Thursday: Seek and You Shall Find
Read Revelation 3:20, Matthew 7:7-8, and John 1:12. In what ways are these three passages related, and what are they saying to us about what it means to seek and to find the Lord?
These texts together show that people must ask and seek and be open to receive Jesus.
Image © Mary Rumford from GoodSalt.com
At the same time, Revelation 3:20 depicts Jesus as standing at the door and knocking so that a person will open the door and let Him in.
These ideas are not contradictory. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord is working on the hearts of people, drawing them to Him, even if people aren’t necessarily aware that this is what is happening. They are often seeking for something that life itself doesn’t offer them. What a privilege to be there to point them in the right direction and to help them better understand just what it is that they are looking for.
The fact is that, through you, Jesus can knock at the “door” of the lives of the people in your community, and anyone who willingly “opens the door” and receives Him will receive the blessings that come with Him (Rev. 3:20, John 1:12). Also, He invites His followers to ask, seek, and knock at His door and receive the “good gifts” of His kingdom (Matt. 7:7-8, Matt. 7:11).
When the Holy Spirit impresses you that someone is ready to “open the door” to Christ, ask, “Would you like to pray with me to receive Jesus Christ and become a member of His family?” The following is a sample prayer that he/she can pray:
“Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that you died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
We need spiritual discernment to know when the right time is to make an appeal. While there’s always the danger of being too aggressive, there’s always the danger, perhaps worse, of not being aggressive enough. Sometimes people need a firm and loving push to make a choice for the Lord. Who knows who might be teetering on the edge between two choices: eternal life in Christ or eternal loss?
We do, for sure, have a sacred responsibility.
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An alternative prayer?
Dear Jesus, Thank you for loving me, I want to enter a loving Everlasting Covenant with you. Please change my heart to be in harmony with yours. Amen.
Amen
Thanks Shirley...a lovely prayer!
Today I want the Lord to fulfill Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. I want self completely to die and be born in the newest of life in Christ. I cannot wait to be transform by his grace and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Amen
Esther
Psalm 51:7-13 is also awesome: 7, Purge me. 8, Make me to hear joy... 9, Hide my sins from You. 10,Create in me a clean heart. 11, cast me not away from Your presence or Your spirit. 12, Restore in me Your salvational joy. 13, use me to lead others to You.
There is no greater joy, that to see a new creature being born into the kingdom of God, it brings a satisfaction compare to none.
The Bible says ask and you shall receive. That sentence alone has a very important message. It reminds me that God is control, he is here to help, but most importantly, he truly cares about everyone. On the flip side, we have to be willing to let God help. And this is especially hard for me. Often times I ask God for help, but I turn around and try to do things on my own. But it does not work that way, we have to ask and let him work, be patient, because his time is not my time, but his time is the right time!
This is such an awesome privilege to be here learning with everyone. I am truly thankful. My daily prayer is that my Savior would give me a Holy Spirit filled CONVERTED heart in Jesus name that I may be a blessing to all I meet.
I need Jesus to transform me so that I will be changed form my sinful ways,
Am asking Him to create in me a clean and a new heart so I can follow where ever He leads me,
Dear Jesus, Use me as your vessel and channel of blessings. I want to be a christian today like never before.without you, I am nothing Lord. I open the door of my heart that you may dwell in me forever. I will follow you the rest of my life.
Help me Jesus
The thought in Revelation 3:20 about opening "the door", has an element, I think, that is not often contemplated. That element/aspect finds expression in the following words - "I saw that many have so much rubbish piled up at the door of their heart that they cannot get the door open...". (1Testimonies p.143.) I expect that many of us have had experience of being at doors like that.
Opening the door of the heart is not as easy as we might sometimes like to think. There are times when we have [for example,] hurts and/or grudges against somebody, and these pile up on our side of the door, making it near-on impossible to get the door open while those things are there. Initially we might be able to get the door open just enough for Jesus to pass things through to us... to help us get rid of the rubbish.
But "...all this rubbish must be taken away, and then they can open the door and welcome the Savior in." (ibid.)
Stewart your words touched my blindsided heart I have been carrying this load of hurt and justifying it to be correct since I am the one that I believe was wronged and deserve an apology. Its been 14 years but today I realise that I need to burp and let it go so that I can open wide my door for Jesus to be able dwell in me and His Holy spirit lead me in the path of righteousness.That's my prayer hopfully by the grace of God I will achieve
Oh I second your prayer!! And I pray that you will take hold of this "season" while it is upon you, to get, and to keep, that door open. (May it be so for all of us here.)
I know what it is to be in need of firm, positive hands upon me, lest I lose hold hold of present opportunities. May He work in you, and in me, this day, "to will and to do of His good pleasure" - to desire and to achieve that which will bring honor His name, even our further redemption.
Take hold, take hold, take hold... let not the precious opportunity be lost!