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Ask, Don't 'Tell' With God - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) December 16, 2025

Dec 16, 2025

4 min read

The year is coming to an end, and many are fine-tuning their New Year's Resolutions. They have all manner of plans that they will put into effect on January 1. Some Christians may be tempted to think they can tell God what they want instead of asking Him for what they're looking for. After all, many claim to have done such and found success, but I caution us all to pay attention to the way we approach God with our needs and wants in this season.

Jesus taught believers to ask so that they could receive (Matthew 7:7). Notice, He didn't teach that they can dictate to God what He should do or how He should do things. Many of us forget this and may think we can give God commands. However, I want to encourage us to prayerfully ask for what we want, but do not tell God what we want in a way that suggests we can dictate to Him.

Our relationship with the Lord is to be one of a parent to a child. Good children honor their parents with respect (Ephesians 6:1-3). They don't control, domineer, or manipulate them to get what they want. Such behavior is satanic, and it is endorsed by New Age practitioners and witches, but not endorsed by Jesus Christ. He instead taught believers to live obediently, be prayerful, and that God would answer.

God's children, therefore, never need to apply satanic tactics with Him or anyone else. God loves us and wants to give us more than we could ask for or imagine. The key is to work on being obedient and teachable. As we do this, our relationship with the Lord flourishes, and our petitions are increasingly answered. When this is the case, we never need to dictate or tell Him what to do for us. We'll realize that He's answering prayers before we get to pray (Isaiah 65:24).

Technically speaking, we can 'tell' God what we want, but our attitude is crucial as we seek His help in our lives. He wants us to humbly come to Him so He listens as we share our every need and want (Micah 6:8). He wants us to hear Him as He points out which prayers He will fulfill and which ones He knows aren't best for us. He also wants us to stay a little while longer so He can express what He wants for us, independent of what we want from Him.

The Lord is not an errand boy. He doesn't take directions from anyone. Yes, the Bible reveals that human beings have impacted His behavior, but note what sort of people those were. Abraham could intercede on behalf of Sodom & Gomorrah because he was righteous. God also saw him as a friend. Moses could stop God from wiping out the Israelites at Mount Sinai for their idolatry because he was humble and pleaded on their behalf (Exodus 32).

These individuals and others like them showed great deference to God. They walked in the fear of the Lord. Regardless of their relationship with the Lord, they didn't think they could tell Him what to do, and they didn't dare. Even Jesus always humbled Himself before the Lord. Philippians 2:6 - Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to (NLT). He never told God what to do but took orders instead.

And we should do the same. Further, as we humbly pray for the things we are hoping for, we should be humble enough to ask the Lord what He wants from us in the new year. We should pray to know what His vision is for our future. It is time to desire His plans for us and not be afraid to put our desires to the side while prioritizing His. After all, His plans for us are good if we just let Him have His way (Jeremiah 29:11).

I pray that we will practice humbly asking the Lord and not dictating what we want to Him. I pray that in this season, when so many are focused on what they want for the future, we seek out what God wants from us and for us. I pray that we will allow His Holy Spirit to guide how we pray and even what we ask for. As the Lord reveals His desires, I pray we will tap into His plan and purpose for our lives and be doubly blessed. IJMN Amen.

As you await fellowship, consider reading the Altar Call below and the following previous P&P messages:

God's Word, His Plan & Spirit - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) December 12, 2025

P L U N D E R E R

Dec 12, 2025

4 min read

Toward the end, Jesus was mocked and called 'King of the Jews.' However, did you know that before that, some Jews actually wanted to make Him their king? After Jesus fed over 5000 through the display of God's multiplication power, the people in that region desired to make Him their king. However, we are told in John 6:15 - Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

Jesus's response reveals the need to know God's word. Jesus knew that God's original plan had always been for Him alone to be king over the Israelites. However, when they insisted on being like the nations around them, He obliged them and named Saul as their first king. We learn more in 1 Samuel 8:7 - And the LORD told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.

Knowing the word, Jesus didn't dare accept the people's desire to grant Him a title He knew belonged to God. He knew His role was to please the Lord and in no way take any of His glory. So, with that in mind, He removed Himself before the issue could escalate. He fled the very appearance of evil as the word instructs all of us to do in 1 Thessalonians 5:22

Jesus also knew God's purpose for His life and didn't let applause or fame from people derail Him. He remained humble before the Lord and rejected pride at all points. No matter what was thrown at Him, He focused on God's plan for His life and humanity. Besides, He knew the true heart of men and how fickle it is. He knew these people were ruled by their stomachs, not genuine appreciation for the God whose raw power was on display in their presence.

The Savior relied on the Holy Spirit to know what was coming and thus move wherever God sent. The Spirit of the Lord descended upon Him at His water baptism, and that commenced His ministry. The Holy Spirit never left Him guessing, so He knew the people's plans and could avoid them. Jesus didn't struggle against God's Spirit but yielded completely to instruction. So much so that He didn't resist the terror and trauma that the cross brought.

Each of us is equipped to do as Jesus did and avoid the traps the devil seeks to ensnare us with. 2 Corinthians 2:11 - to keep Satan from taking advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his schemes. The key is to rely on God's word, know His purpose for us, and trust His Holy Spirit to bring forth victory over the enemy. We must be intentional in applying these strategies and weapons that God freely gave to us.

Intentionality requires that we study our Bibles, asking the Holy Spirit for understanding. If not, the Bible will be like any other book, and we'll miss the deep mysteries it contains. We also need to prayerfully ask God to reveal His purpose for our lives. Many of us are focused on what we want to do, ignoring that God's concerns must be prioritized. However, failing to know our heavenly 'calling' can lead to wasted time and struggles we were never meant to experience.

And finally, we must not fail to take advantage of the gift Jesus promised to all who would believe in Him - the Holy Spirit of God. He came into our hearts when we gave our lives to Jesus, but we must make it a habit of listening to Him. The Bible says only those led by God's Spirit can be called God's children. We must therefore desire to give the Spirit of the Lord freedom to move in and around us. This requires intentionality and faith that God will train us to recognize the Holy Spirit despite the noise of life.

I pray that as 2025 comes to an end, we will realize that John 6:15 provides an equation that can ensure we please God and walk in victory in the new year. By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and by the sweet fellowship of the Holy Spirit, we will not be in error because we will know God's word, His purpose for our lives, and submit to His Spirit, Amen. God bless you, and be sure to fellowship with us at Noon EST today.

As you await fellowship, consider reading the Altar Call below and the following previous P&P messages:

Persevere Till The Promise - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) December 9, 2025

P L U N D E R E R

Dec 9, 2025

4 min read

I confess that I am far from a 'perfect' Christian. I've come to terms with this because God stated that His power is made perfect in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). He's ready to do the heavy lifting because I'm not built for it. I am comforted by the knowledge that my failings can never cause God to fail.

He recently taught me a great lesson that involved glasses, an incredible Canadian eyewear company, and the hard-working men and women of the US Postal Service (USPS). In September, I purchased two pairs of glasses from a Canadian company. Last time I bought from them, my glasses arrived in three days, so I expected a similar delivery period.

Days passed without my glasses, and the online tracking system showed they were stuck in Washington State. I soon recalled that tariffs and other changes were in effect. Still, a few days later, the tracking site showed that the package had arrived. Sadly, I got home an hour after it was delivered to find nothing at my door or mailbox, and a sweet USPS agent told me to call back in 48 hours.

I wondered what went wrong. Had the mail lady delivered my package to the wrong home, or had a porch pirate helped themselves? As the questions piled up, I turned to the Lord in prayer. By the time I was done, I felt better because He assured me that everything was fine. However, I also didn't feel a release to inform the Canadian company.

A discouraging thought sometimes came to mind. It was along the lines of 'If you don't alert the company, you'll never get your glasses. You would have wasted money.' While that sounded logical, I knew to hold on to what God had laid on my heart - everything was fine. So for another week, His promise replayed whenever my mind veered to the problem. And it veered a lot.

About two weeks after the supposed delivery date, I felt a release from the Lord to contact the company and did so. They apologized for the inconvenience and offered to replace the missing glasses. And almost a month after my initial purchase, I received the replacements. As I opened the box, I remembered God's initial promise that everything was fine. As always, He was correct.

God used this experience to remind me that His timing will always be the best. So, when He tells me 'no' or 'wait,' I can't let the lying voice of fear move me out of His plan. I must remember that He will make the situation work for my good (Jeremiah 29:11). I need to remain still until He tells me to move (Psalm 46:10).

I could have done the sensible thing and reached out to the company to resolve my problem quickly. Yet God had a different strategy that required my obedience. It also required that I persevere to reach the promise, holding onto faith and ignoring satan's lie that failure was on the horizon. I had to do what God said, when He said it, and not what 'common sense' would dictate.

Some of us are going through more significant situations, and God may call you to do something similar. He may want you to wait for His instruction before you move. It might seem contrary to what you would do ordinarily, but obedience will always be better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). Always do as God says, so you don't have to repent and seek forgiveness later.

None of us has to rely on our own understanding because we have access to God's wisdom, and He is obligated to teach His children when we ask (James 1:5). I pray that we will stand firm in faith as we wait on every one of the Lord's promises. I pray that the devil's lies will never succeed in creating doubt about God's capacity to fulfill His word. No word of God will ever fail, and He will strengthen us to trust and obey as we persevere till the promise. IJMN, Amen.

As you wait for fellowship at 12 Noon EST, consider reading the Altar Call below and the following previous P&P messages: