The Rest Of The Story

I always loved Paul Harvey's "The Rest Of The Story" news broadcasts in which he would in which he would share something from history, leaving out a fact until the end when he would say. "And now, the rest of the story."

The rest of the story was what completed it.  To leave that part out was to miss a crucial element. During the recent presidential campaign, much of the news regarding he candidates, I noticed, was left out, presenting what the media wanted us to hear rather than reporting the entire story.

Used cars are generally sold with a history of their "selling points"minus anything that takes away from that narrative. The courtship process leading up to marriage generally highlights the best point while minimizing or shielding the unappealing ones. It has been said that if everyone delivered I marriage what they sold while dating, there would never be any divorces. Sounds legit.

This missing part is one of the greatest reasons for misunderstanding or misinterpreting of Scripture.  For instance: "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" (Mark 11:24) has been use to promote the "Name it and claim it" prosperity gospel in which you can insure being healthy and wealthy.

However, many find that doesn't pan out regardless of how much they ask God in prayer - that they don't get whatever they've asked for. Part of the reason is they are not looking at what the "Therefore" in the passage is there for.  Let's look at the rest of the story::

Mark 11:[22] “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. [23] “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. [25] And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

In the surrounding verses, we see the keys of faith in God, not doubting and a forgiving spirit or godly spirit. Asking in a selfish way with a lack of faith in God's power and goodness will result in you not receiving your requests: James 4:[2]" … You do not have because you do not ask God. [3] When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives …"

We must rust God and not self, asking in light of his glory and will rather in our greed and willfulness.  We "must 'seek first the kingdom and all these things will be added" (Matt 6:33)m not seek our wants out first.   

Now you know the rest of the story and you can begin to ask God for those things you believe he would want you to have, seeking his will over your own. Then you can start receiving the good God wants to shower you with.   Jus' Say'