Arthur W. Pink (1886-1952)
How many Christians there are who seldom get any real, definite, and remarkable answers to their prayers! How many, if they were frank, would have to acknowledge, "For some reason or other God does not answer my prayers." This ought to occasion much concern, exercise of conscience, and searching of heart before Him. God is more willing to give, than His people are to receive: He is their Father, and delights to make them happy: "Ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:24). But God is holy and will not compromise with our sins, nor condone that which is evil; and He requires us to be holy too: 1 Peter 1:15,16.
Yes, the sad fact remains that many Christians do not have the ear of God. Where this is the case, something is wrong in their lives, something which has "grieved the Spirit," and choked the channel of blessing. To them it has to be said, "Your sins have withheld good things from you" (Jer. 5:25). Nor is that word to be restricted to the present. I may be walking in the path of obedience today, and yet there may be something in the past which is hindering my entering into God's best for me now.
How many Christians there are who seldom get any real, definite, and remarkable answers to their prayers! How many, if they were frank, would have to acknowledge, "For some reason or other God does not answer my prayers." This ought to occasion much concern, exercise of conscience, and searching of heart before Him. God is more willing to give, than His people are to receive: He is their Father, and delights to make them happy: "Ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:24). But God is holy and will not compromise with our sins, nor condone that which is evil; and He requires us to be holy too: 1 Peter 1:15,16.
Yes, the sad fact remains that many Christians do not have the ear of God. Where this is the case, something is wrong in their lives, something which has "grieved the Spirit," and choked the channel of blessing. To them it has to be said, "Your sins have withheld good things from you" (Jer. 5:25). Nor is that word to be restricted to the present. I may be walking in the path of obedience today, and yet there may be something in the past which is hindering my entering into God's best for me now.
