Dec 27 2021

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.

When we come to a place where we can trust God with our lives, we are growing in our relationship with Him.

In this afternoon's verse in First John, we read that if we ask anything, God will hear us. But there are some words between those two clauses that people often forget about or conveniently ignore. The Scripture says that if we ask anything according to His will, God will hear us.

This verse, without those qualifying words, has justified the actions of many who pray for extravagant things, and expect God to hear and answer their prayers. Isn't God saying that we can ask for a million dollars and He will hear our prayers? Some people believe so -- but that isn't what Scripture says. Only when we ask according to God's will does He hear and answer our prayers.

That means we intentionally seek the heart of God. We read His Word and learn about His character. He is our Father and He loves to give good gifts to His children. However, only He knows what is best for us.

Asking according to God's will begins by saying, "God, you know what I need. If it is your will, please provide _______ for me." Then we leave the results up to Him. We don't make demands of God; we simply come to Him in humility and ask.

God can give us confidence to know His character and understand His will for our lives, so that we ask for the right things. When we pray, we know that God always hears us. Let's make our prayers line up with God's Word and with an understanding of how He has always taken care of His children.

Heavenly Father, I am so grateful you hear my prayers. I know that sometimes I miss the mark in what I ask for because I think I know what I need. I don't want to pray selfish or greedy prayers, and I don't want my prayers to be in vain. Because you created me and have given me everything I have, help me have confidence that you know best how to provide for me. Help me study your Word faithfully so I know more about you. Thank you for all you have given to me. In Jesus's name, amen.

Dec 26 2021

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. :

For many people, love is not beautiful. Love can be messy, painful, hurtful, and complicated. When Paul wrote his letter to the church in Ephesus, he encouraged them to evaluate how they loved each other.

He tells them to be meek and lowly; in other words, to be humble, which is the opposite of selfishness. In our lives today, being self-centered can damage friendships, family, and marriages. Humility means that we push our own feelings and desires aside and care more about others than ourselves.

The next word Paul uses is "longsuffering," which means "patient." When we operate in patient love, we commit to staying with the people we love for the long haul. We don't walk away as soon as things get complicated or challenging. We demonstrate the kind of patience that others will have to show us someday.

The last words of encouragement in this Scripture passage are "forbearing one another in love." Sometimes we have to bear with one another, although that does not mean we should allow toxic relationships in our lives. It means we realize that no one is perfect, and we all need God's help. So, we allow each other to make mistakes and forgive each other when needed. We let love be the basis for everything we say and do.

Our love for God should be reflected in how we love each other. God is loving and patient with us. He never leaves us, even when we are difficult to love. We should treat each other with the same attitude—and with God's help, we can.

Lord, sometimes I am disappointed in my relationships with others. Maybe my expectations of them aren't fair. Perhaps I want to be loved without having to show love in return. Please enable me to love, even when I don't want to and it's difficult. Make me meek, patient, and loving in how I treat others. I know that people who do not know you may not want to accept your love, but I need your love every day. Help my actions to be like yours. Thank you for your love for me. In Jesus' name, amen.
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