“THE BEST TIME TO ASK”
IN EVERYTHING WE DO, THERE IS ALWAYS A “BEST TIME” TO DO IT. IN THE STATE WHERE I LIVE, THERE IS NOW A “TAX FREE WEEKEND” TO SHOP FOR SCHOOL CLOTHES. YOU CAN SHOP AND HIT THE SALES RACKS ANYTIME YOU CHOOSE DURING THE SUMMER, BUT BY FAR, THE BEST TIME TO SHOP FOR CLOTHES IS ON “TAX FREE WEEKEND”! NOT ONLY DO YOU GET THE ADVANTAGE OF SALES BUT THE ADDED BENEFIT OF “NO” TAXES!
VACATIONING ON FLORIDA’S SANDY BEACHES CAN BE GREAT AT ALMOST ANY TIME OF THE YEAR. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS, IF YOU GO DURING HURRICANE SEASON, YOU’LL BE SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN THE BEACH. THE “BEST TIME” TO VACATION IN FLORIDA, IS IN EARLY SPRING WHILE THE WATERS ARE STILL COOL.
MY CHILDREN KNEW THEY COULD ALWAYS COUNT ON ME TAKING THEM SOMEWHERE THEY NEEDED TO GO, HOWEVER IT WAS SO MUCH “BETTER” IF THEY ASKED ME WHEN I WASN’T RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A PROJECT. THEN THERE WAS NO RUSH IN GOING OR COMING.
WOULD YOU BELIEVE PRAYER IS LIKE THAT? DON’T GET ME WRONG, THE PRAYER LINES ARE ALWAYS OPEN DAY OR NIGHT TO GOD AND HE WILL HEAR AND ANSWER RIGHT WHEN YOU NEED HIM, HOWEVER, WHEN YOU DO NEED SOMETHING FROM GOD, THERE IS A “BEST TIME” TO ASK.
WE READ IN 1KINGS 3, THE STORY OF SOLOMON WHERE GOD GRANTED HIM A REQUEST ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT HE ASKED. IN FACT, GOD EVEN ASKED SOLOMON WHAT “HE” COULD DO FOR HIM! SOMEHOW THE “TIME WAS BEST” FOR RECEIVING AN ANSWER. IN VERSE 3 THE BIBLE TELLS US SOLOMON WAS ONE WHO SACRIFICED REGULARLY TO GOD. IN VERSE 4, HE HAD GONE TO GIBEON , AS WAS HIS CUSTOM, TO SACRIFICE. YOU SEE, SACRIFICING OPENS THE DOOR TO THE PRESENCE OF GOD. GOD IS AT THE DOOR READY TO EXCEPT A SACRIFICE AND WHAT BETTER TIME TO ASK THAN WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED? THERE IS A SMALL CAT THAT HANGS AROUND OUR HOUSE. HE LIKES TO VISIT MY CATS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR. IF HE WANTED TO COME IN THE HOUSE, THE PERFECT TIME WOULD BE WHEN WE OPENED THE DOOR COMING OR GOING.
IN 1SAMUEL, HANNAH’S HEART CRY WAS FOR A SON. IF WE READ VERSE 1:3, WE SEE THAT IT WAS THE CUSTOM FOR HANNAH TO ACCOMPANY HER HUSBAND TO SHILOH EACH YEAR TO SACRIFICE TO GOD. IT WAS AT SHILOH, THAT HANNAH’S CRY UNTO THE LORD WAS HEARD AND ANSWERED. SOON AFTER SHE RETURNED HOME, SHE CONCEIVED.
BEFORE ESTHER ENTERED THE KING’S CHAMBER SEEKING DELIVERANCE FOR HER PEOPLE, SHE FASTED AND PRAYED. SHE DIDN’T HAVE TO SACRIFICE AN ANIMAL. HER FOOD WAS SACRIFICED ALONG WITH HER TIME AND GOD ANSWERED HER PRAYER.
JESUS TELLS US IN MATTHEW 5:23-24, WHEN WE BRING OUR GIFT TO THE ALTAR AND REMEMBER THAT WE HAVE OUGHT AGAINST OUR BROTHER, WE NEED TO LEAVE OUR GIFT AT THE ALTAR AND GO MAKE IT RIGHT WITH THAT BROTHER THEN RETURN TO GIVE OUR GIFT. GOD EXPECTS A SACRIFICE OF SELF WILL AND HARBORED ANGER TO RELEASE THE BLESSINGS OF ANSWERED PRAYER.
ONE MORNING BEFORE PRAYER, I WAS IMPRESSED TO CALL SOMEONE AND ENCOURAGE THEM. THIS PERSON WAS GOING THROUGH SOME REAL TRAUMA AND WAS USUALLY NEGATIVE IN EVERYTHING. I DIDN’T REALLY WANT TO MAKE THE CALL, HOWEVER GOD WOULDN’T LEAVE ME ALONE ABOUT IT AND I FINALLY CALLED HER. I’M SO GLAD I DID. IT REALLY PICKED HER UP AND AFTER I PRAYED FOR HER, SHE TOLD ME HOW MUCH BETTER SHE FELT. AS I STARTED TO PRAY I HEARD THE LORD SAY “I RECEIVE YOUR SACRIFICE, IT WAS PLEASING TO ME, WHAT IS YOUR REQUEST?” THERE WAS AN URGENT NEED IN OUR FAMILY THAT MORNING AND BEFORE MID AFTERNOON EVEN GOT A START, IT WAS ANSWERED.
I REALLY UNDERSTOOD THAT DAY, WE CAN GO TO GOD ANY TIME DAY OR NIGHT FOR OUR NEEDS BUT THE “BEST TIME” TO RECEIVE IS WHEN THE DOOR IS OPEN FOR GOD TO RECEIVE OUR SACRIFICE. PRAISE, THANKSGIVING, MONEY, TIME OR POSSESSIONS ARE ALWAYS ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICES TO GOD AND IT’S WHEN WE GIVE THESE, THAT’S ALWAYS “THE BEST TIME TO ASK”!
