Does Prayer Change Events?

When we speak of the sovereignty of God, we say how He has ordained all things, and nothing can thwart or disrupt His plan. This immediately raises the question: is prayer worthless? I mean, if God is going to work out His plan, and nothing can change His mind, then why pray?

A.W. Pink on the Gospel

A.W. Pink in his book, The Sovereignty of God, makes a very good point regarding the Gospel.  

"Concerning the character and contents of the Gospel the utmost confusion prevails today. The Gospel is not an "offer" to be bandied around by evangelistic peddlers. The Gospel is no mere invitation, but a proclamation, a proclamation concerning Christ; true, whether men believe it or no. No man is asked to believe that Christ died for him in particular. The Gospel, in brief, is this: Christ died for sinners, you are a sinner, believe in Christ, and you shall be saved. In the Gospel, God simply announces the terms upon which men may be saved (namely, repentance and faith) and, indiscriminately, all are commanded to fulfill them."

- A.W. Pink, The Sovereignty of God, Baker Books, p. 209

 

R.J. Rushdoony on Asking for Wisdom

This article is an excerpt from R.J. Rushdoony's book, "A Word in Seasons: Daily Messages on the Faith for All of Life."

How often do you ask for wisdom in your prayers?

Asking for Wisdom

A verse that often comes to mind is James 1:5: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." When was the last time you asked for wisdom? I have been to a great many prayer meetings over the years, but I don't recall hearing many prayers for wisdom. Either church folk are content to be stupid, or else they assume that they are wise.

Proverbs 13:13: Do You Fear the Word of God?

Proverbs 13:13 (NKJV)

"He who despises the word will be destroyed, But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded."

If you do not already do so, I highly encourage all of my readers to pick up the Proverbs and read one chapter a day, and read the chapter that matches the day. For example, today is the 13th of January, so I read the 13th chapter of Proverbs.

This Proverb, first of all, is a contrast. That is the basic framework that we want to remember as we begin to investigate this verse. Notice the contrast: the man who despises the Word of God, and the man who fears it. The man who despises the Word of God will be destroyed, but the man that fears it will be rewarded.

Man's Inability

A common objection when speaking about the sovereignty of God is: Why does God hold people accountable for something that they cannot do? A sinner is responsible to repent and believe the Gospel, but the sinner is unable to do so unless the Father draws him/her (John 6:44). All humans are required to obey, love, and serve God; but Romans 8:8 clearly says that those "that are in the flesh cannot please God." So how can God hold them responsible?