Do we ask for too much?

Do you think God ever gets tired of us asking for so much? Do you
think He ever feels like I have occasionally felt when my kids just
ask, ask, ask? Do you think God ever gets weary of our constantly
asking for more, more, more? Do you think we ask God for too much?

I don't think so. Quite the contrary. I think He is sometimes
amused and more often frustrated by our small prayers. I don't think
we ask for too much. I think we ask for way too little.

I was meditating on this recently while listening to Darlene
Zschech's song, "You Said." Consider some of the verses that this
song references:

• Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
  knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7


• If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever
  you wish, and it will be given you. John 15:7


• Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the
  ends of the earth your possession. Psalm 2:8


• For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory
  of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.  Habakkuk 2:14


• Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I
  tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe
  for harvest. John 4:35

I got so inspired by this song I created a little video. Check it
out at
http://sundayschool.ning.com

I draw your attention to Habakkuk 2.14. I remember Dawson
Trotman, founder of the Navigators, doing a talk on this and posing
this question: to what degree do the waters cover the sea? How much
of the sea is covered with water? Pretty much all of it, right?
Let's pray that the earth would be covered with the knowledge of the
glory of God as the waters cover the sea. No more puny 
prayers. Let's pray for the whole earth. Let's claim the nations for
God.

Look at Psalm 2.8. What are you asking God for? To feel better?
For a new IPOD? A promotion? No. No more puny prayers. Ask for the
nations. We are promised: God will give us the nations--the ends of
the earth. Let's repent of small asking. Let's repent of small
prayers. Let's ask a big God for big things. Let's ask Him for the
nations.

"Ask of me," the Bible says. Ask what? "Whatever you will." (John
15.7) What do you wish for? What is your heart's greatest wish? I
wish that the gospel would spread and spread rapidly. I have enough
stuff for me. I ask for the nations.

"Rapidly." That too is what the Bible says: "Finally, brothers,
pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be
honored, just as it was with you." 2 Thessalonians 3:1 I have heard
a lot of people speak of the glory of "slow, steady growth." That is
not what Paul longed for. I have heard pastors say, "I believe in slow,
steady growth, because slow, steady growth is healthy growth." Makes
sense. It is not not what the Bible says. The Bible speaks of the
gospel spreading rapidly.

And the early church was it. Consider these verses.

• So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew
  daily in numbers. Acts 16:5


• The word of God continued to increase and spread. Acts 12:24
  


• Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the
  Lord and were added to their number. Acts 5:14


• And the Lord added to their number daily those who were
  being saved. Acts 2:47


• So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in
  Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests
  became obedient to the faith. Acts 6:7


• Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria
  enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by
  the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the
  Lord. Acts 9:31


• In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in
  power. Acts 19:20

If the gospel spread rapidly then, why can't it do so now? Has
God gotten tired? Is He growing weak? Or are his people asking for
too small of things? God give us a people who ask great things from
God. Give us a people who dream great dreams for God.

I love this question: what are you asking God for that would be
impossible without Him?

Here is my answer: I am asking for a great doubling group
movement. I believe God's place for me in this world is all about
helping micro-churches (small groups--either home groups or on
campus groups) grow and divide, grow and divide, grow and divide.
You only have to grow from 10 to 14 in a year to double every two
years or less. If you can do it a little more quickly--every
eighteen months--a group of ten can reach a thousand people for God
in ten years by doubling every eighteen months. The next ten and
twenty years gets really interesting.

I shared this in a recent article and a teacher--Marv, you can
see his video online at
http://sundayschool.ning.com -- told me he wanted to do that --
he wanted to reach a million people in his life time. God, give us
more teachers like Marv. When you start with a goal like that, you
can miss it by quite a bit and still do quite a bit.

Dream great dreams for God. Pray great prayers for God. Attempt
great things for God. Ask great things of God. No more puny prayers.
Repent of small things. Our great God is worthy of great requests.

Conclusion

Want to go public? Share your dream at
http://sundayschool.ning.com
.  It would be a great encouragement to all of us, especially
me.