Ask Anything...

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: 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 what we asked of him

1 John 5:13 -15  (NIV)

What's the point? The point is that we know we have eternal life. The point isn't that we know the secret faith formula to get whatever we want. 

To know we have eternal life is to know we are in Christ, receiving his love and loving others with his love puts us securely in his will. If we seek his will and pray accordingly, his word says he will give us what we ask. Since Christ loves us enough to die for us, he surely listens to our prayers. 

OK, so let's get real here. I have prayed and not gotten what I have asked for. It is easy to say, "Well, that wasn't God's will then." Maybe. I have prayed for people's salvation and they seem to reject God and I know it is God's desire that all men be saved (I Timothy 2:4). I think we must consider that God's will is ultimately that we are made new in the image of Jesus Christ and sometimes waiting in him to answer prayer shapes our faith in ways we cannot perceive or imagine. He may hear us but may be doing something we just don't understand or see. 

Faith is believing that God loves me and is working out everything for my good according to his will and in his faithful timing. 

Father, help us to pray and wait upon you to work you will in our lives. Praise be to you in us today!

DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him with oil in the name of the Lord." James 5:13-14

James is nothing if not to the point. Pray, praise and seek prayer. If things aren't going well seek God in prayer. If things are going well praise God in song. If you are ill ask the leaders to pray for you. 

What do you have to do? If you are like me, a husband and father of four, you may have a bit of everything going on in your life. James' message is in a way to encourage us not to overthink things too much.

If it's time to pray, pray. 

If it's time to praise, praise God.

If it's time to seek prayer, go ask for it.

Father, help us to do what we need to do. Thank you that you will hear our prayers. Thank your for all your grace and mercy to us. Thank you for providing our daily bread. Praise be to you in us today!

Motives and Answered Prayer

"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because  you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on what you want." James 4:1-3 

It's too bad James doesn't just tell you what he's really thinking! Again, James doesn't mess around, he just gets right to it. Have you ever prayed and didn't get an answer, or at least not the answer you wanted? Here is another self-check from James. 

Are you in strife? Striving is different than trying really hard to do the right thing. Striving in the flesh is not the same as seeking to do God's will with all you heart, soul, and mind. What is being described is someone who is having issues, quarreling, with everyone around them. For some people, everything turns out to be an argument. James uses the words "kill and covet". Those are pretty strong descriptors of someones actions and motives. You see, there is a difference between telling someone you know you like their car and you'd like to have one yourself and coveting it. Think about that...

I sometimes struggle with the idea of having pure motives. I am not sure I can ever have entirely pure motives. But, God knows that I am by dust. He knows I am human. He knows I have a sinful nature. The issue is if I am seeking God about what I am asking for and trying to put others needs before my own. 

Self-check question of the day: Am I coveting or caring (for others needs above mine)? 

Father, help us to seek you and seek to serve others. Build your kingdom through and in us! Praise be to you in us today!