This is the Truth Network. Encouraging Prayer. God offers an open invitation for His people to talk with Him at any time about anything. In the discussion with James, we were talking about seeking and knocking. And this week, we kind of pick up where we left off. So let me just say that if you did not hear last week's episode, you ought to go listen to the podcast like, man, it is some fresh manna for you.
I mean, it really, really is. And so we're going to pick up where we left off last week and talk about when we knock, we're expecting the door to open to the face of a friend. Let that sink in a little bit, James.
Wow. Yeah, because we were looking at Jesus teaching in the Sermon on the Mount on prayer. And of course, Matthew 7 where he says, ask, and, you know, you'll receive, seek, and you'll find, knock, and the door will be open. And we looked at that progression, how asking starts in a general sense, and then seeking goes deeper. It's more with purpose, you know, you're really going after something. But there's a reason for this. And then Jesus ends at that knocking place. And when you knock, here's just the thing, you're expecting someone to answer.
This is where it gets personal. And the point that we made last week is that Jesus is underscoring the whole purpose of prayer. And that's not just the things that we're asking about. It's to get to God himself. And this is so important for us to understand when we pray, isn't it, Robby? Oh, my goodness.
You know, I'm almost like, man, why did we do this episode 10 years ago? Because it so is where I end up so many times in prayer, like, okay, all that stuff. How do I feel like I'm actually talking with you, Lord? And I love this.
I love it. I've been out of town in Anderson, South Carolina, speaking at Concord Baptist Church and teaching on on seeking God's face and prayer. And last night, I mentioned William Cooper, and one of my favorite verses from him about God being his own interpreter. And this is one of Cooper's him verses, where he says, God is his own interpreter, and he will make it plain.
And what his point is that sometimes when we're praying about something, and an answer doesn't come, that God is the best answer before any answer, and even afterwards. And so, after the talk, there's this elderly lady with these bright eyes who comes up to me, and she quotes Cooper perfectly. And she says, you know, I cross stitched that. And then she has another one for me. And she says, Have you heard of this one from A.B.
Simpson? And I hadn't. And she said, Once it was the blessing, now it is the Lord. Once his gift I wanted, now the giver owned. And apparently that's out of an old hymn that I had never heard before. But it's the very same point that so often we come to God seeking these different things. And what he really wants, the purpose of our seeking, which sometimes I think is why God allows circumstances to occur in our lives that drive us to that place of prayer, is that he wants a relationship with us. You know, he just wants us close to him. Oh, yeah, I'd love it, but I gotta say that it takes me my mind a minute on that, on what A.B.
Simpson, but once I got it, it's rich. And really, in the Song of Solomon, the lover talks about, I am my lover, so my lover is mine. And so when it says, Now the giver own, in other words, A.B. is saying, Now I am his and he is mine. Right.
No, she had to say it for me three times before, really, because I was trying to memorize it while she was saying it. And again, let me say it again. Once it was the blessing, now it is the Lord. Once his gift, I want it.
Now the giver own. And that's the whole point of knocking. And we see that also in Revelation 3.20. We can't miss that when Jesus says, Behold, I stand at the door and knock, he is talking to the church. The church has already received him, but he wants to come in and have closer communion with us. He just wants us to be in his presence, to be in his peace, to love him, and think about what he said in the Garden of Gethsemane, could you not tarry, could you not wait with me for one hour. That's God's heart for us.
And that just amazes me that God could be so tender that he desires that kind of communion with us, right? It's what he told Abraham, right, after he tied the makizel and all that. He said, I am thy shield and thy very great reward. I'm the reward.
And that's the picture, right? And I think that's also the point in Hebrews where it says, you know, he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. And, you know, we tend to think, you know, have our eyes on the prize, so to speak.
But he is the prize. And that's the beautiful thing. And oh, once we come to that point, no matter what we're praying about, even if the answer hasn't come, you know, to be in that place. Last night, also at the same event, I had a man come to me who had lost his son. And he had told me about how, you know, often that is so devastating.
And people either lose their marriage or they lose their faith. But he said, you know, we just kept on praying. And the Lord drew me so much closer. You got to take off your shoes in moments like that, because you realize that's God's heart. Most of all, isn't it?
Yeah. Oh, my goodness. That is so powerful.
Let's pray. Father, thank you for just this chance to know you, to know your love, to know that we are yours and even you are ours. Lord, we praise you that when we knock, the door opens to the face of the best friend of all and there is no better place to be than with you.
You are better than any answer. You are more and always will be. And we worship you for it. Keep us close. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. You can hear more from Pastor James by visiting his website jamesbanks.org or by visiting Peace Church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray. This is the Truth Network.
