Wednesday, August 07, 2013

Answered Prayer (John 15:7)


Today's scripture: John 15:7

Oh, people love verses like John 15:7, don't they? Jesus says they can ask "whatever [they] wish, and it will be done for [them]." Isn't that great? they say. They can ask for whatever they want, and they're going to get it. Yippee!

They somehow miss the first part. Jesus gives an "if-then" proposition: "If [we] abide in [Him], and [His] words abide in [us,]," only then can we ask for what we want, and only then will we get what we ask for.

A couple of days ago, we talked about abiding in Jesus, which means we need to "spend time with Him. Surrender to Him. Focus on Him. Completely and irrevocably commit to Him."

Today adds a new element to our abiding in Him. We also need to let His words "abide" in us. We need to meditate on His word, internalize them, apply them to our lives. The Contemporary English Version tells us to "let [His] teachings become part" of us. We need to understand that God has a plan for us (Jeremiah 29:11, Amplified). We need to want what He wants for us. We need to ask for His will (James 4:15). We need to completely delight in Him, wanting to know Him and more intimately (Psalm 37:4).

When we do these, then we find that our prayers change. We still ask for what we want, but what we want begins to be what He wants. And when we ask for what He wants for us, for His will for us, then our prayers will be answered.

Every time.

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