Daily Devotions – Ask whatever you wish

Daily Devotions – Ask whatever you wish

 

 

Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:

John 15:5-7 (NIV)

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)

Ask, Seek, Knock

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

1 John 3:22 makes the outrageous promise that we can ask God whatever we wish, and we will receive it. John isn’t making this up. He is quoting something Jesus said in John 15:6 and Matthew 7:7-8. What’s up with this? We have all asked for things in prayer which we didn’t receive. If we look closer, we see that there are key conditions! We need to ‘remain’ in Jesus (John 15:5), and have Jesus’ words ‘remain’ in us (15:7). When we are organically connected to Jesus, like a vine is to the branch, and when Jesus’ words dominate our thoughts, it changes what we ask for. Under the influence of God, we start to desire, and to ask for, the things that are best for us, the things that give complete joy. Above all, we ask to be more fully in God’s presence.