BOLDNESS - 1 John 5:14
And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. - 1 John 5:14. An amazing assurance (if we ask, he hears us) and an invitation to boldness (ask anything), qualified by a necessary awareness (ask according to his will). It may seem like a dichotomy to pray boldly yet with an awareness of what God wants of us, but perhaps it will become easier to understand if we look at some related verses. First, we can rejoice in Matthew 7:7: "Ask, and it will be given to you; search and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you." We truly can give it all to God and find God wherever we look. But we should also remember how Jesus prayed, at Luke 22:42: "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup form me; yet not my will but yours be done." We truly can ask boldly for anything, but we have to keep it an "ask," not a tell. And we can, and should, turn to Jesus in the same way; see John...