Ask, Seek, Knock, Persist
2016-01-11 Today’s Reading: Genesis 27-28, Psalm 4, Luke 11
Title: “Ask, Seek, Knock, Persist”
Topic: Persistence
SCRIPTURE: Luke 11:5-10
5 And He (Jesus) said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? 8 I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. 9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
OBSERVATION:
We seldom include verse 8 when reciting the oft quoted verses 9 and 10 of this passage in Luke. Verse 8 points out that merely relying on friendship and asking for help once when you are in need is not enough—PERSISTENCE in your asking, seeking and knocking is what gets results. The element of proper persistence must not be overlooked in our prayers of petition before the Lord. We may need to ask, seek and knock with more alacrity and tenacity.
APPLICATION:
This passage begs the question of how committed I am to seeing results and receiving answers to my prayers? How sincerely do I ask of the Lord? How earnestly do I seek Him? How urgently do I knock at the doors of heaven? Does my persistence comport with the importance of my requests, or does my lack of persistence belie my sincerity?
PRAYER:
Father, I honor and revere You above all else. May my communion with You be ever pleasing, and may I learn to express my needs before You with proper persistence in all reverence. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. -AP
Title: “Ask, Seek, Knock, Persist”
Topic: Persistence
SCRIPTURE: Luke 11:5-10
5 And He (Jesus) said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? 8 I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. 9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
OBSERVATION:
We seldom include verse 8 when reciting the oft quoted verses 9 and 10 of this passage in Luke. Verse 8 points out that merely relying on friendship and asking for help once when you are in need is not enough—PERSISTENCE in your asking, seeking and knocking is what gets results. The element of proper persistence must not be overlooked in our prayers of petition before the Lord. We may need to ask, seek and knock with more alacrity and tenacity.
APPLICATION:
This passage begs the question of how committed I am to seeing results and receiving answers to my prayers? How sincerely do I ask of the Lord? How earnestly do I seek Him? How urgently do I knock at the doors of heaven? Does my persistence comport with the importance of my requests, or does my lack of persistence belie my sincerity?
PRAYER:
Father, I honor and revere You above all else. May my communion with You be ever pleasing, and may I learn to express my needs before You with proper persistence in all reverence. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. -AP
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