REV. J.R. BEEKEGrades 5-8 Ask…

How many times have you prayed and didn’ get it?

Many times. But that doesn’t mean that it is a waste of time to pray or that you and I should stop praying. Rather, we have to remember at least five things:

First, the major purpose of prayer is not to “get answers,” but to glorify Cod and commune with Him. In other words, even if you don’t receive an answer, you still must and ought to desire to pray (Is. 36:37). Do you know the joy of having such a wonderful place to go to in prayer, that is, to Cod, even if you don’t feel or see an answer?

Second, God is so worthy to be prayed to even if you don’t receive an answer. He deserves your whole heart, boys and girls. And He invites you to seek grace to surrender your hearts at His feet in prayer (Prov. 23:26).

Third, don’t forget that sometimes “no answer” from the Lord is an answer. The Lord’s silence may show either His approval or disapproval (Amos 8:3).

Fourth, sometimes the Lord waits to answer until His time is ripe. In the meantime, you and I must just ask for strength to keep on praying. The Bible commands us: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thes. 5:17).

Fifth, sometimes we may receive an answer to prayer, but don’t want to admit it because we are looking for a different answer. If you’re like me, too often you have in mind what you want the Lord to answer before you even ask. Our prayer life suffers when we try to use prayer to get Cod to follow us. Rather, prayer’s great goal is to soften our hearts so that we are made willing to follow God.

God doesn’t say to us, “Acknowledge Me in all your ways, and I will follow you as you direct your paths” — rather, “I shall direct your paths.” (Cf. Prov. 3:6.) My young friend, pray to let God be God in your prayers. He knows better than you do what is good for you.

That’s why we need always to pray: “Thy will be done.” Oh, what a great blessing if we may truly pray this petition!

Pray on.

Wait on.

Hope on.

You’ll never be sorry.

Do the people that go to geaven know everything God knows?

No. But they don’t need to know everything either.

Think about your parents. Do you love your Dad and Mom even though you don’t know everything about them or know as much as they do about things? Of course you do.

It’s sort of like this for God’s people, too, in their relationship with the Lord. They will know everything they need to know to love God fully, perfectly and eternally (1 Cor. 13:12-13). But we can never know as much as Cod because He is All-knowing. To know everything God knows would make us “gods” ourselves, and that is impossible.

Do you know God in a saving way? Can you say of yourself: “This is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true Cod, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent” (jn.17:3)? If not, please pray for this knowledge; if so, pray that you might know Cod in Christ more and more.

Are all sprits good?

No. The devils are fallen angels. Angels are “ministering spirits,” as they don’t have bodies like you and me (Heb. 1:14).

Are Rev. krsten’s “Reformed Dogmatics” flawless

No. Only the Bible is inerrant—that means, without any errors or mistakes.

On the other hand, we believe that Rev. Kersten’s Dogmatics are a safe guide for us to follow because they are so biblical.

And they teach us much. These two volumes summarize better than any books we know what the members of our churches believe concerning the important truths of the Bible. I hope you will read these books as soon as you are able.

How far is a furlong

A furlong is a Roman measurement of slightly more than 607 feet or approximately 186 meters. There were eight furlongs to a Roman mile. (Cf. Luke 24:13; Jn. 6:19; Rev. 14:20.)

Why, did the demoniac’s father say, “Lord I belive; help Thou mine unblief”? How could he have unblieved?

In faith itself there is no doubt. So when this father looked at Jesus and believed there was not unbelief mixed with that faith. But when he looked at himself, everything seemed so hard to believe.

Cod’s people experience the same thing still today. When they feel so much unbelief, it’s not that they doubt the Lord. Rather, they doubt themselves. They fear that their faith may not be true and saving. They know their hearts are “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jer. 17:9).

Would you like to know if you have true faith? Examine yourself by these four marks of grace which the demoniac father had received from the Lord:

(1 ) Faith made his heart tender and melt at the feet of Jesus, for he said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.” This is faith’s greatest mark: It drives us to Christ as our only hope. Do you also know what it means to take refuge to Jesus with tears as you wrestle to believe?

(2) Faith gave him a deep sense of his remaining unbelief. Have you also discovered that the more faith you have, the more you will hate unbelief?

(3) Faith made him hunger and thirst after more faith. Is this also your prayer: “Lord, increase our faith”?

(4) Faith brought him into holy war. Have you ever played “tug-of-war” with a rope and a group of people on each end? Each group tried to pull the rope their way to see who was strongest. Well, faith and unbelief are a bit like that. Faith pulls one way and unbelief another. And each wants to be stronger than the other.

You see, there are two “seeds” in the heart of a true believer. The “old” seed is unbelieving, and wants to focus on human effort or circumstances. The “new” seed, planted by the Holy Spirit within them to their salvation, is believing, and wants to focus on Cod in Christ. These two seeds often war with each other inside the heart of the believer.

I hope you may one day understand the mystery of this father’s cry by heart-experience, “Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.”

Is a woman allowed to pray alaud at the table for her children if the. man is not home?

Yes. She should do so, for she then acts as priest in the home in place of her absent husband.

Do ministers have another job during the week. when they. don’t preach? If not, what do they do with all their time?

Every minister has lots to do besides preach. Preaching is his most important work, but there are other important things, too. Some of these are: praying for God’s blessing on people and the ministry; doing Baptism and the Lord’s Supper; studying for sermons; leading meetings in the consistory and congregation; teaching catechism class and a class for people who want to join the church; traveling to other places to help churches that don’t have ministers; visiting sick people in hospitals or homes; visiting old people; visiting families with elders; helping people with different kinds of problems; talking with people who have done wrong things; marrying people; burying people; writing articles and books; talking to boys and girls or young people at the Christian school; giving special talks to young people or school groups; and working on different committees for the churches.

So, you see, no minister has to look for another job. I hope you will pray for your minister that the Lord will help him in all he is called to do. Ministers need prayers just like everyone else.

What does “defraud not” (Mark 10:19) mean?

It means that you may not steal from or cheat against someone else. In other words, you must respect the property and rights of others.

In the context of Mark 10, “defraud not” is probably a summary of Cod’s command with respect to the second table of the law. In other words, “Do not withhold from (defraud not) your neighbor the love you owe him.”

Practically speaking, do everything you can to love and be helpful to your classmates, parents, brothers and sisters, and friends. Don’t criticize other people, but treat them the way you want them to treat you (Mt. 7:12), and you will not be defrauding them.

Do you, think God can convert people in prison? If so, should we try to bring the Bible to them?

Of course God can convert both prisoners and jailors (Acts 16). Yes, I think we have a responsibility to do what we can to bring His Word also to prisons.

In the past few years, several of our Banner of Truths and some denominational literature have made their way into prisons. A few inmates have responded.

Interestingly, just today a letter from an inmate in Arizona was received. We will share it with you, except for his name.

Dear Rev. J.R. Beeke,

I’m an inmate here in Arizona. I don’t know if you would know anything about prison, or if you deal with prisoners. I just feel that I have to write you and tell you something about myself.

First of all I’m a 31-year-oid black man, who came to know the doctrines of the Netherlands Reformed Congregations about nine months ago when a man came into prison and shared it with me and about six more of us.

At this time I didn’t know about predestination. I had only read it and never knew that it had such a great meaning to it. Four years ago God called me to preach and teach when I was in prison. I have been in 7½ years. I have always asked God to let me teach the truth. This has been my pleading with Him. Since I have been involved with this, we have Bible Studies Monday through Saturday, and Sunday Services. This is done by me with the leading of God.

We have come under some persecution because people want to feel that they have a part in their salvation. I don’t force; I let God lead. At one time it got so bad that we just came out and had our services outside, and we were called many things.

Now that it is cool outside, we have gone back in. During this time God has really blessed us, because the bible study has really grown to about 15 to 16 people a study. I’m not a theologian; I’m just one who loves God and wants to teach the truth which I feel the Reformed faith is.

I ask you if you would please pray for me, as well as the group. Pray that God will work a work all through the prisons to give His truth to the people He has chosen. The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. May God bless you and keep you always.

A brother,

AS.

Please pray for those in prisons. Let us bear in mind that we are no better by nature than the worst criminals.

When there is a funeral, how come people ride in a line? Can’t they just go to the cemetesuy?

Sure they could. But it’s nice to go together for at least three reasons: (1) To show support for the mourning family. (2) For practical purposes, so that some people don’t get lost. (3) To leave an impression on us and the community that we are all traveling together to a solemn eternity.

You, too, must one day die and appear before Cod (Heb. 9:27). Are you prepared now to meet Him? Oh, may you learn to have this become your most important concern! Pray with David, “Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is” (Ps. 39:4).

Forward questions intended for this department to:

Rev. J.R. Beeke, 2115 Romence St., NI., Grand Rapids, Ml 49503

Questions will be published anonymously.

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