“You do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2 NKJ).
I learned to appreciate the full extent of this verse as a result of a personal experience earlier in my life.
Preparing for a career in nationwide evangelism, I felt the need of acquiring a trombone and learning to play it as the musical portion of my planned evangelistic services. The more I thought about it, the more I was convinced I needed a trombone.
My faith was too weak to ask the Lord for such a mundane thing as a musical instrument. In this sense, my thinking was typically immature. “What if I ask for a horn and the Lord doesn’t give me one?” I asked myself. “I wouldn’t want to embarrass the Lord by asking Him to do something that might not be His will. After all. He knows where I live and what I need, ”
I rationalized fatalistically, “So if He wants me to have a trombone. He can send it to me.” As a result of my fuzzy thinking, my prayers were vague, general and ambiguous. It soon became evident, however, that they weren’t producing anything.
In His usual merciful way of dealing with His children, the Lord led me to this verse: “…you do not have because you do not ask.”
He showed me how pathetic, anemic, and unscriptural my prayers were. I learned that weak faith produces weak prayers.
The Lord dealt with me about asking specifically for a trombone: “If you want a trombone, ask for it, and I will give it to you.” I did, and He did! From that experience, I learned a valuable lesson about praying. I learned to change my prayers from general, vapory wishes to specific, concrete requests.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Dick Mills was ordained at The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel in 1949. He and his wife Betty traveled as evangelists all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Europe, and Australia. Dick and Betty are now home in heaven.
In 1966 Dick and Betty became a part of the then-emerging Charismatic Renewal. Passing through all denominational barriers, Dick has had the opportunity to speak in thousands of churches of varied backgrounds all over the world.
He ministered within several Christian organizations, including the Full Gospel Business Men, Women's Aglow, Inter-church Renewal Catholic Pentecostals, mainline Charismatic groups, CBN and TBN television networks, and many other independent Christian TV stations.
Dick appeared on numerous radio talk shows, written several magazine articles, and spoke at many Bible conferences and universities. He served as an adjunct professor at six Schools of the Bible and Seminaries.
In addition, Dick authored and co-authored several books and tapes. Dick's ministry was characterized by the unique gifts God has blessed him with. His services informed, enlightened, and motivated people to a higher level of commitment to God.