Note before sharing the devotional: This current batch of devotionals really spoke to me when they were appearing in my daily feed. Usually I have commentary. Ever since I reached a point of recognizing my deep need for repentance and forgiveness, I’ve been focusing more on the words that I need to hear rather than the words I have to say. I anticipate that eventually I will be back to commenting, but not now. Until then, I pray that this devotional blesses you and that, if you’re already saved, this strengthens your faith; and if you haven’t yet received Jesus Christ as your King and Savior, that you will be encouraged and prompted to take that step. It’ll be the best thing you ever do in your life.
Pray Like This
Prayer is simply an honest, ongoing conversation with God.
Jesus tells us that God knows what we need (Matthew 6:8), but He still wants us to come and tell Him what’s on our minds. He's a good Father who cares for us (Matthew 7:11). He wants to speak into our circumstances, comfort our hearts, and shape our perspectives.
He loves giving good gifts to His children—gifts they want, long for, and ask for. But sometimes, what we want isn’t actually good for us.
When Jesus says in Matthew 7:8, “Ask, and it will be given to you,” He isn’t saying that we will get everything we ask for...
God cannot—and will not—give us anything that contradicts His character. God will only give us what is good, and sometimes a “no” from God is the response we actually need. But He still wants us to bring Him all our desires, and if we ask for anything that aligns with His will, He hears us. (1 John 5:14)
So how do we discover God’s will?
We spend time with Him.
The more we get to know God, the more we will understand His character. And it’s only when we understand His character that we will ask for things that align with His will.
Jesus’ words in Matthew 7 are a promise that when we ask for God, He gives us Himself. When we humbly seek God, He finds us. And when we come to Him as we are, He welcomes us with open arms.
When we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. And when He draws near, He transforms the way we think, renews our minds, restores our souls, and leads us down paths that are for our good and His glory.
Share your faith: Keep asking God to soften hearts. Keep seeking His direction and wisdom. Keep knocking and praying and expecting Him to move.
Share your faith: Don’t just worry about your friends [and/or family] who don’t know Christ—pray for them. And share God’s love with them!
Prayer: God, I’m so grateful I can come to You with any situation, knowing that you’ll hear me. Today, I come to You with my questions, my concerns, and my plans for the future. Please help me to listen to Your voice and trust Your direction. Use me to point others to You! In Jesus’s name, Amen.
““Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
Matthew 7:7-8 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/mat.7.7-8.NKJV
I like to add a few other verses for context:
“Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.””
Mark 9:23 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/mrk.9.23.NKJV
“For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
Mark 11:23-24 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/mrk.11.23-24.NKJV
“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
Mark 16:16 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/mrk.16.16.NKJV