The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in 1 John 5:14-15,
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”
Our God answers prayer! John throws a caveat in here, that it is the request that is “according to his will” that is answered. But not just that, he says “whatever we ask” that is according to his will we will have from God. Imagine that! We can approach the Creator of the Cosmos and he listens to us!
Jesus says in John 14:13-14, “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” Also in John 16:23-24, “In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”
As we read the book of Acts, we learn that following the resurrection of our Lord, he told his disciples to remain in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit. Following the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Lord raised up certain ones to complete a collection of inspired writings to provide us with a fuller revelation of the things of God. Of sacred writings, Peter says, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
As such we learn additional things the Lord wants us to know as we read and study our New Testaments together with what we refer to as the “Old Testament”. Contained within its passages, our Lord has additional things to say about prayer. Through John here, he lets us know that it is the prayer “according to his will” that gets heard.
The Lord, through James, also has some insight into prayer. In James 4:2c-3 we read, “You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” So, how do we know what we should ask for? How can we know what would be according to his will? How will we know if we are asking with the wrong motives?
We know we should be praying, and quite often. “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:18.
We are promised by the Lord himself that he will answer prayer. We learn it is not just any prayer that he answers but prayer that is according to his will. As we study the Scriptures we become better at ascertaining just what that is.
But the amazing thing I am captured by this morning is that, as believers, we have God’s ear. He will listen to us! Our God answers prayer!
Our God answers prayer! John throws a caveat in here, that it is the request that is “according to his will” that is answered. But not just that, he says “whatever we ask” that is according to his will we will have from God. Imagine that! We can approach the Creator of the Cosmos and he listens to us!
Jesus says in John 14:13-14, “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” Also in John 16:23-24, “In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”
As we read the book of Acts, we learn that following the resurrection of our Lord, he told his disciples to remain in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit. Following the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Lord raised up certain ones to complete a collection of inspired writings to provide us with a fuller revelation of the things of God. Of sacred writings, Peter says, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
As such we learn additional things the Lord wants us to know as we read and study our New Testaments together with what we refer to as the “Old Testament”. Contained within its passages, our Lord has additional things to say about prayer. Through John here, he lets us know that it is the prayer “according to his will” that gets heard.
The Lord, through James, also has some insight into prayer. In James 4:2c-3 we read, “You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” So, how do we know what we should ask for? How can we know what would be according to his will? How will we know if we are asking with the wrong motives?
We know we should be praying, and quite often. “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:18.
We are promised by the Lord himself that he will answer prayer. We learn it is not just any prayer that he answers but prayer that is according to his will. As we study the Scriptures we become better at ascertaining just what that is.
But the amazing thing I am captured by this morning is that, as believers, we have God’s ear. He will listen to us! Our God answers prayer!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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