HOW BIG IS YOUR CHRIST?

“If you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (John 14:14). We show the measure of our Christ by what we ask in his name. We are told to ask largely and to expect great things. We show forth the greatness of Christ by the greatness of our supplications. We have so little of Christ because we ask so little.

We limit our supplications to material things. True, we are to make our needs known. But to ask only for food and shelter is to diminish our vision of his greatness.

The kingdom of God is “joy, peace in the Holy Ghost!” We serve a triumphant Christ—and we are called to share in the triumph. Do you have joy, peace in the Holy Ghost? Do you go to his throne, asking for joy and peace? Do you ask the Father “in the name of Jesus”?

Christ did not triumph for himself. He did so for you and me. So we get the benefit from it. Do you ask for more of Christ’s likeness? Do you ask in faith, in Jesus’ name, for the promised rest in Hebrews?

God is waiting for and desiring greater requests. Asking “in Jesus’ name” is an invitation to share in God’s great goodness laid up for those who believe and who ask largely. Ask today for an ever increasing spirit of rejoicing, even in your most trying times.

What about the hungry crowd of 5,000 in the New Testament when Jesus asked his disciples what they should do? In other words, show me your plan to feed them. What can be done to meet this crisis? He tested their faith.

All along, Jesus had a plan! Who in that mass of people could have conceived of feeding them with five loaves of bread and two fish?

Beloved, God has a preconceived plan for every situation in your life. You may be able to think of ways God could solve your crisis—but God’s Word tells us that the human mind cannot conceive the ways of God.

God will not tell us what his plan is. He will not even give us a hint. He insists on our having faith in his promises, his majesty, he past miracles on our behalf. His Word to us is: Believe! Your Lord has a way prepared—and he has the power to fulfill his plan. He would love to pull back the curtain and show us a passing view of his invisible ways—but he cannot.

Faith is evidence that cannot be seen. There can be no rest for us in our fiery trials until w4e fully believe he stands ready—in readiness to do the unthinkable, the impossible. Our part is to simply trust he will perform what he promised.