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Topic: Endurance (03/22/04)
TITLE: Keep On! By Lawrence Farlow 03/23/04 |
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With that in mind, I came across this passage from Luke. I particularly like the way it reads in the New Living Translation which captures the continuousness implied in the original language:
“…keep on asking and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking and you will find. Keep on knocking and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks.” Luke 11:9-10 (NLT)
Wow! That’s powerful stuff! Keep on asking, looking, and knocking for what? Anything I want? Not necessarily. The key is we must be asking for the things which conform to God’s Will in order to be assured of the promise in this verse that we will be given what we ask for.
This passage comes right after the disciples had asked Jesus to teach them to pray. He responded to that request with what we call the Lord’s Prayer or the Model Prayer.
Is it possible then that in order to claim the promises of Luke 11:9-10 we should ask, look and knock according to the model that Christ gave us in Luke 11:2-4 (the Lord’s Prayer)? If so, here’s what my New Year’s resolutions might look like:
Keep on asking that:
God’s name be honored
His kingdom would come soon
He would meet my daily needs
He would forgive me my sins and give me the grace to forgive others
He would bolster me against temptation
Keep on looking for:
Ways to bring honor to God
Ways to further His kingdom
Ways to utilize my resources that are pleasing to God
Ways to minister forgiveness to others
Ways to avoid temptation
Keep knocking on doors:
Closed to the Gospel
Hindering the work of His kingdom
Leading to provision for myself and my family
Preventing the forgiveness of myself or others
Leading away from tempting circumstances and situations.
If we make honoring God and furthering His kingdom our goal, we cannot fail since we have the assurance from His Word that He will do as we ask. That’s something each of us as believers can and should commit to regardless of what time of year it is. Are you willing to make that commitment beginning today?