Bible League: Living His Word "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."It is in the nature of the sinful spiritual state to give up easily. Its motto is, "If at first you don't succeed, don't ever try again." Our verses for today, however, teach the opposite lesson. When it comes to asking God for the things that we need, we should be persistent. Indeed, Luke's version of Jesus' teaching is preceded by the story of the persistent friend – the friend who was shamelessly audacious in his asking (Luke 11:5-8). Thus, Jesus says, if we ask, it will be given to us. Perhaps this seems to be an obvious directive for those who are disciples of Jesus Christ. Yet how often does it happen that we get caught up in our difficulties and forget to turn to God and ask? Instead of bringing God into the situation, we muddle through looking to find whatever we need on our own. In such circumstances, however, Jesus doesn't just recommend that we ask, He commands it. Asking, however, is not quite sufficient from Jesus' point of view. He wants us to take our asking up a notch. If we seek out what we need from God, we will find it. It's all too easy to throw up a quick prayer to heaven and then get lost once again in the situation. Jesus is saying that something more consistent and persistent is required. We should continue to seek from God what we need until we find it. Finally, Jesus commands that we should knock on the door. When all our asking and seeking takes us to the very doorstep of heaven, we should not just stand there and wait. We should knock on the door. If we do, the door will be opened to us. Having shown God the sincerity of our intentions by asking, seeking, and knocking, He will open the door and provide us with what we need from His storehouse within. Jesus wants us to bear fruit. Our prayers are meant to help us bear fruit (John 15:16). All of our persistent asking, seeking, and knocking shows God that we are serious and sincere about it. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 103, 104 Psalm 103 -- Praise the Lord, my soul! All that is within me, praise his holy name! NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 104 -- Bless the Lord, my soul. O Lord, my God, you are very great. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Romans 14 Romans 14 -- Principles of Conscience for The Weak and the Strong in Faith NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion “That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.”Insight People will die in their sins if they reject Christ, because they are rejecting the only way to be rescued from sin. Sadly, many are so taken up with the values of this world that they are blind to the priceless gift Christ offers. Challenge Where are you looking? Don't focus on this world's values and miss what is most valuable—eternal life with God. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Genesis 24:63 Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide.Very admirable was his occupation. If those who spend so many hours in idle company, light reading, and useless pastimes, could learn wisdom, they would find more profitable society and more interesting engagements in meditation than in the vanities which now have such charms for them. We should all know more, live nearer to God, and grow in grace, if we were more alone. Meditation chews the cud and extracts the real nutriment from the mental food gathered elsewhere. When Jesus is the theme, meditation is sweet indeed. Isaac found Rebecca while engaged in private musings; many others have found their best beloved there. Very admirable was the choice of place. In the field we have a study hung round with texts for thought. From the cedar to the hyssop, from the soaring eagle down to the chirping grasshopper, from the blue expanse of heaven to a drop of dew, all things are full of teaching, and when the eye is divinely opened, that teaching flashes upon the mind far more vividly than from written books. Our little rooms are neither so healthy, so suggestive, so agreeable, or so inspiring as the fields. Let us count nothing common or unclean, but feel that all created things point to their Maker, and the field will at once be hallowed. Very admirable was the season. The season of sunset as it draws a veil over the day, befits that repose of the soul when earthborn cares yield to the joys of heavenly communion. The glory of the setting sun excites our wonder, and the solemnity of approaching night awakens our awe. If the business of this day will permit it, it will be well, dear reader, if you can spare an hour to walk in the field at eventide, but if not, the Lord is in the town too, and will meet with thee in thy chamber or in the crowded street. Let thy heart go forth to meet him. Daily Light on the Daily Path Hebrews 13:20,21 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, • equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Ephesians 2:8,9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; • not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. James 1:17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. Philippians 2:12,13 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; • for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Philippians 1:11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. 2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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