"The Alignment"

 "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." (John 14:13 KJV)

  "Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." (Ephesians 3:20 NLT)

 Here is that which might cause some a little discomfort, especially if they are of the "Name it and Claim it" sort of believers. I once was such, temporarily caught up in the wave, so to speak, as I read a particular book that focused on praying for things with specific and complete detail. If you prayed for a bike, then you needed to make sure it was specifically the color you wanted. If you prayed for a desk, then you needed to make sure you prayed for the specific type and size.

 Hope you weren't too caught up in that? God doesn't really need you to spell out every little detail or every single thing that you hope for something to be. As it is, I have come to the relation that He knows exactly what we need, without even asking! What we need more than anything else is the power to obey all that He might ask of us, the thing that will give Him glory! 

 When we focus on the little things, such as details, we take away from the extraordinary things that God can do, within that which we ask for, especially the real task at hand, which is saving souls! More than anything else, we are in the business of reconciliation! That means, the focus must be on God leading us to people that need-to-know Christ, and the wonderful gift of Salvation. 

 When I hope to buy something, like a car or truck, I pray that I can bless someone and give a testimony within the transaction, not about the best deal or specific details of the vehicle. We are meant to be a vessel for God to use; therefore, we need to be just that, His vessel to use! Don't think that because I have said that, that I have made that my full-time goal; far from that! That is what I pray for, but then I get caught up in life, and it becomes something I had hoped for, because I missed the mark. 

 Here is the thing about asking for anything in the name of Jesus: it must be something that is aligned with Christ and is something that He would want for us to do, be, or have! We ask in the name of Jesus because it is though Jesus that the Father gets the glory! There are certain things that I do not pray for, (and maybe I should,) because I feel as though I am praying for my own benefit, and not for the glory of God. 

 There was a part in the movie, "Gods Not Dead," where the two pastors were trying to make a trip, but the car they rented would not start; so, they finally prayed about a car starting. The one pastor said to the other, "We must put our bags in the car, to show that we believe it will start," and then they got in and it started. 

 In a strange sort of way, that is exactly the point! If we are the vessel that God is going to use, then we must be the vessel that He is going to use! What does that look like? You put your bags in the car, which basically means: You Show Up... 

"Jesus knew the Pharisses had heard he was baptizing and making more disciples than John (though Jesus himself didn't baptize them - his disciples did). So he left Judea and returned to Galilee. He had to go through Samaria on the way. Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave his Son Joseph. Jacob's well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noon time. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink." He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. The woman was surprised, for Jews refused to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?" Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water."" (John 4:1-10 NLT)