“Believing up to the Hilt!”
MERRY TUESDAY- BY PARRIS BAILEY
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Matt. 7:7,8
I will continue my study on “asking, seeking and knocking”. The example we should have in mind when we read this verse is that of a beggar, oh how I pray that this doesn’t offend you!
Listen to this commentator: Mere asking must be added an eager seeking, and this must be supplemented with a persistent knocking. Such methods cannot fail; the promises of God are too plain. God will hear, He will give. He will let us find. He will open unto us. It may not always be at just the time and in just the manner which we think best, but it will, in the end, always prove the best. Only, note the repetition: “Ask,” in all humility, but with firm confidence; “seek,” with untiring application, but also with painstaking care; “knock,” with both earnestness and perseverance. Every one, he says, shall receive if he will but come as a child to its father. Kretzman
Another way to put it is, “Asking is a simple use of voice, seeking is a motion of the body, and knocking is an effort to open and pass through obstacles.” (TFG 264)
Sometimes we give up way too soon! We are to ask with all confidence and humility, look about you till you leave no stone unturned. God will give you an idea or a scripture to stand on I promise! And then we knock with persistence for eternity is about us. We might be surprised that a breakthrough actually comes!
Spurgeon admonishes when he says; “Come do not think that there is much in prayer. Poor souls! The Lord teach them better! O my brothers, believe up to the hilt in prayer, and you will find it to be the most remunerative work on earth! He that trades with God in prayer enters upon a business whereof the merchandise is better than silver or gold. Prayer makes us “rich towards God,” and this is the best of riches; but it must be believing prayer. “Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.” Hast thou a poor, faint heart in this sacred exercise? Be assured that only by faith out of this weakness canst thou be made strong.”
Have you grown weary in prayer? Why there are some things in my heart that have been a 40 year prayer. Have I gotten tired, discouraged and disgusted? You bet, but then I am reminded with the words of Peter, “Lord, where would we go, for you have the words of Life.” We can wait on The Lord, to renew our strength and we can join Job when he says, “I know my Redeemer lives, and He will make His stand on the earth!” Prayer becomes our friend.