06/20/2024
This morning we are contemplating a couple of words that define the scope of prayer; or perhaps they remove the boundaries of prayer altogether. The words are "anything" and "whatsoever" or if you prefer, "whatever", and then we will ask ourselves if our prayers are being heard. Let's begin by reading a passage of scripture from John 14…
“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.”
John 14:13-14 KJV
When Jesus spoke these words they threw open the boundaries of prayer. They made it alright for a child to ask for help finding a penny that fell from his pocket on the way to school, or for a president to pray for help in safely landing men on the moon. I only use these examples because one is small and the other is grand, but you can chose whatsoever you like... Anything.
When children, and many adults, read these words they envision a candy store where everything is free, but this promise isn't really about what we get from prayer... It is about the love that the Lord showers on us through it. Didn't Jesus tell us specifically that giving is the greater blessing?
“I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Acts 20:35 KJV
So in prayer we often ask, and by that asking, in the will of God, we receive. When God provides for us through our prayers we thank Him. I have often started my thanksgiving with these words "Lord, thank you for blessing me...", and it is true; God's answers to prayer are blessings, but the greatest blessing is His. Through giving to us He fills himself with joy and satisfaction. As human parents we know this feeling all too well. When providing presents to our children we are nearly overcome by that same joy and satisfaction that they are while watching their eyes the first time they see the gift. The child is blessed, but the greatest blessing belongs to us as parents. When my kids were young they couldn’t wait for Christmas morning to arrive so that they could open their gifts, and neither could I. Even now my wife and I experience this same joy with our grandchildren too.
As we ask for our desires in prayer the boundaries have most certainly been removed. We can ask for the largest of blessings like when we ask for Jesus to return soon:
“... Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
Revelation 22:20 KJV
Or when we pray for the simplest thing, like for God to heal a nagging cough that is irritating us...
“Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.”
James 5:13 KJV
The thing to remember in praying is to be respectful of who God is when we ask things of Him. Don't treat Him with disrespect by asking for something contrary to who He is. Honor His will and character, and in order to do this we must first know Him. We should study His Word so that we will understand His personality and will. Take the time to understand Him and love Him more each day. Then when we pray our prayer will be worthy of His love for us. We must be good Stewards of our wants and desires as we pray them. Are we?
“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”
Luke 16:10 KJV
So when we pray, let’s not feel embarrassed to ask for the smallest thing, and never doubt his desire to give us the largest blessing either. The boundaries that we might have envisioned have been removed from prayer so let's respectfully ask for those things in our prayers that bless and glorify Him, and that bless us as well. And, let’s not neglect to ask God to help us to be good Stewards of our own desires… always considering Him, and who He is, as we pray. Do we pray within God’s will? In so doing He will hear us.
“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”
1 John 5:14-15 ESV
Prayer:
Father thank you for throwing open the gates of prayer and telling us we can have whatsoever we want, but thank you most for loving us, and asking us to love you… even in our prayer requests. Help us to see, just as we do as earthly children, that there are things that parents will give, and others they will not. They will not give us anything that might hurt us, that will go against the principles they are teaching us, or the character they are forming in us. Help us to ask for those things what will glorify you Father, and not those that are contrary to your loving desire and transformation of us, or that are detrimental to our relationship with you. Help us to see that every request in prayer comes with a spiritual tie, and has ramifications in heaven. Give us an understanding of what our prayers here on earth will cause to be manifest in heaven, and to understand why some of our requests go against your character and will. Today we will pray for many things Lord, but lead us in your Holy Spirit to ask only for those that will be in alignment with what you deem to be wholesome and good for us, and all that is divine. Hear us just as you heard Jesus when He said in prayer “Your will not mine be done.” Let our prayers be greater than ourselves, greater than all that is of this world, and worthy of heavenly construction as they glorify you. We sing your praises Father, and seek to worship you in all we do, help us, teach us, and lead us in ways that accomplish your will so that our prayers will be heard. Perfect us Abba as we strive to live our lives in compliance with your character, and to please you in all we do and ask of you. Make us your emissaries to the lost, and send us forth in your name, and the name of Jesus Christ. Thus let us pray for them in the name of Jesus that we too are asking in your name just as He did.
Amen, Amen, Amen!!
“Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 18:18 ESV
“He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”
Matthew 17:5 ESV
Rich Forbes