Tag: Ask

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Is Today Tomorrow?

Like every other day he came flying into our home, but on this particular day, there was something a little different. A bit more energy, his smile, extra big, and his excitement, nearly over the top. Shedding his coat, he quickly quizzed me, “Papa Jon, is today tomorrow?” The three-year-old had perplexed me. Is today tomorrow, I asked? With a look like only he can give, he repeated, “yeah, is today tomorrow?” Trying to piece his question together, think like a three-year-old, all of a sudden it hit me. The day before, Carter, my grandson, had asked me about getting out a Hot Wheels race track and I had told him, it was a little late, his mom was coming to pick him up, and maybe we could get it out tomorrow.

 

Carter had heard my words, evidently held on to them through the night, and came into our home with expectancy. At three he didn’t quite know how to frame his question. He didn’t grasp everything about tomorrow but he was doing his best to communicate what his Papa Jon had told him, that tomorrow he would get to play with his race track. Once I grasped his question, I couldn’t help but smile. I quickly responded with, “yes, absolutely, we’ll get out the race track.”

 

Carter had taken me at my word, waited all night with anticipation, and came into our house expecting me to do what I said. How could I do anything but make sure he got to play with his race track. But not only did I get out the track, but because of his excitement and expectation, I put new batteries in it, got out every car I could find, and though I had other plans, I settled in on the floor and joined him as he played.

 

Jesus suggests in Matthew 18:3 that we must adopt a childlike attitude characterized by humility, trust, and forgiveness. It seems that spiritual maturity involves simplicity, dependance on God, and trust in His Word, much like Carter had trusted my words.

 

What if we all lived with the expectancy of my grandson? What if we approached our Heavenly Father in prayer with questions like Carter, “is today tomorrow?” How would our life change? Instead of prayers filled with formality and doubt, suddenly I believe they would be filled with anticipation. What if we really believed that God would do what He said He would do? Every day would be a day of hope and possibility. Jesus said ask, anything in His name. His Word says he would do exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ask or think. How would our life change if we prayed with expectancy?

 

If we had Carter’s expectancy I believe our zeal, excitement and anticipation for life would go through the roof! Jesus gave us the recipe. He made it simple but we make it difficult. Choose to have Carter (child) like faith, then walk into every day with hope, expectation, and anticipation!

 

 

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Ask

Years ago, Jimmy Stewart, the famous Hollywood actor of the 1940’s and 50’s, left all his memorabilia to a midwestern university that very few had ever heard of. As the treasures were being gifted, he was asked, why are you giving all this to this particular university. He was questioned if this was the university he had attended? He replied, no. Another queried, did your children attend here? Another no. After several questions, someone finally asked, please share what your reasoning was behind giving such an amazing gift to this university. His reply was shocking, he said, “I gave it to them because they asked me for it.” No allegiance. No compensation. No expectations. They had the faith, the confidence, the audacity to ask. Sometimes the greatest blessings, the answers we need, are just a prayer, a ask away. God gives everyone the invitation to ask. Throughout the Bible you can see God encouraging people to ask. James tells us, “you do not have because you do not ask (James 4:2). Jesus said, “ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives” (Luke 11:9-10). Paul tells the saints of Ephesus that God is able and ready “to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephes. 3: 11). The Bible is filled with scriptures imploring us to ask. I’m afraid we often fail to ask because we feel unworthy, we feel our failures eliminate us, or in pride we try to solve situations on our own. God sets in heaven with unlimited power, resources and is ready to step up and step in, but we never ask. Sometimes I fear we fail to ask because we see a God with limits. We see Him as Amazon or Wal-Mart. He has a limited quantity of the good stuff, the miraculous and the blessings, but once they are gone, given to someone else, well. . . too bad, you missed out. Other times we compare our situation to others, we feel guilty and hesitate to ask. We want to pray for financial blessings, for healings, for family issues to be resolved, but think about how blessed we are compared to others in the world, and we don’t ask. We reason, why should I ask for blessings when others are praying for a war to be over, like in the Ukraine. We consider a spouse or child praying for physical abuse to go away, or a Christian in China or the Middle East praying for torture to stop, and think, how selfish am I? How could I pray for something enjoyable when families in Africa are without water and starving. While those are crisis level issues and we should join together with them for deliverance, it does not impact God hearing and answering your prayer. Your prayers, request, and asking has no connection to someone else’s prayer being heard or answered, they are independent of each other. Why were some blinded eyes opened and some not, they asked. Why did some lame walk and others remained crippled, they asked. Why was the Roman Centurions daughter healed, he asked. People often ask why are you and Mary so committed to prayer. The answer is easy. God said ask. He said he would do exceedingly and abundantly above what we could ask for think, and He said we have not because we don’t ask. We take Him at His Word. Regardless of the situation. Regardless of pain. Regardless of our failures and shortcomings. Regardless of how many times He has said no or wait, we keep on asking. Every time I pray, I ask God to pour out His Spirit on my family, our community, and our country. Every time I pray, I ask God to heal my body and Mary’s. Every time I pray, I ask Him to bless us exceedingly and abundantly in every way. Every time I pray, I ask God to give me a covenant, a contract, that until the trumpets sounds, that every person, whether by birth or marriage into our lineage, that they will experience the book of Acts experience. I pray that they will have a passion to know Jesus, that they will love His Word, and that they will value prayer. I invite you into the atmosphere of asking. No applications. No requirements. Just ask!

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The Name of Jesus

Jesus. Right now, say His name out loud. It doesn’t have to be screamed or shouted, it can be spoken in a gentle whisper, but know this, when you say it, all creation hesitates. Every demon in hell, disease, sickness, evil and dark spirit pauses. Water waits to see if it must turn to wine, sickness waits to see if it can continue, and death waits to see if it must release its grip. Philippians 2:11 says, “that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Simply put, the name of Jesus is the most powerful word you will ever speak. We must remind ourselves often of the power in the name of Jesus, and not only be reminded of it, but choose to use His name. We must teach our kids and this generation to say the name of Jesus in any situation. It’s not a magical word, it is the word that has supreme authority. James 2:19 says, you believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. I am reminded that all Jesus did was step on the Gadarenes seashore and demons that had controlled a man and confounded a region for years, instantly cried for mercy, begging Jesus to let them go into pigs. They knew who Jesus was, His power and immediately relented in cowardness. We have access through faith, to ask anything in His name. John 14:14 says, “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” Our asking must be in alignment with His plan and purpose, it can’t be done in selfishness, but when we ask in faith, anything is possible. Where does salvation begin? By calling on the name of Jesus. Acknowledging our need for Him. It’s here we begin the journey that takes us to repentance and baptism. The name of Jesus. Say it now, say it often. Say it with confidence.