1 John 3:20-22 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
1 John 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
A reader asked a pointed question, "How do we claim the promises of God?" Sometimes the most difficult questions are best answered by men of faith, in this case, by a man who made a lifestyle of claiming the promises of God. I learned the answer to this question early in my walk when I read the autobiography of George Mueller.
George Mueller used a method of "Holy Argument" before the Lord. Much like a lawyer would present his case before a judge, Mueller would present his needs and his desires before the Lord.
Of course, God does not need to be convinced – arguments will not make our needs any plainer to him – but He loves when we set our needs, our cause, even our innermost desires, before Him, because it's an expression of our faith, our trust, in Him. So George Mueller would argue His case before God, not so much to convince the Lord, but rather, to convince or demonstrate to himself the absolute trust he had in God's Word, His covenants, His provision, and His perfect goodness. Thus Mueller would place His requests before the Lord, fully expecting God to answer based on who He was.
God has given us the right to ask and to claim anything according to His will, and we should expect Him to answer our pleas when we have confidence that we're asking for what He desires. Even if our heart condemns us we can trust that God is greater than our hearts and will answer prayers according to His good will. George Mueller's requests were answered because he was deeply committed to the will of God – and God cannot deny himself. We can be as bold as he was, expecting God to answer, when we are totally committed to His will and asking for what we know He desires. Sometimes this requires discernment, and so we must wait on Him and ask for His wisdom before naming and claiming what we want.
Are you committed to the will of God? Are you determined to know and to ask for the things He loves to give? If so, plead His blood over your heart and be released from condemnation; then ask according to His will! The Lord's gifts are manifold, and He wants us to ask for them, according to His own Word, fully expecting answers. He loves your faith and will respond out of His great goodness.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]In a world wearied by the failures of men, Isaiah 9:6 offers a startling promise of hope and strength: “The government shall be upon His shoulder.” This is not the language of politics as we know it — it’s the language of divine dominion. The Hebrew word for “government” here is misrah (מִשְׂרָה), a word so unique it appears only in these two verses—Isaiah 9:6 and 9:7. Unlike more common Hebrew words for government — mamlachah or memshalah, misrah speaks of a rare and elevated rule—divinely ordained, gentle in character, and eternal in scope. This is a government not imposed, but carried. Not tyrannical, but righteous and restorative.
The prophet Isaiah begins with language so familiar that it’s often read too quickly. Yet within this brief phrase lies a depth of mystery and majesty that anchors the entire gospel. “For unto us a Child is born” speaks of an earthly event–Messiah’s humanity. He was born as all men are born, taking on flesh, entering a specific culture, time, and lineage. The Hebrew word for “born” (yalad) reinforces His full identification with us. This is the miracle of the incarnation: God wrapped in the vulnerability of a newborn child.
When the Lord called us to be His ambassadors, He didn’t merely give us a message — He gave us a lifestyle to embody it. An ambassador is not just a messenger, but a living representation of the Kingdom they serve. That means our behavior, words, and example all matter deeply.
As ambassadors of Christ, we don’t just represent His Kingdom–we reflect His heart. Paul’s words in Colossians 4:5-6 are not just good advice; they’re a commissioning. We are called to walk wisely among those who do not yet know Christ, recognizing that every interaction is a divine opportunity.
“All this is from God…” These words usher us into the breathtaking reality that salvation is not born of human effort, wisdom, or willpower — it is entirely the work of God. From beginning to end, it is His plan, His initiative, His unrelenting grace. Through Yeshua (Jesus), God stepped into our brokenness and reconciled us to Himself, repairing the relationship that sin had shattered. Reconciliation is not merely a theological concept — it is the restoration of intimacy with the Father. We did not ascend to Him in holiness; He descended to us in mercy. The Creator did not wait for us to find our way back. No, He came down in Yeshua, arms stretched wide in love, calling us home.
In the age of social media, where hot takes go viral, outrage spreads in seconds, and comment sections become battlegrounds, James offers a divine pattern that stands in stark contrast to the digital frenzy. His instruction is timeless but urgently needed today: be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. These three commands — revolutionary yet straightforward — cut through the noise of our reaction-driven culture and call us to a Spirit-led posture in a screen-lit world.
In Matthew 21, Yeshua (Jesus) approached a fig tree full of leaves but found no fruit. He cursed it, and it withered. This dramatic act was not about the tree—it was about Israel. The fig tree had the appearance of life, but it lacked the substance of transformation. It was a warning to a nation full of religion but void of repentance. The tree became a symbol of spiritual barrenness, of form without fruit.