Ask and Receive

1 John 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. 18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. 19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

When I was a child, I was sometimes asked, “If you had three wishes – what would you wish for?”

Another question sometimes asked, (and very much like the first,) “If you could have anything you wanted – what would it be?”

Of course, as a child, those kinds of questions caused my mind to dance. Visions of ‘sugar-plums’ fill the mind. What would it be…what could it be…Oh the flood of the excited thinking! (As a child I could think of a LOT of things I really wanted, most of it from a VERY selfish perspective.)

But what was it that I needed most of all? Was it a new gigantic toy of some kind? Was it my favorite food? (Fried chicken.) Was it a new house, of course a mansion? Was it new friends, or fame, or fortune?

The idea of God as a genie is very popular these days. ‘Ask and you shall receive,’ is a very fortunate doctrine to proclaim.

But what do I need most of all?

This is the confidence I have in Jesus. That He alone is capable of meeting my need.

What I need most is forgiveness of sins.

I ask for forgiveness of sins knowing Jesus has already paid the price for my forgiveness, and so it would be foolish of me NOT to ask Jesus to forgive me. I may be humbled by asking, but there are many things in this world which humble me.

In fact, not asking for forgiveness of sins is THE single sin I will not be forgiven of - should I fail to ask - because I have not asked. Not asking is the sin which leads to death.

Satan may come along and tell me I am not forgiven, but I know that I am forgiven simply because I have asked to be.

-Pastor Bill