旧约人物：亚伯拉罕--当神说「不」！
创世记十七章1至5节、15-19节
1亚伯兰年九十九岁的时候，耶和华向他显现，对他说：我是全能的神。你当在我面前作完全人，
2我就与你立约，使你的后裔极其繁多。
3亚伯兰俯伏在地；神又对他说：
4我与你立约：你要作多国的父。
5从此以后，你的名不再叫亚伯兰，要叫亚伯拉罕，因为我已立你作多国的父。
15神又对亚伯拉罕说：你的妻子撒莱不可再叫撒莱，他的名要叫撒拉。
16我必赐福给他，也要使你从他得一个儿子。我要赐福给他，他也要作多国之母；必有百姓的君王从他而出。
17亚伯拉罕就俯伏在地喜笑，心里说：一百岁的人还能得孩子么？撒拉已经九十岁了，还能生养么？
18亚伯拉罕对神说：但愿以实玛利活在你面前。
19神说：不然，你妻子撒拉要给你生一个儿子，你要给他起名叫以撒。我要与他坚定所立的约，作他后裔永远的约。
信息分享
而且，前一章经文记述亚伯拉罕的妻子撒莱，自己参与到神的计划里，让夏甲为亚伯拉罕生了一个儿子（以实玛利）。然而，这个出于人的谋划，最终只导致了短期的纷争和长期的困扰。
如今，神再次向亚伯拉罕提起这个看起来难以令人置信的计划。亚伯拉罕恳求神让以实玛利成为他的子嗣，但神却说「不」（19节）。这并非祂的计划。（英文版圣经上神说的似乎是「是的」，但从句子的意思上看，却是「不然」。）
对于我们的许多请求，为何神常常说「不」呢？我们在这里看到一个清晰的原则。神向亚伯拉罕说「不」，因为祂有更好的计划，祂要亚伯拉罕和妻子撒莱生育儿子，甚至不惜用神迹来达成此事。
神向我们说「不」，往往有三个原因。请仔细思想，它们可能是你的祷告未蒙应允的理由：
1. 祂另有更好的计划；
2. 你所求的不合乎祂的心意；
3. 祂计划的时间还没有到。
我们在圣经中，看到神向许多人说「不」。他向摩西说「不」。祂向以利亚说「不」。祂向保罗说「不」。我们甚至可以说，祂在客西马尼园向耶稣说「不」。你现在是否明白多一点为何神会向你说「不」呢？你可以把这三点记下来，让它们在未来的日子里帮助你明白神。
OLD TESTAMENT HEROES: When God says NO!
Genesis 17:1-5; 15-19
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.
2 And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”
3 Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying:
4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.
5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.
15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.
16 And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.”
17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”
18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!”
19 Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.
Message
In the previous chapter also, Sarah had tried to help God out. She allowed Hagar to have a son (Ishmael) by Abraham. But both the short term and long term results of this human effort produced only conflict.
Now God told Abraham again about His incredible plans for him. Abraham pleaded with God to allow Ishmael to be his heir. But God said NO. (v.19) That was not His plan. The words in your Bible may be 'Yes, but' which when put together really mean 'No'.
Why does God say no to many of our requests? One principle is clearly seen here. God said no to Abraham's suggestion because He had something better planned, Abraham and Sarah's own son, even if it took a miracle to bring this about.
God often says no for three reasons. Think them through. It may help you with the problem of unanswered prayer. God says no when:
1. He has something better planned for us.
2. It is not His will.
3. It is not His time.
God said no to a number of men in the Bible. He said no to Moses. He said no to Elija. He said no to Paul. We could say He said no to Christ in Gethsemane. Do you understand a little better now why He might say no to you? You might like to make a note of those three reasons for future reference.