Roadblock

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It gets you unstuck.  God doesn’t just leave you there, He reveals what you need to do.  Have you ever been on a road trip, and you notice traffic slowing to a standstill.  If you catch maps in time, if you’re in a city – you may get off the first exit, and reroute to the beltway, avoiding the main artery through downtown.  But if you’re driving through Tennessee, or the mountains somewhere – sometimes it’s the only artery.  And until that overturned semi or fallen tree is removed, it’s going to be a parking lot.  At least when it comes to traffic, it might be an hour maybe two but you know it will be cleared.  When it comes to the roadblocks of prayer – unless you do it, it wont change.  You’ll need God’s help, He will reveal and help you, but you will need to do it.  So thankful that God reveals some roadblocks.  Have you have prayed in earnest, but it seemed like your prayers were just hitting the ceiling?  A well-meaning friend might say – just keep praying, God hears you…  Well, maybe not.  Sometimes God isn’t hearing (not that he’s not listening, he knows what you’re doing, He isn’t hearing.  There’s a reason for it.  There is a roadblock that must first be removed.  Roadblock #1 – Disobedience.  David knew – Psalms 66:18 – If I hide iniquity in my heart (unconfessed) the LORD will not hear me.  You’re praying for nothing.  Isaiah 59:1 – Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear, but your iniquities have caused a separation between you and your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.  You are diligently imploring God for which house to buy, the ranch in the cul de sac, or the two-story in the country?  “Which one LORD, we only want to do your will.”  You’re in Tarshish.  He doesn’t care about the ranch or the two-story – He told you Nineveh.  With Joshua a similar roadblock.  Jericho went great, but it all stopped at Ai.  They beat the defending Super Bowl champs last week, and this week they got blown out by the 2nd grade Pee Wee football team.  And it won’t change unless you change something.  God said I told you to do something but you didn’t do it.  God revealed it, so Joshua could address it, and the roadblock was removed.  With Moses it was – “Stop praying and start moving – stretch out your staff so I can split the Red Sea – and get my people across.”  Sometimes the roadblock to answered prayer is disobedience, or an obedience that you haven’t done – delayed obedience is disobedience.  Roadblock #2 – Asking Amiss.  God said you have not because you ask not, and when you do ask, you ask amiss, with wrong motives, that you may spend it on your own pleasures, don’t you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God?  Sometimes we can love God for the things He gives  - more than Who He is, and our prayers get skewed to our pleasures, not His purpose.  Until that roadblock is removed, traffic ain't moving.  God next said, humble yourself, submit yourselves (your heart and desires) to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you – God will change your desires, and traffic can start moving again.    Prayer Roadblock #3 – You’re not treating your wife right – and it’s hindering your prayers.  Wow.  I Peter 3:7 – Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as joint heirs with you of the gracious gift of new life.  Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.”  God is not playing.  He expects you to live with your wife in an understanding way.  Isn’t it interesting how the ones we love the most, can sometimes get the worst side of us.  How can this be?  whether husbands treating their wives, or wives honoring their husbands, children honoring their parents, or even as an employee honoring your boss - as God expects of you…  These can be roadblocks, not only to your prayers, but to your spiritual growth in the LORD, and can block you from the purpose you could be fulfilling.  Roadblock #4 – Unforgiveness – This is easy to fall into, because we sometimes just ignore it.  Matthew 6:15 – “If you do not forgive others when they wrong you, neither will your Father in heaven forgive the wrong that you do.”  And your offense against God is far more than anyone has ever offended you.   Praying that your prayer will be the prayer that God directs, fervent and effective, no roadblocks.  Praying that you would get really good at obeying.  So the first roadblock is highly unlikely.  That’s why PiVAT is so important – every day before dinner – getting God’s plan for each day.  Obeying in the little things this hour, will make hearing and obeying a habit, and your obedience will gain momentum.  Praying that you will treat your spouse and your family with kindness – with the love of Jesus – those closest to you first.  If you aren’t – it’s just a humility and selfishness problem.  Repent and turn, ask God for help, walk in the Spirit and He will help you.  Praying that you will be so busy obeying as God leads you and walking in the blessing that comes with it – that the shiny trinkets on the left and right that the world has to offer remain of no interest – because they pale in comparison.  They just can’t compare to the joy and success that God is leading you in! And praying that your heart will always be to forgive others, like Christ has forgiven you.  Finally praying that you will know your Father’s heart – that you will learn to pray – what He wants you to pray.  These are the prayers that are highly effective.  He will lead you.  Just trust Him and pray.  He will bring the answers, the miracles, and the results that He brings will be temporal and eternal, in this life, even after you’re gone, and in the life to come.  Praying that your life and prayer life will be a highway – unhindered, no roadblocks - always moving to places you never imagined, that He has just waiting for you!
 
Love you all,
dad