Rēad to Read …Again
Daily Reading: Luke 10-11
Luke 11:10
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Ask, seek, knock, and you will receive, find, and it will be opened for you. Ask not and receive not, seek not and find not, do not knock and it will not be opened unto you. It is hard to understand that such a great promise would be so ignored, overlooked, unnoticed, and disregarded, for there are millions who need to receive, find, and have doors opened for them. But they do not ask, seek, or knock. Or, if they do, they go to those who cannot accomplish that which they desire.
Ask. Just ask. Prayer is not a spooky, ritualistic, or ceremonial thing. It is basically and simply asking for something. Like a trusting child asking a loving parent for some food. That is the way for a child of God to ask our Heavenly Father for the things needed in life. Yet, if a trusting child asked for a rattlesnake to play with, that prayer would of necessity go unanswered. For the loving parent knows that a rattlesnake is not a toy. Likewise, sometimes, our Father will say no to requests that would harm us, or that are not in His will for us.
Seek. This indicates an action of the individual. Just seek. This takes effort. Asking takes no effort but to ask. Seeking means to put energy into action to find. God’s promise is that if any person (every one) seeks they will find. Seek what? Whatever one wants to find. Consider a future spouse. A person may ask the Lord for a spouse, but they must do more, they must seek the future spouse. Go places where potential spouses may be, like church. Meet people, be outgoing, seek out that one who may be the one with whom to spend a life. The same is true with anything. If a person asks for something, yet does not seek it, it will seldom be found.
Knock. Again, this indicates an action. Knocking is to find out if anyone is on the other side of a closed door. There are many closed doors, both physically and spiritually. To open them just knock. Consider a Bible verse or teaching that you do not understand. You may ask for understanding of it, may even seek understanding of it, and yet not understand it. But knock on the door of it. This necessitates the person going to the door. Presenting themself at the door. Doors don’t come to a person, a person goes to the door. There are some things in the Christian life that must be experienced through knocking on its door. Giving tithes is one. The only way for God’s promises about giving and receiving to be experienced is that the door of giving is knocked on (by giving) and the understanding of how it all works, and the proof that God will bless it, is opened unto them.
In prayer, all three are needed plus praise, adoration, and thanksgiving. So, just ask, seek, and find. Every one who performs these actions will receive, find, and it will be opened unto them. This is guaranteed by Christ.
Dr. William T. Howe
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