Message

“And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

                                                              Mark 10:36

Dearly beloved in Christ,

Greetings to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Men desire their wishes to be fulfilled in some way. For that they take a lot of efforts. They make different sorts of prayers. They desire that their children should become doctors or engineers or go abroad. For that they give them training from young stage. Many desire to build a good beautiful house. With the rent from it, they think that their needs would be met. With that end in view people make efforts. Some desire that that their business or enterprise should multiply and prosper. For that they labour.

If we commit to fulfil the desires of the Lord God who works in us and fulfils more that what we ask or desire, He will make miraculous things to happen to us. He will fulfil our desires and would lead us by making us rejoice.

I. WHOSE DESIRES WILL THE LORD FULFILL?

1. THOSE WHO BELIEVE THE LORD

“Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.” Matthew 15:28

A Canaanite woman came to Jesus Christ and shared with Him the plight of her daughter. Contrary to her expectation, He did not respond to her request. But she did not give up hope, nor did she stop following Him. Today we find people who give up hope when their prayers are not answered, and they take to the ways of the world. Such people stop going to church and seeking Him. They even put an end to reading the Bible.

Seeing her pursuing Jesus Christ, His disciples plead for her with Jesus. But His response is strange. “But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Still she kept seeking His help. She did not leave Him. ‘Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”’ There lies her faith.

She did not take it to heart the fact that He did not even listen to the intercession of His disciples. We should be like her in persistently worshipping and seeking His help. As she did that, she had a reply from Jesus Christ, but it was not an encouraging one. ‘But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”’ This reply did not upset her. But she was encouraged to speak more.

She accepted Him as “Lord,” and confessed that what He said was true. She humbled herself to the level of a dog and pleaded still more: ‘And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”’ Then Jesus saw her faith and remarked: “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Today if we also seek the help of Jesus Christ truly like this woman humbling before Him and worshiping Him, He will definitely help us. He sees our faith and works miracles. Instead of putting their case before Jesus Christ directly and pleading for help from Him, there are many people who rely upon others to pray for them. But the truth is that we should pray to Him directly with faith. If the faith is upon Jesus Christ, He will do a miracle according to our desires.

2. THOSE WHO FEAR THE LORD

“He will fulfil the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.” Psalm 145:19

Proverbs 8:13 states, “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil.” Today we see so many people deliberately and boldly do evil. They speak hurting others. As they are evil, they utter lies, and indulge in all sorts of plotting. Both educated and uneducated resort to this practice. If we have the fear of the Lord in us, we would not do that.

Proverbs 14:2 states what the fear of the Lord constitutes: “He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD...” It is walking with conviction in what we do with strong faith in Him. Then you would not fret, but remain stable and patient.

Further, the fear of the Lord includes acting according to the word of the Lord. When the Lord commanded Abraham to offer Isaac, his only son, as a sacrifice, he obeyed the Lord and went to the place the Lord asked him to go. He made all arrangements and laid Isaac on the altar and was about to kill him with his knife. Then the angel of the Lord called Abraham and stopped him from doing it. He said: “. . . for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

Yes, submitting to the Word of the Lord fully is the fear of the Lord. If we have this fear of the Lord, He will fulfil our desires.

3. THOSE WHO DELIGHT IN THE LORD

“Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

If there is happiness in the heart, it will be revealed on the face. It is a good medicine too. To be happy, we must delight in the Bible. In Psalm 119:174, it is written: “And Your law is my delight.” It is full of life and spirit. It makes our heart overflow with joy.

Psalm 37:11 says, “But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Meekness is one of the fruit of the spirit. They will eat and be satisfied. Their desires will be fulfilled by the Lord.

4. THOSE WHO ARE RIGHTEOUS

“...And the desire of the righteous will be granted.” Prov. 10:24

The righteous is one who has received the righteousness of the Lord and lives accordingly. All their acts will be filled with justice. Romans 5:1 says, “. . . having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” and verse 9 says “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”

We are made righteous through the precious blood Jesus Christ shed on the cross. All those who have submitted themselves to be cleansed with this blood have been made righteous. When we experience this in our lives, the Lord Jesus Christ would fulfil our wishes.

II. WHAT THE LORD DESIRES ?

1. TRUTH IN INWARD PARTS

“Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.” Psalm 51:6

Truth is lacking in the lives of many people. But the Lord desires truth in the inward parts. If we understand how we should be truthful in our lives and act accordingly, the Lord will bless us.

a) Truth in Our Prayers

“The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.” Psalm 145:18

Today many feel dejected as their prayers remain unanswered. But the Lord Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. As He hears our requests, He does mighty things. He answers. The blind man, Bartimaeus, was sitting at the wayside and begging. He heard about the coming of Jesus. In the midst of obstacles, he cried out all the more to the Lord, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:48). Jesus stood there and called for him. He enquired, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” He fulfilled his wishes. He received his sight and followed Jesus.

Even while you face obstacles to your prayers, you should not give up. When you are persistent, the Lord will be near to bless you. When David called upon the Lord, the Lord was with him and protected him as the apple of the eye. He helped him in all things. Let us be truthful in our prayers.

b) Truth in Our Speech

“...Speak each man the truth to his neighbour...” Zechariah 8:16

Let us be truthful in our speech. Today we see a large number of people speaking only lies for gaining name and fame. For obtaining a job or for promotion, people indulge in a surfeit of lies. If you ask a student why his score is low, he will immediately utter a lie. The Bible tells you, “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who deal truthfully are His delight. ” (Proverbs 12:22). We speak lies which the Lord hates. He who created the ear would certainly listen to them. In Malachi 3:16, it is written: “Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name.” Let us remember this verse and speak. Let us give up this practice of telling lies, which is an act of the devil, and speak only the truth that the Lord desires.

c) Truth in Our Worship

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” John 4:23

Jesus Christ has clearly instructed us to worship the Lord in truth. Do we worship Him in spirit? Genesis 4:26 says, “And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD.” In Gensis 21:33, we read: “Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God.” Deuteronomy 4:7 says, “For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?”

When we worship Him in truth, He will hear our prayers. We will be saved. Let us worship Him in truth from today onwards.

d) Truth in Our Love

“My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:18

The love of Christ should abound in us. As the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, we will not be put to shame. As we grow daily in the qualities of love, the Lord will know what we need and supply wisdom and all good blessings.

Jesus Christ was faithful to the Lord God who appointed Him in all His house and exhibited His love on the cross. When there is real love in us, we can carry out the mission of the Lord. Psalm 31:23 tells us: “Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person.” When one is faithful to Him, He exalts him and protects him so that no allegations are made against him. Let us love in truth and be blessed boundlessly.

2. MERCY

“Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy.” Micah 7:18

Mercy abounds to us through Jesus Christ. Mercy was shown to the old saints; but it was manifest in fullness through Jesus. “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentation 3:22,23). Though we are not worthy, His acts of mercy uphold us. Whenever we struggle in our problems, His mercy sustains us. That is why it is said in Psalm 94:18, ‘If I say, “My foot slips,” Your mercy, O LORD, will hold me up.’ The Lord who said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness,” does not change.

How to seek His mercy?

a) By Being Humble

“But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

In this world there is no scope for humbleness in persons who exhibit themselves to be great and honourable. It is just hypocrisy when they show themselves to be humble. Even those who worship the Lord cheat others. But we should cultivate humility at heart. The Lord who exalts the humble still lives. “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). Jesus Christ was full of mercy. “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). He repays us with His mercy for our humility. Let us have His mercy by humbling ourselves.

b) By Honouring His Covenant

“All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.” Psalm 25:10

For us to gain His mercy, we should keep His covenant and His testimonies. “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7). When we keep His testimonies, our acts prosper. His testimonies are true. “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart!” (Psalm 119:2). That is the experience of the Psalmist, “Your testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors” (Psalm 119:24). We can overcome the devil by keeping His testimonies. Let us keep the covenants and testimonies of the Lord and gain His mercy.

3. HIS DISCIPLES TO BE WITH HIM

“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” John 17:24

Another thing that Jesus Christ desires is that we should be with Him. Today we see that parents generally want their children to be with them or at least in the region they dwell. The Lord wants to be with us. ‘“Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the LORD’ (Zechariah 2:10).

Who will be with Jesus Christ?

a) Chosen Ones

“Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons” Mark 3:14,15

Jesus Christ chose twelve people to be with Him always. He wanted them to be with authority and work. He trained them to be so by keeping them with Him and wanted them to preach with authority. That was His objective in choosing them. There were several people who followed Him. Out of those, He chose twelve. That is why He said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” (John 15:16). He lives today. He chooses us to be with Him.

b) Those Who Do Ministry

“If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.” John 12:26

We are bound to live and work for Christ. He is interested in the wellbeing of His servants. He wants to remain with them. He said to them: “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:14-15). He remains the same today and wants to be with us. He has promised to be with us when we do His ministry. He promised: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20). The risen Lord Jesus Christ will guide in a miraculous way.

4. FIRE ON EARTH

“I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” Luke 12:49

We know that the Lord Jesus Christ came to this earth to put fire on earth. This fire was created by the Lord to preserve us. In Zechariah 2:5, we read, “For I,’ says the LORD, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’”

Psalm 97:3 says, “A fire goes before Him, and burns up His enemies round about.” There are certain houses said to be ‘haunted houses’ as untimely deaths have taken place there. Evil spirit would work there. That is why they are described as haunted by the devil. In these houses all of a sudden pieces of stone may fall; sometimes there might be some creepy sounds heard there. In certain such houses there might be seen drops of blood sprinkled there. In certain other houses, people hear the sound of anklets. These are the acts of evil spirit intended to threaten us. But the fire of the Lord goes before Him to annihilate the works of the devil to bring about joy and peace in the area. Wherever there is presence of this fire, there would be the manifestation of the power of the Lord.

In Chennai there was a row of houses. The man who bought those houses could not vacate the tenants. He wanted to vacate them without paying any compensation to them. So he plotted against them. The dresses in these houses began to catch fire all of a sudden. This news was published in a daily newspaper with the heading ‘haunted houses.’ This happened in the place called Mulaikadai in Chennai. In one of the houses was a Christian. In his house alone there was no such happening. In other houses, even the wet clothes caught fire. The silk sarees in bureaus caught fire. So all the other houses got vacated. The presence of the fire of the Lord surrounded the house and protected it from the works of the devil. This fire also purifies us. The fire that touched the tongue of the prophet Isaiah is still active. This fire should be kindled in us.

What Should be Done for Fire to be Kindled?

a) Meditate on the Word of God

“My heart was hot within me; While I was musing, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue.” Psalm 39:3

As you muse and meditate on the Word of God, the fire burns in you. “Is not My word like a fire?” says the LORD, “ And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29). “Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not” (Jeremiah 20:9). So if you meditate on the word of God, fire will burn in you.

b) Repair the Altar

“Then Elijah said to all the people,“Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.” 1 Kings 18:30

Elijah repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken and prayed in the presence of the Lord. The fire came down and burned up all on the altar. The altar of heart has to be set right. It is broken. It is crooked and wicked. So it has to be set right. The Lord who sanctifies us with the baptism of the fire will turn into the flame of the fire. Today itself set right your heart. The fire from the Lord will come down to fill you.

c) Be of One Accord

“Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.” Acts 2:3

This anointing of the fire came upon the disciples when they gathered together in one accord. Today let us pray together. Jesus Christ says, “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 18:19). “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! . . . . For there the LORD commanded the blessing — Life forevermore.” Yes, there is blessing when we come together in one accord in His name.

Paul and Silas were praising the Lord in one accord. The power of the Lord manifested itself in their bonds being removed, the foundation of the jail being shaken, and the door being thrown open. Three youngsters who worshipped the Lord in one accord were thrown into burning furnace, but the presence of the Lord came in their midst and protected them. The fire did not harm them in any way. Today let us humble ourselves before the Lord, and commit ourselves to Him and devote ourselves to do His ministry as flames of fire.

If we commit ourselves in this way, we would become beautiful vessels in the hands of the Lord. We would become useful vessels of honour designed for good works.

May the Lord bless us!

In the service of Christ,

Bro. C. Ebenezer Paul.