Last week at ministry we spent our days painting benches, tables and chairs. If you know me, you know I love to paint and create things. So Saturday night I prayed,asking God for the opportunity to paint a mural at our ministry, Pan de Vida. I felt Him confirm that He wanted me to, so Sunday I was going to ask our ministry hosts if I could do that Monday, however we were so busy, I didn’t get the opportunity to. And on Monday without asking to paint what God was placing on my heart, our ministry host Augustin, said we could paint a mural on the wall and be creative. That was amazing to hear because I knew God wanted me to paint and show His promises and His faithfulness. I started right away on painting a Noah’s Ark mural on the wall. I pray that the LORD will please my hands and head as I paint, in order that hundreds of children will be blessed and inspired. It’s not completely done yet, but I’ll post the picture as soon as it is finished.
This week God has been showing me, Ask, Seek, and Knock. I tried to have a Bible study on this for past two days in the morning, but no one showed up, mostly because they don’t look at the calender posted on the wall. But God has been speaking to me on this, and I know for certain, He will speak to you through His truth.
“…You do not have because you do not ask God.” (James 4:2)
“ 23In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. “(John 16:23-24)
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” ( Jeremiah 29:13)
I read a really short book, “The Prayer of Jabez” By Bruce Wilkinson, and it has really hit exactly what God has been showing me this week. Ask, you have not because you ask not. The life of Jabez and his prayer are summed up in two verses, inserted in between genealogy. We know that everything in the Bible is their for a purpose, as God speaks to us. Every word in the Bible is God breathed and it’s God’s words and voice speaking and revealing His truth to us. There’s is so much truth in these two verses and the short prayer Jabez prayed, which we can pray for our own lives.
“9Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez,csaying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” 10Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.” (1 Chronicles 4:9-10)
Our Father wants us to ask Him for everything. He wants us to ask Him for direction and guidance in our lives. Our Father wants to bless us. “To Bless in the biblical sense means to ask for or to impart supernatural favor” (Wilkinson).
Jabez prayer is short and so powerful. And God answered and granted his request. I’ll be praying that prayer every morning.
“Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? 10“Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!” ( Matthew 7:9-11).
Dios te bendiga!! Love you all, ask God, Seek God, knock and let Him open the door!
