Actually, this is an answer to a prayer that wasn’t even prayed. Sometimes he answers before we even call on him.
One of the school projects for our Jr. High boys was to build a windmill and learn about power generation and green power in the process. We purchased instructions for building an inexpensive windmill, we got some men with experience in eletrical power to teach them, and they set to work following the building instructions.
When it came time to measure and cut the blades for the windmill, the boys hit a standstill. Justin, the most experienced craftsman of the students, wasn’t sure how to cut it exactly.
As they debated the best process, one of our construction guys drove up. They nabbed him, got his advice, and got the blades cut.
It’s not like our construction guys drive up, during the day, to a school class on a regular basis. This was completely out of the blue and an answer to prayer, even if that prayer was unvocalized.
As my wife sought to struggle through the rest of the project, the next blessing from God was that same construction worker, Ray, volunteering to take over the project.
No, that sort of answer to prayer will never convince an atheist that God is real.
When you live your life like this on an ongoing basis, however, it begins to become obvious that our God, who has always been a God who hides himself, is happy to reveal himself to those whose hearts are his.
About Paul Pavao
I am married, the father of six, and currently the grandfather of five. I teach, and I am always trying to learn to disciple others better than I have before. I believe God has gifted me to restore proper theological foundations to the Christian faith. In order to ensure that I do not become a heretic, I read the early church fathers from the second and third centuries. They were around when all the churches founded by the apostles were in unity.
My philosophy for Bible reading is to understand each verse for exactly what it says in its local context. Only after accepting the verse for what it says do I compare it with other verses to develop my theology. If other verses seem to contradict a verse I just read, I will wait to say anything about those verses until I have an explanation that allows me to accept all the verses for what they say. This takes time, sometimes years, but eventually I have always been able to find something that does not require explaining verses away. The early church fathers have helped a lot with this.
I argue and discuss these foundational doctrines with others to make sure my teaching really lines up with Scripture. I am encouraged by the fact that the several missionaries and pastors that I know well and admire as holy men love the things I teach. I hope you will be encouraged too.
I am indeed tearing up old foundations created by tradition in order to re-establish the foundations found in Scripture and lived on by the churches during their 300 years of unity.