Life Plan Devotion #111 [Get prayers answered, Part IV]

Matthew 7:7a "Ask and it will be given to you..." (NIV).

Of the 7 basic conditions to answered prayer, we have looked at the first two:
1) Pray in the Name of Jesus.
2) Pray with praise and thanksgiving.
Today, we will look at the third condition: 3) Pray without known sin in your life. While rejection of Jesus Christ, our Savior, is what keeps one out of heaven, God does hate sin. God hates sin, for what it does in the heart and life of even the believer. Sin keeps the believer from an intimate relationship with God, and God is all about relationship!
When Jesus was on the cross, He cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46, NIV). Not only was that the prophetic fulfillment of Psalm 22:1, but we get a picture of how our Holy God reacts to sin. He turns away, because He must! Christ did not feel forsaken, in that He did not feel abandoned by His Father, to the painful death of crucifixion. He knew why He had to die, and certainly He laid down His life, willingly. At the very moment when all the sins of the entire world (past, present, and future) came upon our Savior, God turned His head, for He cannot look at sin.
If God refuses to look at sin, it makes perfect sense that He turns a deaf ear to sin. The psalmist said, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me" (Psalm 66:18, KJV). While the wording is plain, let's look at the Hebrew meanings of each of some of the key words in that verse.
regard: to see; advise self, approve, behold, consider, enjoy, experience, gaze, take heed, joyfully look on, be near, perceive, have regard for, have respect for, cause to see, let see, show self, spy, stare, think, view, visions.
iniquity: strict meaning=>nothingness; trouble, vanity, wickedness; specifically=>an idol: affliction, evil, false, idol, mischief, mourning, naught, sorrow, unjust, unrighteous, vain vanity, wickedness.
heart: used figuratively very widely for the feelings, will, and even the intellect.
hear: to hear intelligently (with implication of attention, obedience); consent, consider, discern, give ear, listen, make a proclamation, regard, show forth, make a sound.
If you have known (unconfessed) sin in your life, your prayer will never get past your lips. If you want God to hear your prayer and answer it, you must "stay current" with God. When you pray, you must confess any and every sin. When you know you've "blown it," confess it. Repent of it. Forgiveness is assured. Why carry a sin, when Jesus already carried it for you?
Intimacy with the Lord should be so important that we spend some time in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to shine His searchlight into every corner and crevice of our heart. Our heart's cry should be, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV).
Do you want the promise of Matthew 7:7 to apply to you and your prayers? Pray without unconfessed sin in your life. God will hear, for "the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16, NIV). If you are in right standing with God, you are righteous, and God will hear your prayer.

What this has to do with weight loss: For most people, the sin of gluttony ushered in obesity. If you want your prayer to lose weight answered, confess and receive forgiveness for excessive eating, and, when tempted, look to the Lord for help and a way out of the temptation.

Confession:
I keep a clean slate with God, so that my relationship with Him is right, and I know He hears and will answer my prayer.

Life Plan Devotion #109 [Getting your prayers answered, Part II]

Matthew 7:7 "Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need" (Message).

Last time, we looked at the first of 7 basic conditions to answered prayer, to pray in the Name of Jesus. Today, we will begin to look at the second condition: 2) Pray with praise and thanksgiving.
In my ladies' Bible Study group, we've been studying the Old Testament wilderness Tabernacle, the place where God's presence dwelt during the wilderness wanderings of the children of Israel. Every part of the Tabernacle, from the eastern gate to the Holy of Holies, is a shadow of Jesus and redemption.
We learned that God directed where the 12 tribes of Israel would be encamped, around the Tabernacle. The tribe of Judah camped just outside the eastern gate (the only entrance) to the Tabernacle. The name Judah means "praise."
It is interesting to look at some of the Hebrew and Greek words for "praise" (used in the Bible) and the definitions.
yâdâh (yaw-daw’) Hebrew: to hold out the hand; to revere or worship with extended hands; give thanks.
hilûwl (hil-lool’) Hebrew: a sense of rejoicing; a celebration of thanksgiving for harvest.
tehillâh (teh-hil-law’) Hebrew: laudation; a hymn.
tôwdâh (to-daw’) Hebrew: adoration; a choir of worshipers; confession; sacrifice of praise, thanksgiving.
bârak (baw-rak’) Hebrew: to kneel; to bless God as an act of adoration.
hâlal (haw-lal’) Hebrew: to be clear; to shine; to celebrate.
zâmar (zaw-mar’) Hebrew: to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument; to make music, accompanied by the voice; to celebrate in song and music; sing forth praises, psalms.
shebach (sheb-akh’) Hebrew: to adore.
aininĕsis (ah’-ee-nes-is) Greek: the act of praising; a thank offering.
ainĕō (ahee-neh’-o) Greek: to praise God.
dŏxa (dox-ah) Greek: glory, dignity, glorious, honour, praise, worship.
ĕpainĕō (ep-ahee-neh’-o) Greek: to applaud, commend, laud, praise.
humnĕō (hoom-neh’-o) Greek: to celebrate God in song.
As you can see, there are many ways to praise God. Let's look at what the Word has to say about praise:
Hebrews 13:15 [Amplified] "Through Him, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name." Everything we say should be glorifying to God. It's something we should do all the time. That's a challenge!
Psalm 22:3 [KJV] "Thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel." Where does God live/dwell/inhabit? In the praises of His people, so if you want to be sure that God meets you when you pray, just begin by praising Him.

What this has to do with weight loss: When the weight-loss journey gets intense, take some time to praise and thank God for how He has blessed your journey so far, and look to Him for more blessings to come.

Confession:
When I pray, I will offer to God my sacrifice of praise, not only for what God is doing in my life but for who He is. Because God inhabits praise, I know that God is truly present when I praise and worship Him in prayer.

Life Plan Devotion #108 [How to get your prayers answered]

Matthew 7:7a "Ask, and it shall be given you..." [KJV].

Last time, we looked at the 4 principles of asking:
1) Ask as if you expect to get it, which is faith.
2) Ask someone who has the authority to give it to you, which is praying in the name of Jesus.
3) Ask in a way that is clear and specific, which is praying with a clear intention.
4) Ask repeatedly, which is praying with persistence.
There are 7 basic conditions to answered prayer. Today, we will look at the first condition: 1) Pray in the Name of Jesus. In John 14:13-14, Jesus says, "I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it" (NIV). Praying in the Name of Jesus is more than just tacking on "in Jesus' Name" at the end of your prayers.
What is Jesus' Name? Isaiah prophesied about Jesus, when he said, "Unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6, NIV). In my searching of the Scriptures, I have found 103 names of Jesus, from A-W, in many books from Genesis to Revelation.
What is so special about Jesus' name? "God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow...and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11, NIV).
When I taught high school, I was astounded at how few young people really understood the importance of one's name. Your name is who you are, and it's what you make of it! Every name has a meaning, and in times past, parents chose the name of their new baby very carefully, as it was very often a type of prophecy as to who that baby would become, character wise.
How often do you hear the name of God or Jesus Christ spoken in a flippant or profane manner? No doubt it takes a "Damascus Road experience" (read the account of Saul's conversion in Acts chapter 9) to appreciate the Name of Jesus. Demons tremble at the sound of that Name, and all Heaven stands at attention when you mention that Name--Jesus.
Meditate on the Name of Jesus. Look at the names of Jesus used in God's Word, until you get an understanding of Who He IS. How will you know when you get that "understanding"? If you can speak at all, you will echo the words of David, when he proclaimed, "Let all the earth fear [revere and worship Him]; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him" (Psalm 33:8, Amplified).

What this has to do with weight loss: If you are a believer, God calls you "the elect of God, holy and beloved" (Colossians 3:12, NKJV). You are His beloved. You are much loved, which is what "beloved" means. Have no doubt that He wants the very best for you, including a healthy body, and He has given you the powerful Name of Jesus in which to pray to the Father. Speak The Name in awe, and pray it wisely.

Confession:
The Name of Jesus is awesome and powerful, just as is He! When I pray, I pray in the Name of Jesus, as directed by Jesus and in accordance with God's Word, and I am assured that He will do what I ask, for His glory.

Life Plan Devotion #107 [Ask]

Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you" [NIV].

If you want to receive from God, you must ask Him. The Greek word for "ask" in Matthew 7:7 is aitĕō, which means "to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require." It is interesting to notice the varying degrees of intensity implied in that list. If you think about it, each word fits nicely within the list of words in defining the Greek word for "need" from Philippians 4:19 (see Devotion #104).
The Greek word for "given" in Matthew 7:7 is didōmi, which means "adventure, bring forth, commit, deliver, give, grant, receive." When I read those words, I was impressed with the implication of time. Sometimes the result of the promise, "Ask and it will be given to you..." is instant; sometimes it takes much longer; sometimes it comes with an "adventure," usually a faith adventure.
Yesterday, we looked at 4 principles of asking. Let's review them and see if we can make a spiritual connection to each one:
1) Ask as if you expect to get it. That is an excellent way of pointing to the important concept of asking in faith. Matthew 21:22 says, "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
2) Ask someone who has the authority to give it to you. Remember our previous verse, Philippians 4:19? Look at the last part: "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Ask God, in the name of Jesus.
3) Ask in a way that is clear and specific. In Luke 18:41, Jesus asks the blind beggar who had cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" the following question, "What do you want me to do for you?" Did Jesus not know the man was blind? Did Jesus not know what the man wanted? Of course Jesus knew the man was blind, and He knew the man wanted to see, but Jesus asked him the same question He asks you today, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man answers Jesus' question by responding, "Lord, I want to see." That is clear and specific.
4) Ask repeatedly. Unless what you're asking for is clearly stated in God's Word as God's Will, you should be persistent. In Luke 18:1-5, Jesus tells the parable of the persistent widow, who kept coming to the judge to plead for justice. The purpose of this parable, according to Luke 18:1 is "to show [His disciples] that they should always pray and not give up" (NIV). [Note: Information added in brackets by author, for clarity.]
Prayer is powerful, but God can do nothing until you ask. This has been His "track record" since the Book of Genesis. In the secular world, sometimes you don't ask because you're afraid of rejection. You deny yourself, when you do that. Someone once said, "Some will, some won't,...so what!" Reject rejection! In the spiritual realm, "...You do not have, because you do not ask God" (James 4:2, NIV). If you do not ask, it won't happen.

What this has to do with weight loss: I have opportunity to talk to various people who are on the weight-loss journey, and their needs are many. More times than not, after listening to their situation, I will ask, "Have you prayed and asked God to help you with that?" More times than not, their answer will be, "No, I haven't thought to do that yet." You can almost hear, "I could have had a V8!"--the commercial. If you haven't asked God to help you, why don't you do that now, and be sure to listen for the answer and His help for your situation.

Confession: According to the promise of Matthew 7:7, I ask in prayer, in faith believing that "it will be given to [me]."