By Revd 'Remi Tejumola
Jesus says, "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them" (Mark 11:24).
I know that a lot of Christians are familiar with this verse of scripture, and probably could quote it with many other relevant scriptures. But many of these believers have failed lots of times to reap the abundant benefits therein.
Here's the reason why: They have not been fellowshipping with the Giver - their Heavenly Father. They've behaved like the mischievous child who badged into his father's privacy without any courtesy expressed, and no fellowship, but just entered in and start demanding things of him. Of course, he has the rights to those things. But if the father does not approve of such attitude those things he wanted may be denied him.
Jesus taught us in The Lord's Prayer to worship God first and fellowship with Him before and after asking for our daily bread.
"Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 'Your kingdom come Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 'Give us this day our daily bread. 'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen" (Matthew 6:9 - 6:13 NASB).
I have learnt that we must always put first things first as children of the Almighty God. Jesus said, "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? "And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? "And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:25 - 6:33 NASB).
In other words, You have the right to ask God for 'What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them' after you have praised and worship Him from the depth of your heart. In fact, when your praise and worship is acceptable to Him, God will be the first One to ask you, "Son/Daughter, what do you want Me to do for you?" It's that wonderful.
Let us practice this my brothers and sisters. His glory will be made manifest in all of our lives. God bless.
#RevdRemiTejumola#
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