FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2023
“ASK, SEEK, KNOCK” – Pastor Chris
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you (Matthew 7:7).
In our opening verse, the Lord tells us to do three things: To ask, seek, and knock. This seems to suggest a difference between the three of them. When you study the Bible, you’ll clearly see the difference.
Jesus said, “For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened” (Matthew 7:8). When you ask, it’s either you’re asking God or you’re making a demand on the basis of your faith. Like when the Lord says, “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession” (Psalm 2:8). He says when you ask, you’ll receive.
In seeking, you’re not asking anybody; you’re actually in pursuit of something. For instance, you may be seeking knowledge or information on a subject matter. You may even be seeking opportunities in a certain industry. He says, “seek, and ye shall find.” Seek, and you’ll get it.
Imagine that you asked the Lord for your community and He gave it to you. Even though you’ve received it in your spirit, you still have to go out as an act of faith to get it. That’s what the Master did: “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). As you go out and take your steps by faith, you’ll find what you’re looking for.
“Knock” teaches importunity in prayer. Jesus gave an example of a certain man who had a friend come to him at midnight. He didn’t have bread to give him, so he went to knock on another friend’s door to ask for bread. His friend refused to get up because he and his family had already gone to bed, but the man didn’t stop knocking.
Then, Jesus said, “I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth” (Luke 11:8). Jesus used these three to teach His disciples never to give up, and that faith works.
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PRAYER: Dear Father, I’m grateful to know that all the provisions necessary for a fulfilling life and a godly existence have already been made accessible to me through Christ. Therefore, I take advantage of the open invitation to ask anything in the Name of Jesus and receive answers. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Hebrews 13 & Ezekiel 16
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: John 12:30-41 & 1 Chronicles 17
