Tag: AskSeekFind

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Loving Conversations

In those times when we think “doesn’t God see what’s going on” or when we say “I wish I knew what to do now”, the Bible tells us that God, our heavenly Father, is waiting to talk with us, to direct us, to reassure us.

From the beginning, in the garden the Lord would come to talk with Adam in the cool of the day. On the day they sinned, He still came looking for them. Sin doesn’t keep us from God but trying to hide our sin from Him does. God didn’t abandon them. He made clothes from them and gave them instruction on how to live.

The Lord talked with Noah and gave him the specifications for building an Ark and told him how to care for the animals that would be on it.

God spoke to Abram and made him a promise that he would be the father of many nations and that his descendants would occupy the “promised land”.

Joseph and the Lord talked about a famine that was coming to Egypt and he told the pharaoh how to prepare for it. It saved the Egyptians and also all the members of Joseph’s family.

The Lord spoke to Moses from a burning bush while the nation of Israel was being held captive in Egypt. He gave Moses an exit plan.

The Lord spoke to the kings of Israel showing them how to succeed in battle and He gave this promise to the prophet Jeremiah.

“I was still being held prisoner in the courtyard of the palace guards when the Lord told me: I am the Lord, and I created the whole world. 3 Ask me, and I will tell you things that you don’t know and can’t find out.” Jeremiah 33:3 CEV

And that’s just a few examples from the Old Testament. In the New Testament we find the Lord giving instruction to Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Zachariah and the shepherds through visiting angels.

Once Jesus started His ministry the Father spoke through the words of Jesus and those words are still our instruction for today.

“ Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you.” Matthew 7:7 CEV

We have also been given the Holy Spirit to give us instruction and guidance.

“The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn’t speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen.” John 16:13 CEV

And because we have the Holy Spirit, we also have this promise.

“We who have the Spirit are able to make judgments about all these things. But anyone without the Spirit is not able to make proper judgments about us. 16 As the Scriptures say,

‘Who can know what is on the Lord’s mind? Who is able to give him advice?’

But we have been given Christ’s way of thinking.” I Corinthians 2:15-16 ERV

The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to hear and know God’s love and direction. That’s why we bring everything – everything – to Him. We trust Him, unwavering and He gives us the direction we need.

“Trust the Lord completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge. 6 With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way.” Proverbs 3:5-6 ERV

Start the day meeting our Father for a loving conversation. He will direct our paths and He tells us not to worry. We can trust Him!

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Simple Prayer

Welcome to February!

This morning, I want to share with you about prayer. Sometimes, we can be intimidated when it comes to praying but really praying is just talking. Talking to your heavenly Father, the One who knows your every thought and loves you unconditionally.

I heard a cute story once. A little boy was about to go to bed and his mom said “Don’t forget to say your prayers”. The little boy bowed his head and began reciting the alphabet and ended with Amen. When his mother asked why he did that he said “God knows all the words, I was just giving him the letters”.

If we can talk, we can pray. God isn’t judging our sentence structure or the grammar in our prayers, He looks at the sincerity of our hearts.

“Always be filled with joy in the Lord. I will say it again. Be filled with joy. 5 Let everyone see that you are gentle and kind. The Lord is coming soon. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have. 7 And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.” Philippians 4:4-7 ERV

Prayer is not a last resort, the “I’ve done everything else, I’d better pray” type of thinking puts God on the back burner so to speak. No, we come to Him first thing with everything.

“Do any of you have a son? If he asked for bread, would you give him a rock? 10 Or if he asked for a fish, would you give him a snake? Of course not! 11 You people are so bad, but you still know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him.” Matthew 7:9-11 ERV

Start by thanking and praising the Father for being who He is – loving, caring, forgiving and the One who invites us to come and find help. Be specific about our needs and requests, don’t worry or fret. Then thank Him for hearing and giving us the answers that line up with His word. You notice that’s the instruction Paul gives us in those verses from Philippians.

“We are certain God will hear our prayers when we ask for what pleases him. 15 And if we know God listens when we pray, we are sure our prayers have already been answered.” I John 5:14-15 CEV

I hope that you make prayer the first part of your day. When we start mindful of Him, our entire outlook will be brighter. Afterall, He has promised He will never leave us and that He is always there to help us.

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Sincere Prayer

Yesterday a friend reminded me that I need to write a short blurb about the prayer meeting nights we will have this season.

I’ve been thinking about that, even composing some thoughts in my sleep. When I woke this morning, I still hadn’t completely decided on what to share but after my Bible reading the Lord prompted me to focus on sincere prayer.

So, before I share it with them, I will share it with you.

“Everything the Lord does is good. Everything he does shows how loyal he is.
18 The Lord is near to everyone who sincerely calls to him for help. 19 He listens to his followers and does what they want. He answers their prayers and saves them.” Psalm 145:17-19 ERV

Prayer doesn’t need to be lengthy, and it certainly doesn’t need to be filled with Thee’s and Thou’s, but it does need to come from the heart. Our Father does appreciate honestly and sincerity.

“ Without faith no one can please God. Whoever comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who sincerely try to find him.” Hebrews 11:6 ERV

God has given us an open door. His desire is that we come to Him in time of need. He wants us to know that we will find the help we need when we come to His presence.

“We can come to God with no doubts. This means that when we ask God for things (and those things agree with what God wants for us), God cares about what we say. 15 He listens to us every time we ask him. So we know that he gives us whatever we ask from him.” I John 5:14-15 ERV

Prayer is more than just asking for things. Prayer is talking to the Father, getting to know His heart. Sharing our joys and our sorrows. Learning what He wants for us and who He wants us to become. He wants us to know His will.

How do we know His will? Good question. Glad you asked. His will is His word. Every time God made a promise that was His will and He does not lie. I love what Jesus said on the sermon on the Mount. (Remember, we studied that whole sermon verse by verse about a month back.)

“Continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you. 8 Yes, whoever continues to ask will receive. Whoever continues to look will find. And whoever continues to knock will have the door opened for them.

9 “Do any of you have a son? If he asked for bread, would you give him a rock? 10 Or if he asked for a fish, would you give him a snake? Of course not! 11 You people are so bad, but you still know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him.‘ Matthew 7:7-11 ERV

Our heavenly Father desires the very best for us. He knows better than we do, what we need. We can be confident that when we pray and ask for something He will never give us something that will be detrimental to our lives. His gifts are good.

And, to close, prayer must have an element of gratitude. We don’t just come asking but we must come with a grateful heart knowing we will receive.

“Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have.” Philippians 4:6 ERV

Sincere prayer is a child (us), coming to the Father, asking for help. Thanking Him for all He’s given us and leaving our request in His hands, knowing He will work everything out for our good.

May all our prayers be sincere!

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Search & Rescue

It seems that we are going on a search and rescue mission today.

“Everyone who saw this started grumbling, ‘This man Zacchaeus is a sinner! And Jesus is going home to eat with him.’…9 Jesus said to Zacchaeus, ‘Today you and your family have been saved, because you are a true son of Abraham. 10  The Son of Man came to look for and to save people who are lost.’” Luke 19:7-10 CEV

Jesus’ mission while on earth was one that the Father had designed in heaven. God’s heart has always been to provide and care for those who seek Him.

This morning my Bible reading overlapped. What I read in the Old Testament, was the same message Jesus was teaching on the mountain. Follow along with me.

“You are merciful, Lord! You are kind and patient and always loving. 9 You are good to everyone, and you take care of all your creation…Our Lord, you keep your word and do everything you say. 14 When someone stumbles or falls, you give a helping hand. 15 Everyone depends on you, and when the time is right, you provide them with food.
16 By your own hand you satisfy the desires of all who live.” Psalm 145:8-16 CEV

This is who God is. He doesn’t change and He doesn’t lie. What He says is what He will do. These verses would have been read in the synagogue. The people He was talking to on the mountain had probably heard them many times.

These words had probably lost their meaning to many that were listening to Jesus that day. Religious tradition and opinions, along with life’s disappointments, had stolen the strength of God’s promises. But Jesus was there to restore their hope and faith in the Father.

“Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 Everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And the door will be opened for everyone who knocks.

9 Would any of you give your hungry child a stone, if the child asked for some bread? 10 Would you give your child a snake if the child asked for a fish? 11 As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give good things to people who ask.” Matthew 7:7-11 CEV

Ask, Search, Knock. This is our instruction. Bring everything, every need, every desire, every worry and fear to the Father. ” your heavenly Father is even more ready to give good things to people who ask.” or as it says in the Psalm, “By your own hand you satisfy the desires of all who live.”

Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He was the Father’s hand extended from heaven, reaching out to rescue us, to lift us up when we fall and then to keep us in a place of safety.

“ God is strong and can keep you from falling. He can bring you before his glory without any wrong in you and give you great joy. 25 He is the only God, the one who saves us. To him be glory, greatness, power, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord for all time past, now, and forever. Amen.” Jude 24 & 25 ERV

We’ve been rescued by our loving heavenly Father – we once were lost but now we’re found!

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A Favorite Lesson

A number of years ago we lived in the panhandle of Idaho. We had one particular summer that was very dry.

The catch ponds were drying up and the springs were only a trickle. One afternoon the dogs put us on alert and when we looked out our windows, this is what we saw. A cow moose had wandered into our yard with her twins in search of water. Our sprinklers were running, and they provided the much-needed water that she was seeking.

After they drank their fill, they rested in the shade of the tall pines. At first, she was very cautious, looking about after every sip but then as her calves rested quietly, she found rest herself.

The question that came to mind was “Am I thirsty for God”?

Thirsty enough to “search” outside my comfort zone? Willing to leave the familiar way of doing things and find the answers I need in God’s word?

God asked Abraham to leave his family and his homeland. Ruth left all and followed after Naomi to a new land where God blessed her with a husband and a child. Peter left his fishing nets to follow Christ. Paul gave up his prestige as a Pharisee to seek Jesus and His word.

“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” Psalm 42:1-2 ERV

When we seek God, we will find Him and we will find that He gives all we need for an abundant life.

“Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will search for me, and when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me. 14 I will let you find me.” This message is from the LORD.” Jeremiah 29:12-14 ERV

Jesus ministered to a crowd on a hillside one day and he told them:

“Continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you. 8 Yes, whoever continues to ask will receive. Whoever continues to look will find. And whoever continues to knock will have the door opened for them.” Matthew 7:7-11 ERV

God is loving, kind and gracious and when we seek Him we find that to be true. He put all of our punishment and judgement on Jesus so that we could have a wonderful relationship with Him.

“ I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold people guilty for their sins. And he gave us this message of peace to tell people.” II Corinthians 5:19 ERV

Someone needs to know that God isn’t mad at you!

He loves you and if you seek Him, you will find Him waiting with arms of love open wide. Seek for Him like that momma moose sought out the life-giving water – you will find all you need in Him.

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Please & Thank You

We just returned home from spending one full day and two half days with our kids in the Valley. Those of you who read the blog a couple days ago know we went specifically to celebrate a granddaughter’s fourth birthday but it was also time to see all the rest of the family and visit with them.

It feels so good to have our necks hugged, give and receive kisses and hear all the “I love yous” being said. Better than cool water on a hot day! Gratitude feeds the soul.

For part of the drive down on Thursday and the return drive home yesterday we were in pouring rain. The windshield wipers were having a hard time keeping up; visibility was really limited. Dave does the driving and I so appreciate him for doing that.

At one point, I thanked him for being such a good driver. He thanked me for praying for the rain to stop. These aren’t empty words that we exchange; we truly appreciate what each other does.

I have no trouble asking the Father to clear the roads ahead of us and to keep us safe as we travel. He’s my Father and I know He wants to keep us safe as we go so I always ask Him to protect us on each trip. When we get there, we always thank Him for our safety.

“Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 Everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And the door will be opened for everyone who knocks. 9 Would any of you give your hungry child a stone, if the child asked for some bread? 10 Would you give your child a snake if the child asked for a fish? 11 As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give good things to people who ask.” Matthew 7:7-11 CEV

As parents and grandparents, we do little things for our kids that we knew they would enjoy. We are God’s family and He wants to give us those things that are best for us. Who, better than He, knows what that is?

He has no desire to harm us or bring destruction into our lives. In fact, Jesus said that it is the thief, the devil, that comes to steal, kill and destroy; He came to bring us an abundant life, life filled to the full.

“But you saved us from our hateful enemies, and you put them to shame. 8 We boast about you, our God, and we are always grateful.” Psalm 44:7-8 CEV

There is no reason not to be grateful! The Father has blessed us with so much. It’s important that we remember to appreciate His love and be thankful for His provision.

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