful prayer.

Stay tuned!

Seek Solace in Prayer With God

Warm greetings to all our friends around the world!

Jesus’ disciples observed His praying and wanted to know how to pray. If you have your Bible, turn to Luke the eleventh chapter. Luke 11:1. “Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.’”

Jesus then gave them—and us—the Model prayer, or an outline of topics to pray about. But, He also warned them, “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matthew 6:7).

On today’s program, we’ll discuss seven proven keys to answered prayer.

My friends, if you have your Bible, turn to Isaiah the fifty-fifth chapter. God gives us a classic and proven principle for effective prayer. Isaiah 55:6, “Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.”

My friends, how do you call upon God? My friends, you simply get down on your knees, if you physically can, and tell God your worries, your thoughts, and your concerns. You also let God know your sins and your need for forgiveness. We’ll talk more about that later in the program. God tells us through Isaiah in verse 7, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”

God promises us mercy and pardon from our sins, if we’re determined to change our way of living with His help! When I first began to make major changes in my life, I began to seek God more by reading the Bible and praying daily. At first it seemed to be awkward, but I persisted in talking with God, and God kept His promise, and I began to have peace of mind. You also can have peace of mind, if you seek God with your whole heart and mind. Notice this encouraging promise in Jeremiah 29:10: “For thus says the LORD…. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD…” (Jeremiah 29:10–14).

That’s God’s promise to you, my friends. You need God’s love, protection, and guidance in the days, months, and years ahead! We are nearing the end of the age. We will soon be facing world cataclysm and turmoil. You’ve probably seen some of the dozens of disaster movies depicting various forms of cosmocide, including world war, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, and asteroids. Jesus Himself stated in Luke 21:24, “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; [LISTEN TO THIS] men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken” (Luke 21:25–26).

My friends, we need to be motivated NOW to seek God. You can avoid future heart attacks from the fearful prophesied events. But you must learn to trust God to save you through the trying times ahead. Notice verse 27, Luke 21. God again gives us the good news of Christ’s return: “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Yes, my friends, in spite of world crises, we can have hope and confidence in the future, in tomorrow’s world. Verse 28 gives us this encouragement: “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:27–28).

Regular viewers of Tomorrow’s World are familiar with the sequence of prophetic events. They realize that God has revealed His truth, His plan, and His promises in this book, the Holy Bible. God is love, as it tells us in 1 John 4:8 and 16. We need to respond to that love by praying to Him daily. Prayer is simply talking with God. You need to get answers to your prayers. Your Bible reveals the keys to powerful prayer.

7 Keys to Effective Prayer

KEY NUMBER ONE: Claim God’s promises. If you have your Bible, turn to Matthew 6:28. The Bible is a goldmine of guaranteed promises. But there’s a requirement. We must believe that God will give them to us if we pray according to His will. Jesus chided His audience in Matthew 6:28, “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:28–30).

God has all power in the universe. He owns everything that exists. So, we should trust God to provide for us. Jesus continues in verse 31, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” (Matthew 6:31–32).

My friends, you have a heavenly Father who knows your needs, but you need to seek Him and His Kingdom first of all! Read verse 33. Jesus instructs us to get our priorities straight. What do you consider the most important goal in your life? Here it is in Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:33–34).

My friends, we must seek the greatest goal of all, the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. If we do that, then we can claim God’s awesome promises He has for you. We’ve listed some of them in our previous programs. But consider these promises in your own Bible:

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 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! 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. Be sure to make your own list. KEY NUMBER ONE to answered prayer: Claim God’s promises. KEY TWO for powerful answered prayer is: Persevere in prayer.

If you have your Bible, turn to one of my favorite promises, of many favorite promises: Psalm 37:3. God instructs us to trust Him and to rely on His guidance, grace, and truth. Psalm 37:3, “Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass” (Psalm 37:3–5).

Years ago, one of the desires of my heart was to visit the city of Jerusalem in modern day Israel. In 1967, in the Six-Day War, Israel was attacked, won the war, and as a result gained territory that was anciently occupied by the Kings of Israel and Judah. The divided city of Jerusalem was unified under the government of Israel. Israelis now had access to one of their holy places, the Western wall of the Temple Mount. It was indeed an emotional time for the Jewish people!

At that point in time, I started praying according to God’s promise in Psalm 37:4. And I continued over the years praying for my heart’s desire to go to Jerusalem. I had begun asking God for the privilege in 1967. Do you know when He granted me my heart’s desire? Seventeen years later in 1984. Yes, we must persevere in prayer. As a professor at Ambassador College, I was asked to join a college group of students volunteering to work in the “Dig” or archaeological project in the City of David, just south of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. I literally jumped for joy! My wife and I were able to travel with this college group throughout Israel and work at the Dig. I have since visited Israel in doing on-location filming as well as spending time with our Church group there during the fall Feast of Tabernacles.

Yes, my friends, God gives us awesome promises. We need to claim God’s promises, and we need to persevere in prayer.

No Problem Too Great to Pray About

A third proven key you need to know about is: Pray about everything that worries you. Are you worried? Are you anxious? Turn in your Bible to Philippians 4:6; “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

When you face up to your concerns, you need to pray and talk in detail with God about your problems. Ancient King David was very open with God in his prayers. Turn to Psalm 6 for example. David was suffering and prayed to God from his heart. Psalm 6:1; “O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure. Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled; But You, O LORD—HOW long? Return, O LORD, deliver me! Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake! For in death there is no remembrance of You; In the grave who will give You thanks?” (Psalm 6:1–5).

Read the Psalms and see how David prayed from the heart. You need to share your problems with God in prayer. And what will be the result? Listen to this comforting promise in Philippians 4:7; “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Yes, you can have peace of mind through prayer. KEY NUMBER THREE to answered prayer: Pray about everything that worries you.

KEY NUMBER FOUR to answered prayer: Thank God continually. Did you notice, as we just read, in Philippians 4:6, how we should make our requests? “With thanksgiving”! When was the last time you thanked God for your blessings? When we think of the billions living in poverty around the world, do you thank God for providing your every need? Remember, that is one of God’s promises He gives us in Philippians 4:19. The Apostle Paul predicted perilous times in the last days. You can read those characteristics in 2 Timothy 3:1–5. One of the greatest sins of our day is ingratitude. Yes, the Apostle Paul stated that our generation in the last days would be unthankful! Are you unthankful? When you share your worries with God, thank Him for the privilege of asking for His intervention and deliverance! Thank Him for all your blessings.

Some of you may be familiar with the old nineteenth century hymn, “Count Your Blessings.” Here are some of the words: “When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”

When you count your blessings, when you thank God for all the blessings you have experienced and will experience in your life, there is that result.

My friends, count your blessings and express heartfelt gratitude to God. King David even thanked God in the middle of the night. Psalm 119:62, “At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You, because of Your righteous judgments.”

KEY NUMBER FOUR to answered prayer: Thank God continually. KEY NUMBER FIVE to answered prayer: Seek God’s will. How would you characterize human nature? Not only is it unthankful, but it is also vanity, lust, and greed! Just a simple review of world history demonstrates humanity’s selfishness. Humanity generally seeks its own will and not God’s! Often, even professing Christians pray selfishly. They want to get, more than to give. Remember Jesus’ statement in Acts 20:35; “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Or as the Moffatt translation has it, “To give is happier than to get.”

Yes, we should pray and claim God’s promise that He will provide our every need (Philippians 4:19). Yes, we can rejoice in faith in claiming God’s promise to give us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4), but our attitude must always be, “Your will be done”! What did Jesus teach us to pray? Matthew 6:10, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

My friends, this is an extremely important key to answered prayer. Human beings by nature are extremely selfish. The world’s way of life is one of greed. But Jesus desired to do His Father’s will. When Jesus prayed in agony the night before His crucifixion, He asked that the cup of suffering be passed from Him—if—it were God’s will! Notice that in Luke 22:42, Jesus prayed saying, “‘Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.’ Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:42–44).

Jesus was willing to suffer for YOU and Me. He surrendered HIS will to His Father’s Will! When you’re struggling over some problem or trial, ask for God’s deliverance, but ALSO pray that His will be done. KEY NUMBER FIVE is: Seek God’s will.

Jesus Christ is There for Us

My friends, you can have your prayers answered as you follow these proven biblical keys. There are two more keys I’d like to share with you. KEY #6 to answered prayer is: Follow the outline prayer. Remember, one of Jesus’ disciples asked Him: “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). Jesus gave us the famous model prayer, often called the Lord’s prayer. Jesus gives us an outline of topics for prayer. The very first topic we pray about is the office, power, and name of our Father in Heaven. Jesus said in Matthew 6:9, “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.”

Jesus also gave us this warning in Matthew 6:7: “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.” Saying the same words over and over and over again, becomes vanity. Jesus wants us to pray from the heart, not to repeat the exact words of the model prayer. The prophet Hosea gave a similar warning in Hosea 7:14, “They never put their heart into their prayers.” That’s from the Moffatt translation. Human beings will often cry out to God when they’re in trouble.

After honoring God’s name first of all in your prayer, the second major topic to pray about is stated in Matthew 6:10: “Your kingdom come”! Why do you want God’s kingdom to come? The world is filled with wars, violence, poverty, catastrophic natural disasters including earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, tornados, floods, drought, and volcanoes. God’s kingdom will produce a world of sustainable agriculture, rain in due season, prosperity, and peace among nations. Pray for God’s kingdom to come and look forward to a glorious tomorrow’s world under the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Prince of Peace, the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Meditate on each of these topics in the model prayer here in Matthew 6. As you do, you will be praying according to God’s will. KEY #6 to answered prayer: Follow the outline prayer. Our seventh proven key to powerful prayer is: pray in Jesus’ name. Jesus the Christ is at the right hand of God in heaven. He is our great High Priest who ever lives to make intercession for us, as it tells us Hebrews 7:25. He gives us the authority to pray to God in heaven. We pray in Jesus’ name and authority. Since He’s given us that authority, we can pray boldly. Notice that in Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

We can pray with confidence because Christ is our High Priest and Savior. He sympathizes with our weaknesses. He knows what it’s like to suffer. He was tempted in all points, as we are, yet without sin, as it tells us in verse 15. KEY NUMBER SEVEN is: Pray in Jesus’ name. My friends, you can have your prayers answered! You can rejoice in God’s love for you as He answers your prayers!

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