Genesis 3:2-5 (ESV)
2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Matthew 7:7-11 (MSG)
7-11 “Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn’t a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we’re in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn’t think of such a thing. You’re at least decent to your own children. So don’t you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?”

Luke 2:33-35 (MSG)
Jesus’ father and mother were speechless with surprise at these words. Simeon went on to bless them, and said to Mary his mother,
This child marks both the failure and the recovery of many in Israel,
A figure misunderstood and contradicted— the pain of a sword-thrust through you—
But the rejection will force honesty, as God reveals who they really are.

What I find most amazing is how much God knows about us. The more I learn about Him, Christ and the Holy Spirit, the more amazed I am at how right He is about who I am. Amazing, huh? Not.

If Adam and Eve had asked for permission to eat from the tree of good and evil, would God have said yes? No, he’d already said no, he’d say it again. Yet, I get all sorts of no’s, stop signs in life, and I blow through them. It’s a miracle that even though I’ve been in plenty of wrecks that I haven’t been in more of them. Ask for what we need Christ tells us. We do, then he says no. Seems cruel, but it’s not.

All that said, Simeon knew right away. The pain of the sword thrust through you, the rejection will force honesty and God reveals who they really are. Gut check time. Why am I getting no’s?

It’s simple. God says yes when I ask for things that are aligned with His will for me, no when I ask for things that aren’t. The ratio of yes’s to no’s tells me a lot about my walk.

Fox hole prayers (or Lord, just get me out of this and I promise I’ll…..) are a proof. How many of yours have been answered? Then what?

The intention of the fox hole prayer has to be followed up on — an alignment with His will, not ours. He forces honesty and reveals who we are because of His immeasurable love for us.

Yes is good, no is not.