More Faith Please

Jacob wrestled with the angel of the Lord (the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ) all night long saying: "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." That is FAITH will not let go until the one wrestling with God (same as wrestling in prayer) gets what he came for.

Job, covered in boils all over his body (AFTER having lost all of his children in a tornado), said: "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." That is FAITH that will not stop trusting no matter how bad things look. God didn't do those things to Job, Satan did. God allowed Satan to do it because He KNEW Job would never turn his back on God no matter how tough the going got. He knew Job would glorify Him for Job was His faithful servant. And when the test was over HE restored to Job twice over what he had lost.

Then there is the woman who went to the unjust judge and bothered and annoyed him until he finally gave her what she asked for. Which caused Jesus to say to His disciples: "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off?" That is FAITH that perseveres. That asks over and over and over again. If you give up asking, why would you get upset that God doesn't quickly give you what you say you want, when you can't really want it all THAT bad if you aren't persevering in prayer to get it from Him?

Then there is this promise regarding the goodness of God towards YOU: "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. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son asks bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks a fish, will he give him a serpent? If YE then, being EVIL, know how to give GOOD gifts unto YOUR children, HOW MUCH MORE shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?" (Matthew 7:7-11) That is FAITH that believes God is GOOD! He is a much better parent than we could EVER be; so why won't we trust Him to be that to us?

Abraham had no son (no children at all); he asked God for a son...God gave him a son.

Isaac's wife Rebekah was barren; he asked God to give her children. God did.

Jacob's wife Rachel was barren also; he asked God to give her children. God did.

Hannah was barren; she asked God to give her a child. God did.

Jacob wrestled all night with the Angel of the Lord and asked for a blessing. God blessed him.

Hezekiah was going to die. He reminded God that he had been pretty faithful to God, even though he wasn't one of God's best. He asked God for more years. God gave him 15 more. Not because Hezekiah deserved it, but because God is good.

Samson had failed God in so many ways it's hard to list them all; but when he went to God for one final request, God graciously gave it to him.

Anna asked to live long enough to see the "Promise." She did.

All the new saints in Jerusalem asked for Peter's release from prison. God released him miraculously.

Whatever it is you want, as long as God considers it to be a godly and good thing; you just have to ask. And then you have to get out of His way and stop trying to make it happen. And stop trying to second guess about whether the newest thing is the answer from God or not. He will not allow YOU to miss what HE is bringing to you. He will make a way. He will make it clear. Stop trying so hard…and REST IN HIM!

And in the meantime, rejoice and be glad for no matter what you DON'T yet have, you have the most important thing EVER: SALVATION! That free gift from God. That gift that you didn't do anything to earn. And one that you can't do anything to keep either, because then it wouldn't be a free gift from the Lord, would it? Then you could say you earned it, earned the "keeping" of it, by your goodness. Rather than that He gave it because of His goodness; and was able to "keep" you in it because He is faithful, not because you are faithful. Thank God He IS faithful to us who are not or we would NONE be saved!

Be encouraged. Be faithful to ask…and keep on asking. HE WILL NOT DISAPPOINT!

Just had to say all that!

"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11