What do you Want?

What do I want?... So many times in my life I have not really been able to answer this question.  Not because I was without direction.  But because I thought I had everything I ever wanted.  That sounds a lot like someone who grew up with an easy life.  But that is not the case. 

We were poor.  Yep, by definition of the federal government, we lived most of our life just below the poverty line.  We were also a bi-cultural home.  My father being half filipino and my mother being white we celebrated all of our ethnic background.  And in fact we faced some prejudice that was directed to isolate us.

What was amazing about my parents though was that they never dwelt on wealth or race.  They never really taught us to see these things as a deficit.  Instead they taught us to embrace who we are and go for it.  My parents taught us one very important skill.  That was the skill of believing that we were capable of anything.  

Though both of my parents did not adhere tightly to the Christian faith, my mother taught us that the gifts we had were for our use to honor God.  So I grew up with this wildly innocent belief and I still adhere to it today.  As a matter of fact I quote the scripture, "With man it is impossible, but not with God, for with God all things are possible." Mark 10:27.  

And because of this faith, I believe I am not even done with what God has in store for me.  As you read what Pastor Joyce wrote for today, think about what God has in store for you?  What is it that you really want?  Or maybe you want nothing for yourself, but have a wish for someone else.

Then take a little time to ask. You never know the answer unless you ask :)

What Do You Want? February 17

Joyce Wyrostek

Jesus asked blind Bartimaeus, “What do you want me to do for you?” In the tenth chapter of Mark the last seven verses relate the story of this blind beggar that cries out for Jesus as He is passing by.  Jesus stops and poses that question.  It seemed obvious what the need was but Jesus forces Bartimaeus to define what he wanted from Him.

What if Jesus were to ask you this very same question? Would you be able to spell it out for Him?  Sadly most of us have no idea what we want God to do for us. If we can’t answer thFaith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1. If faith is being sure of what we hope for, then being unsure of what we hope for is the antithesis of faith.

is question we are as blind as the beggar asking for sight.  When a dream or vision seems impossible we are prone to let it die and often have the audacity to say, “It must not be God’s will for me” when in reality it is God that gave the dream in the first place. “

Spending time with the Lord in prayer is not simply asking Him meet the needs of Susie, Sally, Jim, and Joe; it often requires definition of the sort that specifically states what you want done in their lives.  This is what develops faith.  Faith results in well-defined prayers and well defined prayers result in a well lived life.

The Bible is full of principles, promises, and patterns that can and will be the definition of our life if we circle those promises, build our faith on them and develop a certainty of what we want for ourselves and others based on each underlying truth.  Let’s not be vague in our prayers, but bold knowing that God will keep His word.  Right now, write down one audacious dream, hope for it, believe for it, and hang on to it until it is miraculously answered.