YOU ASK AND DO NOT RECEIVE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY DECEMBER 08, 2023.

SUBJECT: YOU ASK AND DO NOT RECEIVE!

Memory verse: "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures." (James 4 vs 3.) 

READ: James 1 vs 5 - 8 & 17; First John 5 vs 14 - 15:

James 1:5: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally, and without reproach, and it will be given him.

1:6: But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

1:7: For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 

1:8: he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

1:17: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 

First John 5:14: Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

5:15: And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we asked of Him.

INTIMATION:

In the epistle of the apostle James we read today, he mentioned the most common mistakes we make in prayer: not asking, when we ask we ask for wrong reasons, or ask for the wrong things. The important question is; do you talk to God at all? If you do, and when you do, what do you talk about? Do you ask only to satisfy your desires? Do you seek God’s approval for what you already planned to do? Are your desires in accordance with God's will? Your prayers will become powerful when you allow God to change your desires so that they perfectly correspond to His will for you. 

The apostle James also stated that God's blessing is without reproach or fault-finding. When He blesses, He has blessed, and never turns to find faults. When we go to Him, asking Him for help, He doesn't withhold His help from us because we have made a mistake. The reason why we don't receive is not because we don't deserve what we are asking for, but because we are not asking in faith, and because we have lost our confidence, or we are being double-minded.

Therefore, the major problem with us is that we most times fail to ask from the Lord. We go around complaining about our problems and spending half our times trying to figure out what we can do to solve the problem. We do everything under the sun except the one thing we are asked to do in the Word of God; “Ask, that we may receive that our joy may be full.” (John 16 vs 24.) And when we now remember to ask God in prayer, we ask in unacceptable ways that will culminate into our not receiving our petitions.

In his epistle, the apostle John gives the condition for answered prayer, “Beloved if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” (First John 3 vs 21 - 22.) 

Therefore, answered prayer is conditioned on (1) keeping God’s commandments, and (2) doing the things that are pleasing to God. Therefore, we must ask according to the will of God, for God does not work contrary to His will in answer to prayer. We must ask upon the condition that we are obedient to His will, for God works in the lives of those who are carrying out His work (doing His Will) in the world. 

According to the epistles of the apostles James and John we read today: God is what kind of a God? A "giving God." How does He give? "Liberally and ungrudgingly." To whom does He give? "To everyone that ask according to His will" What is His attitude in giving? "Without reproach and fault-finding." What kind of gift does He give? "Good and perfect gifts." How does He react after giving? "Without variation or shadow of turning." When does He give? "When we ask in faith." Who receives from Him? “The undouble-minded person, stable in his ways.” Why do we ask in faith? “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.”

The Scripture says, “For whoever would come near to God must believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11 vs 6). And whatever you desire, ask from God, and wait patiently for Him to bring it to pass in His own way, and in His own time. God's ways are perfect! If you are frustrated about timing, learn to pray with the psalmist, "My times are in Your hands......(Psalm 31 vs 15). 

Prayer: Abba Father, I can receive nothing unless it is given to me from You. And I can only receive when I ask in faith, without doubting. I know You will not deny me anything I need to live for You. Endue me with the spirit of faith in, and complete obedience to You, in Jesus’ Name I prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!