“The Necessity of Prayer” #4 - Jesus said, "SEEK”

“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

 

We must seek answers to what God wants fulfilled in or around us.  Very often, while we pray our spirit cries out to God, but and we don’t know what to ask, but the Father will help us and instruct us what to pray through the presence of His Spirit whispering into our heart. God reveals his will and aides you in prayer, as Paul wrote, “… the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.” Roman 8:26-27

 

Know that God hears your prayer; be confident in this!  He guides us in his will – open your spiritual ears, and listen – and, as you pray according to His will, miracles will be manifested (see 1 John 5:14-15).  Be involved in what you are praying about, seekers find something only when they are looking for it.  To “seek” is proactive, to dream is not, so, go seek. 

   

Whoever is humble will be lifted up (Jas 4:10) and passionately listened to by Jesus Christ, our intercessor.  Ask God to lead you, only in surrender, complete reliance upon God can He fill you with wisdom and knowledge according to His will for every situation—God promises to provide the answers and fulfillment to the obedient follower who seeks the Lord’s will.

(See John 14:15-17; 15:7-8, 16-17)

 

Seeking His will, His Kingdom, 

Owen <><

 

Luke 12:31 NLT
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The Necessity of Prayer” #3 - Jesus said, "Ask"

“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

 There is no doubt that an all-knowing God is aware of your every need, but, you may find a disappointment in life when not in tune with your Provider.  Jesus said, “Ask.”  To ask of God is not to be minimalized by asking for what you “want.”

Jesus agonizing in prayer
in the Garden of Gethsemane

Your needs are not first and foremost.

 

With agonizing prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus first acknowledges the Father’s authority, and surrenders to the cross; we must remember, “No one took His life away from Him; He gave it up, …” Jesus listened to and surrendered to the Fathers will (John 17:1-26).  

 

Take time to recite the “Lord’s Prayer,” it begins by glorifying God and desiring His will to be done on earth (John 6:9-13) – read it, it begins by addressing God's will, desire, wants, ... not yours. 

 

I'm sure the Lord has a plan for you today - but it may not be for your gain; but, a plan for you to notice someone. Today do not leave God's will undone – that is a miracle, a blessing, someone's hope you didn’t allow.  God reveals who to help, who to be a shoulder for, and who to have coffee and a casual conversation with, that leads to an open door to go through and share the good news.  Be a blessing to the Kingdom.  Take time to ask God, "What do You, dear Lord God Almighty want me to do today, what can I do for your Kingdom, who am I to notice today?"

 

We're reminded: “You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives ...” (James 4:2b-3a).

 

Asking, Noticing,

Owen <><

 

“The Necessity of Prayer” #2

We can pray by using ritualistic prayers, using the Lord’s Prayer as an outline, or what some call “Praying the Scriptures.”  What way is best?  All prayer is profitable.  The key is to pray.  And, how long is our prayer?  The Lord’s Word instructs us to “pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1Thess 5:17-18).

One manner by which to embrace God with effective prayer is to apply the essentials Jesus taught us to do in prayer.  Jesus taught, “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).  Notice what Jesus said we are to do in prayer:  1) ask, 2) seek, and 3) knock.
This isn’t some kind of deep theology.  This is a basic relationship; a talk to a loving Father – who is not only a provider, but the Creator who not only would die for you, He has.  Follow your heart in talking to your loving “Father God” as you would your daddy or best friend.  Remember, our relationship, as one who is born again, is with our “Abba Father.”  Abba Father is an Aramaic term of endearment, similar to “daddy” (see Mark 14:36, Rom 8:15, Gal 4:6); and when we are in God’s will, obedient to Christ, we are His friend (John 15:14).  I have often heard people refer to their father in this way, “he is my father and best friend.”  That is a relationship to be desired, and Abba Father is prepared to lavish you with such a relationship – it begins in dialog, prayer. 

There will be more posts on “The Necessity of Prayer,” we will focus on what Jesus said we are to do in prayer: to 1) ask, 2) seek, and 3) knock.  These three words are important.  Our Abba Father is willing and responsive to our asking; ready to reveal Himself, His will, when we seek Him, and eagerly opens the door for us to enter into Him when we knock.  

Asking, Seeking, Knocking,

Owen <><

“The Necessity of Prayer” #1

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.”
Jesus, Matthew 7:7-8

Prayer and faith are inseparable. 
As the Father is inseparable with Son and Spirit, ...
      ... ... so are we inseparable to our Father by faith. 
Our only true communion of spirit with our Savior, Christ Jesus, is while in prayer.  

My granny taught me about praying, not directly, but I watched her.  My mom’s side of the family is very southern, my great-great-grandfather Barnes planted the first orange grove in Lee County FL; and they are Baptist to the bone.  But my granny Francis was raised Catholic, and then married my grandfather Barnes.  She did things a little different, I can remember that “necklace” she would sit with and push each bead by one by one, I leaned that was the Rosary and each bead was a special prayer.   Now, when I returned from Southeast Asia I brought granny a Cross fashioned out of Jade and presented it to her.  I could see she was pleased by the twinkle in her brilliant blue eyes, but immediately she said, “O’ Owen, I’m not Catholic anymore.”  I folded her hand over the cross and simply said, “Granny that doesn’t matter, the cross is for all of us and your prayers are always heard.”  She held that little cross close.  My granny praying while holding the little cross and her Rosary is the last memory I was blessed with, she soon went on to join my grandfather Barnes.  Granny confessed Christ, not the little cross or beads, but held them tightly as a profession of her faith.

How important is prayer, spiritual communion with you – are you leaving memories?

Blessings,
Owen

Next Post: “The Necessity of Prayer”  #2 (Asking, Seeking, Knocking)

Personal Note to Readers

Hi, I have been lax posting here.  Forgive me.  I will continue and be more attentive to posting.

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God bless,

Owen