Please take your Bibles and go to Luke chapter 18, if you would please, Luke chapter 18. This is a message that I need in my life. I know that you need in your life. It's one that is going to really, I believe, speak to every single one of us. There are some messages that one might give that you know generally will apply to the congregation. But this is one that will specifically park on every single one of our doorsteps, so to speak. I'd like to read the first eight verses of scripture from Luke chapter 18. I've entitled the message Yet, Y-E-T, Yet. That's the title, Yet. You're gonna have to stay with me the entire time. Does Yet mean something in Russian? Yet, no? Yet? This is yet. Yet, okay? Just dawned on me. But as we think of this particular message and the truth that it brings out, you're gonna have to stay with me as I go through the message so that when we tie it all together at the end, it will, I trust, be a help and a blessing. Luke chapter 18, verse one says, and he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint. Saying there was in a city a judge which feared not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city and she came unto him saying, avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while. But afterward he said within himself, though I fear not God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, hear what the unjust judge saith, and shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth? Personally, I will remember, and you know my testimony, but I'm gonna recall some of the highlights as I go through the beginning of this message. I will remember September the 9th. 1972 at approximately nine in the evening in the Kansas City Municipal Auditorium, trusting Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. My life changed. There was no doubt about it. I became a child of God. He transformed my life on the inside out. And I remember that so well. There was God speaking to me that I needed a savior, and he was Jesus Christ, and I embraced him as my own. I well remember the summer of 1973 when I was laying on the top bunk of a boy's cabin at Camp of the Woods in Sioux Lookout, Ontario. We'd been working there doing camp and building some buildings there. We were insulating the garage, and at that time, Garland Cofield and his wife, they were right in the midst of building their house, and we were helping with that there on the campgrounds. I remember on that top bunk, I surrendered my life to serve God, and it was just as he walked into that room, it seemed like that, And he was talking to me and Jesse Roagin, and Jesse surrendered his life for full-time service, and I surrendered my life as well. And that burden on my heart was placed at that time for Canada back in 1973, and that never left me. It was almost as God came and spoke directly to me, and I've never doubted that time. I well remember when working at my alma mater, when the Lord began to turn the spigot of desire off for his service that I was having in that place where I was running the college print shop as well as teaching a couple of Bible classes part-time and I ran a bus into Chicago on Thursdays. And I can remember, I loved getting up in the morning and going to work. I was just eating, sleeping, and drinking the ministry work that I was involved in there. And I can remember, though, January of 1986, where God began to just turn that spigot of desire off. It got to be a real drag for me to get up in the morning and go to work. And it wasn't that I was doing anything wrong. It wasn't that they were doing anything wrong. It was God was putting within my heart the timing for me to go on into another avenue and to move more in the direction that he had laid out for my life. I can remember in May of that year leaving and we went on deputation for two years. We left in 1986. I will remember that. It was almost like God came and just spoke directly to me and answered some prayers that I had. I will remember, and I'm backing up just a little bit. I will remember when God confirmed in my mind and heart to marry his choice for me as it helped meet. This coming Friday will be 39 years, I was gonna say 49 years. Wow. But Brenda and I were married on September the 7th, 1979. And I know that that was God's choice and God's will for my life. I trust she can say the same. Shh, okay. But I remember how that God just seemed to put the pieces of that puzzle together and God led us as we knew each other in high school and we started courting and we knew each other for some three and a half, four and a half years before we got married. And it's been a wonderful, wonderful journey. But I will remember how God answered some specific prayers in regards to our relationship and our subsequent marriage and the time that we have had together. I remember during the evangelistic meetings in October the 24th through the 28th of 1988, when on the evening of the 26th, God impressed and confirmed in my mind and heart to move from Winnipeg to Winkler instead of Brandon to help start the Pima and Nevada Baptist Church. I remember it was at a Bonanza restaurant. and sitting there in that booth and God had begun doing a work in my heart at that time. And that was there in that booth that I surrendered to change the plans that I had been going around over a hundred churches and telling them that I was going to plant a church in Brandon, Manitoba and how God changed that. And I never made it to Brandon except to visit. But that was those evangelistic services. And then on December the 11th, 1988, to have our first church services, I remember that it was just like God had just done some wonderful things in answering a lot of prayers on our behalf. But I stand here before you tonight as a pastor who has to admit that there are some prayers that God has not answered in my life. In the sincerity of my heart, I've prayed, I've cried, I've fasted, I've sought the word of God, I've sought counsel, I have doubted myself and I've doubted others. I read the prayer promises and claim them as my own. What else can a man of God do? What else can a Christian do? Maybe you know where I'm coming from. Maybe you've experienced the same as you've been saved where you have prayed and God has not answered your prayers. I take us to Matthew chapter seven and I'm going to, as soon as I find these passages, I'm going to read them. And so if you wanna take notes, you can, but I just want to give just a few verses of scripture that God has given to us to encourage us in this matter of prayer. So please stay with me though. In Matthew chapter seven, beginning in verse seven, the Bible here says, ask, and it shall be given you. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth. And to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you whom, if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father, which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him? Let's go to Luke chapter 11. Luke chapter 11, I begin in verse one. And once again, just in the interest of time, I've been told that there's some folks looking to do something afterwards, and so I need to cut this short. So I said, this is probably gonna be one of my longest messages. And I said, it is a holiday weekend, amen, and so you can take that two ways. You can either say, well, we need to shorten it for everybody's leisure time, or you say, hey, I've got a lot of time. And just remember, anywhere with Jesus, as the song says, you can go to sleep. Amen? Luke chapter 11, that was not in my notes. Luke chapter 11, verse one says, and it came to pass, that as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he said unto them, when ye pray, say, our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done as in heaven, so on earth. Give us day by day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. And he said unto them, which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine in his journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him. And he from within shall answer and say, trouble me not, the doors now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity, he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, ask, and it shall be given you. Seek, and ye shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth. And to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Let me read verse 13. He said, or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Let's go to John chapter 14. John chapter 14. I wanna begin reading here in verse 12, down to verse 14. John 14, 12 says, verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also. And greater works than these shall he do because I go unto my father. Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it. One chapter over to chapter 15, verses seven and eight. He says, if ye abide in me and my words abide in you, Ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Hearing as my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disciples. Let's go to 1 John. 1 John chapter five, verse 14. And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. The word of God is true, folks. Why are some of my prayers not answered? Why are some answered and why are some not answered? Why are some of your prayers answered and others are not? I just wanna give some points from the word of God that I think might be a help to us. You know, many times in church and as we try to live the Christian life, I think we don't intentionally try to throw up a facade and act like everything's okay and yet we can be going through some real tumultuous times. And sometimes when we get into the subject of prayer and leaning on God and having answers to prayer and so on, we're somewhat embarrassed to admit to others that, hey, you know, it's not all that it's cracked up to be and I'm not getting things answered like I envisioned or thought or it seems like the Word of God says. And I'm not quite sure what the problem is. It may work for others, but it doesn't seem to work for me. And I think that that could be told more often than not. And the first point I'd like to make in regards to the subject of yet and God answering prayer, number one, we don't really know God. And when I use the word no here, you know that the scriptures, when it uses the word the law first mentioned, which is a Bible study aid, you go to Genesis and it talks about the word no meaning an intimate knowledge of. And so when I'm saying no God, I'm not talking about knowing him intellectually. I'm not talking about memorizing scripture. I'm not talking about being able to recount Bible stories. But I'm talking about where you know him, where you know him intimately as a friend with a friend, with that special kind of relationship where there is an understanding one with another. Take your Bibles, if you would, and go to Proverbs chapter 15. Proverbs is a wisdom book. It's part of the wisdom literature of the Old Testament. It gives general counsel, general advice. In Proverbs chapter 15, verse eight, the Bible says these words, and I think we have to understand this. There may be some even here tonight that the reason your prayers are not being answered is because you're lost. You don't know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. And in Proverbs chapter 15, verse eight, the scripture says, the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. And when he talks about the wicked here, he's talking about those that are outside of what we would refer to now in New Testament terminology, outside of Christ. And he says, God hates that, that there'll be those who will somehow think that they can gain God's favor by sacrificing things in their life, be it money, be it person, be it possessions, all those kinds of things. It's an abomination to the Lord, he says, but the prayer of the upright is his delight. In verse 29, it says something similar. The Lord is far from the wicked. but he heareth the prayer of the righteous. So when we talk about this first point about why our prayers are not being answered, we have to make sure that we know Jesus Christ is our personal savior. Are you in Christ? Are you saved? Do you know him? Do you know him intimately? Not only could it be that we're lost, but also we are distant from him in our relationship. I'm talking about saved people. Yeah, we know Jesus is our personal savior. We've got our fire insurance, but at the same time, we really don't know him in this life. We have embraced him as savior, but we're living life the way we wanna live life. We're caught up in the same stuff as the rest of carnal Christianity is. Take your Bibles again and go to James chapter one, James chapter one. Right after Hebrews is James. We'll begin reading verse five. This is a verse of scripture that I think if you're saved and seeking God's face, you probably know this by heart and have quoted it many times to the Lord. I know I have. In counseling, I have pointed people to this verse of scripture. If any of you lack wisdom, That's how to apply the knowledge of the Word of God. 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. 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. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. The double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, but the rich in that he is made low because as a flower of the grass, he shall pass away. A child believes that his dad is the best, is the strongest, is the smartest. and he could whip anybody else's dad. He believes that much in his dad. And when you as a child of God know your heavenly father, like that little child wishes and thinks and believes that his dad is, then we can get something from God because we really know him and we have that relationship. A lack of faith in God shows an area of our life that we don't know God in. Sometimes he may put us into situations where we can see the salvation of the Lord. And so many times we're crying out from our perspective, but God is seeing from a totally different perspective. He sees the beginning and the end. He sees the in between. And sometimes we're in a position and he's saying, look, I'm gonna put you through some things. And even though you may cry out to me, even though you may want certain things to me, I'm doing a work and I want you to see me work. I want to put you in a position where you can do nothing for yourself, where you have to see me work on your behalf. Take your Bibles and go to Exodus chapter 14. Exodus chapter 14. I want to begin reading here in verse nine. Exodus 14 verse 9, But the Egyptians pursued after them all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them, encamping by the sea beside Pihath-Hiroth, before Baal-Ziphon. And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes. And behold, the Egyptians marched after them. Now remember, the firstborn in the land of Egypt has been killed. They're being thrust out. And now they're leaving as God has used Moses to go before Pharaoh and said, let my people go. And God said, after this, they will let you go. And so we're picking up this account with the nation of Israel leaving out of Egypt. And it says here in verse 10, And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them, and they were sore afraid. And the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord, and they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? "'Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, "'saying, let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? "'For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians "'than that we should die in the wilderness.' "'And Moses said unto the people, "'Fear ye not, stand still, "'and see the salvation of the Lord, "'which he will show to you today. "'For the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, "'ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward. But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it. of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea." It's interesting here this account that I'm reading and the various conversations and scenarios that are taking place you notice that really as these people began to act upon what they've been told and that's the fact of the matter they just had God's Word to to go by. They just had Moses' word to go by, and they had to go out believing in what God has said, and then God was able to act upon their faith, even in the midst of their fear. And it says here in verse 17, and I behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians and they shall follow them. And I will get me honor upon Pharaoh and upon all his host, upon his chariots and upon his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I have gotten me honor upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots and upon his horsemen. And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them. And the pillar of the cloud went from before their face and stood behind them. And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. And it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these, so that the one came not near the other all the night. Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground, and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left. It's interesting with the flow, it didn't go dry all the way down. They stood firm, he stopped the waters. What a miracle that alone is. He says in verse 23, and the Egyptians pursued and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all of Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And it came to pass that in the morning watch, the Lord looked into the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of the fire and of the cloud and troubled the host of the Egyptians. took off their chariot wheels, that they draved them heavily, so that the Egyptians said, let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians. And the Lord said unto Moses, stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and upon their horsemen. And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared. And the Egyptians fled against it. And the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. There remaineth not so much as one of them. But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea. And the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left. Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore. And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians. And the people feared the Lord and believed the Lord and his servant Moses. Sometimes God has not really answered our prayers because we really don't know Him. And so sometimes He puts us in positions where we are devoid of being able to help ourselves, like the psalmist cried, my help cometh from the Lord. Number two, not only we really don't know God is the reason why our prayers aren't answered, but we don't really have our minds convinced of God's sufficiency. We don't have our minds convinced of God's sufficiency. Let's take our Bibles and go as we're preaching through the book of Philippians on Sunday mornings. Let's go to Philippians chapter four. I wanna read verse 11. The Bible here, Paul says, not that I speak in respect of want. In other words, when he talks about want, he's not saying I want something, he's saying I'm not talking because I'm lacking things in my life. That's what want means. Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. Drop down to verse 13, where he says, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. Verse 19, he says, but my God shall supply all your need according to his riches and glory by Christ Jesus. Sometimes our lack of faith is can God really help me? Can he really meet my need? Can he really help me put food on the table? Can he really help me as I try to keep our family afloat financially? Can he help me in this health setback? Can he really, is he really sufficient? It says in 2 Corinthians chapter three and verse five, that God is sufficient for these things. We are insufficient, but he is our sufficiency, and we must know that, and when we go to him in prayer, sometimes there's a holy transaction that's taking place as we're bowing before him in our hearts, regardless of our physical posture, and we're in his presence, and he's doing a work, and he's showing himself real in our lives, and teaching us some things that only he can teach us in that quiet hour. Number three, sometimes we have an ulterior motive to our praying. We have an ulterior motive to our praying. And I think really that's something that we have to highly consider. James chapter 4 I think really puts it in perspective for us. I'd like to read just a few verses here in James chapter 4 verse 1. And I think sometimes when we go to God with our shopping list, so to speak, we come from a carnal viewpoint in that we're not really saying, Lord, I see from my viewpoint this, but then we fail to do like Jesus said, if it's possible, let this cup pass for me, but not my will, thy will be done. And many times we just come wanting our will. And there's a reason sometimes we want to consume the answers to our prayer for our own pleasure, For our pride, look what God's done for me, and he's not done the same for you. For some avenue of promotion, and the Bible says, from whence come wars and fightings among you. Come they not, hence, even of your lusts at war and your members, you lust and have not, you kill and desire to have and cannot obtain. You fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not, you ask and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lust. Why do you want God to answer that prayer? To make you look good, to make your family look good? No, the answers to prayer ought to be for the glory of God. Sometimes we have an ulterior motive to our praying. Number four, we have known sin in our lives. That's why God doesn't answer our prayer in Psalm chapter 66. Stay with me, please. Psalm chapter 66. We'll begin reading in verse 16. Psalm 66, verse 16. Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me, but verily God hath heard me. He hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. We can't expect to have known sin in our life and have God answer our prayer. Sometimes I think we fool ourselves. We'll say, well, you know, I know I'm not right in this area, but I'm okay in this area. And we almost work it like, you know, there's a lady justice there. And if I put so much weight on this one, I need to balance it out this way. No, we need to be clean before the Lord. And we can be free from known sin. So sometimes God doesn't answer our prayer because we have known sin in our lives. And then it's amazing how we get upset at God for not answering our prayer when it's not his fault. It's never his fault. Number five, we hold grudges, offenses, and we don't forgive others. Let's go to Matthew chapter 18. Matthew chapter 18, almost done. Matthew chapter 18. Begin reading in verse 21. Then came Peter to him and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Till seven times Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee until seven times, but unto 70 times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a certain king which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which owed him 10,000 talents. But for as much as he had not to pay, his Lord commanded him to be sold and his wife and children and all that he had in payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and worshiped him saying, Lord, have patience with me and I will pay thee all. Then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion and loosed him and forgave him the debt. But when the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him a hundred pence, equivalent to about a day's wage, he laid hands on him and took him by the throat saying, pay me that thou owest. And his fellow servant fell down at his feet and besought him saying, have patience with me and I will pay thee all. And he would not. Notice that, he would not. but went and cast him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry and came and told unto their Lord all that was done. Then his Lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt because thou desirest me. Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? and his Lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. Some are living in torment today because they violate this particular passage of Scripture. They'll never be happy. Matthew chapter six. Matthew chapter six. I begin reading in verse five. Matthew chapter six, verse five. When thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, When thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy father which is in secret, and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore likened to them, for your father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye, our father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever, amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Sometimes we don't have our prayers answered because we hold grudges. We carry offenses and we don't forgive others. My friend, by these scriptures that I've read at the beginning and during this message, God hears and he answers prayer. The issue is not him, This is us. It can also be that he just has not answered our prayers yet. Yet. In Matthew chapter seven, verse seven, this verse says, ask, and it shall be given you. Seek, and ye shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. And in Luke chapter 18, verse one, our text passage, Jesus fake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint. Don't give up in your praying. Once I've met the condition to answered prayer, which is according to his will, then I can pray and I can keep on praying. It is not that he has not answered or will not answer. It's just that he's not answered yet. It's an amazing truth if you've read some of the biographies of Christians of the past, George Mueller being one of those. There's a story told that he kept a very detailed prayer list. Not only would he list his prayer requests, but he would also list the answers to prayer. In fact, his ministry was such that he refused to tell man his needs. He wouldn't send out a prayer letter telling what his needs were. He would just go to the Lord in prayer, and I'm not saying it's wrong to put out a prayer letter list and give knowledge to people of your needs, but he felt impressed for himself that he wanted to just take it before the throne of grace, his needs, and he saw God answer need after need after need. But the story's told of two men that he prayed for their salvation for a number of years. One he prayed for over 40 years. And just before George Mueller passed away, that man got saved as an answer to prayer. Then there was one where George Mueller in his lifetime, as he prayed day by day by day by day for the salvation of another one of the men that he knew that was on his prayer sheet, he never in this life saw the answer to that prayer. but he prayed in this life anyway. And it was after George Mueller died that that man trusted Jesus Christ as his personal savior. God does hear and God does answer prayer. And dear Christian friend who sometimes in the weakness of our flesh and our mind, a carnality so, We come before the throne of grace and we pray and we pray and we pray and it doesn't seem like God is answering. Let me just encourage you, be like this widow woman who came before this unjust judge and she said, I am gonna keep coming and coming and coming and coming and this unjust judge said, hey, I don't fear God, I don't fear man, but this woman's gonna tire me out I'm gonna give her what she asks. And Jesus is the one giving these words, and he is a just judge. And so we ought to pray and not to think. In other words, don't give up your praying. I'm thinking right now, as I was putting this message together, I said, Lord, this coming November, there's been a prayer on my mind and heart for 20 years. He's not answered that yet, yet. Yet. Yet. And so I keep praying. And every time I come for an extended time into his presence, I say, Lord, every time I come to you, this request comes to, I can have all kinds of other burdens and all kinds of other things I wanna talk to you about, but this one just keeps coming back time and time again. God, please answer my prayer. But he hasn't answered yet. He will, because I believe in the promises of God. And I cling to this one right here, that men ought always to pray and not to faint, not to quit, not to give up, but just keep praying. As you've heard me in messages gone by, as the old chorus says of the old timers, just keep on praying till the light breaks through. Just keep on praying, he'll answer you. God keeps his promise, his word is true. Just keep on praying till the light breaks through. Christian, you keep praying for that request. You keep bringing that burden before the throne of grace. Don't you give up, don't you quit. God answers prayer. He may not just have answered yours yet. Let's all stand with our heads bowed and our eyes closed, please. Of course, I laid out those things that may hinder us from having our prayers answered and going through the carnality as their known sin and those kinds of things I mentioned. But many times as we've gone before the throne of grace, good Christian people, you've searched God, you've searched your heart, you've searched the word of God and say, God, is there anything standing in the way with you answering the prayer of my life and this request that I have, and nothing comes to mind. And so you try to think of this after the other, and yet you stand clean before Him. Oh, my friend, you keep praying. You keep praying. Because God says, if you ask anything in my name, I will do it. As you seek God's glory, in the midst of that burden, in the midst of that request, God is honored in those kinds of prayers. Why do you want that prayer to be answered for his glory? And you can go with confidence. And you just keep praying. And you keep praying. Because he's just not answered yet.