If you want something, just ask

Prayer is not about wearing down a reluctant God. It is not about prying open the fingers of a greedy God. I loved giving to my kids and I love even more giving to my grandkids. My wife can hardly think of seeing our grandkids without a gift in hand. Love loves to give.

God loves to give. If you want something, ask. Bruce Wilkinson recounts a fascinating story to illustrate this point:

There’s a little fable about a Mr. Jones who dies and goes to heaven. Peter is waiting at the gates to give him a tour. Amid the splendor of golden streets, beautiful mansions, and choirs of angels that Peter shows him, Mr. Jones notices an odd-looking building. He thinks it looks like an enormous warehouse—it has no windows and only one door. But when he asks to see inside, Peter hesitates. “You really don’t want to see what’s in there,” he tells the new arrival.

Why would there be any secrets in heaven? Jones wonders. What incredible surprise could be waiting for me in there? When the official tour is over he’s still wondering, so he asks again to see inside the structure.

Finally Peter relents. When the apostle opens the door, Mr. Jones almost knocks him over in his haste to enter. It turns out that the enormous building is filled with row after row of shelves, floor to ceiling, each stacked neatly with white boxes tied in red ribbons.

 “These boxes all have names on them,” Mr. Jones muses aloud. Then turning to Peter he asks, “Do I have one?”

“Yes, you do.” Peter tries to guide Mr. Jones back outside. “Frankly,” Peter says, “if I were you….” But Mr. Jones is already dashing toward the “J” aisle to find his box.

Peter follows, shaking his head. He catches up with Mr. Jones just as he is slipping the red ribbon off his box and popping the lid. Looking inside, Jones has a moment of instant recognition, and he lets out a deep sigh like the ones Peter has heard so many times before.

Because there in Mr. Jones’s white box are all the blessings that God wanted to give to him while he was on earth…but Mr. Jones had never asked. — The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life (Breakthrough Series) by Bruce Wilkinson

Although this is only a fable, I believe it tells an important truth: God wants to bless you. Here are the straightforward words from Jesus Himself, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38).

This lesson will challenge your group to pray big, bold prayers to your Heavenly Father who loves to give.

8 ready-to-use, discussion-based Bible lessons on the topic: What My Grandbabies Taught Me About Theology. You might not think that a newborn could teach anything about anything. I mean, what does a baby know? Here is what I learned when I held my grandbaby for the first time:

Lesson #1
I am loved / Zephaniah 3.17; John 3.16

Lesson #2
God Protects, Even When I Am Not Aware / Psalm 34

Lesson #3
We Are All Sinners / Romans 3.9 - 26

Lesson #4
God’s Commands Are Good Deuteronomy 6.18; 
Hebrews 11.6; 1 John 5.3

Lesson #5
All God’s Children Are Unique 
Psalm 139; Ephesians 2.10

Lesson #6
Life Is Better When We Get Along
Psalm 133.1; Romans 12.18, 14.15; Hebrews 12.14

Lesson #7
He Has the Whole World In His Hands Matthew 6.25 - 34

Lesson #8
If You Want Something, Ask 
Matthew 7.7 - 11

This study is available on Amazon, as well as part of my Good Questions Have Groups Talking subscription service.

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