Tag Archives: prayer

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.  Keep on seeking, and you will find.  Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks, receives.  Everyone who seeks, finds.  And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”  (Matthew 7:7-8, NLT)

A commentary on these verses in The People’s New Testament says this: “The terms are here used with reference to prayer, and these constitute a climax.  Ask implies a simple petition.  Seek indicates an earnest search.  Knock shows perseverance in spite of hindrances.  The three represent earnest prayer.”

Discerning sense from nonsense in the topic of prayer tries the patience of even the most stalwart of Christian disciples.  Everyone seems to have an opinion on the topic; and some of these opinions appear contradictory.

In every such instance, return to the simple words of our Christ: Ask.  Seek.  Knock.

God knows what we want before we ask, but He is delighted by the petitions of His children, in the manner of a small child who always takes all of her joys, concerns, and hurts to her father’s ear, because, “My daddy can do anything!”  – Luther

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“‘Why are you sleeping?’ he asked them.  ’Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.’”  (Luke 22: 46, NIV)
 
The most compelling temptation is not the urge to do something that is wrong, but it is the urge to do something that is good but falls far short of excellent.  It is the urge to settle for the near-term tactical advantage at the expense of the long-term strategic victory.
Sleeping is not a bad thing.  It is while we sleep that our bodies repair, refresh and regenerate.  However, in today’s scripture verse, something was happening that called for a response from the disciples that sleeping could never deliver.
To choose to pray is to aspire to see the world as God sees the world.  In prayer, we avoid temptations to settle for anything less than God’s will in the challenges we confront each day.  – Luther
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“The first thing I want you to do is pray.  Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.  Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation.  This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.”  (1 Timothy 2:1-3, The Message)

As disciples of Jesus, we are we instructed to stay engaged as persons devoted to prayer — at all times and for all people.

Do not be discouraged because it seems that a prayer is too small to make any difference.  Do not be discouraged because it seems that a prayer is too private to be heard.  Great floods begin with raindrops; and the One who hears our prayer sustains the universe.

Pray first.  Pray often.  Pray for everyone.  – Luther

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