Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
So how should we ask? Lord, gimme this and that and the other? No. We should prayerfully recognize our helplessness and dependence on God. We should trust.
We should ask with a purpose. The church should ask for a downpouring of the Spirit, for uprising of the saints, and to reach the lost.
The individual Christian should ask for a filing of the Spirit, a burden for the lost, and have faith in God's promises. We should ask patiently and believe in the purpose, power, and promises of God.
What are the results of our prayer of faith? -- a cleansed heart, purged conscience, joy and peace, restored health, and answers to problems.
How should we respond to answered prayer? Acknowledge God by praise and thanks. Surrender to His service.
Prayer is the key to heaven, but faith unlocks the door.
Jesus is the Light of life and the Light of the world. Satan is the power of darkness. People love either the light or the darkness, and this love controls their actions.
Satan strives to keep people in the darkness, because darkness means death and hell, while light means life and heaven.
Jesus came to His world, the one He created, but His own people rejected Him. He gave them every opportunity to grasp the truth. Sinners today need not commit those same blunders.
John 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Anyone who receives Christ will be born again and enter the family of God.
The Light is still shinning. Have you received Him?
We can safely rely upon God's promises. No one ever yet trusted Him in vain. We find this precious truth expressed almost everywhere in the Scriptures. We need to know that faithfulness is an essential part of the Divine character. This is the basis of our confidence in Him.
Its one thing to accept the faithfulness of God as a Divine truth; its quite another to act upon it. God has given us many great and precious promises.
2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Do we really believe that scripture? Not every time. But more often I delighted in fulfilled promises, big and small answered prayers. And I like that God gives assurance and peace while we're waiting.
Keep the faith.
How tragic the Pharisees, religious experts of the Jewish Law, didn't know their own Messiah as He stood before them. Jesus boldly made claims to deity. He would judge. He was sent by God. His Father was always with Him. He did what pleased His Father.
"Who are you?"
"I am exactly what I said."
"Where is your father?" They wanted him to say Joseph. When He said his origin was not of this world, they became angry. They couldn't accept the pre-existence of Christ before the world.
"We are Abraham's seed."
"Before Abraham was, I Am." That made them so angry they grabbed rocks to throw at Him, but He escaped.
If Christ didn't exist from eternity, there would be no trinity -- only the Father and the Spirit. There would be no redemption. Jesus would be a man just like us.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. Verse 14 of John 1 says The Word became flesh and dwelt among men.
Our God has no beginning and no end. That's why we have eternal life and a place in Heaven.
You would think all ten lepers -- instantly healed -- would've ran to Jesus and thank Him for a new start in life, but only one did so. The man, a Samaritan, must've shouted, "Glory to God!" and fell at His feet with praise and thanks.
By coming to Jesus, the man received something greater than physical healing. He was also saved from his sins. Jesus said, "Your faith has saved you."
Oh, it's wonderful to experience the miracle of physical healing, but its even more wonderful to experience the miracle of salvation.
Before we judge the other nine too harshly, how is our own gratitude? How often do we take our blessings for granted?
Psalm 107:8 Oh that men would praise The Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men.
Every child of God should cultivate the grace of gratitude. It not only opens the heart to further blessings, but glorifies and pleases the Father.
