For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened.What father among you, if his son asks for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone; or if he asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent?
Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts [gifts ]that are to their advantage] to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and continue to ask Him! Luke 11:10-13
How many times have we been asked to pray about something for someone? Or maybe we or a loved one are going through a time of trial. We know that the Lord wants us to make our needs known to Him. But how many times should we pray? How long should we pray?
Clearly the Lord does not count it against us for frequent asking as we can see in the reading above. In fact he tells us to keep on asking.
When a young relative called us to tell us he had cancer, my husband and I began to pray for him. Even when the news was bad, we did not stop asking the Lord to heal him. Why keep on? Because we don’t know what the Lord’s plans are. Remember Lazarus, Dorcas and the widow’s son. Remember all the people that Jesus healed from the time of His ministry to today. [Read more…]
I was thinking about how Jesus was in the boat with the disciples when a storm blew up. Jesus was asleep in the boat.
I was thinking about the miracle at Cana this week. Imagine being there – all the guests, loud conversations, maybe some music. Mary notices that no more wine is being served and it’s still early in the celebration. She may have had experience of Jesus’ gifts before because she tells Him they have no more wine.
In the last few months I have had people ask me about the end times. After all, it has been the topic of several movies that have gotten people thinking about it. We know that nobody knows the hour. Matthew 24:36 “ But of that exact day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the son, but only the father”. So nobody knows exactly when the Lord is going to return, but Jesus gave us advice when He said: Matthew 24:”you must be ready therefore, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect him”. 
We know that God has a plan and purpose for our lives. So what about all those difficult things that happen to us? Things like a divorce, a lost job, a troubled child, illness. What does God make of all of these hard times in our lives? And what’s the purpose of it all? 
I asked the Lord to let me see people through his eyes. I wanted to see people the way He sees them. Over the next few days I noticed a change in my perception. The person I would have previously perceived as someone with malice, I now saw as somebody broken hearted, or frightened or needing affirmation. I found myself saying “I can understand that”, when before, I would have been critical. 
A dear friend of mine in the Lord told me a few days ago that although she used to be a proud person,she now realized that she wasn’t important. I was shocked; because the truth of the matter is that we are important to the Lord. More important then we realize.
A few months ago I was going through a really hard time. A family member had been diagnosed with cancer. She is one of the kindest people I know. I prayed, but I did not seem to be getting the breakthrough I needed. So I asked the Lord to help me. Actually, it was more like “Help me Lord! Lord, help me! Help me Lord!” As always He was quick to show me the problem.