Lord, grant our requests

Mark 10:46-52 Lord, grant our requests
What desires do you have for the new year 2003 ? If God says to you, "Tell me your requests. I will grant your requests.", then what requests do you want to tell God ? At the time of Jesus, Bartimaeus had a strong desire. He was a blind man from birth. So he called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me !"
Then Jesus stopped and asked him, "What do you want me to do for you ?"(Luke 18:41) This question sounds foolish because everybody knows the blind want to see. Nevertheless Jesus asked this question. Why ? It's because Jesus wants us to tell him our desires. Bartimaeus replied immediately, "Lord, I want to see." Then Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight ; your faith has healed you."(Luke 18:42)
The act of telling our desires to Jesus is the act of believing in Jesus. Jesus likes this faith. And he grants our desires because of this faith. Therefore confess your desire to Jesus. Telling your desire to Jesus is not an act of bothering Jesus, but an act of pleasing Jesus. Jesus really wants to grant our desire when we tell him our desire.
Today Jesus asks each one of us, "What do you want me to do for you ?" We have to reply to this question, "Lord, I want to be healed." "Lord, I want to be blessed financially." "Lord, I want all of my family members to believe in God." "Lord, I want our church to grow in double." "Lord, I want to quit smoking and drinking." "Lord, I want to be filled with the Holy Spirit to construct the kingdom of heaven"
God grants our desires when we strongly wish for. He does not want to give his grace to those who do not hope for. Therefore the bible tells us, "It is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good pleasure."(Phil 2:13) That means, when we show our will to God, he works for us. In other words, "Where there's a will. there's a way."
When we hope to be filled with the Holy Spirit, when we hope to quit smoking and drinking, when we hope to be healed, when we hope to spread the gospel, when we hope to beautify our church, God gives us the power and grace. That is, "Where there's our hope, there's the answer of God." Therefore have hope and tell your hope to God. And ask God, "Lord, save my family." "Lord, heal my family." "Lord, give me money."
Jesus said to us, "Ask and it will be given to you ; seek and you will find ; knock and the door will be opened to you."(Matt 7:7) "You do not have because you do not ask God."(James 4:2) "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."(John 16:24)
Why you do not ask God but complain ? Why you do not seek God's power but say, 'It's impossible. I cannot. It is not the time.' ? Why do you easily give up without trying to knock ? God is no the bad God. He is no the powerless God. He is not the indifferent God. Our God is the good God, Almighty God. He wants to listen to our desires.
God wants us to come to him and tell our desire to him. He wants to grant our desire, and he wants to see us rejoice and dance with joy. Therefore when we have a disease, call to him, "Lord, help me, heal me !" And give glory to God who heals you. When you have problems, ask God with tears, "Lord, solve my problems !" And give thanks to God who solves your problems.
"Jesus also offered up prayers and petition with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death."(Heb 5:7) And in today's scripture, Jesus said to the woman who cried out for help, "Woman, you have great faith ! Your request is granted."(Matt 15:28)
Brothers and sisters, our God strongly wants to grant our desire, your desire and my desire. Therefore bible testifies, "God opens his hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing."(Psalms 145:16) "God fulfills the desires of those who fear him ; he hears their cry ad saves them."(Psalms 146:19)
"God satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."(Psalms 103:5) "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desire of your heart."(Psalm 37:4) "Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted ; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry."(Psalms 10:17) "May God give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed."(Psalms 20:4)
God wants us to go well with all things just as the parent want their children to enjoy good health and to be blessed. Bible says, "Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well."(3 John 1:2) Our prosperity is not only our desire but also God's desire. Our happiness is not only our desire but also God's desire.
When we are happy, God is happy too. When we rejoice, God also rejoices. Therefore don't be gloomy. Don't be depressed. But rejoice with God. God will surely grant our desire. God sent Jesus on earth in order to grant our desires. And Jesus granted the desire of the poor with his rich blessings. He granted the desire of the sick with his divine healing.
He granted the desire of the dead persons with a new life. and he will grant your desire, my desire and our desire. In Esther 5, Xerxes, the king of Persia and Media loved his wife Esther and said to her, "What is it, Queen Esther ? What is your request ? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you."(Esther 5:3)
Brothers and sisters, Jesus, the king of kings loves his bride, you and me very much. The king Xerxes told Esther that he would give even up to half the kingdom. But Jesus wants to give us whole kingdom of heaven. The king Xerxes did not give his life to his wife, but Jesus gave his life to us. Then how will he not grant our desire ? Bible says, "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things ?" Today Jesus asks us, "My beloved, what is your desire ? I will give you even my life."
Brothers and sisters, Jesus loves us with his life. But why we are depressed ? And why we say, "It is impossible We cannot." This kind of attitude displeases Jesus. And this attitude hurts Jesus' self-esteem. And this attitude is an act of disregarding Jesus.
Why do we say, 'It is impossible.' even though Jesus will grant our desires ? Why are we depressed ? Why are we negative ? Who on earth believe in ? The kings of earth are unable to grant our requests. But our God is almighty. He is able to grant our requests. He promised to grant our requests. He said to us, "Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."(Mark 11:24)
Jesus granted the desire of Bartimaeus. Jesus granted the desire of the Syrian Phonetician woman. And Jesus says to us, "What is your desire ? What is your request for the new year 2003 ? It will be done just as you wish." My beloved, we have strong desires for this year. We strongly want our church to grow in double. So we put our requests in the service order paper and we always pray for them. Our requests are as follow :
1. Lord, let us pray for church growth.
2. Lord, let us act for church growth.
3. Lord, give us church in double.
4. Lord, let us help missionaries in double.
Brothers and sisters, let's pray to the Lord for our requests just as Bartimaeus and the Syrian Phonetician woman asked. And let's act for peace, unity and harmony with each member of our church. On that day God will reward us for our labour. God will grant our requests for 2003. Therefore this new year will be joyful and blessed year to us. Amen !