God set it up so that prayers would be prayed for an answer he had ordained so it would be plain that he's involved in history.

Your prayers are not made willy-nilly. They are not made willy-nilly. They come from a spirit that is governed by the Lord. How are we to understand prayer

when all things that come to pass have been ordained by God? That's the question John Piper tackles in this episode of Light and Truth.

This seminar was given at Bethlehem Baptist Church on September 20th, 1995.

Our topic has been the providence of God.

And before I pray with you and share a little story,

by way of introduction, I want to define it again

by using the Heidelberg Catechism, which is, I think, one of the most attractive

definitions I know of.

Providence of God is the Almighty and everywhere present power of God

whereby as it were by his hand he still upholds heaven and earth with all creatures, so there's an upholding

dimension that we've talked about, and so governs them all creatures that herbs and grass rain and

drought fruitful and barren years,

meat and drink, health and sickness.

You gotta let that sink in.

Riches and poverty, yay, all things come not by chance, but by his fatherly hand.

It's an awesome statement, absolutely awesome.

To believe that changes everything in your life.

To believe that changes everything.

It's not easy to believe at times.

It's not easy.

And that's why we're talking about it because I want you to believe it because of how

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