Who Am I? I Am Effectively Asking, Seeking, and Knocking.

Unbelief produces an ineffective prayer life. 

Why?  Because when we pray with unbelieve we do not believe he is going to answer our prayer.  We are just wishing He would.  

 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him?”   Matthew 7:7-11                 

Jesus is teaching about prayer and about the very nature of God. He relates it to something we all can understand, the child-parent relationship. 

The son was out in the fields working and by the time he comes home, he is hungry. His family is seated at the dinner table. Imagine how tired and hungry boy is. Then imagine the father, seeing the hunger of his child, pick up a rock and toss it to his son saying, “Here! Eat this!” Good fathers want to give their children good. Now, if this is true of earthly parents, imagine what our Heavenly Father wants to give us - if only we would ask. 

No one’s voice sounds sweeter to God than your voice. Nothing in the universe could keep Him from giving you His full attention when you pray. In fact, He longs to hear your prayer. In Psalm 34:8, the psalmist invites us to “taste and see that the LORD is good.” In this verse, “Lord” means “Jehovah, Abba Father.” In other words, your Abba Father, Dearest Daddy, is inviting you to come to Him in childlike faith, with a hungry heart so He can fill it with the gifts of peace, contentment and a satisfied spirit. 

It is God’s very nature to give to His children. He has made all of His resources available to you. Do not doubt for a moment that He is a giving God with a heart that longs to bless, to encourage, to empower and to love you. God is not only able to answer your prayer, but He desires to answer your prayer. Ask and you will receive.