My 8 Requests to Jesus
That Pilate's question is, as Billy Graham said, one we should ask ourselves. The question, which is in Matthew 27:22, is worth repeating: "What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?"
As sojourners in this fallen world, we ought to accept Jesus in our hearts and make Him the Lord of our lives. And as sinners, we ought to ask Him to bestow us with the peace He promised His followers.
I don't know about you but for me, I have welcomed Jesus into my heart. He is my friend and king. And I draw inspiration from His teachings as they are written in the four gospel books.
After welcoming Jesus into my heart, I have witnessed Him perform miracles in my life. He has made me an early riser, set me free from guilt, helped me overcome my addiction to adult films, and molded me into a truthful young man.
But to be honest, I still struggle in some areas. I have, for instance, felt shy and self-conscious when chatting with people. And many a times, I have lacked money to meet my needs, something that shouldn't be happening to a king's friend.
Today, I thought it wise to write down several requests I want Jesus to fulfill in my life so that I overcome the struggles I am currently facing. The requests aren't many. They are only eight.
Firstly, I want Jesus to increase my faith in God and in His Word. And why do I desire to have more faith? Because I believe it is the key to unlocking our potential and realizing our dreams.
Secondly, I want Him to give me discernment. There was a time I used to be social with everyone who came my way, but after some characters responded to me rudely, I became a bit withdrawn. I now want to discern the people I should associate with and the ones I should avoid like the plague.
Thirdly, I want Him to grant me patience since I am always in a hurry to accomplish my goals. When asking for patience, I am not sure if I should phrase my request like one man who told God, "Give me patience and give it to me now!"
Fourthly, I want Him to instill me with courage. The kind of courage He displayed when responding to His critics. But in my case, I just want to look people in the eyes, to say "no" without feeling guilty and to be myself without worrying what others think of me.
Fifthly, I want Him to make me more assertive, a virtue closely related to courage. For quite a long time, I had a habit of talking tenderly to others for fear of hurting their feelings. After noting that some people have taken advantage of my tenderness by making me do boring tasks without pay, I now want to be gentle with gentle people and tough with the tough.
Sixthly, I want Him to keep my passion for blogging going from strength to strength. I believe that if I stay connected to Jesus through prayers and Bible study, I will become the internationally acclaimed blogger I am aspiring to be. Didn't Jesus say in John 15 that if we remain in Him and He in us, we will bear much fruit?
Seventhly, I want Him to fill my heart with so much love that I become happy when I hear someone has succeeded, especially someone I know. You see, just as I would wish others to rejoice in my success, so do I wish to rejoice in the success of others.
Lastly, I want Him to watch over my dad. At 74 years of age, Dad is the most supportive and understanding person in my life. Only heaven knows how I would survive without him. That's why I want Jesus to watch over him.
Those are the eight requests I have for Jesus. Having witnessed Him do wonders in my life, I have faith that He shall fulfill most of the requests, if not all. Oh, this much talked about Jesus is wonderful! Am I not blessed to have Him as a friend and king?
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RECOMMENDATION: If you've enjoyed the above story on the 8 requests I have for Jesus, you might also enjoy another one on "Jesus: the One and Only" which I wrote a few years ago. Just click on that link in blue to dive straight into the story.
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