Keep Asking, Seeking, and Knocking

I remember reading of the time when the disciples came up to Jesus and requested something very specific from Him.  They wanted Jesus to teach them how to pray.  They could have requested that He teach them many other things, but they didn't.  They realized how important prayer was and would be to them in the future.  Prayer is still very important to we believers in Jesus Christ in today's world as well.  We haven't outgrown prayer.  We desperately need to pray every chance we get.

Sometimes we end up using the "shotgun" approach to prayer.  We lift up prayers that aren't specific, but they are broad in there coverage.  For example, we can say, "Lord, I pray for missionaries."  It is a good thing to pray for missionaries, but a better way for us to pray is to pray with a more precise and specific prayer goal.  We can name a missionary and ask the Lord to help them in a certain area.  Maybe the Lord will bring something to our mind through His Holy Spirit as we are praying,  He does that at times if we are paying attention.

When I was thinking about writing about prayer tonight I opened my Bible to Matthew 7:7-12 which says,

"7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?

11 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!

12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."       

I must admit I sometimes pray in the "shot gun" approach and I and learning to be more specific.  I tried this at work today.  I prayed for the Lord to send someone with a very specific encouraging word.  I ask the Lord to do it in a way that I would know fully that it was from Him and you know what?  It wasn't very long when someone came up to me with a very specific word of encouragement that I was looking for.  I thanked the man and I thanked the Lord for sending him with a word of encouragement.  

Let us keep asking the Lord for specific pray request.  Let us keep seeking Him in prayer and studying of His Word.  Let us keeping on knocking so the door will be opened.  

Let us keep calling out to the Lord in prayer with our specific request and trust that the Lord will answer in His way and in His perfect timing.

God is good and He is faithful.

Lord,

I thank You for the opportunity that You have given us to come to You in prayer.

I lift up Paul Hovda and his family who are missionaries in Serbia.  I ask that You O Lord would open a door for them to spread the Gospel to those around them.  I ask that You will shower them with courage and encouragement.  Place the full armor of God upon them.  

I pray for the USA to be restored back to You Lord and be firmly established upon Your Holy Word.  I pray for the President.  I ask that You would lead Him in the way that would bring You glory and praise.

In Jesus Name we pray,

Amen.