Devotionals from Dad

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I have a common response to all who ask me how I am doing, most days I reply, “If I were any better there would have to be two of my and my wife would say, WOO HOO!” If the truth be known my wife's response would likely be something more like, “OH NO!” My wife has the patience of Job! She has the ability to accept or tolerate all the harassing, teasing and torments I hand out without getting angry or upset or at least she doesn't lash out at me, but I can tell by the expression on her face she is angry. I can be a bit of a trouble maker and that is putting it nicely. I am so grateful for the grace my wife extends to me. As I have grown older and more spiritually mature I have become more aware of the grace that is extended to me by God. Daily I sin and fall short of the glory of God. Grace is not something earned through good works or merit; it's a spontaneous gift, offered freely and unconditionally.

Ephesians 2: 8-9 ESV For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

The Bible does not attempt to conceal the sins of those God choose to do his will. The people that adorn the pages of scripture made mistakes just like me! Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command and ate from the Tree of Knowledge, Cain murdered his brother, Noah got drunk and slept in the nude, Abraham and Isaac both lied about their wives, David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed, Moses killed an Egyptian, Jonah disobeyed God's command and ran from Nineveh and Lots daughters got him drunk and had children with him. Despite their sins God still used these people.

Romans 3:23 ESV For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Let us face the fact, we came into the world with nothing, and we will leave it with nothing. Where do we get the notion that man’s idea of success and God’s are the same? You may have written a book and achieved some success. You may be a talented outdoors men and hunter. Maybe your a very successful farmer or maybe your good with your finances and have invested wisely and accumulated a great deal of money. Without the gifts of intelligence, imagination, personality, and physical energy, which are all endowed by God, where would you be? We are born poor and we die poor! We come into this world with nothing and we will leave with nothing. If we are anything, it is because God has blessed us with some talent or physical ability. Let's face it God doesn't need us! But he chooses to use us despite all our failures and sins to show his greatness. I once knew a person who told me, God can strike just as hard a lick with a crooked stick, and God knows I am a crooked stick. If God can use a lair, a drunk, an adultery and a murderer the he can use you and he can use me. God’s grace is amazing. His forgiveness knows no bounds. Whether you make one or one million bad choices, God will always take you back. He will always forgive you, because Jesus suffered the punishment for your sins on the cross. So if you mess up, admit it. Don’t let one bad choice lead to another. But also trust that no matter how hard you fall, no matter how low you sink, God’s grace for you knows no limits. Turn to him and find full and free forgiveness. 

1 John 1:9 ESV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

God accepts me warts and all! All I have, has been given to me by God's almighty hands. Forgive me when I tend to boast about my own accomplishments for I am nothing without Gods grace and love. 

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In the early 90's there was a movie called, Wayne's World. Wayne and his best friend Garth run a popular cable access show called, Wayne’s World. They get the the attention of a TV executive who wants to exploit their show. In the movie there is a scene where Wayne and Garth repeatedly say, We're not worthy. It occurs when they meet Alice Cooper, a rock and roll icon. After Alice Cooper suggests they hang out with him, Wayne and Garth, in a state of extreme excitement and awe, react with the phrase, We're not worthy, which they repeat multiple times, along with other exclamations of self-deprecation. This may seem strange to you but there are times when I have a strong desire to lift someone up in prayer, but as I begin my prayer I suddenly feel especially remorseful. I want with all my heart to approach the throne of God with my prayers, but I recognize that because of my sins, I am Not Worthy!

Psalm 51: 1-3 ESV Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

The world wide waste of time, the internet, especially social media has a tendency to occupy or waste way more of my time than it should. Frequently I find myself on Facebook and I stumble across a post that really infuriates me. I know I shouldn't pay attention to it but I find myself getting lost in the comments. Many of the responses are a retaliation to what this person shared in their post. My heart yearns to leave a witty comeback! With my fingers poised over my phone's keyboard, I try to devise a reply to that will let all those who have hatefully lashed out that this person know just how they are wrong they are! I come up with several retorts that I really want to post, but I ultimately decided it is better to do nothing than it is to reply in my furious state, so I hit close all apps and put my phone down. Satisfied with my good behavior, I mentally pat myself on the back for my ability to exert such excellent self-control. Doing the right thing is good in many ways, but it doesn’t change what’s in our heart. Jesus tells us that sin starts in the heart.

Matthew 15: 18-19 ESV But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 

If our sin isn’t dealt with at the core, it will grow out of control until it permeates our entire being, affecting our relationship with God. Although I practiced self-control by not posting a comment, my heart was unrepentant. Outwardly I looked clean, but on the inside, my heart was a muddy mess that still oozed pride and fury. Despite my good behavior, I still need to seek the Lord in true repentance. God delights in a heart that is truly remorseful! 

Psalm 51:17 ESV The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 

Rather than assuming that my good behavior is enough to make me right with God, I need to approach Him with the recognition that, I am Not Worthy, that even my most righteous acts are no more than filthy rags to God. I should have a repentant heart that wants to be made right so I can enjoy a better relationship with my heavenly Father. Because none of us are worthy, We are Not Worthy!!!

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When my children were young there were several things that I was known for with all their friends. First, if your car blocked the driveway and you parked me in you would find your car at the top of the hill, a couple blocks away. If your car was not running right, I would fix it for you or if you wanted a new stereo installed in your car, well I was your man. I was also a bit ornery, matter of fact I was infamous for being a a joker. Children frequently describe their parents by the job or careers they have, their hobbies, and the types of activities they enjoy, such as reading, gardening, or cooking. Children describe their parents beliefs about right and wrong, based on the rules they are given. They describe their parents, using adjectives like "funny," "strict," "kind," "generous," or "helpful". In essence, their descriptions of their parents is a snapshot of how they perceive their parents characteristics, actions, personality, beliefs, and values. What would your children say your infamous for? 

Proverbs 22:6 ESV Train up a child in the way he should go; and even when he is old, he will not depart from it. 

I will be the first to tell you that when I was raising my kids, they were more likely to find me in the garage working on my race car than they were to find me with my bible studying God's word. As parents, we bear the responsibility of being a good example for our children. Our words and actions shape their understanding of God. Just as we are encouraged to learn from God's Word and apply it to our lives, we should also teach our children to do the same. There is a delicate balance between parental authority and ultimate obedience. The most successful parents have the wisdom to guide their children, not just through rules, but through the example of their lives. In Ephesians the bible tells us that Fathers and mothers, should not provoke their children to anger, but teach them discipline and instruction of the Lord. This verse encourages parents to discipline and instruct their children with love and guidance, not anger. I was blessed with two parents that kept God at the center of their lives. No matter what foolishness I had done on Saturday evening, I knew that my parents would be dragging me out of bed to go to Sunday school and church the next morning!

Psalm 103:13 ESV As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. 

I am confident that when my parents stand before God they will receive a crown so full of jewels it will be hard for them hold their heads up. I know this because as a teenager if my parents asked me to do something I would intentionally do the opposite and yet the kept their composure. My parents showed me compassion and love when I deserved the opposite. I am sure there were moments when my parent questioned my sanity and prayed to God and asked Him what they did to deserve such treatment! My parents and my grandparents of both my mother and father's family were infamous for attending church nearly every time the doors were open and that trait was also demonstrated in their lives Monday through Saturday. Children will use words and phrases that they have seen and heard their parents say. I received a call from my daughter when she was in college one day and she said I can't believe it but I have become my father. I asked her what she meant and she told me that she had just told her room mate, were your born in a barn? Close the door and shut off the light, a phrase I had said to her many times when she was a child. Some of my most vivid childhood memories are was reciting the Lords prayer before a meal at a family reunion and receiving a bible as a Christmas gift. I still have that bible and I treasure it! What are you teaching your children, what things are you infamous for?

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I got married and started my family at a very young age. When I married my first wife I was 18 and she was only 16. We were married for 8 years and had 3 girls, who I love with all my heart. Our marriage failed for many reasons, but the main reason it failed is because God was not in the center of our relationship. I will be brutally honest with you! I chose my first wife for the same reason many men choose a bride. She was beautiful and I was consumed with fleshly desire for her. After the marriage failed, I spent the next 4 years of my life as a single father doing the best I could to raise 3 little girls. I had primary custody of the girls and their mother spent weekends and summers with them. I must say these were the most difficult years of my life. In Genesis God says it is not good for man to be alone!

Genesis 2:18 ESV Then the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.

In Genesis 2, God brought the creatures to Adam to see what he would call them. This act of naming was not just a matter of labeling, but a demonstration of Adam's dominion over creation and a way to show him the difference between himself and the animals. It also served as a test to see if Adam could find a suitable helper from among the creatures, ultimately leading to the creation of Eve. You really have to think deeply about this task to understand the real reason God asked Adam to name all of the animals of creation. God could have easily done this himself, with just his words he spoke them all in to existence, so why did God need Adam's help? The truth is God didn't need Adam's help. What I believe God was doing was teaching Adam a lesson. Naming a creature requires that Adam recognize that creature as God's creation and that the creature has a role to play in the world God created. As a result of getting to know the all of God's creatures it became clear that none of them were like Adam. None of them could be a suitable helper, which resulted in the creation of Eve, because it was not good for man to be alone.

Genesis 2: 20-23 ESV The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

It was not good for Adam to be alone and it wasn't good for me either. In May of 1997 I married Joyce Hendren. Joyce and I have always put God first in our relationship. I will be the first to tell you that she makes me a better man. I have a tendency to be a bit ornery. To some I may seem to be a difficult husband, but I love my wife more than I do myself. I love her with all my heart and just like the bible says I would give up my life up to protect her.

 Ephesians 5: 25-30 ESV Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. 

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We all have that one person in our lives that the moment they walk into your presence just makes you grind and grit your teeth. When they speak there is just something about them that grates on your nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard. Maybe this person is your next door neighbor, maybe they are a co-worker or worse yet, and I hope I am wrong,.. maybe they are a fellow church member! The minute you see this person you start searching for the nearest exit so you don't have to listen to them, to be irritated by them. Surrounding yourself with like minded people can be awesome. The encouragement you receive and the focus you’re able to achieve can be incredible. I’m convinced that creating a circle of like-minded people should be a non-negotiable task on my to-do list and if you know me very well, you know that I love my to-do list! I hate to inform you of this but there is danger in surrounding yourself only with like minded people. People who constantly agree with you. People who never challenge you and only affirm your beliefs. It becomes very easy to simply accept that something is true because enough of the people around you say it’s true. You accept that what you believe is right, just because people around you say it’s right... But you say, the bible tells me that I am not to forsake the gathering together of like minded believers.

Hebrews 10: 24-25 ESV And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 

Yes you are right, we are not to forsake the gathering together of believers, but in the very first part of this verse is a couple very important words, stir-up. This verse tells us that we are to stir the pot, to motivate one another to love and good works, because the Day of the Lord's return is drawing near. There is another bible verse that many people misunderstand. The bible says that iron sharpens iron and one man sharpens another.

Proverbs 27: 17 ESV Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. 

Most people think that this just means surrounding yourself with good friends makes you better. But sharpening isn't comfortable. It is friction with sparks flying everywhere. Iron doesn't sharpen iron by sitting next to you. It sharpens by clashing with you, by creating heat and irritation. If your friends never challenge you, call you out or push you to be stronger, they are not sharpening you. True Christian friendship is not about comfort. It is not about affirming your desires. It is not being a consumer of Christianity and getting all you can get. It is about forging Christians that are strong, wise and holy through real accountability. If no one ever irritates you, if no one every applies pressure to you and creates some friction, you will never be sharpened. You must be challenged in order to learn. I can tell you from my own experience that there are times that God's word, spoken to me in love by a brother or sister in Jesus Christ, can cut to the bone.

Hebrews 4:12 ESV For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 

If these words have some how irritated you then they have accomplished their purpose. Hopefully I have helped you to discern your thoughts and showed you the intentions of your heart, sharpening you into a better person!

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Influencer marketing has become one of the most popular and effective forms of online marketing. Millions of internet users are browsing social media platforms for entertainment, inspiration, and product recommendations daily. It is no surprise that marketers are harnessing the power of social media’s most recognizable faces for promotion. Influencers help brands grow quickly because they have a lot of followers who trust them! They're experts at creating visually appealing content and have a loyal audience that's interested in a specific topic, like food, fashion or fitness. I grew up in the day before the explosion of the internet and my biggest influencers were my parents. Nothing made me pay more attention to the decision I was about to make than when my mother said, “Jeffrey Jay, don't make me tell your father!” When my mother did have to provide me with some positive influence she would carry out her threat and when she told my father what I had been up to he never asked any questions His belt came off his pants so fast I swear it made a sonic boom!
Proverbs 13:24 ESV Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
The bible says that children are a blessing from the Lord. Having many children is a reward from him. They are like arrows in the hands of a warrior. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
Psalm 127:5 Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
The most significant influences on children are their family, environment, and the culture they are raised in. As children become teenagers their peers and social circles become increasingly important, influencing their behavior, values, and choices. Exposure to the media, including television, movies, and social media, can impact a child's beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors.... If you know very much about archery you know that there are many factors that will influence the path of your arrow and whether or not it will hit the bullseye. First, on the bow there is the arrow rest, your arrow most be held in place by the arrow rest, but only lightly. Next, there is the nock point where the rear most part of the arrow is again only lightly attached to the bow string. The archer must carefully draw the arrow back to the same point each and every time, then look carefully down the shaft of the arrow to insure that the arrow is pointed at its target. Finally, the archer must let go of the arrow and hope that they have taken into account all the things that could influence the path of the arrow to it target after they release the arrow, such as distance to the target and direction speed of the wind. There are so  many similarities between arrows in the archers hand and children it is incredible! Just like in archery at some point in your child's life you are going to have to let go and hope that as a parent you have pointed your child at the bullseye. So as a parent what are you doing to influence you children. The lessons you teach your children not only come from the words you say, they come from your actions. If my mother had repeatedly said, “don't make me tell your father”, but she never took action on those words and actually told my father of my foolish choices, her words would not have had much impact on my choices. As a parent what influence are your actions having on your children? Do you say one thing and do another? Do your words say, “do as I say not as I do”, or do you walk the walk and talk the talk? Do you drop your children off at church functions or do you worship with your children. I promise you that if as a parent you don't provide them with a positive influence by your actions someone else will. Who or what influences you children the most, God and the bible or someone social media Influencer?

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I am blessed to have a job with great fringe benefits. I earn sick pay and vacation pay ever 2 weeks and my sick pay is unlimited and has no cap. I have great health insurance that is very inexpensive. I have a pension plan and a deferred compensation plan. I get 14 paid holidays a year and my employer provides basic life insurance. For the most part I have every weekend off and only on a rare occasion do I get called in to work a night or weekend. According to the website census.gov about 86% of U.S. private-sector employees worked for establishments that offered employer-sponsored health insurance. Even if you have a job that provides for you great pay and benefits it is all only temporary. 

Matthew 6:19-21 ESV Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

In general, “treasures on earth” includes money and possessions. Earthly treasures include the things you can touch, cash, clothes, cars. Money, money, money. You think about money. You work for money. You save money. You spend money. Hopefully you tithe your money. Finally most of us at some point in our life you will stress over money. Even if money isn’t a controlling factor in your life,.. something that your life revolves around,,,, a significant portion of your life will revolve around earning, saving, giving, and spending money. So your relationship with money isn’t something you can just brush aside as not spiritual or unnecessary. Here’s something you need to know about money. Bible verses or not, money is amoral. Money doesn’t have a life. It cannot act on its own. It cannot do good deeds, and it cannot commit crimes. Basically, it’s neither good or bad. No matter how many Bible verses about money there is. Money can only do what you tell it to do. Money is not the root of all evil. But the love of money is the root of all evil.

1 Timothy 6:10 ESV For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. 

Now, before you jump to the wrong conclusion, Jesus didn’t say that …You can’t own a phone. You can’t buy a computer. You can’t purchase a home. You can’t drive a car. You can’t buy gifts for someone. You can’t save or invest money for retirement. You can’t buy more than one shirt or a pair of jeans. What Jesus did say was, Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth. Said another way, stop focusing on accumulating money and things and set your heart on pursuing, treasures in heaven. Real wealth is obtained by investing in, treasures in heaven. You are eternally rewarded when, you give. When you pray and fast in private. When you forgive someone. When you share the gospel. When you love your enemies. When you endure insults and persecutions. When it comes to rewards, the greatest reward every follower of Christ will receive is seeing God face to face.

1 Corinthians 13:12 ESV For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 

I may not know what the future holds for me, but I know who holds the future! As a faithful Christian servant our future is in the hands of the one who has planned the future!

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The American flag flying upside down signifies dire distress or extreme danger, while flying at half staff indicates mourning or remembrance. Communicating with flags, particularly in a maritime setting, involves using a system of visual signals, where flags represent letters, numbers, or specific messages, allowing ships to communicate at a distance. The white flag is an internationally recognized sign of truce or ceasefire. It is also used to symbolize surrender. We recognize things by what characterizes them. If someone described something to you with the words leaves, branches, trunk, and oranges, you’d most likely say, oh that’s an orange tree! And you’d be right. The tree is known for these characteristics. The same is true when it comes to being a believer in Christ. Jesus said on several occasions, a tree is recognized by its fruit.

Matthew 12:33 ESV Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 

Your actions always speak louder than your words. If you profess to be a Christian, the world is watching you no matter how insignificant you may think you are. No matter what you say if your actions don't align with your words, all those who are watching will pass judgment on you and everything you have said that contradicts your actions will be ignored and held with little or no regard! True believers in Christ are recognized not by what they say they believe, but by how they live their lives on a daily basis. Before the invention of the radio ships used flag signals to communicate their intent. So my difficult question for you today is what flag is your life flying? What message is your life communicating to those who you work and spend time with daily? If you profess to be a Christian the world should be able to see a person who has truly changed, a transformed life!

Galatians 2:20 ESV I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 

So what are some Christian characteristics that should be easily recognized by the world? Let's start with obedience, believers trust God to be in charge of their life. They say yes, to what God asks them to do. Obedience is a characteristics of a believer that makes them easily recognizable. Forgiveness is another trait that should be easily recognizable in every believer! Christians should forgive much, because they have been forgiven much. You should have an abundance of grace for forgiving others, knowing that God has forgiven you with an immeasurable grace in your life! Meaning, purpose and priority, should be characteristics of a Christian. Believers in Christ should live with renewed meaning and redefined purpose. They no longer live for themselves but for Christ and His Kingdom. Their focus and priorities become centered around what pleases the Lord! Most importantly a believers life should be characterized by love! Love for God and love for others. Believers must realize that loving God means also loving others. You should begin to love and sacrifice for others the way Jesus did. Believers love others because Christ first loved them. 

 John 13: 34-35 ESV A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

So what flag is your life flying? Is there enough evidence for others to see your life and say, there’s no doubt your unmistakably, unquestionably, a believer in Christ!

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Have you ever thought that God is not hearing your prayers, maybe God is hard of hearing or deaf even? I know there have been times that I have prayed for something so hard, so fervently and not received the answer to the prayer that I am seeking, that I have begun to think maybe God wasn't hearing me. I think the answer to my question is actually quite obvious. The answer is that I am searching and seeking for God to answer my prayer the way I think it should be answered. This leads me to ask this question, does God hear every prayer? 

John 9:31 ESV We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 

John says that God does not listen to the prayers of sinners. The only prayer that God hears from a sinner is the prayer for salvation. He listens to those who have placed their faith in Him and do his will. For those of us that have placed our faith in God not every prayer is answered. I believe that because I have placed my faith in God, He hears all my prayers, but He only answers those prayers that aligned with his will. So if I ask God to help me win the lottery He is not going to answer that prayer because it obviously is not aligned with his will, no matter how much I may tell Him that I am going to give back to my church. 

 1 John 5: 14-15 ESV And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. 

I say all this to bring you back to this point, God is not deaf, He hears my prayers He just doesn't always answer them the way I expect. I have learned in my life that If I am asking God to move a mountain, I had better be ready to wake up next a shovel! Here are some of the ways God may answer the prayers of believers. First “No I love you to much!” The Lord of the universe isn't under obligation to say yes to every prayer. That's a good thing, considering some of the things we request! Next, “Yes, but you will have to wait.” Immediate answers to prayers is something everyone wants. You want them. I want them. But God simply does not always work that way. We must be patient, unfortunately patients is not one of my greatest character traits. Another way God my answer your prayer is, “Yes but not the way you expected.” The perfect example of this may be Joni Eareckson Tada. At the time of her diving accident, Joni likely thought it was unfair that God would leave her in that state for good. But it has turned out for her good and God's Glory. Finally, God my answer your prayer by saying, “Yes, I though you would never ask!” Many people think prayer is complicated. Actually, the simplest prayer can bring you the miracle you need, when you need it! 

James 5:16 ESV Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 

The most difficult way God may answer your prayer is by saying NO. This is the most disappointing of all is when God answers prayer with a definite, no. When all other answers are exhausted and his obvious response is no, then we need to humbly accept it and move on. These are just a few ways the omnipotent God may answer your prayers. So God is not deaf, but there are some things that God will never do no matter how hard we pray. They are simply not in his will or plan. 

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I must admit I have been blessed with a great father. When I was a child he knew when to be stern and when to be kind and loving. My father has always loved me even when I was a rebellious teen and was very difficult to love! Some people carry childhood emotional baggage that skews their perceptions about the goodness of God. These individuals often come from an abusive background, so their ability to trust a father figure has been severely damaged. To them, God lives only to bring them grief. In Jesus Sermon on the Mount, He speaks to these injured souls, saying that God is an exceedingly loving Father who gives good gifts to His children. Jesus asks the crowd, if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to their children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

Matthew 7:11 ESV If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 

As I said in the beginning I have been blessed. I have both a good and loving father and a good and loving mother, both have remained married to each other their entire lives. As of October 2025 they will have been married 61 years and that is no small accomplishment! In the US, a significant portion of families experience a breakup, roughly 50% of children witness their parents divorce and a substantial number live in single-parent households, around 23%, giving the US the world's highest rate of children in this type of household. About 16% of children live in blended families with a stepparent, step-sibling, or half-sibling. Children whose parents divorce have a higher likelihood of experiencing behavioral problems. From these facts you can see how it could be difficult for people to trust a Heavenly father when they have been let down by their earthly father. 

Psalm 37:25 ESV I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. 

God wants His children to open their hearts in total dependence upon Him, trusting that they are safe and secure in His embrace. The Lord won’t trick us by giving us a stone instead of bread. Nor will He mock our prayers by presenting us with something harmful, like a snake instead of a fish. If we need food, He won’t abandon us or leave us begging for bread. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us, from God our Father. Just like my father took such great care of me when I was a child, I can trust that my heavenly Father will take good care of me because I am His treasured child and because He loves perfectly. Our earthly parent are only human and even the best ones will fall short, but God's love is perfect and eternal. The heavenly Father knows what’s best for His kids. He gives them what they need and not what harms them. Believers can trust God completely; because He is truly good, He cannot give anything but what is good. 

Romans 8: 31-32 ESV What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 

I hope with all my heart that like me you were blessed with a good and loving earthly father. But if you were not no matter how badly you may have suffered, the Bible offers hope and comfort to broken adults who still carry the scars of childhood abuse and abandonment. 

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