Boldness In Asking Equals Blessing

I watched him as he went from person to person in the Food Court asking for spare change "to buy some food." He wasn't having any success and so he came over to where I was standing in line and in broken English, asked the people serving for something to eat. Husband and wife looked at each other before the wife took up a plate and prepared a small serving. Before she could hand it to him, he asked, "More, please?"

Those in line chuckled at the man's boldness, but as soon as he spoke, the words from James 4:2b sprung to life in my mind, "Ye have not, because ye ask not." Right before me was someone who had asked not only for what he needed, but confidently asked for the amount that he felt would satisfy his hunger. He needed food and a small amount was not going to do. As I watched the events unfold, the lady smiled and doubled the portions on the plate. This time he took it without hesitation and said his thanks before walking off to find a seat to have his meal.

The thought occurred to me that his request matched the severity of his need. In a spiritual sense, how many Christians fall short in that regard? From the old hymn we recall the words: "Oh what peace we often forfeit / Oh, what needless pain we bear / All because we do not carry / Ev'rything to God in prayer!" This is a striking indictment on the believer's inability to recognize and appreciate that the severity of our needs will never exhaust the resources of God. The writer to the Hebrews encourages us to come boldly unto the throne of grace (4:16); there we find Him of whom it is written, He "calleth those things which be not as though they were" (Romans 4:17). It really doesn't matter the needs, or the severity of those needs; God is more than able to meet them. I believe this was what Peter had in mind when he wrote, "Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you" (1 Peter 5:7). There is no justifiable reason to keep some of our cares (worries, anxieties, doubts, fears, needs) to ourselves; we are to cast them ALL upon Him.

Knowing God's inexhaustible supply, Jesus encouraged His disciples to "ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8). No limits, no restrictions; just the assurance that the things that conform to the will of God for our lives are ours through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). With that in mind, let us not be afraid to ask for what we need. We serve a God who specializes in meeting every need, even the ones that seem impossible.

Thou Shalt Not Bellyache!

There is no easy way to say it - being around some people can be downright depressing. To listen to them speak is like reading from a book of complaints. They are often joyless, hardly ever satisfied, and their perspective on life is so skewed that their cup is always half-empty, never half-full. To tell them a cheerful "Good Morning" is to be met with an attitude that says "What's good about it?" and to do them a favor is to be viewed with suspicion. Simply put, these people could wear out a saint.

At different times in its history, the nation of Israel was like that. In various portions of the Old Testament narratives we read of them "murmuring", more accurately, "complaining" (e.g. Exodus 15:24; 16:2; 17:3, KJV). This despite obvious signs of God working miraculously in different situations on their behalf. According to the Psalmist, "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked Him at the sea, even at the Red sea. . . . Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea. . . . Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not His word: But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD" (Psalm 106:7, 22, 24-25). Can you hear them? Murmuring had become so much a part of them that they no longer listened to the voice of the LORD. That's dangerous ground to stand on.

The LORD was not amused. The narrative tells us, "And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD," so much so that "the LORD heard it; and His anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp" (Numbers 11:1). Space limitation does not allow us to go fully into the verse, but it is worth noting the LORD's initial response to the complaining: "And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD." These are sobering words that we need to keep in mind the next time we are tempted to complain. For sure, things do not always go our way and at different times we have to face various challenges, but let us not forget that God can and often use those situations to and for our benefit and for His glory (Romans 8:28-29). Let us trust Him instead of complaining. He is very pleased with that.

Good Benefits!

Someone once said that when it comes to serving the Lord, the "pay" is excellent and the "benefits" out of this world. This thought came to mind as I reflected on the words of the Psalmist, "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits" (Psalm 103:2). In the New Living Translation this verse reads, "Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me."

Among the many benefits David mentions are: He forgives all my sins, He heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things, my youth is renewed like the eagle's. He gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly, is compassionate and merciful; slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; He does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. His unfailing love toward those who fear Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. He is like a father to His children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him. He knows how weak we are; He remembers we are only dust. His love remains forever with those who fear Him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to His covenant, of those who obey His commandments.

There is absolutely no one who can top such a "benefits package"! The beauty in all this is that it is not a one time deal, but benefits that are available to us daily. David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writes: "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation" (Psalm 68:19, KJV). The greatest miracle is the salvation of our souls, but our Heavenly Father did not stop there. In addition to giving us the gift of His Son, He threw in the best benefits package the world has ever known, and it is available to all who will put their trust in Him.

The next time we are tempted to complain, may we reflect on those things. May our prayer be like that of the Psalmist, "Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things He does for me."

No Deal!

Standing before king Nebuchadnezzar and facing his wrath for their refusal to worship the image according to the instructions heralded to all (Daniel 3:4), the three Jewish boys were offered a deal that would spare them being thrown into the burning fiery furnace. To compound the severity of their non-compliance, certain Chaldeans accused them before the king of having "not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up" (v. 12, KJV).

There was no ambiguity to the deal. When they heard the sound of the music, "Now if . . . ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?" In other words, dance or die. However, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not intimidated. They knew that this was a bad deal and so "answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up" (vv. 16-18). In other words, no deal! Thanks, but no thanks! The fiery furnace is nothing for our God to deliver us from and even if He doesn't, we will not compromise our beliefs or turn our backs on the God we serve.

What tremendous commitment! One could argue that such commitment is lacking among some professed believers who time and time again dance to the music and worship various images in an attempt to preserve popularity, their relationships, and personal ambitions. Instead of standing firmly for Christ regardless of cost, it is often easier to compromise our beliefs and values. Who wants to be ridiculed? To be ostracized?

What we know is that after being thrown in the furnace, heated seven times more than it was initially, the boys' faith in God was rewarded and they were delivered (vv. 19-30). Miraculously, "the fire had no power [upon their bodies], nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them" (v.27). God rewarded their faithfulness and their testimony was of such that it transformed the worship practices of the Babylonians (vv. 28-29). We should never discount the power of individuals standing for Christ and what He is able to do in and through them in those difficult circumstances.

Christians everywhere are in somewhat similar positions today. Compromise or be ridiculed? Stand for Christ or be scorned? Oh, lest I forget, we get to choose. We must choose. Deal or no deal? How do you choose?