When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, He told them a story about someone who had encountered an unexpected need. This example is a powerful illustration of the command to ask, seek, and knock. At midnight a man in need knocked on the door of his friend and asked for some loaves of bread. Even though the friend knew the mans name and accepted him as a friend, he would not get out of bed to meet the need until the man was persistent. “Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity [persistence] he will rise and give him as many [loaves] as he needs.” (See Luke 11:5-8). Persistent knocking reinforces fervent prayer. It confirms our passion to have God do great things. The fervent prayers recorded in Scripture reveal the great passions of men and women of faith who have earnestly sought after God and His kingdom. Without a passion, our lives are bland and mundane; with a passion, they can be dynamic and productive. The reformer John Knox had a passion and vision to reach the nation of Scotland with the Gospel. Though persecuted by the Church of Rome and others, he continued to boldly proclaim the truth of Gods Word. He would frequently pray with fervency and power, O God, give me Scotland, or I die! God heard those cries and worked through John Knox to bring about a great awakening in that nation. What passions do we have that call for fervent praying, diligent seeking, and persistent knocking? If we ask, seek, and knock, God will open up the right doors. In this command, Jesus did not identify what the door represented. However, other Scripture verses explain the significance of a door. The first door that Jesus will open up is a greater understanding of Himself. He stated, “I am the door” (John 10:9). He will then open up a door of faith. (See Acts 14:27.) Through faith, He will open up great and effectual doors of opportunity. (See I Corinthians 16:9.) With these doors will come a further “door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ” (Colossians 4:3) It is God Who opens these doors, not us; and we are told in Revelation 3:8 that when God opens a door, no man can shut it. Over the years, I have asked God to open many different doors of opportunity, and I have seen Him do so in marvelous ways…and it’s usually in ways I could not even have thought of. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you …” (Matthew 7:7–8).
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 05:42:49 +0000
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