Ask And You Shall Receive

Two Wednesdays ago at choir practice for a local church's Christmas program, the choir director told the choir he was offered an organ for the church at $14,000. This is an incredible price as most organs are upwards of $75,000. This was a sample organ or display piece. Perfect condition. As the church really needs an organ, the director was excited about the lower price, but was told he could not ask for money for it. The church is about to begin a building campaign and the focus is on getting money for that. So as a choir they decided to pray for $14,000. Two days ago, the choir director said an anonymous donor gave the choir $11,000 for the organ. Combined with several other donations he received, the total was just $1,200 short. But then sitting there at choir, one of the members said, "I'll give you the rest." She gave it in memory of her husband who loved the choir. In less than a week, the director had all $14,000 necessary for the organ. A Christmas miracle? Perhaps, but it was certainly a miraculous answer to prayer. They prayed for $14,000. He got every penny.

Could he have received the $14,000 without prayer? Perhaps. It seemed honestly quite futile to even try to raise that much money for the organ with the building campaign looming. But with God nothing is impossible. With prayer, anything is possible. Matthew 21:22 says, "And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” Matthew 7:7 says: "Ask, and it will be given to you seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." In John 13:13-14, Jesus says, "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it."

We want to make sure you both know that God can and will miraculously answer prayer. It is His choice as to how and when He does so, but when He does, what glory He receives! For every time the story is shared about getting the church organ in the future, people will say, "Let me tell you how we got the money ... it started with a prayer."

Now sometimes our Father chooses to answer no to these types of prayers. And if He does, He has a very good reason and likely an even better answer for the prayer than the one asked for. The point is to pray.

Brad and I watched a Christmas movie last night called "The Christmas Candle" based on a book by Max Lucado. It tells the story of a pastor and his church who learn about the power of prayer, and features miraculous answer after miraculous answer to it. James tells us in 4:2-3 "You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." We need to remember first off to pray for the desires of our hearts, but also to do so with the right motives and intentions. "Lord, help me win the lottery" is probably not the right prayer. But "Lord help me be a blessing with what you've blessed me," has better motives.

So go boldly to the throne. Go humbly. Go righteously. Go together. You have the opportunity to bow before the throne of the Creator of the World and ask Him anything you want. He will decided how He wants to answer those prayers. The point is to go.

Discussion: Share about a miraculous answer to prayer. What miraculous answer to prayer do you need right now? Do you think your motives for it are in line with what God would want? 

Prayer: Creator God, you hold the world and the future in your hands. How comforting to know you have everything in control and are working it for our good. Lord, we have request for healing, job changes, finances, successes, peace and so much more. We pray, Father, our prayers are in accord with your will. We love you. In Jesus name, Amen.