Ask Boldly Like A Persistent Child
“You lust, and don’t have. You murder and covet, and can’t obtain. You fight and make war. You don’t have, because you don’t ask. You ask, and don’t receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it for your pleasures.” (James 4:2-3 WEB)
A child’s persistence is amazing. I know it firsthand. When my three year old daughter Maeleth asks me for something, she keeps asking and doesn’t give up until she gets an answer.
“Daddy, I want that. Can I have that please?”
She asks and waits for an answer. The answer may be yes, no or later, but she expects an answer.
All of us have desires for good things but some of us are afraid to ask God due to certain wrong beliefs.
God’s word says that you don’t have because you don’t ask God in prayer.
“What if I ask too much? I’m afraid that God will think I’m so greedy and selfish.”
“I don’t deserve it. My sins are too great. All I ask is for mercy to be saved.”
Dear brethren, as an earthly father I would give anything that my daughter wants as long as it’s within my means and if the thing she asks for is good/safe for her. I must also give it at the right time for her own good.
If imperfect fathers like me can have that kind of generosity and thoughtful consideration towards their children, what more our perfect Abba Father whose essence is Love?
““Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-11 WEB)
He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and His presence fills Heaven and earth which He owns. Nothing is too hard for Him to fulfill.
“...your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:8 WEB)
Before you even speak your prayer, God already knows what’s in your mind and heart.
Still, He wants you to ask Him so that He will grant you your heart’s desires.
He won’t force something you if you don’t ask or give consent—He honors your free will.
If your concern is that your sins disqualify you from receiving anything good from God, then look to the cross.
At the cross, Jesus was beaten, pierced and smitten by God’s fiery wrath for the sins of the world, so that all your sins have been completely punished in Jesus’ body.
Your sins are no longer standing in the way between you and God.
The wages of sin is death and those wages have already been righteously paid in full.
When God looks at your Book of Remembrance in Heaven, it’s spotlessly clean because all your sins were transferred to Jesus’ account—and Jesus paid for those sins by His shed blood and His death.
Your records show that you’re perfectly righteous, just like Jesus!
So ask boldly and persistently for all your needs and for the good things you desire, like a child who believes that God is most delighted to hear your voice and that He loves to answer your prayers.
That’s the kind of pure faith that pleases God.
You qualify to receive God’s blessings not because your behavior is good, but because you’re righteous in Christ thanks to Jesus’ finished work at the cross!
God will surely give you the good things you ask for in His own way and at the perfect time—have faith in Him. Till then, rest assured that your prayers are in the process of being fulfilled!
•••••
This year, you’ll need the entrance of God’s word to give you light to see. His word will be a lamp to your feet, showing you the way step by step.
Become a patron on Patreon to partner with us to reach more people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We currently reach more than 260k readers a month with our Christian posts on this Facebook page.
You will receive rewards like ebooks, daily devotionals and daily Bible Studies to help in your daily walk of faith.
Remember to click “Show More” to see all tiers: http://Patreon.com/miltongohblog
In a few days, we’re starting on our new Patron-only Bible Study series “New Beginnings with God”, so join us as a God Every Morning (GEM) tier or above patron before that to begin this fruitful journey of growing from small beginnings to a greatly increased latter end.
#Faith #Devotional
