Immeasurably More

 

 

 

    

Eph 3:20-21

 

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

NIV

When my kids were younger, a toy store started sending out nifty Christmas wish books complete with stickers.  The stickers said something like "Number 1"; "Gotta Have!"; "I love this!"... you get the point.  Each book probably contained 20-25 stickers.  Being the cool mom that I am, I made sure that each of them got their own. That way they could place stickers on their top picks to help me with our shopping list, and of course, the Santa letter.  My oldest, who has always been a bit more discriminating only used 3 or 4 of his stickers.  Next thing you know, though, my middle son had gotten the oldest one to give him his residual stickers.  Suddenly, his wish list has morphed into something even the Trump's would question.

After that, I had to take him aside and explain that we just cannot ask for everything.  We must choose the things we really love the best.  And still he had to understand that he might not get all he asked for. In life, I have probably been guilty of adopting a similar attitude with God.  I have to ask Him for just a couple of things.  I do not need to overtax God, right?

This verse says that "he is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine."  Take a moment to think about that.  He is able.  He can do it- it is no problem for Him.  His power and ability is without limits.  But notice the next part...  He can do immeasurably more than all we ask.  Without measure.  Too great to be weighed or estimated.  That means I can never ask for anything too big or too hard. But that is not the end of it- He can do more than I can even imagine.  His thoughts are so much higher than mine.  His resources include things I have never even heard of.   That is why we can trust Him with our lives.  He knows things we will  never understand this side of heaven!

The final thing that leaps off the page to me is that it is according to His power that works in us.  His  power has already been loosed in the life of the believer.  What are we doing with that power?  Are we calling on it as we believe God for greater and greater things?  Or are we leaving it virtually untapped in our lives?

A note of balance.  God is sovereign and always has the right to "veto" a request that does not line up with His will or purpose for us.  As long  as we are  surrendering our desires to His written Word and will, the sky is the limit!  We can take the limits off of God and ask for the immeasurably greater things!

 

Dear Lord, forgive me for putting limits on You through doubt and unbelief.  Increase my view of You and my faith as well.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

 

Rattling Knobs

    

Luke 11:9-11

 

"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."  

NKJV

 

My closest friends and family will tell you that my number one pet peeve in all of the world, is presumptuousness.  I detest it when people presume or demand something from me that I am not trying to give.  I am a generous person, but please, do not tell me to hand you something!  Ask me, and it's yours.  I just do not like it when people take it for granted that I was  born to do their bidding. (Come on, you have your hang-ups, too!)

 

Because of my repulsion to presumptuous and pretentious people, I go way into the other ditch.  I know that I am always welcome at my mother's but still I call and ask if I can come.  I  have friends that I know will listen when I need to talk, but still I ask if they have time and if it's  convenient.  Being considerate is super important to me.

 

That is why I feel that I sometimes fall a bit short in carrying out today's verse.  I ask.  But I do not always get pushy with it.  I pray, and I leave it to God. But lately, I have been feeling a desperation in my spirit to ask and keep on asking; to knock and keep on knocking.  Not being heard or not being answered is no longer a consideration!  I need God to show up.  It is reached a point that I am going beyond knocking to jiggling the door knob.  Frankly, I am starting to rattle them pretty good.

 

I am convinced that sometimes God hides, that we might seek him all the more.  He ordains situations and circumstances that cause us to become bold and daring in prayer.  If you are not finding what you are looking for, seek harder!  Bang on the door!  Cry out with a loud voice.  Ask Him!  He knows you need it and He has the resources.  How will you know where your open door is, if you are not rattling the knob?

 

 

 

Dear Lord, I just can't let this go.  I need you to give me a breakthrough.  I need to see you swinging open doors and answering prayers.  I put my confidence in you and rejoice already in your provision and action on my behalf.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

Just Ask!

 

"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."  I John 5:13-14

 

I wonder how many times I have stood on this verse?  What an encouraging  truth-if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us!  What a beautiful privilege to have the ear of the Father. 

 

Many Christians like to stand on verses like this one, in an effort to "get God" to do what they want.  It does not work like that exactly.  We can stand on the Word and expect his faithfulness to perform it.  But we have to always remember that we have to pray in accordance with his will for our lives.  He is not duty bound to perform things that we want which are not in accordance with his design for our lives.

 

When in doubt, pray about it. As you begin to ask the Lord for the desires of your heart, you will begin  to have a knowing in your spirit as to whether something is his will.  When we know the will of the Father, there is no limit to the confidence that we can have concerning having our prayers answered!

 

Some things are evident in his Word.  It is his will that all come to salvation.  It is his will for us to have peace, be Godly  fathers, mothers, children, wives and husbands.  It is his will that we work and be productive.  It is his will to heal out diseases and provide for our needs.  But when it is matter such as should I take this job or that one, then we have to learn to be led by his peace in making decisions.

 

As you pray for what you desire, open your hands, palm up, in surrender.  Say, "Lord, this is what I want,  but if it is not your will, redirect my path."  When we pray that way, God can honor our prayer because we acknowledge his sovereignty ad his right to intervene in the direction of our lives.

 

Thank you, Jesus, that you will direct me in your will for my life.  Be glorified in all I say and do.   In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

Sherri

Who’s Banging on the Door?

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”  Matthew 7:7

 

I had spent days mulling over a problem that needed a solution.  I thought of this option and I thought of that option. I carefully measured the result should I go in one direction or the other. I came up with no answers.  I was frustrated.  And then it hit me. I have worried over it for days, but not once did I pray about it!

Have you ever been guilty of that?  Wishing rather than asking, seeking and knocking?  I am pleased to report that after praying about it, my first attempt to correct the problem met with success.  It was fixed in under a minute- and I had spent hours trying to resolve it myself.

It is important that we ask everything in accordance with God’s will and His Word.  But once we know that we are OK in those areas, we should turn loose and ask and keep on asking.  Seek and keep on seeking.  Knock and keep on knocking.  Why?  Because the door will be opened to you.

God is not nearly as impressed with our efforts as we might think.  I think God is fine with a dependent personality type- so long as it is Him we are depending on.

Dear Lord, thank you that you invite us to ask, seek, and knock.  Lord, help me be aware when I get out of faith and into the works of the flesh.  I ask these things in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri