Do you seek great things for
yourself? —Jeremiah 45:5
{CHAMBERS} “God wants you to be in a much closer relationship with
Himself than simply receiving His gifts— He wants you to get to know Him. […]
There is nothing easier than getting into the right relationship with God,
unless it is not God you seek, but only what He can give you. If you have only
come as far as asking God for things, you have never come to the point of
understanding the least bit of what surrender really means. You have become a
Christian based on your own terms. You protest, saying, “I asked God for the
Holy Spirit, but He didn’t give me the rest and the peace I expected.” And
instantly God puts His finger on the reason– you are not seeking the Lord at
all; you are seeking something for yourself. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be
given to you…” (Matthew 7:7). Ask God for what you want and do not be concerned
about asking for the wrong thing, because as you draw ever closer to Him, you
will cease asking for things altogether. “Your Father knows the things you have
need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). Then why should you ask? So that you
may get to know Him. […] Are you prepared to ask
yourself what it is you want from God and why you want it? […] He is not
concerned about making you blessed and happy right now, but He’s continually
working out His ultimate perfection for you— “…that they may be one just as We
are one…” (John 17:22).”
{ELGIN} I commented to
someone the other day that children have no idea how food comes to be on the
table. Why the lights come on when they
flip the switch. How it is that there is
furniture in the house. The reason, of
course, is because their parents have provided for them. They may not like vegetables, but they know
that they need food and somehow it is there, and if not, mom or dad will go to
the store. But where does the money come
from? They don’t know and don’t really
care .. that is not until they are paying the bills. In a similar way that parents provide for
their children, God provides for His. He
knows what we need … and knows that it is not good to live on Cocoa Puffs and Gummy
Bears. Even if we ask for them at every
turn. Micha 6:8 asks the question “What does the Lord require of you – oh
man – but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” So let’s focus on walking humbly. That means that I am aware of who God is and
who I am .. a sinner saved by grace .. I
am not demanding of God … everything I have is a gift from Him … down to might
next heartbeat and breath. There was a
man on the street corner that asked me for a dollar … I gave it to him, but
will probably never see him again .. there is no relationship. But we have been saved so that our
relationship with God, the Father, could and would, by faith, be restored. Since we were born again, we have been living
in an eternal relationship with the Father.
Jesus asked (Matthew 7:9-11) “Which
of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a
fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to
give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give
good gifts to those who ask him!” God
will give us what we need and what is best for us. You can be certain of that.
"He knows your name. He knows your every thought. He sees each tear that falls and hears you when you call."
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