The Golden Rule

Second, Jesus told His disciples that those who are studying His words, the Bible, will receive whatever they request. He was talking about something more than casual reading of the Bible, reading a book about the Bible, or reading one’s daily devotions. His statement includes serious Bible study - digging in and discovering what each verse really means and absorbing yourself in His Word.

Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. (NASB) 1 John 3:21-22

God is not talking about perfect obedience. If He was, none of our prayers would be answered because none of us are perfect. He is talking about men and women who are seeking and striving to be good. Psalm 66:18 warns us that if we “regard iniquity,” that is, are sinning and do nothing about it, God will not hear our prayer.

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (NASB) 1 John 5:14

Here we discover that we must ask according to His will. The entire Bible describes God’s will for us. Yet, the New Testament lists some specific things as His will. The first is found in 2 Peter 3:9.

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (NASB) 2 Peter 3:9

That is the most important of His wills. Here are some others: 1) be sexually pure (1 Thess. 4:3-8), 2) be filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:17-18), 3) be willing to suffer for righteousness (2 Tim. 3:12; 1 Pet. 4:19), 4) give thanks always (1 Thess. 5:18); and 5) submit to civil government (1 Pet. 2:13-15). God calls us to obey Him; and when we ask according to His will, He will grant our requests.

Wrong Motives. Sometimes our prayers are not answered because they are self-centered, and our motives are wrong. That is the message in the book of James.

You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. (NASB) James 4:3

This makes sense because self-centered prayers are not according to His will. Many of our prayers are self-centered. Prayers that are focused on others are usually not self-centered.

Summary. These passages tell us that God answers the prayers of those who: believe in Him, study the Bible which is the very words of God, ask in Jesus’ name, pray according to God’s will, believe He can answer our prayers, and do not lose heart. What type of person is described by these statements? What kind of person would this individual be? What would you or I be?

The answer to our questions is found in James 5:16. The person is a righteous man or woman.

The prayer of a righteous man or woman accomplishes much. The book of Proverbs tells us that a righteous person is one who is teachable (Prov. 9:9), has compassion for his/her animal (Prov. 12:10), hates lies (Prov. 13:5), does the will of God (Prov. 2:20), and has faith in God (Gal. 3:11). How does God respond to the righteous?

The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the dwelling of the righteous. (NASB) Prov. 3:33

The LORD will not allow the righteous to hunger, but He will reject the craving of the wicked. (NASB) Prov. 10:3

What the wicked fears will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted. (NASB) Prov. 10:24

The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, but the stomach of the wicked is in need. (NASB) Prov. 13:25

The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous. (NASB) Prov. 15:29

It is the righteous man or woman whom God hears. It is his or her prayer that He answers because the righteous man or woman who believes in Him, studies, and obeys the Bible, asks in Jesus’ name, prays according to God’s will, believes He can answer our prayers and does not lose heart. Do you want to be a righteous man or woman?

Ask, Seek, & Knock (continued). The Sermon on the Mount has been a long description of the righteous characteristics of a citizen of the kingdom. So when Jesus makes His statement about asking, seeking and knocking, and then repeats it in the next verse, Matt. 7:8, He is talking about a citizen of the kingdom, a righteous man or woman, who is asking, seeking and knocking.

For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (NASB) Matt. 7:8

Sometimes, however, God’s response to the prayer of even a righteous man is, “No!” We do not always know God’s will. That was true for the Apostle Paul in 2 Cor. 12:7-12. Yet, it is also true that God may choose to answer the prayer of an evil man for God does not completely ignore evil men such as King Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4).

There is a true story of a man who was shipwrecked and stranded on a small uninhabited island. The man built a hut and ate what he could from the sea and the island. He watched for days and months for help. One day he was horrified when his hut caught fire and burned up in flames. He asked himself, “What more could happen?” The next day his desire for help was answered. A ship sailed to the island and picked him up. He was surprised and asked the captain what had brought the ship to the island. The captain answered, “We saw your smoke signal.” This true story illustrates the fact that God sometimes allows us to be disappointed in order for something better to happen.

Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? (NASB) Matt. 7:9-10

The answer to Jesus’ questions is obvious. Most human beings will not give their children a stone if they ask for bread, nor will they give them a snake if they ask for a fish. The answer is obvious and now Jesus is ready to make His point.

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! (NASB) Matt. 7:11

Did you notice that Jesus said we are “evil”? The Greek word that Jesus used has the idea of one who is evil and continues to be evil. Jesus included every human being who was listening to Him. He also included you and me. We are sinners, and the pattern of our life is evil. Only by the power of the Holy Spirit in our life can we be otherwise. Compared to God who is holy, we are evil.