Saturday, May 30, 2020

Asking rightly

“A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Matthew 16:4 

Some feel that they demonstrate great faith by continually asking God for miracles. They assume that in every situation God wants to do the spectacular. They presume, for example, that God wants to heal anyone who is sick or provide a miraculous escape from every difficulty. But Jesus condemned those who insisted that He perform miracles, because He knew their hearts. He recognized that they could not believe Him without constantly undergirding their faith with signs. Their faith was not strong enough to survive without a regular supply of the miraculous. Jesus condemned this lack of faith and left them. There are times when we prefer the miracle over the miracle worker. God calls this idolatry, and He discouraged it by refusing to provide miracles on demand (Jer. 2:11–13). Sometimes the greatest act of faith is not to ask for a miracle. One of the most amazing statements of faith in the Old Testament came from Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they faced the fiery furnace because of their obedience to God. They expressed true faith when they assured king Nebuchadnezzar: “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up” (Dan. 3:17–18). They were confident in God's ability to deliver them, but they trusted Him so completely that they did not ask to be spared. Does your faith need miracles to sustain it? Or do you trust God so totally that you can say, “But if not, I will still trust the Lord!”? - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day 

It's often been said to be careful of what you ask for, you may get it.  It's also said in Scripture to not hastily make a vow. Says also to pray for others, that the Will of the Father may be done. 

Where many slip up is a lot of what Blackaby says here.  Thinking that we need a miracle.  That it's God's Will to ask for one.  Well is that Biblical or is that our selfishness?  We want an out. We want justice, our way, to satisfy our plight. We want, we want, we want. 

When we go down that road we aren't seeing with Spiritual eyes. We are seeing with eyes of the flesh.  We see as Satan would have us. Examples of that particular temptation are in the Gospels.  "If God really loves you He would..." or "God must not really love you because He didn't..."

What is important is that in what we do, what we think, what we say...is God glorified?  Or are we?  Ouch.

It doesn't go even a day when people post on Facebook if sharing a blanket prayer or such wanting to remove cancer, etc from the world.  Or things like depression or suicide or other things en masse.  Look again at what Blackaby says of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  It matters not, physically, what happens. Being right in God's eyes is what's important.  If it means leaving this world to be with Jesus then that's what it is.  We can be just like the people in Jesus's day that kept wanting signs and miracles.  Jesus said no. You're not going to get any but one. That of His death, burial and resurrection.  That sign would glorify God. 

People get depressed when they don't get what they want.  Depression is most often that truth.  We either internalize the disappointment or lash out.   

Where are you on this?  Is your life a reflection of Christ or are you trying to be  the candle producing your own version of light?

Are you wanting your will to be done on Earth as you want done in Heaven or are you wanting His Will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven?

We ask, I ask, quite often for quick resolutions and responses from God.  We have this sense of urgency.  We want it in a microwave minute. We want a miracle to get out of whatever is the problem. 

So what do we do when God's answer REALLY is not yet. Wait.  Typically we take that as a no answer and attempt to do our response our way. 

Then we make it worse and wonder why God didn't do anything.  Problem isn't Him. The problem is us. 

If we believe Christ then why do we push the way we want things to be done with Him?

Look at your heart this day. Look at the intent of it.  Why? Because I assure you, Jesus is.

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