ASK, AND YE SHALL RECEIVE

Memory Verse: Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:24
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Songs of Solomon 1-2
Jesus, in John 16:24, said: “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” When it comes to asking and receiving, there are certain things we have to consider. For instance, receiving is dependent on who you ask. Man is very limited but God is not.Psalm 108:12 says: “give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.” According to Jeremiah 17:5, anyone who puts his trust in man and makes human flesh his strength is doomed. Thank God there is a God who can do all things. According to Luke 1:37, with God nothing shall be impossible. Receiving is dependent on how you ask. Jesus whilst teaching His disciples how to pray taught them to start with praise and thanksgiving (Matthew 6:5-13). Verse 9 says: “in this manner, therefore pray: Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name”. One of the synonyms for the word 'hallow' is praise. The first thing that mad man of Gadara did when he got to Jesus was he worshiped Him (Mark 5:1-19). Verse 6 says: “when he saw Jesus from far, he ran and worshiped Him”. Worshiping is one of the keys to receiving from God. Also, receiving is dependent on the time of asking. If you ask at the wrong time, you may not receive anything. Isaiah 55:6 says: “seek ye the Lord whilst He may be found, call ye upon him while he is near”. Proverbs 8:17 says: “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me”.

There are several reasons why people don’t like to ask. For instance, people don't like to ask questions to hide their ignorance. It is better to ask a stupid question than to make a stupid mistake. Many of the challenges people are facing today could have been avoided if only they asked questions or sought counseling. Proverbs 15:22 says: “without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established.” Another reason why many don’t ask is because they don’t want to disturb people. Some even feel by asking God for a thing over and over again they are disturbing God. The bible says ask until your joy is full. Some believe since God knows what they want there is no point asking Him again. God knows what you want but He still expects you to ask Him for it. Matthew 7:7 says: “ask, and it will be given to you....” Some of us expect people to know what we want and give them to us. Friend, people cannot read your mind. Besides, they have a lot of things going on in their mind so it is better you ask. One major reason why people don’t ask for help especially from their friends is because they don’t want people to take glory over their lives. What is most important thing to me is i get the help i need. Whether you take glory or not is not an issue to me; help is all i need. After rendering the help you can tell the whole world you helped bro Samuel no problem. At one point or the other in your life, someone will have to take glory for something they did for you anyway.

NOTE: Before asking, start by thanking God for all He has done for you in the times past. Don’t just go to Him and say I want this; I want that. Start by worshiping Him.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

BELIEVING: A KEY TO RECEIVING

MEMORY VERSE: And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Matthew 21:22

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 6-10

Don’t give up! Jesus is still in the business of answering prayers. He has answered a lot of prayers in times past. He is still answering prayers today and He will continue to answer prayers as far as we call on Him. That same Jesus we read about in the bible is still alive meeting needs, touching lives, opening doors, wiping away tears, restoring broken homes, doing wonders, etc. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Not too long ago, a sister and I were discussing about one of her young sisters who had just undergone a major operation and they needed large sums of money to pay for her rehabilitation. This kind-hearted sister was the bread winner of her family and she had spent ‘all’ she had on the operation. In addition, she had exhausted all the avenues she could get money from and all to no avail. I would have loved to give her the money but I didn’t have a penny too. Thank God, we, I and the sister, both knew a God who owns the entire bank in the world. As she shared this problem with us, this dropped in my spirit: “if everything fails, try praise”. I told her what I heard and encouraged her to start praising God. I must confess, convincing her to praise God, at that point, wasn’t easy but the Holy Spirit convinced her and she did. Last night, I was told that a doctor, a man with a large heart, from the hospital had volunteered to foot the bill. God literally paid the bill without her going into debt. What a wonderful God we serve. What a powerful God we serve. What a caring savior we have. The fact that you don’t have money does not mean you can’t do that project.

One key to receiving that thing you have asked for in prayers is ‘believing’. Jesus said, ”And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matthew 21:22). When Jarius received the news about his daughter’s death, Jesus told him, “Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole” (Luke 8:50). He believed and his daughter was raised back to life. Before Peter received his miracle of abundant fishes, he first believed. Luke 5:5 says, “And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.” Before that generous widow of Zarapheth received her divine provision, she first believed that the God of Elijah was able to do those things He had promised through His servant (1 Kings 17:7-16). All we need to receive our blessings is ‘believe’. Believe what the word of God says about you and your circumstances. The moment one begins to doubt, that's it. James 1:6-7 says: “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” Believe that all will be well with you. You don’t need to have a doctorate degree in theology to believe. You don’t have to be a powerful man of God to believe. You don’t need to be a deacon to believe. Fortunately, I and that sister are ordinary people. We believed that praising God will release financial breakthrough and it did. Even if you have problems believing, probably because this is the first time of hearing this and it seems too simple to your educated mind, you can still ask the Lord to help your unbelief and He will do that for you.

NOTE: Romans 6:14a says, ” For sin shall not have dominion over you”. Believe that Word and begin to walk in the liberty that Christ has given to you.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please help my unbelief.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

ASK AND YE SHALL RECEIVE

MEMORY VERSE: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you, Matthew 7:7

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Num 6, Ps 40-41, Sng 4, Heb 4

The onus of asking rests on you. James 4:2 says ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. God rarely gives people what they don't ask for. When you study the bible closely, you will find that almost everyone who the Lord gave something they did not ask for disappointed God. Virtually all of them did not appreciate what God gave to them, they abused what was given to them and most of them used it as an opportunity to sin against God. Nine times out of ten, God actually regretted giving them what they did not ask for. Starting from Adam, out of noble intentions God decided to give him a wife. Although he did not ask God for it, God felt the need for this man to have a companion – someone he could hold hands with and talk to, someone he could share his love and affections with. What did Adam do after eating the forbidden fruit? He literally told God told to His face that He made him sin. He told God in Genesis 3:12, the woman you gave to me offered me the forbidden fruit and I ate.

Solomon did the same thing. All he asked for was wisdom but God decided to be generous towards this young man and He gave him wealth – something he did not ask for. When Solomon got hold of money, what did he do? He began to marry women. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines! He so wasted the money, he himself confessed in Ecclesiastes 2:10 that, anything he wanted, he took and did not deny himself of any pleasure. God decided that the best way is that men should ask and he will only give them what they ask for. That was how Matthew 7:7 which says: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you came about. 

There are several ways to ask for a thing. Actions they say speak louder than words. Even the elders have saying, actions breeds’ reactions. Luke 6:38 says give and it shall come back to you. When you give, you are simply asking for God to give back to you and it has been proven that those who give always have something to give. According to Exodus 20:12, when you obey your parents you are asking God for long life and prosperity. Matthew 5:7 says blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. When you are mercy to people, you are simply asking God to be merciful to you. Proverbs 8:17 says those who love Me, I love. When you love God, you are simply asking God to love you in return. How does a man love a God? John 14:21 says he that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. John 14:15 says if you love me, keep my commands. When you keep God’s commands, you are showing Him love and asking Him to love you in return. One of the commandments of God is Go ye into the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation, Mark 16:15. Ever since you have giving your life to Christ, you have never won a soul for Jesus and you say you love Him. This year alone, you have not witnessed to a soul and you are singing that you are a friend of God, are you really a friend of God?

QUESTION: Since all our actions are a requests before God, what are you asking from God?