If There Ever Was a Time to Pray, That Time is Now (Why Prayer Matters in These Troubled Times)
Summary: Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message #60 <br><br> Matthew 7:7-11: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" <br><br> There is no doubt about it, but we are indeed living in troubling times. Just this past week, our president publicly stated that he supports homosexual marriage. This month, we have college students graduating and they don't even know whether or not they will be able to find work. Many people are still struggling financially. The financial system of Europe is on the verge of collapse. We think we have it bad in America with an 8.1% unemployment rate, but in Spain the unemployment rate is 24% <br><br> Perhaps, you have heard people make these statements: "Because of the economic downturn I lost my job. I don't know what I'll do for income." <br><br> "I've lost my investments in the stock market, so now I don't have any savings for the future." <br><br> "We don't have money to continue our mortgage payments, so we had to foreclose on our house." <br><br> "Our hearts are grieving because of the loss of a loved one." <br><br> "I had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. Now the cancer has returned." <br><br> We live in difficult days. These and other problems abound, hitting us on all sides. You may be facing the most devastating time of your life and you don't know what to do. But there is something you can do. You can take your problem to God through prayer. God always hears our prayers and answers according to His will -- even though they may not be answered the way we anticipated. <br><br> Many people in the Bible faced terrible problems, too. When they prayed, God answered and resolved their dilemmas. For example Hezekiah, king of Judah, was deathly ill, and when he prayed God healed him and extended his life. Others in dire circumstances -- such as Peter in prison, David being pursued by enemies, and Paul being persecuted -- prayed and God answered. <br><br> + Plus, listen to Jesse Dixon singing "I Know What Prayer Can Do" and CeCe Winans singing "Anybody Wanna Pray".
