Knowing God - 1 John 3:22

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and we receive from him whatever we ask,

because we obey his commandments

and do what pleases him.

1 John 3:22

 

How many of us want God to be our genie and have this promises instantly fulfilled: "We receive from him whatever we ask"?

 

Before we covet that too much, let’s turn around and listen to the full verse from John: "because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him ... we receive from him whatever we ask."

 

We’d generally prefer to have no conditions on a bigger-than-life promise. But we need to be realistic. All God wants is a relationship with us. And one of the keys to relationship with the Shepherd is following him (and his commandments) and doing what pleases him.

 

But when we’re in his will and following his ways – when we’re on his path – we find that blessings (and answers to prayer) fall down upon that path.

 

In Christ’s Love,

a wayward sheep

who wants to do whatever

pleases the shepherd