Monday 01/10/12

Matthew 7:7-8 ESV

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Here God encouraged his believers to be proactive, just as He has repeatedly encouraged Joshua: be strong, do not fear, take actions. They are to pray & ask from Him what they need. They are to take actions, seek & knock. God promises that those who ask will receive good things (although not necessary what have been asked). Those who seek will find, those who knock will find an open door.

As with Joshua (Joshua 1), Christians need to study God's Word to learn what's good and acceptable according to God. That helps us live a right life and ask what is good & right, not according to our sinful selfish desires. As a Heavenly Father, God loves to give us good things, but will refuse us what are harmful to us & to others, even though we ask for them in our ignorance. So the more we study God's Word and follow them, the more we live according to how God wants us to, the more our prayers are granted.