What if there was a way to get whatever we wanted whenever we wanted it and however we wanted it? Burger King advertises “Have it your way” when it comes to their food, but what if everything was just the way we wanted it? John the apostle says this is possible. We can have whatever we want anytime we want it, but there is just one stipulation and he addresses it in First John chapter three and verse twenty-two where he wrote:
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
Well, there we have it. John wrote “whatsoever we ask, we receive of him”. Anything we ask for we will receive from God. He loves us, right? He cares for us, right? And He desires fellowship with us as we have learned in our previous verses, right? Now John says we can receive anything, whatever we ask for from Him, right? That's right. John wrote “whatsoever”, however did you like me notice that there was a condition to our asking? Look once again at the latter part of this verse:
“because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight”
Oh, do you see it like me? “keep his commandments”. Like “Thou shall not covet” or “Love your neighbor as you love yourself” or “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength”? In other words, the way that we receive whatever we desire is when our desires line up with God's desires. When we are pleasing to Him in “those things that are pleasing in his sight”, then we receive whatever we ask.
Now, instead of fulfilling all the earthly desires that we could ask for over and over again, we align ourselves with the desires of God. When we have this position, we will never ask for anything that would not be directly opposed to what God Himself wants. This is having true fellowship and relationship with God, and rather than treating God like some kind of genie in a bottle who obeys our every command or a Santa Claus who gives us everything on our wish list, He is the sovereign Almighty God who knows exactly what we need and what we don't.
Paul the apostle wrote it this way in the book of Philippians chapter four and verse nineteen:
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
God is ready and willing to supply whatever it is that we need, and He knows exactly what that is. When we relate to Him in such a way that we desire to keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing to Him, we yield ourselves to His Divine will, and realize that whatever He desires for us is the best that we can have. So, go ahead, obey, and then ask away.
Next time we shall take a look at the two main commandments that God has for us to obey, so read ahead, and we will share together then.
Until tomorrow...there is more...
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
No comments:
Post a Comment