Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today let’s look forward to God answering our prayers in advance.

In Today’s scripture, Isaiah 65:17, 24 (NLT) The Lord God says…
“Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore…I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!

Consider…
We live in a microwave society, which means we want results now and with as little effort as possible. Time expectations in this society don’t seem to be synchronized with God’s timing. However, the misalignment of God’s timing and man’s isn’t new. 2 Peter 3:8 (NLT) explains…
But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.

This verse emphasizes the point that our finite minds cannot comprehend our infinite God. In fact God tells us through the Prophet Isaiah…
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. – Isaiah 55:8‭-‬9 NLT

So I admit, my feeble mind cannot begin to grasp today’s scripture.

For example, God tells us LOOK as He creates new heavens and a new earth. Try to wrap your mind around watching God work. Seriously, think about living in your home, and watching a new one be built for you across the street. That’s what God is saying He’s going to do.

One thing we do know is that these new heavens and earth will be so amazing that we’ll forget about the old ones.

This is a perfect time to let you know that God is doing a new thing. I believe He’s telling us, the same thing He told His first chosen people, in Isaiah 43:18‭-‬19 (ERV)…
So don’t remember what happened in earlier times. Don’t think about what happened a long time ago, because I am doing something new! Now you will grow like a new plant. Surely you know this is true. I will even make a road in the desert, and rivers will flow through that dry land.

God wants us to stop living in the past and start looking forward and living for His new heavens and earth. (Colossians 3:1-3)

As I write this, the Holy Spirit is emphasizing the importance of the context to understand why God is creating new heavens and a new earth. You see the caption for Isaiah 65 is…
Judgement and Final Salvation

The chapter actually begins with…
The Lord says, “I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help. I was ready to be found, but no one was looking for me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am!’ to a nation that did not call on my name. All day long I opened my arms to a rebellious people. But they follow their own evil paths and their own crooked schemes. All day long they insult me to my face by worshiping idols in their sacred gardens. They burn incense on pagan altars. – Isaiah 65:1‭-‬3 NLT

Question, is God waiting to respond to you too?

Verses 1 – 5 of this chapter are God making His case for why His judgement is just. And verses 6 – 7 detail His judgement. But our merciful conjunction loving God says…
“But I will not destroy them all,” says the Lord. “For just as good grapes are found among a cluster of bad ones (and someone will say, ‘Don’t throw them all away— some of those grapes are good!’), so I will not destroy all Israel. For I still have true servants there. I will preserve a remnant of the people of Israel and of Judah to possess my land. Those I choose will inherit it, and my servants will live there. – Isaiah 65:8‭-‬9 NLT

Question, are you part of God’s remnant of true servants? If so Isaiah 65:17-25, which includes our focus verse, is addressed to you…
I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!

The Holy Spirit showed me that my mistake is looking for a physical place, when God is speaking spiritually. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) explains…
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

And the Apostle Peter affirms…
For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. – 1 Peter 1:23 NLT

That’s it! The new heavens and earth are referring to our new lives being created in Christ.

As a matter of fact, remember the house reference I made earlier? Well, Ephesians 2:20‭-‬21 (NLT) says…
Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.

Here’s where prayer answered in advance becomes clearer to me. In John 15:7 (NLT) Jesus said…
But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!

One chapter later, Jesus goes on to say…
At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. – John 16:23 NLT

But before Jesus shared the promises of God answering our prayers, He taught something that aligns with our focus scripture today. In Matthew 6:8 (NLT) He taught…
Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!

The reason God can say, “I will answer them before they even call to me.”, is because He already knows what we need.

Think of it this way, the refrigerator and pantry is stocked with food before a child ever asks. The parent doesn’t buy the food based on a toddler’s grocery list, rather it’s based on what they know is best for their child. It’s the same way with God, when we ask Him what He deems best, He simply opens the refrigerator in Heaven and gives it to us.

Knowing that our Heavenly Father knows and provides, Jesus teaches later in this chapter…
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. – Matthew 6:33 NLT

The Holy Spirit is saying, because we know God will supply our needs, we can and should focus our prayers on seeking His Kingdom and living righteously.

Today’s promise that God will answer our prayers in advance is making even more sense now. As God’s remnant of true servants, our prayers should be centered on pleasing Him…
And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. – 1 John 5:14 NLT

What’s even more precious is…
The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. – Romans 8:26‭-‬27 NLT

You see the answer that God provides in advance is our harmony with His will! That’s what He’s accomplishing when He says…
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. – Romans 8:28 NLT

God knows what we need in order to be in harmony with His will, and He knows that’s our prayer as His remnant of true servants.

So today, if it’s not already, make your prayer be pleasing God. When you do, He answers with 2 Peter 1:3 (NLT), which says…
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.

Notice, the verse says God has already given. When you ask God for what He wants you to have, He responds already done!

This is why we’re encouraged…
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. – Philippians 4:6 NLT

Today pray confidently to God for what He wants for you and thank Him in advance that it’s already done.

Today’s song is…
It’s Done

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)