Believe it: God will deliver. Mark 11:24

-
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received  it, and it will be yours.
I understand why some people don't believe. When they ask and don't receive, well, things don't always turn out the way they think God works. ... Or at least they think they ask. Or they ask without believing. Or they ask for something completely ridiculous, as if to test God. And then, when they don't receive, they try to blame it on Him.

But Jesus' words here are clear. "Whatever you ask in prayers, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

I can testify that I believe, I ask, and I receive. I have never tried to move a mountain. But I still believe. Wait, I take that back. I did try to move a mountain, or maybe it was a tree, whatever. And it didn't move. But you know, Jesus was clear ... you need to believe that you have received it, too. I know now I didn't believe I had received it. But that doesn't mean God doesn't answer prayer.

Do you believe? Really?

For as long as I can remember, I have believed in Him, that is God. I know some of you may ask, how do you know it's Him? I believe the Word -- the living, active word (Heb. 4:12); the Word that was in the beginning, was with God, and was God (John 1:1); the Word that is enduring (1 Peter 1:23); the Word that give us faith (Romans 10:14); the Word that created the heavens (Psalm 33:6); the Word that is trustworthy, right, radiant, pure, righteous (Psalm 19:7-9)!

Keep in mind, I am a confessional Lutheran. Not every Christian believes the words like I do. I can't understand how or why they don't. Honestly, I would wonder if some of them in fact are Christian. Without God's Word, what do we have?

And so, I believe, which brings me back to Jesus' words in Mark.

God will provide. He has for me. I have witnessed it. My life bears witness to it. My children bear witness to it. My wife bears witness to it. I believe in God. And when I ask, and believe that I have received it, well, Jesus' words are proven true, again.

Try it. Believe!

Popular posts from this blog

Upon this rock ...

-
I don't need to comment on this post. I just need to share it. Upon this rock... which one? Matthew 16:18 is a problem for Lutherans and Roman Catholics.  Rome points to Peter and the Petrine office of the papacy.  Jesus is pointing to a man, rather a succession of men, whose primacy is, in their view, undisputed.  Lutherans insist that Peter may have been the voice but it is the confession that is the rock.  This faith is the rock upon which the Church is built -- not a man but the confession that Jesus Christ is Lord.  Lutherans insist that this is affirmed in Jesus' own admonition that Peter did not confess this on his own but as the Father revealed it to Him.  Now surely this is a rather simplistic way of putting it and there are nuances on both sides that I have overlooked to put this into a brief paragraph. But allow me this for the moment.
Read more

It's not man's word: 1 Thessalonians 2:13

-
And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. I have Christian friends who don't believe the Word of God. Do you believe? Think about that for a minute. Do you believe in God? Do you really believe the Word is from God? Do you believe the Word was God? Do you believe the Word was with God? (John 1:1-5). And that the Word became flesh? (John 1:14) Some people who call themselves Christians, don't believe. If they don't receive the word of God, if they say it is from men, that it is a human word, not the Word of God, then how can they call themselves Christian? It seems to me that is one of the points Paul is driving home in 1 Thessalonians 2:13. It is important because, what do we have without the Word of God? What we have are heresies taught by false prophets and greedy teachers. "We ar...
Read more

Voices

-
My wife doesn't write often enough. But years ago, she wrote this, which I found while looking through one of my old websites. I hope you enjoy it. Voices I never really listened to what I had to say If I had taken my own advice my life might've gone another way. I took on all the problems of those who couldn't cope I gave them all the answers I returned to them their hope. Though never did I realize that the words were meant for me I thought my problems were too big for all the world to see. But then one night I had a dream His face is what I saw He said to me “This is the way here's how to have it all.” “Listen to yourself” He said “The answers are within Within your soul I'll talk to you Truth shall you hear and happiness shall you win.” The moral of this poem is as simple as it is true The only one who has the answers is God listening, experiencing, acting they are all up to you. So listen to the Voice inisde when it says “Child, I love you” It's God ...
Read more