Receiving What You Asked For

We are going to receive what we are due. When we do something wrong in this world, we are accountable to the consequences of our actions. Yes, we may be forgiven for our sin by God, but we are still accountable to punishment according to man. It is about our choice though that leads to our forgiveness by God. We choose Him over man and He continues to provide for and bless us as heirs to heaven.

“¹⁹For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.” – Romans 1:19 (ESV)

We know God because He has revealed Himself to us. He has shown us who He is and what He does and gives us love that we do not deserve. And yet…

“²¹For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” and “²⁹They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, ³⁰slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, ³¹foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. ³²Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” – Romans 1:21 & 29-32 (ESV)

Even as we/they know/knew God, the choice is to go against Him. The choice to follow the world and not the LORD runs rampant in the world, even today as before. We are slaves to the instant gratification of the now and continue to do and approve others to do those things that are destructive to ourselves and the relationship we have with the Father.

“²⁸And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” – Romans 1:28 (ESV)

As such, The LORD gives us up to our desires and allows for our destruction. We make the choice to follow ourselves and God allows us to follow our choice. Our choice is asking for the consequences and as such we receive just what we ask for. The LORD will be right there with us waiting for our turn to Him and away from the destructive things, but He will allow us to take on the destructive things and the consequences of them until we choose Him.

What are you choosing? Are you choosing today those things that are giving you instant gratification without thought of the consequences? What if you were to choose the LORD and His ways instead, knowing that we will receive what we ask for?

Stay Persistent in Your Prayer

“¹⁷pray without ceasing,” — 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV)

Paul, in writing to the church at Thessalonica told them to be in continuous prayer. I see this as being persistent in reaching out to the LORD. Notice that Paul’s directive is not specific for any subject other than prayer and communication with the LORD. I believe this to be the case today.

“⁷And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?” – Luke 18:7 (ESV)

Jesus even addressed continued prayer in, “The Parable of the Persistent Widow” that the above verse comes from. The widow comes to a judge all the time for justice to which the judge finally provides for her. Where the judge was worn down thanks to the persistence of the widow.

God will not be worn down. As we know of God’s character, He acts in His time and we are to wait on Him. But, that does not mean that we are not to make out petitions known, even continually. God wants for us to continue reaching out to Him. We are to pray all the time for those things that we are in need. Remember that He does say to ask and you shall receive. So we must keep asking.

“⁸I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” – Luke 18:8 (ESV)

Our faith is demonstrated through our consistent and persistent asking of our Father to be there for us. We are to come to Him day and night, continually. We are to bring to Him all things. We are to ask for His will in our lives. We are to commune with the LORD and He will listen. But not only will He listen, He will provide for our needs speedily. He will address our needs in a timely manner. The LORD will give to us.

The LORD answers our prayers. Maybe not to the extent that we envisioned, but He does answer. Remember that the LORD provides for our needs not always our wants. We are directed to continually and persistently pray, “pray without ceasing”, and the LORD will answer our petition.

How are you praying? Are you asking once and expecting to be given? What if you followed the direction Paul and more of Jesus, to be persistent in your prayer to receive from the LORD?

Deliver Me

It is okay and expected to ask for deliverance. The LORD is here for me and I have to know that it is okay for me to ask Him for deliverance when I find myself in a tough spot. It is okay plead with Him.

“¹⁵³Look on my affliction and deliver me,

for I do not forget your law.”

— Psalm 119:153 (ESV)

Here we see that the psalmist finds himself in a position of hardship. He reminds the LORD of his devotion to His Law. He pleads for deliverance from the hardship. We see that the psalmist is open with the LORD and asks for something in return.

I know it looks like the ask is looking for some reciprocation for the devotion. I am not sure that is the case, but the as man, the thought that giving to and receiving back is part of it. I know that the LORD does not require anything of me to give to me, He loves me unconditionally. It is hard to fully understand on my part. And therefore I feel it necessary to remind Him of the devotion I have to Him so that He will not forget my need and provide for it.

“⁷Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” – Matthew 7:7 (ESV)

It is fully okay for us to ask, and as you can see in the above verse, Jesus even states that when you ask, you will receive. We have established our relationship with the LORD and as such we have the ability to seek from Him relief.

“11But Moses implored the LORD his God and said, “O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?…12Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people…14And the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.” – Exodus 32:11-14 (ESV)

Moses reminded the LORD of His promise and pleaded with Him to relent, and the LORD let up on the impending destruction. We see that Moses asked and he received. The LORD heard the petition of man and provided.

In these cases the LORD responds and/or responded to the petitions of those who follow Him. As I have given myself to the LORD, He gives Himself to me. His giving is that of love, care, protection, comfort, and deliverance. Ask and you will receive. Seek deliverance and it shall be given.

What is your view of deliverance? Do you just expect it to happen? What if you understood that it is okay and expected that you ask for deliverance from your affliction from the LORD?

Asking for Clean Heart

The Hebrew word for “clean” can also mean “innocent”. This really helps with me in the impact of my study this morning of that word, “clean”. I am in Psalm 51 and the title of the chapter in my ESV Bible is “Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God” which is the first part of my verse of study this morning.

“¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and renew a right spirit within me.”

— Psalm 51:10 (ESV)

Doing the substitution of “innocent” for “clean” opens the verse a bit more for me. “Create in me an innocent heart, O God” has a bit more impact when I am reading. I am guilty of sin and always will be. But, I am also washed clean and returned to the innocence of the lamb thanks to the redeeming blood of Christ.

As I read, I have to remember that this Psalm was written prior to Christ coming and dying for the sins of the world. Daily requests to the LORD for cleanliness or innocence took the place of the yearly pilgrimage for offering and asking for forgiveness. Yes, the pilgrimage was still part of culture, but David here is giving the example of not waiting on the once a year thing and seeking cleanliness daily.

Christ came and died and rose again. His blood was spilled that ours would not have to be. He provided that we would be washed clean. We would no longer be “required” to provide offering of animal sacrifice, as Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. As the physical temple curtain was torn, giving access to God directly, our daily ask for forgiveness was amplified as the way. We now have that direct line to the LORD and He can and will give us a clean heart.

Yes, we are to ask daily for a clean heart. We have been washed clean, but we do still need to confess daily and ask that the LORD work in us. I am a sinner always and will be dirtied up from that sin each day. I need to bathe in Christ each day to cleanse myself of the dirt and sin.

“⁷Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

“¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and uphold me with a willing spirit.”

— Psalm 51:7 & 12 (ESV)

I ask for a clean heart daily. I pray to the LORD, admit that I am dirty with sin and ask for His forgiveness. I ask to be watched over and that the LORD will keep me from sin, knowing that I am prone to sinning and always will be in this world. Only He can restore me daily to innocence when I come to Him asking for cleanliness.

When you pray, what are you asking for? Are you seeking only the glorious things? What if you were to ask for you daily dose of cleanliness that is only provided by the LORD?

Be Firm in Your Faith

This morning I was brought again to a passage that I have been through several times (definitely from the LORD). In my morning prayer, as I have said and continue to say, I as the LORD to bring me to the place and share with me that which I need in the moment, and this morning again He demonstrated His faithfulness to me.

The below, up to the questions at the end, are from January of 2017, and as I read and studied this morning, I thought I would post here. The LORD gave me what I needed this morning, to remember to ask for what we need and know that He will provide.

“¹¹Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” – Isaiah 7:11 (ESV)

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“⁹…If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.” – Isaiah 7:9 (ESV)

I know that I struggle each day with staying true to God. With all that goes on in our lives, it is natural for us as human to look to ourselves to solve. I admit that it is difficult to trust that God has control and has a plan for everything, especially considering that we cannot “see” him. But isn’t that exactly what faith is, “firm belief in something for which there is no proof”, Merriam-Webster.

I am reminded every morning that I sit down and read/study the Word of God that he is indeed there. God has given us the answers to each of the struggles, situations, trials, and questions that arise each day. We must stand with him and he will answer (remember though, we must be prepared to look deeper as the answer we receive may not, and is likely not what we expect).

“²⁰Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.” – 2 Chronicles 20:20 (ESV)

Where do you stand in your faith? Are you only there when you are in need? What if you were to be faithful in all things and stood firm in your faith, knowing that God will do what He says He will do and is who He says He is?

Will You Trust the LORD for However Long

This morning I am going to re-post from over 5 years ago. As I am studying the word “will” I am taking what the LORD has for me each day as I go to the next passage. This morning I am in Psalm 13 where the title of the passage is “How Long, O LORD?” David is looking for relief from the LORD (which is a key point) and experiences three steps in seeking that relief, questioning the LORD, asking Him for help, and declaring His devotion to Him. Shouldn’t that be the same approach we take daily with the LORD?

Here is my writing from April 17, 2020:

I sometimes feel, like right now, that the difficulty, adversity, and challenges should be resolved much faster than they are.

“¹How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? ²How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?” – Psalm 13:1-2 (ESV)

David felt the same way. I am comforted when reading this passage. As I continue the passage of Psalm 13, I am reminded of the approach to take. As in the next 2 verses as David prays for help.

“³Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, ⁴let my enemy say, ‘I have prevailed over him,’ lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.” – Psalm 13:3-4 (ESV)

So David first laments his questions as to the timing of God’s deliverance. Next, he again prays again for help from God. And finally, he states his confidence in eventual deliverance.

“⁵But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. ⁶I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.” – Psalm 13:5-6 (ESV)

It is okay to question God. He is sovereign and He provides for my needs. But that does not mean that I am to be silent. God is my Father and I should be asking questions for guidance. When things are not going the way I thought they should, I have to ask.

I know that as a corporate training professional, one of the things I stress in class is for the participants to take charge of their learning. A key part of that is to ask the questions they need answers to, and no question is off limits. I should be doing the same with God. He is the one that knows all and therefore doesn’t it make sense to ask Him? The answer I get may not be what I wanted, but I have to trust that He will provide when needed.

Have you asked God? Have you declared your trust in Him? Remembering that God’s timing is perfect, will you declare your confidence in His deliverance, no matter how long?

The LORD Will Deliver

This morning and over the past few months, I am thinking of the deliverance that comes from the LORD. I am in Psalm 6 and the title in my ESV Bible is “O LORD, Deliver My Life”. As I read David’s plea for deliverance, I see that he is not taking any physical action. He is asking for deliverance with his words that come from his heart. David is asking the LORD to deliver him for he needs it.

“¹O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger,

nor discipline me in your wrath.

²Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;

heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.

³My soul also is greatly troubled.

But you, O Lord—how long?

⁴Turn, O Lord, deliver my life;

save me for the sake of your steadfast love.”

— Psalm 6:1-4 (ESV)

In my discipleship group for the past few months we also dive into the grace and mercy of God. Mercy being God not giving us what we deserve and grace is Him giving us what we don’t deserve. David above is asking for mercy and we should be as well. The payment for mercy has already been paid through the shed blood of Christ Jesus and yet, for us to receive, all we have to do is ask. I don’t have to take any additional action, I need only to ask for the mercy of the LORD.

This is the deliverance that we should be seeking. It is from His wrath that we need deliverance. I have to accept that my sinfulness is that which separates me from the LORD and that I am in need of mercy to fill the chasm between us. I cannot do anything, physical action wise, to close the gap between the LORD and me. I can only seek His deliverance and give myself to Him knowing that He will save me through His mercy and grace.

“⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” – Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)

I am in need of saving and only the LORD can deliver. I need only ask with my words from my heart and He will deliver me.

What are you thoughts on deliverance? Are you looking to take action to be delivered? What if you understood that you need only ask from your heart to be delivered and accept the mercy through grace that only the LORD can provide to be saved?

Yes, it is Okay to Question the LORD

I believe that too often, we are reluctant to ask questions for a number of reasons, it is not my place, it is not the right time, fear of what others might think of my not knowing, or maybe the authority is too great for me to ask. Either way, reluctance to ask results in confusion or not/misunderstanding. This is, I believe, even the case with the LORD.

When there are things that are unknown the best way to know them is to ask questions. We should be able to question those things that are of need to know. The LORD is not too big for our questions. His authority is not too mighty that He won’t hear us. Any time is the right time and any place is the right place. It is not important what others might think, only that we are communing with Him.

“⁴Hear, and I will speak;

I will question you, and you make it known to me.” – Job 42:4 (ESV)

Job understood that the way to get answers and the way to ensure things were done right, you have to ask. Specifically, you have to ask the LORD to provide the answers.

Yes, it is okay to question the LORD. It is okay to seek answers from Him. It is okay to rely on the LORD for the direction in our lives. He is the only one who knows the answers to where it is He would have us go, so it is okay and encouraged to ask Him.

What are your thoughts on questioning the LORD? Do you find you are not worthy, the time is not right, or worried about what others might think? What if you took the approach of seeking to understand and that the LORD is the one who can provide that understanding?

Speak and Ask From the Heart

Ask of the LORD and He will provide. The thing is, that ask should be from the heart and not from the head. This morning I am reminded of this again as I read in the book of 1 Samuel.

“¹³Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard.” and “²⁰And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, ‘I have asked for him from the Lord.’” – 1 Samuel 1:13 & 20 (ESV)

Hannah asked of the LORD from her heart and the He granted her ask. What a great God we have that He grants even the greatest of asks, for a child.

But, that ask was not for Hannah directly and was from the heart, and therefore the LORD was listening and granted the ask. When you review the rest of the passage we find that Hannah was asking for a child, yes, but she in her ask, she was also giving the child to the LORD, not just a gesture, but fully and completely to the LORD.

“¹¹And she vowed a vow and said, ‘O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.’” and “²⁷For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. ²⁸Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” – 1 Samuel 1:11 & 27-28 (ESV)

Hannah asked for the child from the LORD with her heart and promised that when granted she would give the child to the LORD. This devotion to the LORD and not selfish ask is an example to me to do the same when asking of the LORD. I have to ask with my heart and with the intent to honor the LORD with the results of the LORD’s granting of my ask.

Where are your asks of the LORD coming from? Are they for your own selfish gain? What if you were to ask from the heart and devote to the LORD?

Careful What You Ask for, You Might Just Get It

Isn’t that the point. Asking for something and expect to receive it. I would think so. But, what if I received and was not really as happy about it as I thought I would be.

This is what happened to the Israelite people with the LORD. You see, God provided manna for them to each when they were in need. They were satisfied from a consumption of sustenance perspective. They had even gotten to the point of not just consuming it, but they were making bread cakes with the manna to mix it up as opposed to just eating what was provided. But, as is the case even today, they developed a lack of contentment and began complaining about not having meat to eat.

Aren’t we that way as well. We have what is needed, a house, a car, food, work. And yet, even with all of that, we still want, a bigger/better house, a newer/more expensive car, elegant food, high paying job. We lose our contentment as we desire for things that are “better”. We had found a way to make due with what we had and yet, we continue asking for more.

Well, God heard the people and decided to give them what they ask for.

“¹⁸And say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat.’” – Numbers 11:18 (ESV)

And just like that, the people would have what they were asking. The LORD was providing for them as they had requested. And doesn’t that happen for us as well. We ask the LORD and He provides, even to the tune of what we want.

But, the LORD was teaching them a lesson at the same time.

“¹⁹You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, ²⁰but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before him, saying, ‘Why did we come out of Egypt?’” “33While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck down the people with a very great plague.– Numbers 11:19-20 & 33 (ESV)

And there it is. The LORD provides in so much bounty that it would consume them entirely. The people got what they wanted and even more. The more was not expected, but they got it anyway. The LORD provided the meat for them and in true human nature they consumed it to the point of gluttony.

Aren’t we very much the same today. We ask for things from the LORD and He provides and we simply consume without the appreciation for it. We only become gluttonous. We cannot get enough of what we ask and turn away from the LORD in the process.

I have to remember that it is not what I have that makes me who I am. It is being content that what I have is enough. It is okay and encouraged to ask for things from the LORD. He wants us to ask and even tells us to do so. But it is the why we are asking that is important to remember, not the what we are asking. I have to remember that it is about needs and not wants. I have to remember to be content in the provision of the LORD. I have to be careful asking, as I may just get it.

What are you asking for from the LORD? Are you asking out of want and find yourself gluttonous? What if you kept you asks to your needs and when provided, were thankful and generous to others with what you receive?