First, I want to point out that as I read the Bible, anything that is being repeated over and over again I feel like I should pay extra attention to. Right now, I’m in the early chapters of 1st Kings. I’m reading about Solomon when the Lord appeared to him and told him to “ask what I shall give thee.” (v.3:5) My heart paused. Why did my heart pause? Because Solomon asked the most humblest request of God. He didn’t ask for riches, long life, or for the lives of his enemies, but he asked God to give him an understanding heart to be able to judge His chosen people.
Solomon presented himself before God in truth, admitting that he hadn’t a clue of what he was doing. This pleased God. I was just amazed. I begin to reflect on my prayer life like I wonder if my prayers please God like that. It also made me think about my prayer posture. Am I approaching God with the same humility as Solomon? Am I asking for the right things?
Shoo… I know my prayers include financial provision and the reception of my promised years. LOL.
Although I will say, my prayers can be pretty balanced. I often pray ask God to just have his way with me, give me the strength to surrender and deny myself. Give me the strength to be obedient. Mold me and cut me into who you want me to be. Order my steps and give me your will Father. Etc…
Ok, so back to Solomon, even more amazing is God’s response. I’ll paraphrase God’s answer. He said, because you asked for this instead of riches, long life, or the life of your enemy, I have granted you what you have asked for and I have granted you what you have not asked for. (v.3:11) Right there, I had to praise God.
It reminds me of where I am with God now. He’s been blessing me tremendously. He’s given me what I have asked for and what I have not. Two days ago, I had to take my brand spanking new – to me- minivan to get state inspection.
Now at this point, my funds are just a bit tight and I hadn’t anticipated spending $90. But I’m like whatever, God blessed me with this van and he’ll make sure I’ll be able to take care of whatever I need to take care of.
So, I went to one place and there weren’t sure if they could take me. Plus, I didn’t care for their…I can’t think of the word but basically I thought they were rude. So I drove off and parked so I could look for another place. I found one and called.
Just by the phone conversation, I knew this was the place I was going. The guy that answered the phone was very polite and welcoming. He told me that he was unsure if they could get to me but if they did, it would be 2-3 hours. I told him I would come anyway and if they can’t take me it’s okay. He mentioned to me that if I was a first time customer, I would get $20 off. I said praise God because I could use the break.
Don’t be mad at me y’all. I really want to tell you the whole story but I’m getting sidetracked. Let me make a long story short… the man walked in the waiting room and gave me my paperwork and said I was free to go. Y’all, my state inspection was F R E E . Do you know I started crying? All I could do as praise the Lord. That’s a pure example of God giving you what you didn’t ask for. My God. My God. Jehovah Jireh. He’s my provider!!!!!!!!
Back to 1st Kings 3:11, y’all know I love reading the reference text to gain more clarity. 1st Kings 3:11 references James 4:3 which says “he ask, and receive not because ye ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts.”
I was a bit confused so I read from the beginning of James 4 and then I looked up the definition of amiss in the dictionary and it all made sense. Just right before James 4:3 at the end of James 4:2, it says
“…ye have not because ye ask not”. Most of us are familiar with that saying. I mean that’s a pretty famous line. But that line gives the impression that God is going to fulfill your every want, need, or desire just by you asking.
Here’s where against the grain comes in to play because God told me, nope, that’s not true. You can ask and still have not. That’s what part of James 4:3 is saying. You ask but do not receive because you ask out of the proper order (amiss).
The definition of amiss is:
out of the right or proper course, order, or condition; improperly; wrongly; astray.
Right there, God spoke to me. He said when most people ask, they aren’t in the right place to even be asking me for anything. Now, he also revealed that order and place are the same here. For example, when someone says put that back in order, you do what? You put it in the place it belongs in. How many of you are in the place you belong in with God? How many of you are in God’s order?
Man oh man. That’s a word right there. When I tell you that this journal is longer than this but I can’t even go on, because God wants me to leave that right there. I just had to praise God. It’s been a long time coming for me. PRAISE GOD that I am in the place I belong in with Him, now. Because you all know I wasn’t.
All that comes to mind is Tamela Mann’s song In This Place when she sings “I’m so glad I’m living my life in this place”. This is the place to be. God got me doing an altar call here.
Again, I ask, how many of you are in the place you belong in with God?
How many of you are out of God’s order and need to be put back?
When I tell you God gave me this word a few days ago, he wouldn’t let me alone. I went to bed with it, woke up with it, and even got upset that I couldn’t get it out. I knew it was for someone. I couldn’t shake it.
Even now, this isn’t the whole journal article I wrote but Holy Spirit took over as I’m typing
.
God, I do not know who this is for. I’ve been out of place. I know what it feels like to be out of place and not know what to do. I know what I’ve been through. I know how I lived. I know what I gave up. Months ago when I saw Pastor D in Baltimore and he talked about order and getting back in God’s order, it stuck with me. The life I just left was so out of order it don’t make no sense. There is someone maybe in a similar relationship or just in a place where they know they aren’t living in your divine order and don’t know what to do. They may be scared. They may be broken. They may not even know how to reach you. Lord, I lift my hands up and pray that you show yourself to them God. Uplift them and give them the strength they need to get back in order with you. To get back to the place of greatness they belong in. That you destined for them. They may have lost their faith long ago Lord. Give them the strength to build up their faith again Lord. Show them that you are there with them. God I pray that they surrender themselves to you. All of you. All of them. My prayer for you is that one day you too can sing “I’m so glad I’m living my life in this place”. Amen!
Solomon presented himself before God in truth, admitting that he hadn’t a clue of what he was doing. This pleased God. I was just amazed. I begin to reflect on my prayer life like I wonder if my prayers please God like that. It also made me think about my prayer posture. Am I approaching God with the same humility as Solomon? Am I asking for the right things?
Shoo… I know my prayers include financial provision and the reception of my promised years. LOL.
Although I will say, my prayers can be pretty balanced. I often pray ask God to just have his way with me, give me the strength to surrender and deny myself. Give me the strength to be obedient. Mold me and cut me into who you want me to be. Order my steps and give me your will Father. Etc…
Ok, so back to Solomon, even more amazing is God’s response. I’ll paraphrase God’s answer. He said, because you asked for this instead of riches, long life, or the life of your enemy, I have granted you what you have asked for and I have granted you what you have not asked for. (v.3:11) Right there, I had to praise God.
It reminds me of where I am with God now. He’s been blessing me tremendously. He’s given me what I have asked for and what I have not. Two days ago, I had to take my brand spanking new – to me- minivan to get state inspection.
Now at this point, my funds are just a bit tight and I hadn’t anticipated spending $90. But I’m like whatever, God blessed me with this van and he’ll make sure I’ll be able to take care of whatever I need to take care of.
So, I went to one place and there weren’t sure if they could take me. Plus, I didn’t care for their…I can’t think of the word but basically I thought they were rude. So I drove off and parked so I could look for another place. I found one and called.
Just by the phone conversation, I knew this was the place I was going. The guy that answered the phone was very polite and welcoming. He told me that he was unsure if they could get to me but if they did, it would be 2-3 hours. I told him I would come anyway and if they can’t take me it’s okay. He mentioned to me that if I was a first time customer, I would get $20 off. I said praise God because I could use the break.
Don’t be mad at me y’all. I really want to tell you the whole story but I’m getting sidetracked. Let me make a long story short… the man walked in the waiting room and gave me my paperwork and said I was free to go. Y’all, my state inspection was F R E E . Do you know I started crying? All I could do as praise the Lord. That’s a pure example of God giving you what you didn’t ask for. My God. My God. Jehovah Jireh. He’s my provider!!!!!!!!
Back to 1st Kings 3:11, y’all know I love reading the reference text to gain more clarity. 1st Kings 3:11 references James 4:3 which says “he ask, and receive not because ye ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts.”
I was a bit confused so I read from the beginning of James 4 and then I looked up the definition of amiss in the dictionary and it all made sense. Just right before James 4:3 at the end of James 4:2, it says
“…ye have not because ye ask not”. Most of us are familiar with that saying. I mean that’s a pretty famous line. But that line gives the impression that God is going to fulfill your every want, need, or desire just by you asking.
Here’s where against the grain comes in to play because God told me, nope, that’s not true. You can ask and still have not. That’s what part of James 4:3 is saying. You ask but do not receive because you ask out of the proper order (amiss).
The definition of amiss is:
out of the right or proper course, order, or condition; improperly; wrongly; astray.
Right there, God spoke to me. He said when most people ask, they aren’t in the right place to even be asking me for anything. Now, he also revealed that order and place are the same here. For example, when someone says put that back in order, you do what? You put it in the place it belongs in. How many of you are in the place you belong in with God? How many of you are in God’s order?
Man oh man. That’s a word right there. When I tell you that this journal is longer than this but I can’t even go on, because God wants me to leave that right there. I just had to praise God. It’s been a long time coming for me. PRAISE GOD that I am in the place I belong in with Him, now. Because you all know I wasn’t.
All that comes to mind is Tamela Mann’s song In This Place when she sings “I’m so glad I’m living my life in this place”. This is the place to be. God got me doing an altar call here.
Again, I ask, how many of you are in the place you belong in with God?
How many of you are out of God’s order and need to be put back?
When I tell you God gave me this word a few days ago, he wouldn’t let me alone. I went to bed with it, woke up with it, and even got upset that I couldn’t get it out. I knew it was for someone. I couldn’t shake it.
Even now, this isn’t the whole journal article I wrote but Holy Spirit took over as I’m typing
.
God, I do not know who this is for. I’ve been out of place. I know what it feels like to be out of place and not know what to do. I know what I’ve been through. I know how I lived. I know what I gave up. Months ago when I saw Pastor D in Baltimore and he talked about order and getting back in God’s order, it stuck with me. The life I just left was so out of order it don’t make no sense. There is someone maybe in a similar relationship or just in a place where they know they aren’t living in your divine order and don’t know what to do. They may be scared. They may be broken. They may not even know how to reach you. Lord, I lift my hands up and pray that you show yourself to them God. Uplift them and give them the strength they need to get back in order with you. To get back to the place of greatness they belong in. That you destined for them. They may have lost their faith long ago Lord. Give them the strength to build up their faith again Lord. Show them that you are there with them. God I pray that they surrender themselves to you. All of you. All of them. My prayer for you is that one day you too can sing “I’m so glad I’m living my life in this place”. Amen!
Amen sis! Beautiful blog
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