From the Edges – Seeking Jesus – What is in the Asking?

From the Edges – Seeking Jesus
What is in the Asking ?
Pastor Calvin Cook – July 8, 2024

Scripture focus : John 16: 12-15 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

The last week I have been thinking, meditating, centering on the Spiritual discipline of Prayer. The last few weeks I have received a revived encouragement through prayer and how it becomes not only sustainment but refreshment for the soul. Through this process I feel that I have been going through a change in my prayer life.

This morning this was the question that the Holy Spirit laid on my heart during my early morning time of prayer. “What if our prayer focus changed from what are you going to do for me to what are you going to do through me?”

This might be more than most of us want to ask because I fear we have become so self-centered in our prayer life and our relationship with God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) that we have not allowed the Spirit of God to speak these truths that is referred to in our scripture from John 16 to guide us into truth. We have come before the Lord with a list of prayer concerns for healing, deliverance, and freedom, we have said so much that we have failed to listen, most of all be directed. Maybe we think the path we are on is directed by the Holy Spirit but have we chose to go our own way, making it all about self-desire.

The Bible is full of stories about men and woman who had other plans that the Holy Spirit interrupted and said “It is not what you want to do, but what God is calling you to?” This is still happening today ! However we sometimes interrupt God’s plans with our preferences even allowing the lustfulness of our soul and the desire for things beyond God’s desires for us to take over.

I would challenge you this morning to open up your Bible to Psalm 138 this morning and pray through the 8 verses. The answer to the question I was asked earlier by the Holy Spirit is made clear in verse Psalm 138:8 – “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; “your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.”