There are times when life is difficult. Lately, it seems like it's been
difficult for years. The other day (okay it was probably a few months
ago, but who's counting) I prayed and asked God if we hadn't suffered
enough. I mean it has felt that there's just been one crisis after
another popping up. We'd get clear of something and the car would break
down and we would need to spend money that we could have used for
something else on getting it fixed. Then one car would be okay and the
other car would need something. Then my boss would be late with a
paycheck that would make us late on paying a bill. It's gotten so bad
that we feel like we are no longer living month to month or even
paycheck to paycheck but from turn off notice to turn off notice..
Well when I talked to God about these things, He brought to mind a few
things I've been seeing on television. First let me say this, lately,
it started months ago, though we have not attended church, I've been
tuning in to some christian programming on television in the mornings
after my shower. Lately that's been John Hagee at 6:30 in the morning
on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. He is pastor of a church in San
Antonio. So, I've been getting fed daily, well at least during the week
days, I've been getting fed. And He has brought to mind some of the
things I've heard in the past. One of those things was that we should
remind God of His promises
Any way, one of the promises I've seized upon is found in Matt 21:21-22
21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive
So, when I pray, I ask for forgiveness, I ask that my family be blessed and our houses and property is under His protection and I've started reminding God that His son said these things. So I've also been asking for God to bless my boss in his business that business would pick up and he would be able to catch up on our back pay and keep current and on time with our current pay. I ask every night, well not every night I admit that I don't pray every night, but I do pray often during the week, for those things and I wonder do you ask once and let it go or do you continually remind God? I mean faith is involved, but how often do you bring it up? Is it showing a lack of faith by asking every night? Does it show more faith by asking once and believing that's all it takes? Does asking often help increase your faith?
In Matthew 7:7-11 (also repeated in Luke 11:9-13)
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 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?
What does the above passage mean? Does it mean only spiritual things?
Matt 18:19-20
19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
. I guess it comes down to the question of how often do you ask? I know that if my children asked me constantly for something it would drive me crazy. I realize that God won't be driven crazy by continually asking Him for help frequently, but does it show a lack of faith by asking over and over? We have an expectation of what should happen and when it should happen, but I also realize that God moves in His own time and that He acts when it's the right time. Though it would be nice to KNOW the details or at least a general date when these things would be done.
So what do you think? I'm kind of thinking that asking once is the sure way to show faith, but when faith is not strong, asking more often would be the way to go, until God says it's going to happen, just relax and expect it.
