Greetings Sis Reis, et al;
This is a glorious passage and yet one which is fraught with many
dangers in the natural thinking of men. One thing that must be done as
we look at it is to take it in the context in which the LORD gave it and
the occasion upon which it was given, not to mention to whom it was
given. The whole passage says, /"And _ye now therefore have sorrow_:
but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no
man taketh from you. _And in that day ye shall ask me nothing_. Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name,
he will give it you. _Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask,
and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full_." (John 16:22-24/)
This is not a carte blanche invitation by the LORD to men in general
to make a list of desires and bring them to HIM with the understanding
that every wish they have may be granted. Rather the LORD is comforting
HIS apostles who had been with HIM for three years night and day, and
now HE is going away from them. Up until this time they had need of
nothing but to be with HIM. HE provided all things. Yet HE is assuring
them that even though HE will be leaving them in a bodily presence yet
HE is not abandoning them. HE exhorts them to trust HIM in the same
fashion in which they did when HE was with them in body. HIS
relationship to them has not changed nor HIS concern for their well
being. Ask and it shall be given unto you. There is indeed a lesson
to be learned from this teaching not simply for the apostles but for the
saints in all ages. James says, "Ye have not because ye ask not." But he
warns that such asking is not to be consumed with a desire to have the
lusts of the flesh fulfilled. Rather we are to ask according to HIS
will, desiring that HIS will be done in the heavens . Let us seek HIM
early and often for HE will indeed give us the desires of our heart.
Blessings, mike
On 11/7/2022 4:00 PM, Soraya Reis wrote:
*"Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you." John 16:23 *
*My soul, do not fail to remark, in this blessed promise of thy Lord, how be hath secured the accomplishment of it. Here is a double verily if one will not do. And this is said by the faithful witness, and the amen of heaven. Had Jesus said but the words themselves, without a single verily, his bare word was enough to give confirmation to faith; but when he says, "verily, verily," repeating it twice over, how gracious and condescending, as well as comforting and confirming, ought it to be to our dependance upon what he hath said. But the promise itself comes in with a blessed shall and will; and that not to any limited request or petition, but extended to a whatsoever; as if Jesus threw the reins of government into his people's hand. In some parts of scripture we find a may be for our encouragement. "It may be," said the prophet, "that the Lord of Hosts will be gracious," Amos 5:15 and this ought to encourage a child of God in the exercise of faith, under every trial. But when God saith, "It shall be," and confirms it with a double asseveration of "Verily, verily I say unto you;" this sums up, all in one, every assurance that can be desired. *
*Pause, my soul, over the subject, and then say, what shall be thy requests to thy God and Father, in the name of his dear Son? Nay, do not ask for small things, while the King of heaven hath given thee two verities, that whatsoever thou shalt ask shall be granted. Jesus himself doth as it were put into thine hand a blank paper for thee to fill in, having signed and set his own blessed and holy name at the bottom. Now what wilt thou write down? Thou hast nothing more to do, than to follow thy Lord's example, and as he hath written his name in the promise, do thou also write Jesus, and Jesus only, on the whole paper. Ask of God thy Father to give thee Jesus; for in giving him, in him and with him, he giveth all things. Lord, I would say, give me thine own dear Son, and I need nothing more; Christ is all, and in all.*
*Robert Hawker (1753-1827) *
