Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Do You Know What You Want?

James 1: 5-7

If you need wisdom--if you want to know what God wants you to do--ask Him, and He will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. 

We don't need to be afraid of God. He loves us and wants to give us everything we need and want, He just wants us to ask.

But when you ask Him, be sure that you really expect Him to answer, 

Do you really believe that God wants to give you what you're asking for? Do you really think God will give it to you?

for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 

That's when we don't even know what we want, or if we doubt that God may not approve, or want to be that good to us; or we change our minds and think we want this, but then decide we really want that.

People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can't make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do.

God will not accommodate Himself to our every whim. We need to make up our minds about what is important and assign priorities to the different things we need in life. Then when we're settled in what we really want, that's when we can come to God in prayer asking for what it is we want. Then we can know He will answer and grant our petition. Only then.

The World has gotten hold of this Faith Principle. They call it the "Law of Attraction." They say to ask "the Universe" for what you want. And since God built this World on a Faith Principle so we could have faith in Him, even when they don't acknowledge Him, their unwavering "faith" does seem to sometimes bring them what they ask for. But what will it profit a man to gain the whole world, but lose his own soul? Or what can he give in exchange for his soul? (Mark 8:36-37).

How much better it is to know the Giver of all good things, and have Him welcome us into His inner circle. We can have full confidence in Him to grant us every good thing we ask for. And knowing Him, we can enjoy His presence with us now, and live with Him in His glory forever.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!