Stands For

Stands For

John 16: ²³ “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. ²⁴ Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

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“Make us look good” was the statement posed to me. I was at a career fair, recruiting students from my alma mater. “What great stories can I tell?” I thought to myself. I came up with some of the facts and statistics that made the company look great.

• I really wanted people to come work for the company I worked for.
• I desired to show the benefits of working at “my” company.
• I wanted to show people what the company stood for.

JESUS says a familiar statement again. HE said “Whatever you ask the FATHER in MY name HE will give you.” So does this mean I can ask for “anything” I want? Maybe not.

• JESUS wants me to ask for things that represent HIM well.
• JESUS wants me to desire what HE wants.
• JESUS wants me to ask the FATHER for salvation of family, friends, neighbors and those who hate me.

“In MY name” doesn’t just mean mouthing the words “In JESUS name.” I believe it means “Represent ME well.” If what I am asking for involves anger, lust, envy, hatred, malice, slander, or greed, then more than likely I may not get it. Or even worse, maybe GOD will give it to me and let me fall away from HIM.

GOD wants all humans to be saved. That’s what HE stands for. Getting a new phone may be nice, BUT GOD wants “that” person in your life saved. All of heaven rejoices when one person stops rejecting GOD and accepts JESUS as their Savior. FATHER, I ask for those who are my family, friends and neighbors to know JESUS in a saving way. In JESUS name, amen.

• What are you asking for deep down in your heart?
• At the core of your thinking, which GOD can see, are you asking for things for you or for HIM?
• Will you ask for things that represent JESUS well?

Lost and Found

John 1: ⁴³ The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, ‘Follow me.’

⁴⁴ Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. ⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael and told him, ‘We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’

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“Have you seen my mitten?” I inquired to the teacher. “Have you tried the lost and found?” she replied. “What’s that?” I asked. “Go to the office and ask for what you lost” she directed. They showed me the lost and found room. It was a treasure of hats, gloves, shoes, combs and my mitten. “There it is!” I said with excitement.

• It is exciting to find something that I lost.
• It is a relief to find something I lost.
• I can’t rest unless I find something that is lost.

JESUS found Philip and told him to become HIS follower. Philip’s immediate response was “Yes!” Now that Philip was found by JESUS, Philip went to find his brother, probably looking in his usual places. When he found Nathaniel he said “We have found the ONE Moses and the prophets wrote about!”

• JESUS was looking for me when I found HIM.
• JESUS was waiting for my return from being lost.
• JESUS was searching for me, even when I wasn’t looking for HIM.

“You will fill your life with something” someone told me. I tried friends, sin and fun, but none of those quite filled the hole that was in my heart. When I found JESUS, who had been looking for me, my heart was finally filled. I was finally content. I am grateful GOD wants me as much as I need HIM.

• Are you searching for something?
• Are you looking for something to fill the void in your heart, but nothing is working?
• Will you stop drowning out the voice of GOD that is calling you to serve HIM with all your heart today?

Searching for Treasure

Luke 15: ⁸ “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ ¹⁰ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

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“What is that?” I said to myself as I peered at the cluttered lawn on my way to school. It looked like money so I broke the rule of not stepping on anyone’s grass. To my excitement, I found a dollar! I quickly stuffed it in my pocket and smiled all the way to class. The next day I stared intently in the lawn and the day after and the weeks after that.

• Three were times when money caught my attention.
• There were times when I got a little bit of money and it made me search for more.
• There were times when money made me look for it, seek it and desire to have more of it.

JESUS deepens HIS explanation of lost people by giving another parable. HE illustrates how a woman spent a great amount of time looking for lost money in her house. This analogy was probably used to make the people hear because most could relate to losing money. But money was not the true treasure.

• GOD wants me to focus on HIM as the true treasure.
• GOD wants me to seek HIS kingdom as the true treasure.
• GOD wants me to bring HIS lost sheep and lost coins back to HIM as the true treasure.

People are clearly the true treasure GOD wants everyone to focus on. Those I hate, HE loves so somehow I need to quickly change my mind about what is important. HE values all lives and the more I can do the same the more treasure HE gives me. Prayers and preaching for more cash is sometimes okay, BUT GOD is elated when I ask for healing of my and other’s souls.

• Are you down because you don’t have money?
• Do you seek more things to make you happy?
• Will you take the time to seek GOD’s true treasure which are HIS lost children today?