January 25 God Will Answer

Luke 11:5-10 Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’ 7 “Then the one inside answers, ‘Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.; 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9 So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

TO conclude our two-day lesson on this passage, we want to know, “Does God truly open the doors of Heaven to give us what we desire? After all, what about all those “unanswered prayers”? Where are the open doors? What is urgent?”
    First in this parable, Jesus teaches we are to go to the Father of the House for “bread” – for our daily needs. Seek spiritual healing and understanding. Ask for the Spirit’s fruit as defined in Galatians 5:22-23 and clothe yourself with godly traits. “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12) Tell God you need him. You will fully receive the “Bread of Life” (John 6:35).
    Second, be persistent. We don’t like the bold, persistent, pleading man, and we wouldn’t want him coming to our door. But God does. He wants you to be so faith-filled in your prayers that you will “loudly seek and knock” for him. Paul points to such persistence as faithful hope. “Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.” (2 Corinthians 3:12)
    Jesus’ third lesson is to know that as the knocking man went for his friend, you are to go to God for your friends. Care for others with your prayers. Call out to God that your friends in need will be healed, restored or revived to God.
    Our lessons in prayer are to teach us God answers true faithful prayer with his Fatherly, Friend response. As you persistently pray in the foundation of the Lord’s prayer, the Spirit will transform your mind to desire, “Your Kingdom come, your will be done.”  Faithful seeking, knocking and asking is how God wants to hear from you. In turn, he will open the doors of your heart and mind to give you of himself. As your prayers align with God’s will, he will answer you in the fullness of your desires.
    I pray you ground your prayer life in the Son’s prayer model we call “The Lord’s Prayer” and in the Father’s prayer promise found throughout Scripture, including 2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
    May your prayers revive your heart, mind and soul to be more expectant of God’s provision for all you need of him.
 
Prayer: Lord, I pray I am persistent to ask, seek and knock on your door with a growing understanding of your will on my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.