Choices

Choices
John 3:36 ESV

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

     We as humans are very proud of our ability to make choices. We believe that there are literally thousands of choices for us to make on a daily basis. We think the we have control over many of the events in our lives. The truth is, God has given us the opportunity to make choices but we over estimate the number of choices we have at our disposal. From the Garden of Eden on there has only been one choice that matters. We have always had to choose whether we would submit or rebel. First it was about the forbidden fruit,  now it is about Jesus. He has not given us many ways to eternal life. According to the Bible, He has provided one way, Jesus Christ. We do have a choice, but unfortunately many people will not see their options in time. We chose between mercy and wrath.  Jesus has made a path to redemption but if we ignore that path, all that remains is wrath. I urge you to make your choice today.

His Name, Our Prayer

Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive,that your joy may be full. (John 16:24, ESV)

     There are a few things the Bible teaches us that will certainly improve our prayer lives. One of those things is faith.  As we learn to trust in God, our prayers will have much more power.  When we pray, knowing that God can answer our prayers it adds boldness and assurance in our communion with God. Another thing the Bible speaks of is righteousness.  The righteous man will indeed have the ear of the Almighty.  It is important to remember that the strength of our prayer life closely resembles the strength of our relationship with the Father.  If we allow sin to abide in our lives, that will drive a wedge between us and God.  It is true that we are covered by the blood of Jesus as believers, but this is in no way a license to sin.  Jesus also teaches us that persistence will give power to our prayers.  According to Websters dictionary, persistence is defined as: the quality that allows someone to continue doing something or trying to do something even though it is difficult or opposed by other people.  When we pray about something repeatedly and it seems that no one is listening, that is not the time to give up.  Quiet to the contrary, that is the time to keep on.  God does not give up, and we should not either.  So from our side, these are some of the things that will improve our prayer life.    
     From God's side, as we see in the above verse, there is one thing that will always unlock the power of heaven in our prayer lives.  Jesus has given us His name as the key to heaven.  In every way this is true, His is the name where by we must be saved, His is the name that protects us from the evil one, and here His is the name that ensures answered prayers. Based on the wording of this passage, Jesus is not just promising bread, water, clothes, and a home.  It seems that He wants our prayer life to be a source of joy.  We will receive more than the basics of life; we will have a deep and meaningful relationship with the Holy Trinity and we will have the lasting things that will bring us full joy.  There is nothing for which we should be afraid to ask.  God is not limited nor is He unwilling to give. The greatest hindrance to our prayer lives will always be our unwillingness to ask.  Be bold, ask of the great things and your joy will be fulfilled.