PRAYER: Part 6, Elijah and the Rain

S:

Announcer: My brothers, in these days of learning, education and knowledge are so much. Before one hundred years ago, people didn't have even fifty percent of today's knowledge. Still the biggest power is prayer. So tonight you can listen to a lesson about prayer from here, the VOICE OF THE NEW LIFE.

Hassan: How many years have you been in school, Yusuf? Did you finish grade twelve, or less?

Yusuf: I have finished grade twelve, teacher, and now I am in the university. I am in the first year.

Hassan: That is good. It is good for you to get much knowledge, but the Scripture of God says, "The man with understanding will increase in knowledge, and the man who has wisdom will accept the good advice." Listen to this verse also, Yusuf: "Teach a man who has understanding, and he will become more wise, and you must teach a righteous man and he will increase learning".

Yusuf: I like the Word of God, teacher, and I will keep in my mind those words. This is what I learned from the Scripture of God when I was a child: "Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom." A man who wants knowledge should always worship God. Is that right, teacher?

Hassan: That is true, Yusuf. There are different kinds of studying. For example, in Commercial Schools, or where trading is learned, there is the study of Mathematics, the study of Architecture, the study of Agriculture, the study of Geography, the study of Science and the study of Astronomy. There is also the learning of Psychology and many other things. But the study of prayer is the most important one.

Yusuf: That is true, teacher. All the knowledge which is in the world is not worth the knowledge of prayer. If a person does not know how to pray, he is unwise. Do not misunderstand me. It is good to learn Mathematics and Science, Psychology, History of the world, and Philosophy, but the greatest learning is prayer. To speak with God and get an answer from Him is the best thing. Is that right, teacher?

Hassan: That is right, Yusuf. If we get all the knowledge in the world and don't know God, and find God, truly we are poor people. God wants us to know Him. He wants us to know how to pray to God so that we may get an answer or that which we need. The Scripture of God says, "God will give you all your needs, according to His riches which are is Jesus Christ."

Yusuf: Teacher, that is a very great promise. But I did not learn yet if God will give me what I want or not.

Hassan: That is what is written in the Word of God. God wants to give you all your needs. But listen, Yusuf, if you want God to give you what you need, you must accept orders. If you sin, God will refuse you and He will not give you anything. A person who wants something from God should do two things. First, he must refuse to do any sin, and he must believe the promise of God without a doubt, and trust it.

Yusuf: In my childhood, I learned that Elijah trusted God. He prayed to God not to bring rain on the earth. God heard his prayer and there was no rain on the earth for three and a half years.

Hassan: That is true, Yusuf. I am going to read that true story for you. In the New Testament it says, "Elijah was a man who had our nature. He asked God not to bring rain. And rain did not fall for three and a half years. Then he prayed to God for rain and the heaven let down rain and the earth brought forth fruit." So I wish to tell you again, Yusuf, that the learning in all the universities of the world do not equal the learning of prayer.

When Elijah prayed from God not to let down rain on the earth, he did not trust education which is learned in the school, but he trusted on God's promise. He had faith in God's word. Therefore he prayed to God and God did not permit rain to fall ono the earth for three and a half years. After three and a half years, Elijah prayed to the Lord again, and it started to rain.

Yusuf: That is a wonderful thing, teacher. The great men who know Science cannot do things like that. They tried to bring down rain, but they could not. They had so much knowledge, but they couldn't bring down rain from the sky.

Hassan: God loves to hear His people's prayers. God wants to show the world His great power. Therefore when God saw faith in His people's hearts, and when He heard His people's prayers, and when He saw the hearts of His people to be clean, He fulfilled His promise. This is what He wants and is waiting for. He wants people with clean hearts and faith without a doubt. He is waiting for the prayer which comes from that kind of people.

S:

Announcer: My brothers, God wants believing without doubt from your heart. But listen to me, my brothers. You can't get a heart with true believing if you are playing in sin. A heart with sin has not a true believing. A heart which loves sin can't get anything from God. And that is God's law about prayer. Do not forget that. A heart which loves sin cannot get anything from God except torment and hell.

Hassan: Did you learn the true story about prophet Joshua who was after Moses, from the Scriptures? The enemy got into his country. They entered the city of Gibeon. I will read that story, so please listen to it carefully. Here it is: "The people of Gibeon sent for Joshua, who was in the camp of Gilgal, and they said to him, 'Come to us quickly and save us, come and help, because all the kings of the Amorites who were on the mountains are gathered against us.' Therefore Joshua went out of Gilgal, taking all his strong men who could take the shield. Then the Lord said to Joshua, 'Don't be afraid at all, for I put them in your hand: and no one can stand in your way'. Then Joshua came unto them quickly and suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night. Then the Lord discomfited them before the children of Israel, and slew them near Gibeon and He chased them up to Azekah and Mekedah. And it came to pass, as they fled before the children of Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-Horon, that the Lord cast down great stones that killed even more than those killed by the swords of the children of Israel. Then Joshua spoke with God (he prayed) in the day in which God delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, in the Valley of Ajolon. Then the sun stood still and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. The sun stood in the midway of the heaven and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there wasn't a day like that before or after it, that the Lord listened to the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel." Did you ever see a man order the sun or the moon, Yusuf? Still many intelligent people did not do as Joshua did in praying and believing God to stop the sun.

Yusuf: That is true, Hassan. I understand now what you taught me. Intelligence and all education in the world have not the quality of one prayer. You taught me much knowledge and education. Thank you, teacher.

Hassan: You are welcome. May God bless you and make you one who knows how to pray.

A: My brothers, do you want to be people who know God very much? Write a letter and send it to us at the VOICE OF THE NEW LIFE. Then I will send you a book about how to pray and trust God. It is a gift book. Send your letters to us now, and do not forget to listen every night to the VOICE OF THE NEW LIFE at this time. Goodnight.