Jan 3, 2023
As Jesus spent his last hours with his disciples, he said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you” (John 16:23, NKJV). Immediately following this, he told them, “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24).
What an incredible statement. As this scene took place, Christ was warning his followers that he was going away, and he wouldn’t see them for a short time. In the very same breath, though, he assured them that they had access to every blessing of heaven. All they had to do was ask in his name.
The disciples had been personally taught by Jesus to knock, seek and ask for the things of God. They were taught firsthand that all of the blessings of the Father — all grace, power and strength — were found in Christ. They’d heard Jesus declare to the multitudes, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to my Father. And whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (John 14:12–14).
Christ’s words to his disciples convict me: “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24). As I read this, I hear the Lord whispering to me, “David, you haven’t claimed the power I’ve made available to you. You simply need to ask in my name.”
Here is what I believe grieves God’s heart more than all the sins of the flesh combined. Our Lord is grieved by the ever-growing lack of faith in his promises…by ever-increasing doubts that he answers prayer…and by a people who claim less and less of the power that is in Christ.
No matter how much you have asked of the likeness of Christ, it is nothing compared to the resources of spiritual wisdom still awaiting in his storehouse. Ask largely! Ask for wisdom, ask for guidance, ask for revelation. It must be asked in faith, though, without a whisper of doubt.
Jan 3, 2023
The Holy Spirit gives us strength when we release all our needs into God’s hands and trust in his might. Ruth is an example of this kind of trust. After her husband died, Ruth lived with her mother-in-law, Naomi. Naomi was concerned about Ruth’s welfare and future, so she advised Ruth to lie down at the feet of the wealthy Boaz and ask him to fulfill his obligation to her as her kinsman.
That evening, after the day’s winnowing was finished, Boaz lay down “at the end of the heap of grain” (Ruth 3:7, NKJV)and pulled a blanket over himself. The next morning, he woke up startled, finding a woman lying at his feet.
Ruth said to him, “I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative” (Ruth 3:9). She was saying, in essence, “Will you take on the obligation of a relative for me? Will you provide for me?” This was no manipulative scheme. Ruth and Naomi had done everything in divine order. We can be sure of this because Christ’s lineage came through Ruth. When Ruth returned home Naomi asked her, “Is that you, my daughter?” (Ruth 3:16). She was asking, in other words, “Shall I call you ‘engaged’ Ruth? Or are you still ‘widowed’ Ruth?”
Ruth told Naomi all that had happened. Listen to Naomi’s godly advice: “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day” (Ruth 3:18). Naomi had no doubt prayed about the matter, seeking God’s direction, and God had given her counsel. He must have reminded her about the law of the kinsman-redeemer, which was a type and foreshadowing of Christ. Naomi was confident that she and Ruth had done their part. Now it was time to sit still and trust God to perform what he had promised. She was saying, “It’s all in the Lord’s hands now, Ruth. Just relax and be calm.”
A calm and peace settled over Naomi’s house. Nobody was in a frenzy, biting fingernails and wondering, “Will God do it? When will it happen?” These two faithful women could relax, sing and praise the Lord for his goodness.
Have you prayed? Have you trusted? Are you ready to sit still and “see the salvation of the Lord”? He has everything under control!
Dec 28, 2022
Suppose you came upon Jesus on day forty-one immediately following his temptation in the wilderness. His face is shining. He’s rejoicing, praising the Father, because he’s won a great victory.
You see Jesus exuding life and confidence. Now he’s ready to face the powers of hell, so he sets off boldly for the great cities that lie in darkness. He preaches the gospel, sure of God’s Word. He heals the sick, knowing his Father is with him.
Now, as you examine your own life, you see just the opposite. You’re still facing your own dry wilderness experience. You’ve endured fiery attacks from Satan, and your soul is cast down. You can’t help thinking, “Jesus never went through trials like mine. He was above all this.” You may see a minister who appears strong in faith; he sounds so assured of God’s presence that you think, “He’s never had any problems like mine.”
If you only knew! You were not there when God called this man to preach and then led him into a wilderness to be tempted sorely. You weren’t there when he was reduced to nothing, cast down in despair. You don’t know that often his best sermons have come out of the testings of his own life. Paul himself warned believers not to measure their righteousness against what they thought was another’s. “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise” (2 Corinthians 10:12, NKJV).
We can’t read the hearts of others. Who would have known on day forty-one that Jesus had just emerged from a long, horrible temptation? Who’d have known that the glory they saw in him sprang from a struggle worse than any they would ever endure? We are to look only to Jesus. We’re to rely only on his righteousness, his holiness. He has given us all equal access to it.
God loves you in your testing times. His own Spirit has led you into the wilderness. His own Son has already been there, and he knows exactly what you’re going through. Let him complete his work of building into you utter dependence and trust in him. You’ll come out with confidence, godly compassion and strength to help others.
Dec 27, 2022
When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he made this outlandish seeming offer: “Again, the devil took him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, ‘All these things I will give you if you will fall down and worship me.’” (Matthew 4:9, NKJV).
This sounds so ridiculous! How could it ever be considered a temptation? Believe it or not, this was a powerful, enticing offer. Satan was challenging Jesus, saying, “I promise that if you’ll merely bow down at my feet in a single act of worship, I’ll quit the fight. I’ll give up all my power over these realms. I won’t possess or enslave anyone else. I know that you love humankind enough to be accursed by God for their sake. Why wait? You can sacrifice yourself right now and free the world from this moment on.”
Why was the devil willing to give up all his power for this? It would seem that he was trying to save his own skin. Satan surely knew or guessed that his eternal destiny would be sealed at Calvary. If he could just keep Jesus from going to the cross, he might spare himself that fate.
You may be wondering, “How could this possibly relate to me?” Well, beloved, Satan still tempts the righteous with a similar offer.
Satan comes to us with threats and accusations. He tells us, “You don’t have to worship me because I already have access to your flesh. I know all your weaknesses. Go ahead and testify about your freedom in Christ. At the moment you’re singing your loudest praises, I’ll overpower your mind with evil. I’ll bring up your sin to you so powerfully that you’ll despair of ever being free. You are powerless.”
How do we answer Satan’s accusations? “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you” (James 4:7-8). It doesn’t matter how many temptations Satan throws at you. You needn’t fear any sin from your past. If Christ’s blood has covered it, then the devil can’t do anything to separate you from the Father.
Dec 27, 2022
Paul wrote, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2, ESV).
Okay, this is where someone has committed an external, outward sin. This isn’t walking around, looking to rebuke everyone because you thought you saw something wrong in them. I grew up for a short while around that kind of stuff, really pride ‘spirituality.’ A person’s done nothing outwardly, but you have people who come up to them and say, “I see a spirit of jealousy in you. I rebuke you for that.”
The other person says, “What did I do?”
“Oh, I don’t know, but there’s jealousy. Now I want to try to restore you.”
“Uh, no. Don’t restore me. Restore yourself, and get away from me.” But this kind of response would bring judgment, and we’d have a big rebuking contest on our hands. Everybody rebuking everyone else for what they perceive to be a shortcoming. We should just have a big dose of humility because we’re not all that ourselves.
What Paul’s talking about is someone caught in open sin, and he orders believers to restore them gently. The word ‘restore’ there is the same sort of meaning as mending a bone. You don’t amputate every time something breaks! Remember, believers are members of the body. This is a body we’re talking about. When someone falls into sin, you don’t get angry with them. If I fell and skinned my knee, would I start yelling, “What’s wrong with you, knee? Let’s amputate this knee!” No. You don’t do that. You take extra good care of the wounded member. You try to help them.
Paul is saying that this is what Christ wants us to do in the church, and he commands this to those of you who are living by the Spirit, you know, the mature believers. This is why he wrote, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). Brother and sister, let’s get better at this gentle mending of bones.
