Expert: Dr. Ronald E. Shultz - 6/17/2006

Question
Thank you for taking time out of your life to answer questions.

I recently read Rabbi Kushner's book When Bad Things Happen to Good People. I understand his logic on free will and how prayer shouldn't be about asking for things like God is Santa. He mentions that he prays for patience, wisdom, and understanding before he counsels his patients. My question is how can you distinguish from the two types of prayers? You are still asking for something whether it is pious or selfish. If Kushner is not "asking" but praying that he will be patient and understanding then doesn't prayer become meditation?  Caveat: I am a Christian and I have no reason not to believe in the power of prayer, healing or miracles. Moreover, I have personal experience with healing in that I had a hole in heart and then it suddenly closed up!! I thank God for that but I am trying to find a medium, if there is one, between my question and the idea of faith.  

Answer
Well, since I have not read the Rabbi's book I cannot comment on his philosophy though had I written the book I would have taken a different perspective.  The real issue is When Good Things Happen to Bad People.  Considering the world is under the curse and there really are no good people for all have sinned the fact that anything good happens to anyone is a testimonial to the grace and mercy of God.  

Prayer is asking whether it is "pious or selfish."  Your motive is taken into consideration by God and will affect the outcome of your request.

James 4:2-3
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. (KJV)

If the motive is just for our lusts then we can forget about getting an affirmative answer.

John 14:13-14
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. (KJV)

Many would point to this verse and say that we should always get what we ask, but the caveats are given elsewhere.

I Jn 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: (KJV)

What we ask for may be for good reasons and in and of itself a good thing but if it is not within the will of God for us or for somene else we are praying for then it will not happen.  We pray from the narrow focus and God works from the big picture.

James 1:5-7
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.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. (KJV)

We have to pray in absolute confidence as well. If we pray without real trust that He can answer the prayer then we won't see an answer.

Matt 21:21-22
21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (KJV)

You wondered about faith?  It is very important in prayer because as Paul says in Hebrews, without faith/trust it is impossible to please God and thus impossbile to get prayers answered.

I did a series on prayer using the familiar ACTS pattern and a study on "Why No Healing?" These are on www.sermoncentral.com.  Go to all free searches and search by my name and then you can find them.  These may be helpful to you.

Your confusion is a result of reading books by unbelievers. I am sure the Rabbi meant well and is a very intelligent man but he does not have access to the mind of Christ and cannot get a prayer for wisdom answered because he does not have faith in his Messiah.  He did the best he could with the light that he has since he does have the OT but without Christ he only has half of the pieces of the puzzle.   He will never get a complete picture.  

Also beware of many of the books out there for they come from "strange fire" or are just motivation books draped in Christian garb.  The more you stick to the Bible the better off you will be.  Personally, the fellows that I read are usually been dead quite awhile.  They can't change their minds and they aren't caught up in the latest fad or controversary.  It is amazing though that when they speak to a specific passage they can often speak to a current issue that did not arise until after they were dead.  

Anyway, study the Word.  May God grant you wisdom according to your faith and desire.