Program 60Predestination—a divine lottery

Welcome to WLC Radio, a subsidiary of World’s Last Chance Ministries, an online ministry dedicated to learning how to live in constant readiness for the Savior's return.

For two thousand years, believers of every generation have longed to be the last generation. Contrary to popular belief, though, Christ did not give believers “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, he repeatedly warned that his coming would take even the faithful by surprise. Yahushua urgently warned believers to be ready because, he said, “The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” [Matthew 24:44]

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

Part 1: (Miles & Dave)

Miles Robey: Hello! Welcome to WLC Radio. I’m your host, Miles Robey. And with me is Dave Wright.

Dave Wright: Greetings! We’re glad you’ve made us a part of your day. At World’s Last Chance, as you can tell from our name, we feel a burden to share the truths we’ve learned with others.

Miles: It’s a real privilege to know and be able to share truth, isn’t it?

One of the truths we’ve learned in recent years is the actual, personal name of the heavenly Father. It’s Yahuwah, or Yah.

You don’t think of the Almighty as having a nickname, do you?

Dave laughs: Actually, I can honestly say I never really thought about it that way before!

Miles: Yahuwah. Yah for short. They’re both actually used in Scripture. The thing is, most people don’t know His personal name because it’s been hidden. When the Bible was translated into English/Arabic/Mandarin/etc. the Father’s name was swapped out for the generic titles of lord or god.

Dave: Yeah. And that creates confusion because, being generic designations, they can just as easily refer to false gods, as the one and only true “god,” Yahuwah. So, that’s why we don’t use lord or god. We go back to the original and use His actual name.

You’ll likely hear Eloah as well. That is a Hebrew title that refers to Yahuwah.

Miles: So. Getting started: today I want to talk about predestination. Sometimes it’s referred to as “eternal security.” Predestination is the belief that Yahuwah decided ahead of time everyone who would be saved. Some people also believe that this pre-selection includes all who shall, in the end, be lost.

Could you shed some light on predestination? Is this a Biblical concept? Is it not? Why or why not?

Dave: Well, it is Biblical in the sense that you can find it mentioned in Scripture. But the doctrine of predestination is an excellent example why we should always follow the injunction given in Isaiah 28 verse 10 that says: “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.”

So tell us: what’s a precept, Miles?

Miles: Well, uh, it’s defined as a command or principle that’s intended to be a general rule of action. It’s a guiding principle, I guess you could say.

Dave: All right. When we look at the precepts, the principles of Scripture, we find that the idea that Yahuwah sorted through souls, like He was sorting through dirty laundry, choosing some to be saved, and deciding everyone else is lost, is not Biblical in the slightest.

Miles: Well, when you put it like that, it reminds me of that passage in 1 John, chapter four that says, quote: “love is of Yah; and every one that loveth is born of Yah, and knoweth Yah. He that loveth not knoweth not Yah; for Yah is love.” [Verses 7-8.]

It’s not at all loving to make someone only to decide ahead of time that they’re going to be lost.

Dave: Nor is it loving to take away someone’s freedom of choice, and that is what the doctrine of predestination does.

Miles: So, where did this idea even come from? I can’t imagine the early Christians believing this way.

Dave: You’re right. They didn’t. This belief actually came in quite a bit later. It was first introduced by the Protestant reformer, John Calvin, in the sixteenth century.

Predestination, though, in essence reduces the good news of salvation to being nothing more than some cosmic roll of the dice, some divine game of chance.

Miles: Which is rather ironic, when you think about it, since most Christians consider gambling to be a sin.

Dave: Right! But that’s what predestination is, essentially. If Yah picked you to be one of the elect, lucky you! But if not, too bad; so sad. You lost the game and absolutely nothing you can do will change your fate!

Miles: Well, that’s hardly fair!

Dave: No, it’s not. And that is one of the main reasons we can know that the idea of predestination contradicts the precept established in Scripture. Turn over to Jeremiah 9 and read verses 23 and 24.

Miles: All right, uh … Here we go: “Thus saith Yahuwah, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am Yahuwah which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith Yahuwah.”

Dave: Did you catch that? He delights in lovingkindness, judgment—or justice—and righteousness. Is predestination loving and kind?

Miles: Well, maybe for those who are saved. Certainly not for any who are lost.

Dave: Is it just?

Miles: No. No way. So it’s not “righteous,” either.

Dave: It’s more than just unrighteous or unjust. This doctrine is actually dangerous.

Obviously, those who believe in predestination are undoubtedly sincere in their belief. And, assuming that you’re saved and “could not” be lost would be very nice.

Miles: Sure!

Dave: The problem is, the doctrine of predestination misrepresents and distorts the loving character of Yahuwah. These various components of the doctrine of predestination, contradict what Scripture has revealed about Yahuwah. It actually misrepresents His character, so in that sense, it’s dangerous. It falls perfectly into line with Satan’s efforts to tell lies about Yah’s character.

Miles: Interesting. I haven’t heard that before, but it makes sense. The very first thing Adam and Eve did after sinning was to run and hide. They all of a sudden feared the very One they had always loved!

Now, being so near the end, Satan tries to get all of us to fear Yahuwah so we won’t trust Him the way we need to in order to get through the days ahead.

Dave: To know Yahuwah is to love Him, so anything Satan can do to obscure the character of the Father, is a win for the devil.

All right. Predestination is founded upon five foundational pillars. These five beliefs are:

Number one: Total Depravity and/or Inability: This is the belief that man is hopelessly evil and incapable of any “good.”

Number two: Unconditional Election: This mean’s that man’s salvation is entirely dependent upon Yahuwah “predestining” him to be saved precisely because he is totally and completely evil.

Miles: You can see how one builds on the other.

Dave: Exactly.

All right. Number three: Limited Atonement: This is the idea that Yahushua died only for those Yahuwah predestined to be saved. His death was not wasted on any who shall be lost (or whom Yahuwah predestined should be lost.)

Miles: So you’re saying that the weight of the sins of the world He bore on the cross was not the weight of the sins of the whole world. Only those whom Yah had already chosen would be saved.

Dave: Yes. That’s what it means.

Number four: Irresistible Grace. This means that everyone that, goody for them, Yahuwah has predestined to be saved cannot be lost because they are completely unable to resist divine grace.

Miles: They can’t be lost at all.

Dave: Nope! Because, they say, divine grace is irresistible.

Miles: So, if it’s truly irresistible, why didn’t Yah predestine everyone to be saved?

Dave: Well, that’s a good question.

The last foundational idea predestination is built on is the perseverance of the saints. We referred to this earlier. It’s what is called “eternal security.”

Let’s go through now, and take a closer look at each one of these and what each one says about the character of Yah.

Numero uno: Total Depravity and/or Inability

This is the idea that, as sinful human beings, we are hopelessly evil and incapable of any good whatsoever.

Miles: Weeeell, I think many of us would say that’s Biblical. I mean, you’ve got Isaiah’s statement that, quote, “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” [Isaiah 64:6]

Dave: You’re right, of course. Everyone who has ever been born, without exception, has inherited a fallen nature from Adam. In Romans 3, Paul tells us: “There is none righteous, no, not one . . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of Yahuwah.” [Romans 3:10 and 23.]

However, as an argument used to support predestination, the mistake is that they take the interpretation too far. It’s an error of extremity. They go to extremes.

Miles: What do you mean? I mean, we’re either sinful or we’re not. It’s like being a “little bit pregnant”: you’re either pregnant or you’re not. You can’t be just a little bit pregnant.

Dave, solemnly: I assure you, I’m not pregnant.

Miles laughs: No! No!

[Sighs] You know what I mean.

Dave, amused: I do. I’m just giving you a bad time.

Here’s the thing: if a person were completely and utterly evil, how could he or she possibly hope to obey the frequently repeated call to repent and turn from evil?

Miles muses: Hmm. Yeah, I hadn’t thought of that.

Dave: Turn over to Ezekiel 33 and read verse 11, would you?

Miles: Ezekiel … 30, 32, 33:11. “As I live, saith Yahuwah Eloah, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”

Dave: Yahuwah does not mock. If a person were truly incapable of any good, he couldn’t exercise his free will to obey the call to repent.

Jeremiah 3:22 says: “Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.” That, right there, let’s us know that the human heart still has the capability to respond to such an invitation, or Yahuwah would not have urged it repeatedly.

Furthermore, if a person were totally incapable of good, he or she could not be held accountable for sinning! To do so would be cruel and unjust.

Miles: That’s true. You can’t be held accountable for something beyond your control. And Yahuwah is a lover of justice. The whole reason He gave His Son to die on the cross wasn’t to force us to be saved, but to guarantee our right to choose—even if that choice is to choose to be lost. Yahushua’s death is a guarantee of freedom of choice!

Dave: Exactly. We’ll get into that some more right after this short break.

We’ll be right back.

* * *

Advertisement 42

Did you know that when the Saviour was on earth, the Jews did not use the Julian calendar for calculating the Sabbath? They really didn’t! At that time, the Julian calendar had an eight-day week. The Jews still used the luni-solar calendar of Creation for calculating their days of worship.

The facts of history prove that the calendar used today comes from paganism! This is important because most people calculate their days of worship by the papal Gregorian calendar which itself comes directly from the pagan Julian calendar.

If you would like to learn more about this fascinating, but little-known fact of history, read all about it on our website, WorldsLastChance.com. Read the article, “The Modern Seven Day Week: Exploring the History of a Lie.”

You’ll be shocked at what you learn! Read “The Modern Seven Day Week: Exploring the History of a Lie” on WorldsLastChance.com. You deserve to know the truth.

* * *Part 2: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: Okay, we’re back. What’s the second foundational error of predestination? You said there were five.

Dave: Number two is “unconditional election.” This means that an individual’s salvation is entirely dependent upon Yahuwah predestining him or her to be saved. Again, because if the person is totally and completely evil, he or she cannot choose to repent.

Miles: Well, this sounds kind of Biblical—because we’ve all inherited a fallen nature, without question.

Dave: It may sound vaguely Biblical, and that’s why it’s deceived so many sincere Christians. But it’s still incorrect. To base one’s salvation entirely upon the off-chance that Yahuwah “predestined” him to be saved removes the exercise of free will from the equation.

Again, predestination teaches that Yahuwah decides ahead of time who will be saved.

Miles: Yeah. Like some divine lottery. And if you’re like me, and have never won anything, you don’t have a lot of confidence in the possibility that you’ll win at the game of divine lottery!

Dave: Traditional Calvinists even teach a “double predestination” where they believe that Yahuwah also predestines some souls to be lost.

There are two problems with such a belief. First, it destroys personal accountability.

Miles: I can see that. For example, Cain’s murder of Abel could be excused away by claiming Cain had been “predestined” to be lost, therefore he was “predestined” to murder his brother.

Dave: Precisely. It exempts a person from the consequences of his or her wrong actions. It removes personal responsibility for how others are affected by another’s wrong doings.

Miles: Yeah! That’s precisely what Cain tried to do! Genesis records the conversation between Yahuwah and Cain after the murder. Hold on. I’ve almost got it here.

Genesis 4, verse 8 to 9. It says:

“And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And Yahuwah said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?”

What a snarky thing to say to the Almighty! I mean, if I’d tried to say something like that to my father, I wouldn’t have been able to sit down for a week!

Dave: Well, Yahuwah rejected Cain’s excuses immediately. Read the next couple of verses.

Miles: “What hast thou done? The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.” [Genesis 4:10-12]

Dave: The second problem with Unconditional Election is that it implies Yahuwah predestined sin. Not all Calvinists take predestination quite this far, but some do, and that’s a problem.

Miles: I’m not following. How could He “predestine” sin?

Dave: Because if Yahuwah predestined everything, He also predestined sin when He chose certain souls to be lost. This is wrong! Turn over to the New Testament and read James 1, verse 13.

Miles: “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of Yahuwah: for Yahuwah cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.”

Dave: The idea that Yahuwah predestines sin clearly contradicts Scripture!

All right, the third point is called “Limited Atonement.” This is the idea that Yahushua died only for the sins of those whom His Father had predestined to be saved. He did not die for the sins of the lost.

Miles: That sounds … kind of blasphemous, actually.

Dave: It’s not consistent with what is taught in Scripture! I’ve printed out several verses from Isaiah 53. This is Isaiah’s prophecy of the Messiah and His mission.

Now, if Scripture were to teach a limited atonement, you could expect to find it taught here, if anywhere. But it’s not. In fact, it says just the opposite. Go ahead and read what it says.

Miles: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Yahuwah hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

“He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.

“Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” [Isaiah 53:6, 11-12]

Hm. That’s beautiful. And yeah, verse 6. It clearly states that Yahuwah “hath laid on Him the iniquity of us ALL.”

Dave: Remember John 3:16 and 17?

Miles: Oh, yeah. “For Yahuwah so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For Yahuwah sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Dave: Yahushua could not have been more clear. His mission was to save “the world,” not a preselected, lucky few.

All right. Number Next: Irresistible Grace. This refers to the belief that everyone who’s been predestined to be saved cannot be lost because they are completely unable to resist divine grace.

Miles: That’s really offensive, when you think about it. If divine grace is so powerful no one can resist, why doesn’t Yah predestine everyone to be saved?

Dave: This belief rejects the very foundation on which the plan of salvation rests! Stated another way, this belief teaches that no one has freedom of choice.

Every son and daughter of Adam inherited a sinful nature. However, 2 Peter, chapter 3 verse 9 tells us that Yahuwah is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Of course, we know that many will be lost. What this tells us is very significant. We touched on it early, but here’s the proof: Yahuwah sacrificed His Son to allow everyone a second chance to choose for themselves.

Miles: Aww! I get it. If this choice is removed by some divine decision choosing some to be saved and rejecting others to be lost, the very reason for Yahushua’s death is destroyed.

Dave: You got it. Irresistible grace teaches that no one, no matter how stubbornly rebellious or desirous of clinging to a favorite, cherished sin, can be lost if Yahuwah has decided otherwise.

This also means that no one, regardless of how he may long to be like Yahuwah, will be saved if he has been preselected to be lost.

This is an incredibly destructive belief and it’s not supported by the clear statements of Scripture which places the decision solely on the individual.

Miles: Well, yeah, Joel 3, verse 14 prophesied of our day saying: “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of Yahuwah is near in the valley of decision.”

Dave: Whether we’re saved or lost, it’s our decision.

The final error on which predestination is based is referred to as the “perseverance of the saints.” Like the doctrine of “irresistible grace,” the “perseverance of the saints” also removes the human will because it declares that once a person has been saved, there is absolutely nothing he can do to change his mind or be lost.

Again, enslaving the human will.

Miles: Basically, no one’s a free moral agent.

Dave: That’s what it’s saying. The thing is, a person’s freedom of choice isn’t removed just as soon as he accepts the gift of salvation! Turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 9 and read verse 27. Let’s see what Paul has to say about this idea.

Miles: “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

Dave: That’s not all the doctrine of predestination contradicts other principles found in Scripture. Among the last words spoken by the Saviour that are recorded in Scripture is the command: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them . . . . Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” [Matthew 28:19-20]

Miles: I see what you’re saying. There’s no point to evangelize anyone if Yah has already decided the person is going to be saved.

Dave: More, if Yahuwah has already predestined some to be saved, it’s pointless to pray for family and friends as they will be saved or lost depending upon Yahuwah’s selection and nothing you can do is going to change His mind.

Miles: Wow. I hadn’t thought of that. That’s a denial of the Biblical principle of praying for others. You remember when Israel demanded a king? They were rejecting Yah as their divine king and the Prophet Samuel knew it was a mistake.

But, Yah had told him to go ahead and give them a king. Listen to what he said when he spoke to the people. It’s found in 1 Samuel 12, verses 23 to 25. He said, quote: “Moreover as for me, Eloah forbid that I should sin against Yahuwah in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: only fear Yahuwah, and serve Him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things He hath done for you. But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.”

Dave: Excellent example! Nothing here is predetermined. Samuel is explaining the consequences if they continue to rebel against their Maker.

This is similar to Moses’ last message to the Children of Israel before he died. Let’s read it in Deuteronomy 30:19-20. Here, he’s calling on them to exercise their Yah-guaranteed freedom of choice to choose righteousness.

Miles: “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: that thou mayest love Yahuwah thy Eloah, and that thou mayest obey His voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto Him: for He is thy life, and the length of thy days.”

Dave: Moses, remember, was a friend of Yah. Exodus 33 tells us Yah would speak to him, quote “face to face, as a man speaks with his friend,” and yet this friend of Yah flatly rejected any hint of predestination, clearly stating that it was the choice of the individual.

I think the worst thing of all, though, is what predestination says about the character of Yahuwah. Predestination is unjust because the un-elect are predestined to be lost through no fault of their own!

Miles: Yeah, that’s just not right. Sure, Jeremiah says: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” [Jeremiah 17:9]

But it’s also true that salvation is a free gift! Ephesians 2, verse 8 says: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of Yahuwah.”

Dave: The error enters when human freewill is removed.

As we quoted earlier, 1 John 4:8 says that Yah is love. A Being of pure love isn’t going to remove freedom of choice, playing some kind of divine lottery, selecting some to be saved, but even more to be lost!

And, again as we said before, it’s not just, it’s not fair, either.

It’s the misrepresentation of Yah’s character that makes the doctrine of predestination such a destructive belief.

Miles: Well, yeah! It presents Him as cruel, heartless and arbitrary. It’s a complete contradiction of Scripture, which presents Him as a loving Father who is unwilling that any should perish.

Dave: The net effect is that human hearts are repelled by such cold injustice. People turn away, not understanding that these character attributes don’t belong to Yahuwah, but have been falsely attributed to Him by Satan! This is the problem and the danger of all false doctrines, but most particularly the heresy of predestination.

The doctrine of predestination is not a comfort. Instead, it’s a lie designed to obscure the Father’s character and paint Him with the character attributes of His enemy, Satan.

* * *Mid-point call letters

You are listening to World's Last Chance Radio.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

* * *Advertisement 16

David said, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path,” adding: “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee.”

Knowing what the Bible says, hiding its treasures in your heart, brings immense rewards.

The principles of Scripture are an unerring guide in every situation, while the promises of Scripture provide comfort and courage through all of life’s trials.

Visit us at WorldsLastChance.com and learn the benefits of memorizing Yah’s word.

* * *Daily Mailbag (Miles & Dave)

Miles: The other day, we were asked a question on what to do when your prayer doesn’t seem to be answered, so for today I thought this question from Emilia in Vladivostock, Russia, would be a nice follow up.

Dave: You said that really well!

Miles laughs: Hey! I’ve been practicing … and I didn’t attempt her last name. Anyway, Emilia will recognize her question I’m sure.

She asks: “How can I pray and actually get an answer? Sometimes my prayers are answered, but often I don’t see answers to my prayers. Is there a way to pray that will help my prayers be answered more often?”

Dave: This is a question I think all Christians can relate to: how to pray and actually get answers. Well, Emilia, the short answer is yes. There is something of a science to prayer that I do believe does make a difference in whether we see answers or not.

That said, it’s important to point out one thing: Yahuwah will never force someone’s will. And that includes forcing them spiritually.

Miles: That’s a good point. Often, as Christians, we pray for non-believing family members. And we should! We should. But we have to remember that just because we pray does not mean that Yah will remove their freedom of choice. They still have the right to choose whether or not to come to Him.

Dave: Yahuwah will always protect a person’s free will. If you are praying for someone, don’t give up! Sometimes it takes years of praying before someone will make the choice to come to Yah. And, when we pray, it frees Him to work in ways He otherwise couldn’t unless we asked.

At the same time, prayer is not some magical incantation. If what we are praying for requires the cooperation of someone else’s free will, He’s not going to force that. This is something that is particularly important when we’re praying, for example, for the conversion of an unbelieving spouse. Or, sometimes women in abusive situations will pray for their abuser to be converted.

Miles: And do pray! Keep praying.

Dave: Yes, but remember that if Yah will not force another’s will, neither can we. If He were willing to force someone to be converted to Him, removing their freedom of choice, then He could have done that Lucifer and this whole sin and rebellion thing could have been avoided. But individual freedom is very important to Yahuwah and He’ll always protect that.

Miles: That’s actually a comfort. I know that when you come up to the point of wanting to make a full surrender, it seems like the devil is always there trying to make you afraid. He tells you that if you surrender your will, Yah will force you to do what you don’t want to do. But Yahuwah’s not like that, is He?

Dave: No, no.

Miles: That’s what the devil does. So, when it’s about something that does not impact another’s free will, are there any tips you can share on how to pray effectively?

Dave: Yes. There definitely are some things we can do to pray more effectively. And if you pray this way, you will start seeing answers. Number 1 is pray specifically.

A lot of people, when they pray, pray such opened-ended prayers that, even when Yah does answer them, there’s no way to know.

Miles: For example?

Dave: Well, if you pray that Yahuwah will bless your neighbor who lives down the street, how are you going to see your prayers answered? On the other hand, if your neighbor’s bike that he uses for getting to work got stolen, and you pray and ask Yahuwah to provide another bicycle for him, you’re more likely to see answered prayer.

Miles: That’s true. And it doesn’t always mean he’ll get a bonus at work that will give him enough money to go buy a new one. Maybe you’ll know of a friend or family member that has a bike they are wanting to get rid of for a reasonable price. Yahuwah can use you to help answer the prayer! That’s always exciting.

Dave: It really is. So, again, pray very specifically. Name the person by name in your prayers and ask for what you want.

Miles: All right, but here’s a concern. A lot of people deliberately keep their prayers more vague simply because they don’t want to pray for something that isn’t Yah’s will. By keeping their prayers more open ended, they think they’re allowing Yah more latitude to work.

Dave: I understand not wanting to ask for something that is not Yah’s will. But all you have to do is what Yahushua did in Gethsemane: simply say it! “Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.” You can and should always add that caveat: This is what I’m asking for, Father. But if You know this would actually cause harm, than I ask—first and foremost—that Your will be done.

Miles: That’s good. And, I suppose, we shouldn’t worry about it anyway. I mean, Yahuwah loves us. He’s not going to give us something that He knows will harm us.

Dave: That’s right. If you’ve still got your Bible handy, turn over to 1 John 5 and read verses 14 to 15.

Miles: All right: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

Dave: Our prayers are answered if they are according to His will. Now turn to Matthew 7 and read verses 7 to 11.

Miles: Okay … almost got it. Here we go. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

Dave: If your child came to you, really excited, and eagerly asked for something that you knew would hurt him, would you give it to him?

Miles: Of course not!

Dave: And neither will Yahuwah. If we come to Him, seeking what we think will be a blessing but which, in His wisdom He knows will actually bring us harm, He’s not going to give it to us. Instead, He’ll give us something better.

So, don’t let worry about asking for the wrong thing keep you from praying specifically. If you want to see answers to your prayers, pray earnestly, pray without ceasing, but pray specifically. The more specific, the better.

Another thing you should do to see answers to prayer is to remember to claim a promise. The Bible is full of promises! There are promises to meet every need, every emergency, so find a promise that meets your needs and present it to the Father.

Claim His words for your own. On your knees, with your Bible open in front of you, say, “You have promised (whatever it is) and I thank you for that promise, and I am claiming that promise.”

Miles: That is powerful. I want to share a passage from Isaiah that speaks to this.

Dave: Sure! Go ahead.

Miles: It’s found in Isaiah 55. It’s a little bit long, but to get the full impact, you need to read it in context. Here, Yahuwah is urging people to come to Him and He explains that His very words contain the power to do what He says. Listen while I read verses 6 to 11:

Seek Yahuwah while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to Yahuwah,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our Eloah,
For He will abundantly pardon.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says Yahuwah.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

This is powerful! He is saying, just as the rain falls and does not return to the clouds without first causing the seed to sprout, so will His word be. His word won’t return to Him without doing exactly what His word has said it will do.

His very word contains the power to do what it says!

Dave: So when you’re claiming a promise, the very power to fulfill that promise is contained within the promise.

Miles: Exactly!

Dave: That’s powerful! That’s beautiful.

Miles: It should encourage all of us to claim the promises and believe by faith that they’re ours.

Dave: And believe by faith. Faith isn’t feeling, friends. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you lack faith if you aren’t feeling hope and confidence. Faith is choosing to believe even when you don’t have hope and confidence. Faith is believing in Yah anyway because you know He is trustworthy.

Miles: Amen. We believe because of who He is, regardless of our feelings.

Dave: One last thing. If you want an effective prayer life, make sure to always claim the merits of Yahushua’s blood when you pray. Most people know to pray in the name of Yahushua, but few ever know to claim the merits of His blood.

Claim them to forgive your sins and the sins of the person for whom you are praying. You don’t want anything standing in the way of receiving the desired blessing.

Miles: You can ask Him to forgive someone else’s sins?

Dave: Yahushua did. When He was hanging on the cross, he prayed for the soldiers following orders to crucify Him.

Miles: That’s true. He said, “Father, lay not this sin to their charge.”

Dave: So, we can and should make that a habitual part of intercessory prayer as well. Also, claim the merits of His blood as a reason why your prayer should be answered!

James 1:17 says: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

But the whole reason these blessings are available is precisely because Yahushua died for our sins. So don’t hesitate to claim those precious merits on your behalf when praying. He wants you to, because He wants to answer your prayer.

Miles: I know we’re out of time, but I want to share a quote I’ve always found very encouraging. It comes from a book called Christ’s Object Lessons. It says:

“Let all who are afflicted or unjustly used, cry to [Yah]. Turn away from those whose hearts are as steel, and make your requests known to your Maker. Never is one repulsed who comes to Him with a contrite heart. Not one sincere prayer is lost. Amid the anthems of the celestial choir, [Yahuwah] hears the cries of the weakest human being. We pour out our heart’s desire in our closets, we breathe a prayer as we walk by the way, and our words reach the throne of the Monarch of the universe. They may be inaudible to any human ear, but they cannot die away into silence, nor can they be lost through the activities of business that are going on. Nothing can drown the soul’s desire. It rises above the din of the street, above the confusion of the multitude, to the heavenly courts. It is [Yahuwah] to whom we are speaking, and our prayer is heard.”

Feel free to send us your questions and comments. It’s easy. Just go to WorldsLastChance.com and click on Contact Us. We always enjoy receiving those messages.

* * *Daily Promise

Hello! This is Elise O’Brien with your Daily Promise from Yah’s Word.

Naturally formed sponges are fascinating. They look like a plant but, in actuality are really animals! There are between five thousand and ten thousand known species of sponges.

Now, what’s really fascinating is that these animals do not have nervous, digestive, or circulatory systems! See why it’s weird to think of them as animals? But they are! Instead of the systems the rest of us rely on to obtain food, oxygen, and remove waste from our bodies, most sponges rely on a constant flow of water to do the same thing.

It’s their ability to retain water that I want to talk about today because it reminds me of one of Yahuwah’s promises.

Think about a water-soaked sponge. If you push down on it, even just a little bit, water will run out all over the counter. It is immediately obvious what fills up the interior pockets of the sponge. It’s why man-made sponges are so helpful with cleaning. But the same holds true for us, too. We can tell what fills us on the inside by what comes out under pressure.

Is it anger? Impatience? A … colorful vocabulary?

Or, in times of pressure and stress, do we show our trust in our Heavenly Father by remaining calm and peaceful? Compassionate and forgiving?

Isaiah chapter 40 says: “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting Eloah, Yahuwah, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” [Isaiah 40:28-31]

It’s not something you have to earn or acquire after laborious endeavors! [Chuckle.] Just ask for it! It’s a gift. When you do this, then, just as Philippians 4, verse 7 promises: “The peace of Yah, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Yahushua the Anointed.”

We’ve been given great and precious promises. Go, and start claiming!

* * *Part 3: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: Yahuwah triumphs in the end because love is the strongest force in the universe. I love Solomon’s inspired description of love in Song of Solomon, chapter 8, verse 6 and 7. He said, quote: “For love is strong as death … Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.”

This is why Yahuwah wins! Because of His great, measureless love.

Dave: Amen. Satan knows this and that’s why he’s constantly promoting false doctrines and erroneous beliefs about the character of the Father. He knows that these false beliefs come between the soul and his Creator. They create a barrier of fear, if not out right resentment.

Miles: It’s true. And that drives us away from the very One to whom we need to be drawing closer!

Dave: We need faith, but faith in what? I’ll tell you: faith in Yah’s infinite love for you. Individually. That’s the only way any of us are going to get through the days ahead.

We need to know Yahuwah as our loving Father. We need to trust that He loves us so that no matter what happens, we will continue to obey Him.

Miles: Friends, we need to lay aside every belief not founded upon Scripture. Satan’s heresies are custom designed to have a two-fold effect. First, they are meant to misrepresent the character of Yah, hiding His love. Secondly, as a result of obscuring His love, Satan wants you to fear Yahuwah. That is the hidden agenda behind every false doctrine: to get you to doubt Yah’s love and turn away from the best friend you will ever have.

Please, study the truth for yourself. Accept the love Yah has for you. You’ll see beauty in the divine character you’ve never seen before. Yahuwah doesn’t sit remote and apart from His creation, arbitrarily choosing some to be saved and everyone else to be lost. Instead, He is actively involved in drawing everyone to Himself because His greatest heart’s desire is for everyone, every last man, woman, and child, to be saved.

In closing, I’d like to share with you one of my favorite verses in Scripture. It’s Jeremiah 31, verse 3 and says, quote: “Yahuwah hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Unquote.

That’s how much He loves you. Let Him draw you and save you.

Join us again tomorrow, and until then, remember: Yahuwah loves you . . . and He is safe to trust!

* * *Pre-recorded Sign off

You have been listening to WLC Radio.

This program and past episodes of WLC Radio are available for downloading on our website. They're great for sharing with friends and for use in Bible studies! They're also an excellent resource for those worshipping Yahuwah alone at home. To listen to previously aired programs, visit our website at WorldsLastChance.com. Click on the WLC Radio icon displayed on our homepage.

In his teachings and parables, the Savior gave no “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, the thrust of his message was constant … vigilance. Join us again tomorrow for another truth-filled message as we explore various topics focused on the Savior's return and how to live in constant readiness to welcome him warmly when he comes.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.