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John 16:23 – And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
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Take a moment and read our Text for Today two or three more times; slowly; observantly. All through the Old Testament, when one prayed, he/she spoke to Jehovah. When Jesus established His earthly ministry, anything the disciples needed, or those who followed Jesus desired, they came directly to Jesus; healing, provision, deliverance….whatever they needed. But in our Text for Today we see a major change about to be established. Once again, look closely at the words of Jesus.
“In that day ye shall ask me nothing.” To what does “that day” refer? It refers to that moment when their joy would be fully restored; the time following His resurrection, ascension, and sending of Holy Ghost to establish the church. From that day forward, one would no longer make requests of Jesus. Please note that this Scripture does NOT say one cannot or should not commune with Jesus. On the contrary, every believer should SURELYcommune with Jesus. He is to be given thanks, praise, and worship. He is to be honored in our daily living. After all, HE IS LORD! But what itDOES say should not be altered. He said, “In that day ye shall ASK me nothing.” Previously, before the existence of the church, men asked much of Jesus. But after the church was birthed, that would no longer be the case.
Yet in so many places where I travel to minister, I often hear people making petition of Jesus. They call on Jesus to heal, to do miracles, to meet needs, to deliver, to do for them whatever it is they SHOULD BE asking of the Father. Once again I admonish you to read, clearly understand, and follow the instruction of our Lord Jesus. Jesus said, “In that day ye shall ASK ME NOTHING.” So why do so many people offer their prayers of petition and supplication to Jesus? I believe the greatest cause of this action in the prayer lives of so many arise from the failure of Christians, and especially men and women of God who have been set in the five-fold ministry by the Lord, to “rightly divide” the Word of God. There is entirely too much generalization in the pulpit of churches – WORLDWIDE. My friend, if you can “rightly divide” the Word of Truth, you can “wrongly divide” it, and much of the wrong division of the Word of Truth rises from traditions of men that have been handed down from previous generations, laziness in study on the part of believers, and a sense of arrogance that often seems to rest in the five-fold ministry. These things MUST be stopped. Traditions make the Word of God of none effect. Laziness (slothfulness) tends to poverty, and in this arena, deep poverty of revelation knowledge. And arrogance (pride) goes before a fall. Awaken, my friend. There is light to be gained and darkness to be pierced. Lay aside non-Biblical tradition, study to show yourself approved to God (not man), and humble yourself under the mighty hand of God by exalting His Word above your own.
Manna for Today – John 16:16-24; John 14:12-14; John 15:7; Mark 11:22-24; Mark 16:15-20; 2 Timothy 2:15
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My Second Miler by Dr. Beechard Moorefield 