Tuesday Contradictions: Matthew 7:8 – Unlocking the Mystery of Prayer: Does God Always Listen?

In this episode of the Bible Difficulties and Answers podcast, host Lance Smith explores the timeless question: Does God listen to and answer prayers? Drawing insights from Matthew 7:8, Lance delves into the nuances of prayer, illustrating how God responds to sincere and faith-filled prayers while addressing apparent contradictions in Scripture. Listeners are invited to discover how persistence, sincerity, and alignment with God’s will play a crucial role in connecting with the divine. Through relatable stories and biblical insights, this episode offers a deeper understanding of how to maintain a strong prayer signal with God.

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1. Black, S. W., et al. (2021). “Is God Listening to My Prayers? Initial Validation of a Brief Measure of Perceived Divine Engagement and Disengagement in Response to Prayer.” Religions, 12(2).
2. GotQuestions.org. “Does God Answer Prayers?” https://www.gotquestions.org/does-God-answer-prayers.html 
3. Piper, J. “Do Answered Prayers Depend on My Holiness?” DesiringGod.org. https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/do-answered-prayers-depend-on-my-holiness 
4. Vickers, J. E. (2019). A Wesleyan Theology of Prayer. Asbury Theological Seminary. https://place.asburyseminary.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2476&context=ecommonsatsdissertations 
5. Skeptics Annotated Bible. https://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/found.html 
6. Brooks, G. (1990). “Unanswered Prayers.” No Fences.
7. Lewis, C.S. (1947). Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer.