Melodious Prayer (Eph 5:18-20)
A man said to me recently that he thought most people believed in God but just don't think he's doing anything for them. They do believe in God enough to pray but don't believe perhaps because of low self-esteem that he will bother himself to move on their behalf. Consequently this doubting is not met positively and therefore the cycle of low expectation persists. Jesus however taught us that our prayer should be embedded in trust and thanks for the response of a faithful God. He said profound things like ask and you shall receive (Mat 7:7) and I will do whatever you asked in my name! (Jn 14:14) Why then are some prayers answered immediately and others seem to go unanswered? The Old Testament gives us a good understanding when elders came to Ezekiel (Ch 14) the prophet to seek the Lord when the Lord spoke to him saying, "These men had set up idols in their hearts and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity."...