3 Requests

~ Jesus Christ Requests 3 Things From Christians ~

Watch With Me  ~  “Jesus said to them [His disciples], ‘My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death.  Stay here and watch with Me’” (Matthew 26:38).  Jesus said to all His followers, “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming” (Matthew 24:42).

Remember Me  ~  “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’  In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood.  This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’  For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). 

Follow Me  ~  “Jesus said to Peter, ‘Feed My sheep.  Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.’  This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God.  And when He had spoken this, He said to him, ‘Follow Me’” (John 21:17-19).  Jesus said, “he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 10:38-39). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

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God’s 4 Responses to Prayer

~ All of God’s Responses are Answers! ~

~ The following four terms used to describe God’s answers to prayer are from an unknown source and have been around for decades. ~

In this view of looking at God’s answers to prayer, an examination is made of three factors: the request, the petitioner, and the timing. Based on those three factors, God replies in one of four ways.

Situation One
The request is acceptable to God.
The condition of the petitioner is acceptable to God.
The timing is not right from God’s perspective.
“SLOW” is the answer!
“Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11-12).

Situation Two
The request is acceptable to God.
The condition of the petitioner is not acceptable to God.
The timing is acceptable to God.
“GROW” is the answer!
“He who isn’t listening to God finds that even his prayers are an abomination to God” (Proverbs 28:9).

Situation Three
The request is not acceptable to God.
The condition of the petitioner is acceptable to God.
The timing is acceptable to God.
“NO” is the answer!
“This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14).

Situation Four
The request is acceptable to God.
The condition of the petitioner is acceptable to God.
The timing is acceptable to God.
“GO” is the answer!
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7).

COMMENT: There is more about prayer in the book “Thy Will Be Done On Earth: Understanding God’s Will for You” written by myself.