In this chapter, Miller begins by reminding us of a verse in the Lord's Prayer:
Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:11
He says that in the Greek this actually "is an obscure expression that literally means 'give us tomorrow's bread today.' It hints at the abundance God wants to bring into our lives."
He mentions how, many times, it doesn't occur to us to ask God for material things, such as vacation homes. Most of the time, instead of asking God for things, because we feel too selfish, we just go ahead and make purchases without taking the requests to Him. "But he wants to be part of all the decisions we make", Miller says. "He wants our material needs to draw us into our soul needs. This is what it means to abide-to include him in every aspect of our lives."
Miller also gives the example of asking God for a promotion. "It feels selfish to pray for one, so instead we'll work for one! We end up separating a big part of our lives from God because we are trying to feel good about ourselves." I would add that we try and keep from feeling selfish!
If we are in the market for a vacation home, we are likely to pray and ask God to help us find the right home, one that would fit our budget and our family. One that wouldn't be too much work, etc. What Miller says is that we are less likely to ask God questions like, "Will a vacation home elevate us above people?" "Will it isolate us?" The first type of questions are basically asking God to be our financial adviser. The second type, it is obvious that he is our Lord. We are abiding. We are allowing Him to be a part of our lives on a whole different level. Miller says, "We also shy away from prayers like these because they invite God to rule our lives. They make us vulnerable...Left to ourselves, we want God to be a genie not a person." This was convicting to me.
The second part of chapter 16 discusses how important it is to include, along with God, other believers in our lives and our decision making. Basically, Miller is pointing out how important accountability is because it is possible that we may use, "I prayed about it" as a spiritual cover up for "doing our own thing."
A Praying Life ~ Chapter 15 ~ Part 2
Allow me to quote the same verses from yesterday, but with different emphasis...
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
John 14:13-14
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
John 15:7
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
John 15:16
In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
John 16:23-34
By asking in Jesus' name, Miller says, it gives our prayers "royal access". His illustration on page 135 is very helpful.
"Imagine that your prayer is a poorly dressed beggar reeking of alcohol and body odor, stumbling toward the palace of the great king. You have become your prayer. As you shuffle toward the barred gate, the guards stiffen. Your smell has preceded you. You stammer out a message for the great king: 'I want to see the king.' Your words are barely intelligible, but you whisper one final word, 'Jesus. I come in the name of Jesus.' At the name of Jesus, as if by magic, the palace comes alive. The guards snap to attention, bowing low in front of you. Lights come on, and the door flies open. You are ushered into the palace and down a long hallway into the throne room of the great king, who comes running to you and wraps you in his arms.
"The name of Jesus gives my prayers royal access. They get through. Jesus isn't just the Savior of my soul. He's also the Savior of my prayers. My prayers come before the throne of God as the prayers of Jesus. 'Asking in Jesus' name' isn't another thing I have to get right so my prayers are perfect. It is one more gift of God because my prayers are so imperfect.
"Jesus' seal not only guarantees that my package gets through, but it also transforms the package."
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
John 14:13-14
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
John 15:7
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
John 15:16
In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
John 16:23-34
By asking in Jesus' name, Miller says, it gives our prayers "royal access". His illustration on page 135 is very helpful.
"Imagine that your prayer is a poorly dressed beggar reeking of alcohol and body odor, stumbling toward the palace of the great king. You have become your prayer. As you shuffle toward the barred gate, the guards stiffen. Your smell has preceded you. You stammer out a message for the great king: 'I want to see the king.' Your words are barely intelligible, but you whisper one final word, 'Jesus. I come in the name of Jesus.' At the name of Jesus, as if by magic, the palace comes alive. The guards snap to attention, bowing low in front of you. Lights come on, and the door flies open. You are ushered into the palace and down a long hallway into the throne room of the great king, who comes running to you and wraps you in his arms.
"The name of Jesus gives my prayers royal access. They get through. Jesus isn't just the Savior of my soul. He's also the Savior of my prayers. My prayers come before the throne of God as the prayers of Jesus. 'Asking in Jesus' name' isn't another thing I have to get right so my prayers are perfect. It is one more gift of God because my prayers are so imperfect.
"Jesus' seal not only guarantees that my package gets through, but it also transforms the package."
A Praying Life ~ Chapter 15
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
John 14:13-14
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
John 15:7
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
John 15:16
In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
John 16:23-34
Miller asks the question, "What do we do with Jesus' extravagant promises about prayer?"
In Scripture, James explains two dangers in asking that are displayed in the following chart.
One of the dangers comes from us not even asking! James 4:2b says, You do not have, because you do not ask God. Miller explains that Jesus' prayer at Gethsemane avoids the Not Asking cliff. In Mark 14:36a, Jesus says, Abba, Father,...everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Miller explains that, "Those who err on the Not Asking side surrender to God before they are real with him. Sometimes we try so hard to be good that we aren't real. The result is functional deism, where we are separated from God. The real you doesn't encounter the real God."
The second danger comes from asking selfishly. James 4:3 says, When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. Jesus' prayer also avoids the Asking Selfishly cliff. In Mark 14:36b, Jesus says, Yet not what I will, but what you will. "Jesus is real about his feelings, but they don't control him, nor does he try to control God with them. He doesn't use his ability to communicate with his Father as a means of doing his own will. He submits to the story that his Father is weaving in his life."
In understanding Jesus' teaching on prayer, the bottom line is as Miller states it. "All of Jesus' teaching on prayer in the Gospels can be summarized with one word: ask. his greatest concern is that our failure or reluctance to ask keeps us distant from God. But that is not the only reason he tells us to ask anything. God wants to give us good gifts. He loves to give."
John 14:13-14
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
John 15:7
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
John 15:16
In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
John 16:23-34
Miller asks the question, "What do we do with Jesus' extravagant promises about prayer?"
In Scripture, James explains two dangers in asking that are displayed in the following chart.
One of the dangers comes from us not even asking! James 4:2b says, You do not have, because you do not ask God. Miller explains that Jesus' prayer at Gethsemane avoids the Not Asking cliff. In Mark 14:36a, Jesus says, Abba, Father,...everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Miller explains that, "Those who err on the Not Asking side surrender to God before they are real with him. Sometimes we try so hard to be good that we aren't real. The result is functional deism, where we are separated from God. The real you doesn't encounter the real God."
The second danger comes from asking selfishly. James 4:3 says, When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. Jesus' prayer also avoids the Asking Selfishly cliff. In Mark 14:36b, Jesus says, Yet not what I will, but what you will. "Jesus is real about his feelings, but they don't control him, nor does he try to control God with them. He doesn't use his ability to communicate with his Father as a means of doing his own will. He submits to the story that his Father is weaving in his life."
In understanding Jesus' teaching on prayer, the bottom line is as Miller states it. "All of Jesus' teaching on prayer in the Gospels can be summarized with one word: ask. his greatest concern is that our failure or reluctance to ask keeps us distant from God. But that is not the only reason he tells us to ask anything. God wants to give us good gifts. He loves to give."
Chapter 14 - How Personal is God?
I have seven grandchildren. Because my children are close to one another (emotionally, not physically), they are constantly talking to their children and showing them pictures about the lives of their cousins. For the Chicago cousins, many of the pictures that are shared this time of year include playing outside in the snow. This has put a desire in the hearts of the Florida cousins (the 5-year old anyway) to see snow.
This year, God surprised her with the experience. We were visiting with Melissa in Georgia last week and God’s timing could have not been better. We arrived Friday, right before the snow storm. The kids got to see it coming down all afternoon. When they woke up on Saturday, the ground was covered in a beautiful blanket of snow. They had a ball playing in it, sledding, building a snowman, making a snow angel, and throwing snowballs at Pop Pop and Daddy. (Then we got to go back to Florida where it’s warm!)
I had a conversation with the 5-year old before we left. I told her that God loved her so much that he knew that she wanted to see snow and he made it snow so that she could see and experience it. Her response was, “God loves me even more than that.” I was touched by her understanding of how much God loves her.
When we are convinced of that love, that and infinite God is also involved in the personal details of our lives, we will be willing to lose certain things in order to have a praying life. Miller puts it like this, “What do I lose when I have a praying life? Control. Independence. What do I gain? Friendship with God. A quiet heart. The living work of God in the hearts of those I love. The ability to roll back the tide of evil. Essentially, I lose my kingdom and get his. I move from being an independent player to a dependent lover. I move from being an orphan to a child of God.”
This year, God surprised her with the experience. We were visiting with Melissa in Georgia last week and God’s timing could have not been better. We arrived Friday, right before the snow storm. The kids got to see it coming down all afternoon. When they woke up on Saturday, the ground was covered in a beautiful blanket of snow. They had a ball playing in it, sledding, building a snowman, making a snow angel, and throwing snowballs at Pop Pop and Daddy. (Then we got to go back to Florida where it’s warm!)
I had a conversation with the 5-year old before we left. I told her that God loved her so much that he knew that she wanted to see snow and he made it snow so that she could see and experience it. Her response was, “God loves me even more than that.” I was touched by her understanding of how much God loves her.
When we are convinced of that love, that and infinite God is also involved in the personal details of our lives, we will be willing to lose certain things in order to have a praying life. Miller puts it like this, “What do I lose when I have a praying life? Control. Independence. What do I gain? Friendship with God. A quiet heart. The living work of God in the hearts of those I love. The ability to roll back the tide of evil. Essentially, I lose my kingdom and get his. I move from being an independent player to a dependent lover. I move from being an orphan to a child of God.”
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