Day Seventeen
 
Ask, Seek and Knock
 
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; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
– Matthew 7:7-8
 
This passage has given hope to many, and to some who don’t understand the full meaning it has been a discouragement. I say that because I have heard people say, “I asked, but I did not receive.” What would be a proper application of this passage?

Let’s look at some of the other passages where Jesus talks about prayer. In Luke 18:1—3 he implies that the answer to prayer must be diligently pursued. In the Luke 11 version of this event he prefaces the promise with the story of a man who received what he asked from a friend because of his persistent asking (5-8). Luke then gives the “ask, seek knock” narrative.

The message seems to be that the asking is more than just including a request when blessing our food at meal time. It appears that the message is ask first for the thing you need or desire, then seek until you find the door to your answer then knock until the door is opened. When the door is opened walk through it to receive your answer.

James captured this concept when he writes, “The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]” (James 4:16 AMP). We can rest assured that God has our best interest at heart and that he will answer our heartfelt prayers when it is the best time and in the best way.

There are three major components to answered prayer. The first is the question, “Is this according to God’s plan for my life?” The second is obedience to God. The third is a commitment to earnestly pursue the answer. When these components are lined up we can have the confidence that God will answer. John writes, “We have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands” (1 John 3:21-22).
 
Prayer: Lord, help me to be earnest and diligent in my praying so that I will ask, seek and knock until the answer comes. Amen.

Message:   The message seems to be that the asking is more than just including a request when blessing our food at meal time. It appears that the message is ask first for the thing you need or desire, then seek until you find the door to your answer then knock until the door is opened. When the door is opened walk through it to receive your answer.

Affirmation:  I have learned to ask God then seek him until he reveals the door to the answer then knock on the door until it is opened and the answer is given to me.

Reflection:  Give some thought to the three components to answered prayer given in this devotion. First is the question, "Is this according to God's plan for my life?" The second consideration is obedience to God and the third is a commitment to earnestly pursue the answer.

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Jesus taught in Matthew27-28  that it is not just the act that is sin, but to harbor the desire in our heart is sin as well. It is true: Thoughts count.
Listen to the Daily God Walk devotion on this subject: THOUGHTS COUNT

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I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing… If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.  – John 15:5-8
 
I have a friend who has the most remarkable testimony of being born again that I have known. He and his whole family had a deadly disease. He was deeply involved in illegal activities and was addicted to drugs. Then he surrendered his life to Jesus and everything changed.
His life and the lives of his wife and children were radically affected by Christ. They were in the vine. Then came a great surprise. He got a job that exposed him to a lot of people and he began to change.
This person who had not only been freed from sin and addictions but who had been healed from a disease which carried a death sentence, and he was letting it all slip through his fingers as he began to dabble in the world again.
He left his family was again involved with drugs and other sins. He disconnected himself from the vine. He severed himself from the life God had given him.
This tragic story is repeated time and again by people who begin to look back to the world and begin to listen to the words of the enemy as he says to them, “Go ahead, just a little bit of fun isn’t going to hurt you.” They listen to wrong words.
Jesus said, “If my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you.” The world speaks enticing words offering what it can’t deliver. Jesus always delivers on his word.
 Jesus has proven over and over that his words are true and if we continue in the vine, and we continue to listen to his words, then our desire will be for him and his righteousness and all that we desire and ask of him will be given to us.
 
Prayer:  Lord, help me to always stay in the vine and listen to your words. Help to not listen to the enticing words of evil which are trying to draw me away from your abundant life into a life of false hopes and lying promises. In Jesus name. Amen.
 
Message:   Jesus has proven over and over that his words are true and if we continue in the vine, and we continue to listen to his words, then our desire will be for him and his righteousness and all that we desire and ask of him will be given to us.
 
Affirmation: While I am in the vine God's favor rests upon me and he grants my hearts desire. That is why I remain in the vine.
 
Reflection: When Jesus instructed his disciples to stay in the vine he was telling them to continue in obedience to the words he was speaking. How does this passage relate to Joshua 1:8? There is a principle in both of these passages relating to the effect of abiding in the words of the Lord. What is that principle?

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To illustrate how the Kingdom of God works in individuals he uses the analogy of making bread. Yeast is the active ingredient which works in the rest of the ingredients to prepare them to be transformed in bread... watch the video below to get the message of this devotion.

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