"Go Ahead...Make My Day!" (1 John 5:14-15; Mark 11:24; Matthew 18:19; Ephesians 3:20)

God wishes to satisfy our every need. He is a Father, and like any caring Father, His primary concern is the welfare of His children. Many scriptures that we are familiar with emphasize this desire of our Father to completely care for His children:

1 JOHN 5:14-15 says, "And this is the confidence which we have with Him, that if we should ask anything according to His will, He hears us, and if we know that He hears us, whatever we should ask, we know that we have the requests which we ask from Him"

ASK

The word used for "ask", is (aiteo), meaning to ask that something is given, but it is in the middle voice, which means: "to ask for one's self or in one's own self interest".

When we place this correct emphasis on the definition of the word, the scripture takes on a much stronger force:

1 JOHN 5:14-15 says, "And this is the boldness which we have before Him: if we ask, FOR OUR SELF, or for our own self interest, ANYTHING, according to His will, He hears us, and if we know, with certainty, that He hears us, whatever we ask, FOR OUR SELF, we know, with certainty, that we have the requests which we asked, FOR OUR SELF, from Him."

MARK11:24 says, "... ALL THINGS that you ask for, FOR YOUR SELF, continually praying, maintain the faith that you have got them, and they will be yours!"

MATTHEW 18:19 says, "... if two of you agree, join in harmony, upon the earth, CONCERNING ANY MATTER, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, making a request, FOR THEMSELVES, it shall come to them, it shall happen, from my Father in Heaven."

EPHESIANS 3:20 says, "... to the one who is able to do super-abundantly above all, WHATEVER, we ask, FOR OURSELVES, or even imagine, according to the power operating in us..."

CLINT EASTWOOD

In closing this scripture thought, the imagery of the fictional movie character "Dirty Harry", played by Clint Eastwood, comes to mind, where he says, "Go ahead, make my day!" However, the imagery would be much more of a loving Father, bursting with joy and anticipation, strongly urging us to make a request, FOR OURSELVES, to take the challenge and ask for something, ANYTHING,... FOR OURSELVES, so that He can be fulfilled, as a Father, in satisfying the desires of His children, and it will "make His day!". His compelling request to us is , "Go ahead, ...Make My day!"

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours