Open Heavens October 26, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: John 11:13-31

YOU NEVER ASKED

MEMORIZE: "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 7:11)

READ: Matthew 7:7-11

“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” (James 4:2). The desires of some believers are not met because they never asked in the first place. In Luke 15:11-12, the day the prodigal son went to ask for his portion of his father’s wealth, his father divided all he had into two. The younger son took his and left, but the older son never got a pin, even though his portion was ready for collection! Why? Because he never asked. God has a daily portion for all His children: yet many of them do not take a pin out of it, but end up complaining, grumbling and envying their brethren who receive theirs; just because they refused to ask. Although Heaven makes provision for every assignment and need facing you, you may never receive anything until you ask effectively. Do you know there are things meant for you which Heaven has failed to release because you have not asked?


If Bartimeaus - the erstwhile blind man never asked, he would have died a blind beggar. If Peter never asked while sinking, that could have been the end of his life. If Daniel and his trio never asked, they would have been destroyed with the wise men of Babylon. Many Christians are living in sorrow when they could live in joy and celebrate daily, because they refuse to ask. Those who receive are those who ask. Those who receive big things are those who make asking their hobby. What is stopping you from asking God for your desires? In John 16:24, Jesus says, “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full”. Ask today! Another lesson from the life of the elder brother of the prodigal son is that if you are contented with your present state, Heaven will have no need to effect a change.

Many believers are non-challant about their state, hence it has persisted. Until you are fed up with that situation you are ‘managing’ or enduring, a change cannot come. The return of the prodigal son and the celebration that followed provoked anger in the elder son. He was surprised that while he could not get a kid to celebrate with his friends, the fattest cow was killed and a lavish party used in celebrating the return of his younger brother. Whether you like it or not, while some believers cannot get a kid for several years of service, some are getting the fattest cows. What are you getting: a kid or a cow? It depends entirely on you. If you cause Heaven to be agog with joy and celebration especially through winning souls to Christ, you can be sure your cows are on the way. To what extent do you really make God happy with you?

ACTIONPOINT: You can make God happy consciously, by mistake or not at all. The way you choose is the same medium God will repay you.