Tuesday 7 Aug 2012

Tuesday Reading: John 14:12-17

Key Verse: John 14:13
13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Devotion:
One of the most amazing statements in our bibles is held in these few verses ad that is that Christ will answer our prayers; but more amazing than that is that God, through Christ will allow us to do so much more than we think we are able. And it is not just some glib statement that some extreme believers can grasp hold of but any true believer: “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do”

I can quite honestly say that I have grown in strength every day with God and not just as an average over the last decade but every single day; because the more that I exercise my faith in Christ by depending on Him and asking of Him, the more I am able to see how much He answers my prayers. It was not too long ago I would ask half-heartedly because I still had doubts that God would answer my prayers, knowing that I was a chief sinner! But the more prayers He answers for me every day, the more my faith becomes sure and the more I ask knowing that He is answering!

This is not about “how much can I get out of God” but rather “how much can God get the glory for answering my prayers”! This is not about some sort of power struggle or a tit-for-tat to see who gets the most – this is about God showing that He is God and that He is supreme! If we think we can get away with absolutely anything that we ask for, then we do have a small stumbling block to get over first because in verse 15 we have “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” God is under no compulsion to do anything for us other than because He has promised to do so when we come to Him in true belief. If we try to bend the rules a little so that they fit into our world a bit better, then we are certainly not following God’s commandments but asking Him to follow ours instead!

God is not going to answer because you are herding Him into a tight spot so that He can only have a single answer. God answers by giving us what is best for us and not by asking us what we think is best for us! When I see God answering my prayers I also see a God who gives me direction and guidance at the same time as bringing me the answers to my prayers!

Points to Ponder:
Do you ask God to do things for you?

Are you listening to and obeying God first of all?