Discipleship Essentials*
Friday, November 19, 2004
My Prayer Today
Dear God, I thank You for providing a way for me to come to You through Your Son, Jesus! Without His sacrifice upon the cross, I would not even be able to come to You in prayer. Because of what Jesus has done, I come to You and ask that You would answer my needs and the needs of those around me. Sometimes it is so hard to wait for an answer, but I ask that You would give me a persistent heart. I do not want to give up and lose faith in You. I ask that You would keep me seeking, asking, and knocking in prayer. I am not going to give up. I confess and ask this in the name of Your Son Jesus . . . Amen.
God’s Word Today
Luke 11:5-13
5 "Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this illustration: Suppose you went to a friend's house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You would say to him, 6 'A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.' 7 He would call out from his bedroom, 'Don't bother me. The door is locked for the night, and we are all in bed. I can't help you this time.' 8 But I tell you this -- though he won't do it as a friend, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you what you want so his reputation won't be damaged. 9 And so I tell you, 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. 10 For everyone who asks receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks. 11 You fathers -- if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him."
Background on the Text – Who Wrote It? Why Was It Written? Who Was the Audience?
In Luke 11:9-10, it is interesting that Jesus uses the image of a "door" to illustrate how we must be persistent in prayer. Just as a door gives us access into a room, so Jesus also gives us access to God the Father through His sacrifice upon the cross. Although Jesus has made a way possible for us to approach God, we still must "ask," "seek," and "knock" when we come to Him in prayer. Jesus uses the image of a door for a reason -- we must be persistent in "knocking" until God answers. God gives us the promise "the door will be opened to everyone who knocks."
Observation – What Does the Text Say?
(Specifically look at the bold verses, if any, to answer these questions.)
Interpretation – What Does the Text Mean?
Application – How Can I Respond to the Text’s Insights and Teachings?
Each Week’s Check List
After reading and studying this text, reflect on the following discipleship growth points:
Growth Point |
How |
Encouraged and strengthened me by |
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Fallen short areas |
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What will I do with these insights? |
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What did God say to me today? |
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Share insights and growth points |
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Changed/transformed how? |
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Thoughts...
Have you ever prayed for something and nothing happened? What did you do? Did you give up? Jesus says in Luke 11:9-10 that we should never give up in prayer. He says, ". . . 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. . ." Many times when we do not see an immediate answer to a particular situation or circumstance, we give up and do not continue to keep it in prayer. We, however, must learn the principle of persistence when it comes to prayer. We must keep asking. The reason why God waits in giving us an answer is because He is testing us to see whether or not we will be persistent and keep on "knocking" until we find an answer.
What is it that you are praying about today? God wants you to keep asking Him and never give up believing for what He has promised. God is calling us to get serious about prayer. He wants us to see prayer as the "steering wheel" of our lives rather than the "spare tire." When we pray, we "knock," and when we knock God opens the door. If the door (or answer) has not come yet, let us not give up, but rather keep on knocking until God provides the deliverance. Whether we are praying for our own need, or for the need of someone else, God calls us to be persistent and keep on asking. Don't give up -- your answer is on the way! Although you may have been "delayed," you will not be "denied!"