Pastor Dan Longmore
Devotional Message
Matthew 7:7-8 (NLT)
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. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
Christians often say to one another, “God is faithful to keep His promises.” This is absolutely true and should encourage our hearts, especially in a time when many people do not live up to their promises. Yet we often fail to see the precious promise that Jesus offers in verse 8. I have read this section many times, however this time the words seemed to leap off of the page at me. God promises that prayer will be answered if I am faithful in prayer. In fact, the New Living Translation places a heading just before verse 7 entitled “Effective prayer”.
The Lord promises to bless me and provide an answer to my prayer if I simply ask. That’s not all, the second part of the promise is I will be blessed by experiencing the righteousness and presence of the Lord as I seek Him in prayer. In Matthew 6 Jesus reminds His hearers that one needs to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness above all earthly concerns for the Lord will take care of those who seek to make God a priority in their lives. A third part of the promise is that the Lord will open the door for those who come to Him in prayer. The image used by Matthew is that of a person boldly and continually pounding on a door for the purpose of being admitted to a room or building.
Today whether you petition the Lord about a certain matter for the first time or you are seeking again to know His will in regard to a matter know that the Lord will hear and answer. Perhaps you have been praying for a long time now about a friend or family member coming to know Jesus. Maybe you have tearfully asked time and again in regard to a situation in your life or that of a friend. Keep knocking for the promise is that God will make a way even when that seems impossible. So whether we are asking, seeking or knocking let us come to prayer with humility, a listening ear and heart and with expectation.
Pastor Dan
Marsh Creek Brethren in Christ Church
Howard, PA 16841
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Me hang gliding with our instructor Mike
My wife Marty and Mike
Pastor Dan is bi-vocational. He works part time for radio station WRGN hosting a contemporary Christian music program called "Refresh and Renew".
It airs from 2pm to 5pm (ET) Mondays through Fridays and can be heard anywhere in the world where there's internet access.
Just go to www.wrgn.com and click "Listen online" or click the link here.
