Knowing How to Ask

Knowing How to Ask

1 John 5: ¹³ I am writing this to you so that you may know that you have eternal life—you that believe in the Son of God. ¹⁴ We have courage in God's presence, because we are sure that he hears us if we ask him for anything that is according to his will. ¹⁵ He hears us whenever we ask him; and since we know this is true, we know also that he gives us what we ask from him.

 

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“Can I go outside?” was my innocent question “No, it’s about to rain” was the decline. “Can I use the car?” “No, you don’t have your driver’s license yet.” “Can I have time off?” was the question I asked my boss later in life. “No, the company is in a state of emergency and we need everyone.” “Why does ‘everybody’ tell me NO!?

 

• I was tired of hearing NO for an answer.
• I was tired of not getting “my” way.
• I was tired of having to ask for stuff!

 

John addressed those who had needs. He first provided comfort to those who believe in JESUS as the Savior, by telling them they have eternal life. But what about life on earth? He addressed that to by saying “HE hears us if we ask HIM for anything that is according to HIS will.”

 

My Observations:

• GOD is sovereign and has the right to hear all of my requests and can say “Yes”, “No” or “Not Right Now.”
• GOD wants to help me be part of HIS plan.
• My requests work best when they align with GOD’s will.

 

Asking GOD for anything does not mean I will get everything. I mean, if I were to ask for something sinful, HE will say “No.” He will then guide me to grow up and ask HIM “What do YOU want?”

 

GOD gets excited when I try to align with HIS will. HE sees my efforts to do what pleases HIM, namely seeking the lost and serving my neighbors. HE cam to seek and to serve, so should I. I am glad GOD hears and answers my prayers with a “Yes” when I align to HIS good and perfect will.

 

Challenge:

• Why does the writer mention courage?
• Have you ever wanted something that you knew was not good for you?
• Will you align your request to GOD’s will and seek what HE wants today?

Honorable Mention

Honorable Mention

John 14: ¹² “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. ¹³ And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

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“LORD help me pass this test” I said quickly. “Oh, I forgot, in JESUS name” I added. Days later I received my failing grade. “LORD, please pay this stack of bills” I said frustrated. “Oh, yes, in JESUS name” I grunted. I got final notices that they were going to shut off my utilities if I did not pay. I gave HIM an honorable mention.

• When I get nervous, I simply want a quick way out of the problem.
• When I get in trouble, I simply want the fastest way out of the trouble.
• When I get frustrated, I simply want relief from my frustrations.

JESUS says some very profound words when HE tells the disciples they will do greater works than HE did. HE then goes on to say, “If you ask for anything ‘IN MY NAME’, I will do it. But why doesn’t this always work?

• JESUS wants me to ask for the things HE stands for.
• JESUS wants me to desire what HE desires.
• JESUS wants me to bring HIS lost sheep back to HIM.

Asking a florist to fix my car will yield the same answer, namely “I cannot do that.” No matter how many times I ask, it would be out of character for the florist to do something that is outside of their “name.” GOD will not do something that is out of HIS will.

JESUS wants me to understand HIS desires, so when I ask, HE will give it to me in abundance. If someone is sick, it is not just about healing, it is about people giving their life back to GOD.

HE wants people to see HIS healing power, but only for the purpose of them, or those around them, to be excited enough to go out and tell others about HIM. I ask JESUS for the salvation of those HE has placed around me so they will be HIS disciples to reach others.

• What do you think you need?
• Is what you need part of GOD’s desire to bring mankind back to HIM?
• Will you seek first what GOD desires, so HE will bless your requests abundantly?

Inconveniently Ready

Luke 11: ⁵ And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; ⁶ for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; ⁷ and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? ⁸ I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

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“Can you take me to the emergency?” I asked. It was the middle of the night and I had no one to turn to but a coworker. I explained the problem and he got out of bed and took me.

• There were times when I inconvenienced people.
• There were times when I was in need at an inconvenient time.
• There were times when I was at the mercy of others and I did not want to ask for help, but needed it.

JESUS was actually speaking of persistence in HIS example, but HE did it in a way that also showed the need for persistence and humility. The “friend” in HIS illustration, was not ashamed to ask for help, even at an inconvenient time.

• GOD wants me to respond to helping others even if it is inconvenient.
• GOD wants me to swallow my pride and express my needs even when it is “inconvenient.”
• GOD wants me to seek HIM with persistence.

GOD has the right to say “No” to many things I ask for, but I ask anyway. In fact, GOD does not mind if I ask over and over and over again. HE can handle my request and, in the meantime, I grow spiritually because I have faith that HE will deliver in HIS time.

• Are you in need and are afraid to ask for help because it is inconvenient?
• Do you have someone you need to help but it is not at a convenient time?
• Will you grow your faith by continuing to ask GOD for HIS favor, even if it means asking for the same thing over and over again?

Incredible Timing

Mark 14: ¹² Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?”

¹³ And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.¹⁴ Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ ¹⁵ Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us.”

¹⁶ So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.

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Driving on an expressway in a city of millions my junker of a car broke down in the middle of a lane. “What am I to do now?” I thought. Only a few minutes passed when I felt a gentle bump. I looked in my mirror and it was a couple of people gesturing that they would push my car with theirs. I put the car into gear to “pop the clutch” and the car started. Later I found out it was a friend I knew who pushed me.

• There have been times when something great happens to me.
• There have been times when something difficult happens to me.
• There have been times when the timing was just right and things just happened to go my way.

JESUS lays out a plan that on the surface sounds pretty staged. Did HE meet with a guy and set the whole thing up? I don’t think so. JESUS sent HIS disciples to a willing person who was open to share his place. The timing had to be perfect in order for them to follow the right person in this crowded town.

• GOD has incredible timing for me.
• GOD has miraculously watched over me every day.
• GOD has done some amazing things around me that I categorize as the mundane.

Giving thanks to GOD for what I consider “mundane” may be giving HIM thanks for a huge miracle. HIS timing includes protection from harm, guidance during stressful times and paths to HIS awesome plan. GOD’s timing is always incredible for me.

• Can you see GOD’s timing in your life?
• Do you think HE has pulled away from you?
• Will you open the eyes of your heart to see HIM working in your life?

Healing Process

Mark 8: ²² Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. ²³ So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.

²⁴ And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.”

²⁵ Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. ²⁶ Then He sent him away to his house, saying, “Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.”

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“Come back in about a week” the doctor said to me after the surgery. He wanted to see if the wound was healing as expected.  When I went back, the wound was healing but I was still in a lot of pain.

• Sometimes I want to be healed instantly.
• Sometimes I want the pain to go away immediately.
• Sometimes I want to be finished with the pain and to get on with the healing.

What stuck out to me in this passage is JESUS did not heal the blind man instantly; instead HE took a couple of tries to restore the blind man’s eyes. What does this mean for me?

• GOD says to me “I have a plan to prosper you, but you will go through trials to get there.”
• GOD says to me “I will continue to grow you but the growth process will not be instantaneous.”
• GOD says to me “I will be there with you always even through times of trouble.”

After hearing stories of JESUS healing people without touching them, I’m sure the blind man expected to be instantly healed, but he wasn’t. JESUS showed me that some problems will be cleared up instantly and some may take a while. There is a process to healing and GOD governs the timing.

• Have you prayed for healing and it is taking longer than expected?
• Do you feel like giving up on prayer and running away fro GOD?
• Will you allow GOD to heal you in HIS time so you can praise HIM to many people?

Where “Well” Comes From

Mark 5: ²⁵ Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, ²⁶ and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. ²⁷ When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. ²⁸ For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

²⁹ Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. ³⁰ And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”

³¹ But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’”

³² And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. ³³ But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. ³⁴ And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

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“If I could study then I will pass the test.” “If I had a few more dollars then I could put a down payment on the car.” “If I could get the right job, then I could keep my stuff.” What I noticed about my “If/Then” statements is they were always elusive

• Sometimes I desire something that may be fleeting.
• Sometimes I want something so bad that it may blind me.
• Sometimes I put my hands in those whose solutions are temporary.

Doctors could not help the woman with the issue of blood. She was referred from one doctor to the next. They may have told her to do things with confidence to no avail. She no longer had money and was getting worse. “Then” she heard about JESUS and how HE healed people on command. She wanted to be part of that!

• JESUS shows me that HE can heal anyone who seeks HIS face.
• JESUS shows me that humans have temporary solutions but HIS are eternal.
• JESUS shows me a different meaning to the word “Well.”

What is being “Well?’ JESUS tells me that even the slightest belief in HIM makes me well. Even if my faith is faulty and I want to take control, I am made well by knowing JESUS can do anything if it pleases HIM. Even the difficult things I go through help me grow.

JESUS also knows when I touch HIM. When I reach out and ask HIM for help after I have nowhere to turn HE asks “Who touched MY clothes?” even though billions of prayers are being asked of HIM every second of every day. JESUS is the place and being I can get “Well.”

• Are you sick?
• Have you put your trust in humans and they are not helping you with the problem?
• Can you place even the tiniest bit of faith in JESUS so HE can heal you?

Sorrow Gate

Matthew 26: ³⁶ Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

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Deeply troubled about many things, I could not rest. I woke up in the middle of the night with my mind racing over all the things that were going on. Maybe if I work, then I can get my mind off of stuff. I could not work because of all the thoughts.

• Sometimes I get worried.
• Sometimes I get troubled.
• Sometimes I am so full of sorrow, I cannot even think.

As JESUS approached HIS death HE was sorrowful and troubled. Only HE and the FATHER knew what it meant to be blamed for every sin of mankind and JESUS was going to do just that. HE faced deep sorrow but did something amazing.

• JESUS showed me how to pray in the middle of my sorrow.
• JESUS showed me how to ask for the FATHER’s will and not mine.
• JESUS showed me how to bring friends along to watch over me in my sorrow so I won’t stay there.

Deity wrapped in humanity was JESUS’s makeup. HE knew HIS plight and HIS humanity felt sorrow. It’s alright to feel this way but not stay that way. GOD wants me to open a gate to HIM and pray. HE wants to take my sorrow, guilt and shame. All I have to do is pray.

• Are you full of sorrow?
• Are you troubled?
• Will you pray to the FATHER about your troubles so HE can give you peace?  

In loving memory of cousin Curtis.

Make Me Wanna Shout!

Matthew 20: ²⁹ As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. ³⁰ Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

³¹ The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

³² Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

³³ “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”

³⁴ Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

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Hurriedly I typed in the last few words. I ran as fast as I could to get to the building by the deadline as my paper was due at 5:00PM. When I arrived the door was locked.  “Let me in” I cried out! “Be quiet, people are taking finals” someone said. I kept calling out. They let me in and I turned my paper in.

• There have been times I have needed to cry out.
• There have been times when the crowd wanted me to be quiet but I couldn’t
• There have been times that I simply needed help that the crowd could not provide.

JESUS’s fame was now in full bloom. People followed HIM all the time wanting to see the next trick or to truly be healed. The blind men knew of HIS powers and got so excited that nothing would stop them. They had one purpose on their mind, namely to be healed.

• JESUS hears me when I cry out to HIM.
• JESUS listens to me when I ask to be healed of my blindness.
• JESUS touches me to the point of total healing from all unrighteousness.

The business crowd may not want me to shout about JESUS, nor do the political mongers. BUT GOD doesn’t mind my shout. In fact, GOD wants me to shout when people want me quiet. HE wants to see my alliance to HIM and my reliance on HIM. Sometimes I have to shout to be heard over the crowd.

• Are you in need but have not asked?
• Do you want something but are afraid of what the crowd would think?
• Can you openly ask without worrying about the crowd?

Miracles Have Purpose

Matthew 11: ²⁰ Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. ²¹ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²² But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

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Desiring to see a miracle, I asked GOD to do some of the stuff I read about. “Part a river” or “Heal ‘this” specific person” or “Heal my eyes.” I wanted to see GOD in action. I was met with silence.

• There were times I did not have faith in GOD.
• There were times I wanted GOD to prove HIMSELF to me.
• There were times I wanted to do my own thing and seeing a miracle may not have changed me.

Looking back I can see my lack of maturity in how I thought of GOD. I figured HE was not as much of a GOD if I could not see the stuff “I” wanted to see. Fortunately for me GOD works differently.

• GOD performs miracles on a daily basis; I need to open my eyes to what is going on around me.
• GOD shows me HIS power each and every day; I need to be willing to accept what HE is showing me.
• GOD speaks to me every day; I need to have a willing heart to hear what HE has to say.

“Give”, “Forgive”, “Pray” or “Go” are words I often hear and ignore along with many others. GOD tends to tell me things that would benefit HIS kingdom and I ignore what HE says because I am too busy with “my” stuff. I mean what about me, is my pout.

GOD forgives my selfish times too. HE simply wants me to see HIS miracles and repent.

• Are you trying to make GOD prove HIMSELF?
• Is your faith based on what you can see?
• Will you stop looking and start paying attention to who GOD is bringing to you?

If You Are Willing

Matthew 8: When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. ² A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

³ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. ⁴ Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

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“Demand a raise” was the thought that popped in my head. I walked into my evaluation and said all of the things that “I” had accomplished. I literally spent hours writing this stuff down. After the meeting I was proud of myself for being able to come up with all of these “wonderful” accomplishments.

• There have been times I have demanded.
• There have been times I have thought more of myself.
• There have been times I have tried to convince others that I was more than what I am.

Arrogance was speaking to my pride as I waltzed down the hallways thinking “I” did all of this. When I got my average raise, I was furious. Looking back I can see several mistakes in my approach.

• GOD wants me to be humble in my request.
• GOD wants me to recognize HIS power and authority in all situations.
• GOD wants me to ask HIM, not demand HIM.

GOD is not owned by me but HE is my GOD and I am HIS servant. HE enables me to humbly ask for things and HE has the right to say “No”, “Wait” or “Yes” whenever HE pleases. The man with leprosy humbled himself thoroughly. He followed JESUS for a while, he knelt down and he asked, knowing JESUS could say “No.”

One critical thing I noticed is JESUS said “don’t tell anyone.” Wait, there was a crowd there! HE sent the cleansed leper directly to those who opposed HIM as a testimony of HIS power.

• Are you bragging about your power?
• Is all the attention on you?
• Can you stop trying to draw attention to yourself and have people focus on GOD?
• Will you humbly ask JESUS to make you clean?