One of my great joys of each week is the opportunity you give me to answer your questions. Some of the questions are familiar, but others make me think a little harder.

This week I thought I might share with you some of the ways I go about trying to prepare answers to these questions.

For many of the answers, I draw down upon my previous training and theological reflection from over the years, sharing with you some of the insights that I received from older and wiser mentors and theologians.

Many of your questions based on the current sermon series allow me to inform you of some of the things I’d really wanted to include in the Bible talk, but didn’t have time to discuss.

But then there are the other questions that are really tricky.

My (not-very) secret tool is one that nearly all of you also share direct access to: Google.

When you ask me a tough question, then I’ll often put some key words into my search engine, and see what hits come up.

Then, depending on which websites seem to offer a solution, I’ll then click through and have a read of what has been suggested as the answer.

The risk in doing this is that the democratisation of the Internet enables people with all sorts of perspectives to come across with the perception of authority.

And even those whom I trust might still have a perspective on things that I don’t share.

But as I read their answers, I take the time to consider their arguments, and evaluate their conclusions.

As you look to find answers to your tricky questions, here are a bunch of handy websites that are usually pretty helpful, but as with everything, need to be carefully tested:

au.thegospelcoalition.org

gotherefor.com

christianity.net.au

fervr.net

publicchristianity.org

desiringgod.org

gotquestions.org

puritanboard.com

hermeneutics.stackexchange.com

bible.org

If in doubt, ask a trusted Christian what they think… and remember, you’ve always got the option to ask a question in church and hear my attempt to provide an answer… drawing down upon my research in all sorts of places!

JODIE McNEILL

I am reading a wonderful book at the moment called “Teaching the Psalms” by Christopher Ash. His main idea is that before we apply the Psalms to us, we must hear them as the prayers of Jesus.

But as he began to explain this I came across a statement that may take many people by surprise. Because our prayers arise out of sinful hearts, “God cannot and must not hear them”.

Most people believe that God will always hear them no matter what. But in our natural state God cannot hear our prayers.

James describes our prayers as spiritual adultery (James 4:3). Our natural prayers to God are something along the lines of this: “God, is it OK if I commit idolatry?”

That’s because our natural prayers do not arise out of single-hearted love and devotion to God. Even our best prayers will have a mixture of pure and impure motives.

Our hearts are filled with sin, and it is a presumption to think that God would hear our prayers.

However there is one that God will always listen to.

When Jesus heals a man born blind, some of the pharisees are outraged at Jesus. The man defends Jesus, saying “We know that God does not listen to sinners, he listen to the godly person who does his will” John 9:31.

When Jesus heals Lazarus, he does so by praying to the Father: “Thank you that you always hear me”(John 11:41). Lazarus comes back to life, because Jesus is godly person whom the Father always hears.

There is only one that this is true of. It is only through Christ that prayer becomes a possibility.

The Spirit brings Christ to dwell with us so that our prayers are united with his: “For through Jesus we have access to the Father by one Spirit.” Eph 2:18

It’s humbling to remember our natural state before God. But when we do, we can appreciate the gift of prayer in Jesus through the Spirit all the more!

SIMON CHAPLIN