Ask. Seek. Knock.

Prayer is so powerful.  It's our way of communicating with our Heavenly Father.  It is how we develop that intimate relationship with Him.  I can't even begin to describe what prayer has done for me.  I have cried, laughed, yelled, scream, and simply just talked during my prayer time.  Prayer can heal the sick, heal the heart, sooth your soul, fix the broken, change people's hearts, help the poor, and mend broken relationships.

 

Prayer is the most powerful tool we have as christians but I often feel people get prayer confused with action.  What do I mean by that?  I have heard people say, "I need to pray about it" more as an exscuse for being scared to actually do something about it.  I have been guilty of this.  Don't get me wrong...every decision you make should be prayerfully considered.  But the biggest mistake you can make is to use it as an exscuse not to pursue what you feel God is telling you to do.  With prayer comes action.  "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." Col. 3:23.  Do you notice the key word?  Work.  It doesn't say, pray with all your heart.  It says, "work with all your heart."  Work means action.  Of course you should pray first, but it should be immiantly followed by action.

 

One example that comes to mind is finances.  I have heard many people, including myself who often complain and pray about finances but was never faithful to tithing.  We are commanded to tithe.  How do we claim to have faith God will come through without action.  Simply praying about it without following His command through action will lead us to disapointment.

 

James 2: 14-17 says, "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

Luke 11:9 says it best, "Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened. Do all of these things and God will bless every part of your life. You will receive blessings you could never have even asked for. "

 

And that my friend is what we must do.  Ask (pray). Seek (listen).  Knock (action).  Prayer must be immediantly  followed by action for you to see answers from prayer.  Don't use prayer as an exscuse not to take action.  The Gospel is to urgent and to important to not take action.

 

Do work!!  That is what God commands of us!