In last week’s S & S Weekly Focus message, “Pass the Peace,” I shared the great news regarding Pastor Alfred Holston, our former GMCHC Ministerial Alliance president. Today, I have some more great news to share!!!

“But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted” (John 15:7 NLT).

That’s a Promise!

We may get excited about the promise Jesus made to His disciples (His disciples then and now) in John 15:7 above. And we certainly should—so long as we fully appreciate that it is not a blank check for us to expect God to respond favorably to our self-serving and materialistic desires. It is not an unconditional promise. In fact, there are two specific conditions attached: “If you remain in me” and “if my words remain in you.”

Remain in Me

There are many trees on my property and several of them lost branches and limbs during the recent violent storms that came through a few weeks ago. The leaves on the branches and limbs that fell from the trees quickly began to wither and dry up because the branches were no longer connected to the trees. To access the promise in John 15:7, we must remain connected to Jesus. We remain connected through consistent and fervent prayer, reading and studying his word daily, consistent church attendance and being available for service.

My words remain in you

As I stated last night on GMCHC’s Word Wednesday (and thank you again, Pastor Carter, for the opportunity) Jesus has something to tell us, and we only need to be attentive to His voice. When we absorb His words, fully internalize His instructions and allow them to guide the way we think and what we do, our desires will become perfectly aligned with what Jesus wants for us. When our wants are what He wants for us, then we are truly in Him and His words are in us.

And this is the promise!

Then we can ask what we want. We no longer harbor selfish desires for materialistic things (“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved,” 2 Peter 3:11). We desire what will make us more like Jesus and more helpful and loving to others. Ask, “and it will be granted”! That’s the great news and that’s a promise!

Focus Quote: “Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11 NKJV).