Red Letters - Ask, Seek, Knock

Prayer often feels like the spiritual practice we “should” be better at and secretly avoid. In Red Letters, Pastor Mark Medley takes us into Matthew 7:7–11, where Jesus reduces the complexity we put on prayer to three verbs: ask, seek, knock. Mark shows that this isn’t a technique but an invitation. The Father already knows our needs, yet He tells us to ask because prayer is relationship with His heart and partnership in His mission. Asking confesses our poverty of spirit. Seeking pursues God with hunger. Knocking persists when doors don’t open on the first try, not to wring blessings from a reluctant deity but to stay near a generous Father. Mark addresses delayed or denied requests through the lens of adoption and abiding: the Father sometimes says no, slow, or grow before He says go, shaping us for joy. Through the story of Elizabeth and Zechariah, we see that God remembers prayers we’ve forgotten and weaves answers into a larger plan. This message urges holy discontent in spiritual things, a renewed appetite to be with the Lord and then be sent by Him. In Jesus’ own words, the way forward is simple and sturdy: ask, seek, knock.

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Learning to Pray in God's Kingdom

Mark Medley 0:02

Speaking of prayer this morning . Jesus is talking about prayer , so we're going to listen to his words about prayer this morning , and he's already taught some in this Sermon on the Mount about prayer . He's always spoken to us about it . If you remember , in chapters 5 and 6 , he said Don't pray to be seen by men , but pray secretly . But today we're going to find out that secretly doesn't mean timidly , okay . He also said don't pray using repetitive phrases , thinking that the more you say them , the more you're going to be heard by God . So so maybe , maybe I don't know , it's not for everybody Maybe you're using too many words when you pray . It's possibly , but probably you're not using enough . But maybe you're using too many . But the more words , the more repeating it doesn't make God hear you more . Your father knows what you already need before you ask . He said right , but we're going to learn today that that doesn't make God hear you more . Your father knows what you already need before you ask . He said but we're going to learn today that that doesn't mean he doesn't want us to ask . He does want us to ask . And then Jesus gave us this Lord's Prayer to show us exactly how to pray . But Jesus is not through with prayer . He is pressing us on the matter of prayer in this sermon , and so I think we need to listen to him . If we're going to learn to live in the culture of the kingdom of God , we're going to have to press in in prayer . So let's listen to the words of Jesus .

Mark Medley 1:35

This is Matthew , chapter 7 , verse 7 through verse 11 . And our Lord said 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 the one who seeks finds . And to the one who knocks , it will be opened . Or which one of you , if his son asked him for bread , will give him a stone , or if he asked for a fish , will give him a serpent ? If you , then , who are evil , know how to give good gifts to your children , how much more will your father , who is in heaven , give good things to those who ask him ? So , father , we need you to help us , we need you to open our eyes . This morning , lord , we ask you that , in each of our contexts , right where we're at here this morning , you would speak directly to our needs , and we ask you that your thoughts about prayer would become our thoughts about prayer , and we want to be changed . This morning , lord , we ask for this in Jesus' name , amen . I think this is a word especially for everybody who just came back from camp , because here you are , you've been encountering the Lord this last week and now what do you do ? And I think he wants to take you up a level in how you're asking and seeking and knocking . So Jesus is speaking here in the sermon to people who followed him up this mountain . So they're actually seeking enough to follow him , enough to follow him , and they followed him because he's saying things that were really unlike .

Mark Medley 3:28

They had heard anything they've ever heard before , and so their religious leaders of their days were not saying anything like this to them . And their context . We have to understand where they lived . They lived in a really difficult context . They had a really difficult political situation going on . Their political climate was far worse than ours is today . I know it's hard for you to believe that , but it's true . I mean , they were ruled by a foreign country that were oppressing them and took advantage of them and they were looking for deliverance . But their religious leaders have nothing . They're like impotent . They have nothing to give them and they were looking for deliverance . But their religious leaders have nothing . They're like impotent . They have nothing to give them , no direction to give them .

Mark Medley 4:09

Sadducees were hopelessly entwined with Rome , the government . They were so caught up in the government that was overseeing them , that was ruling them , that they were paralyzed , spiritually paralyzed . They did not represent God at all . The Pharisees wanted to preserve their Jewish identity , but with them God was this distant . It was distant . There was no relationship with him , and their understanding of God was performance . It was performing a bunch of rules and so and then here comes Jesus .

Mark Medley 4:44

Jesus comes with this refreshing and radical message that God is a Father who actually cares for us and actually wants us to ask on a journey of knowing God and knowing how to please God and how to operate with men in a way that pleases God as well . So what does it mean to please God ? Well , in the Sermon on the Mount , we see that we really can't follow Jesus very far without being confronted with the importance of prayer , because prayer is connection with God , prayer is relationship with God , and Jesus really leaves no mystery here . You know , when you're studying the Bible , you're really trying to find out . What is it that God was saying to them originally , there then and then ? What is he speaking to us today ? This is not a mystery at all . In fact , this is one of the biggest no-brainers of everything Jesus said . Of all the confusing things or things we don't understand that Jesus said , this is one of the things that is most clear .

Mark Medley 5:56

It's like a literal three-point sermon . This is a preacher's dream . The three points are laid out for you Ask , seek , knock . It's awesome . If you can't , this is really low hanging fruit . If you can't reach this one , you're in bad shape . Not only that , but it literally makes an acronym Ask , seek , knock , ask , a-s-k . And I'm sure Jesus was thinking about the English language when he said this . And all those people ? 2,000 years from now , they would be sitting around . How can I remember how to pray ? How can I make this easy for them ? Okay , a-s-k . Pretty easy ? Probably not , but the point is , it's really simple . It's really simple Ask , seek and knock .

Mark Medley 6:43

And he's urging us who follow him to action , specifically the action of prayer , urging us to prayer and toward actively participating in his kingdom , and I think he was trying to change the mindset of the people who were listening to him , probably changing the mindset of us today as well . Maybe their concept of God was like some of our concepts of God , you know . Maybe they saw him as uninterested , disconnected , stingy , close-fisted , demanding God who just gives you a list of rules and then gives you no power to actually do it . You know , but that's not what Jesus said . Jesus' revelation of God was a wise father who already knows what you need and who knows how to give good gifts to his children , and he's waiting for us to ask . In fact , he's asking for us to ask , waiting for us to ask . In fact , he's asking for us to ask . In fact , just before , in this chapter before , he said your father in heaven knows what you need before you ask him , and yet he urges us to ask . Why does he urge us to ask If he already knows what we need , why does he urge us to ask ? I think it's because he's interested in relationship . I think he wants to walk with us . Would you allow me to share maybe the most astounding thing I've ever learned in my 40 years of walking with Jesus ? Can I do that ? It's this that God invites me me into his heart and into his mission . That's crazy and that's beautiful . God invites you into his heart and into his mission , and Christianity is not about rigidly obeying rules . It's always , only ever , in the heart of God being about relating to us . That's why the heart is first . The mission is second , but the heart is first . He always wanted us to know him and partner with him . In fact , do you remember when he called his disciples , mark , chapter three ? He called his disciples and it says very clearly it says that he called them to be with him . In fact , do you remember when he called his disciples , mark , chapter three ? He called his disciples and it says very clearly it says that he called them to be with him and then that they would go forth and preach and gave him authority to cast out devils . And so the first step was to be with him . Jesus invited them into his heart , first , to be with him , but also into his mission . That's amazing Heart and mission . That's the way it is in this kingdom , so let's think about that .

Mark Medley 9:35

Just a second Prayer is an invitation into the heart of God , the heart God Almighty wants you and I to walk with him . That's where this thing begins . And he removed every barrier

Ask, Seek, Knock: Jesus's Simple Formula

Mark Medley 9:52

that stood between us and him in the cross . He took it all away . He took all of our sins , everything that was screaming out against us , and he nailed it to his cross so that we who were far off are now brought nigh by the blood of Jesus . This is the heart of the Father . He wants to have an ongoing relationship with me and as I abide in him , he changes me so that I begin to be like him .

Mark Medley 10:23

And that's the first step to knowing God and to knowing God and walking with him in prayer . It's this first prayer is Father , forgive my sins . Father , I trust and I believe what you've done in Jesus . Father , I see that you've done a finished work in Jesus , that all my sins have been laid upon him , and I trust you that you've made a way for me to come and be one with you again . That's the first step and if you don't take that step , you can't go further . But it's all about relationship . You see that it's not about performance , it's not about how well you're doing or what you're doing . It's about knowing him . In fact , jesus said this is eternal life that you may know the one true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent . This is it Knowing God , being with him as a believer . We've been adopted into his family and , by faith in Jesus , we're sons and daughters . That's where we start , this is the place we start . So let me just share one more thing that was a big blessing to our whole family this year . There's a little picture here . I don't know , I don't know , I was gone . I was gone , you know , but I always watch the sermons online and I know that Tyler slipped a picture in of one of his grandchildren because this is the way he is and they're really cute kids . I gotta say they're really cute kids . They are , but so are my grandkids . This is incredible . This is Emma .

Mark Medley 12:01

Emily Jade Seipel came into the Seipel family , was adopted into the Seiple family , was adopted into the Seiple family and as a nine-month-old she came to live with them , with Noah and Allie , and already already scarred from her experience with her birth mother and her father . She was unresponsiveive , basically unresponsive , she said . She just sat in her little car seat and just and just stared . She was afraid she was not developing in a healthy way as she should , and there are many developmental challenges that she's overcome through the love and care of Noah and Allie , and Luke and Micah as well , but this is the kind of healing that happened . I mean , look at her now . It's incredible . Look at those eyes . Come on , those are great eyes , those are eyes of wonder . She has a personality , she's growing , she's developing in every way . It's beautiful . This is what happens . This is the kind of healing that happens when we're invited into a loving , safe family . And this is what we've been . This is the beauty of it . Behold , even now we are the sons of God . It does not yet appear what we shall be . This is beautiful . God has sent into our hearts the spirit of adoption that we should cry out Abba , father . Here's where we start . This is where we start with prayer . It's beautiful .

Mark Medley 13:31

So when Jesus speaks a prayer , he uses this word Father a lot . He even uses this in this little analogy he gives you know how many of you who are fathers have a son who needs bread and would give a stone ? Well , no , you wouldn't do that . Even you wouldn't do that , but how much more your father is going to give what you need to you . And he says this that delight is a result of a life of prayer . In John 16 , he said until now you wouldn't ask anything of me of a life of prayer . In John 16 , he said until now you wouldn't ask anything of me . Ask , ask , so that your joy will be filled . So there's this intended joy that is missing in the life of a believer . If you're not praying , if you're not asking , you're missing something . Imagine a father who has unending riches . If you're not asking , you're missing something . Imagine a father who has unending riches , who is so generous that he asks us to ask him to give us his riches . That's his heart . He's saying just ask , would you just ask ?

Mark Medley 14:48

So maybe the Lord is like raising our expectations this morning to ask when you love someone , you want to spend time with them , right , yeah , and that's where it starts . If you're convicted about your prayer life , okay , probably . I don't know of anything that's more convicting than prayer . This is a tough topic , right , because all of us know we ought to be doing it and most of us have a sneaking suspicions that we're not doing enough of it or doing it correctly , right ? So when you say prayer , there's almost automatically a feeling of condemnation , right ? But if you feel that condemnation about your prayer life , relax . This is the way we grow you love first and then the actions come . You love . First , relax in the love of your Father , come into this heart of Jesus . He invites you into his heart and when you come into his heart you begin to feel his heart for you and for others . And then prayer begins to come , and that's where it goes from heart to mission .

Mark Medley 15:51

Prayer is an invitation into the mission of God , because when you love someone , what they're concerned about becomes what you're concerned about . Their stuff becomes your stuff when you love them and you start kind of kind of owning their stuff , in fact , and we're co-laborers together with God . So I think Jesus seems to be challenged us to become proactive here , like to see God as interactive and become proactive like inviting us into his mission . It's the opposite of proactive . Whatever Some people live their life like whatever , whatever it's just

Prayer: Invitation into God's Heart

Mark Medley 16:34

going to happen , whatever will be will be . That's not what we're hearing Jesus say here , right , and so I think God wants not only to work in me , but work through me to expand his kingdom and his purposes on this earth . That's amazing . Through you , through your unique gifts and your abilities , and the heart , passion or the burden that he's put inside of you and the context that you're living in , where he's placed you right now , the people around you right now . He wants to invite you into his mission and work through you , not just in you , but through you . So Jesus gives three point sermon right , three actions and three results . So he challenges us to ask .

Mark Medley 17:20

So I think , if you look in the whole , the overall picture of the Sermon on the Mount , as Jesus started with the Beatitudes , I think that ask is the attitude , the heart attitude , or the response of someone who is poor in spirit . We ask because why do we ask ? We ask because we don't have , or we ask because we don't know , or we ask because we need something right . It's a heart attitude , a position , a posture of I need , so I need and so I'm asking . But why do we not ask ? And I thought about that this week personally , and I think in my own life , I don't ask for things because of pride . I can take care of it myself . Thank you , I'm a man . I should be able to bear this burden alone .

Mark Medley 18:20

You know , it is kind of it is , it is kind of the thing that that is said about us men , guys , that we don't ask for directions . You know that you . You know , and I don't know if it's true for all of you , but it's true for most of you , I'm pretty sure about that . It's true said and all the women said it's so funny . In fact , I heard it said .

Mark Medley 18:42

I don't think it's necessarily correct . I'll have to study it more , and I I'm not saying this as as gospel here this morning , but I've heard it said that the reason that children in Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years is because Moses wouldn't ask for directions . I don't think that's right . I just want to tell you right now I don't think it's correct . Could be , if a woman was leading the children of Israel , would they have gotten there quicker ? That's the question . Oh no , ladies , we're not lost . We just like to take the scenic route . We're enjoying things , don't we look like we're enjoying things ? All right , okay , no , I can handle this . I can handle this on my own . I'm a man . I should be able to do this by myself . Maybe your father doesn't want you to do it by yourself . Maybe your father is a father .

Amy Medley 19:43

And he wants to help you , maybe .

Mark Medley 19:48

When did you last ask your father for something you need , instead of trying to gain it by your own strength ? Maybe he's raising the bar , he's just asking us to ask and the result ? He says there's a result If you ask , you will receive . You will receive . Your father wants to give to you , you will receive . Oh , but , mark , we don't always get what we ask for . I'm glad you brought that up , because we're going to talk about that later .

Mark Medley 20:17

Okay , hang on to that one , because the second point is Jesus challenges us to seek , seek , and I think seek is the response of someone who hungers and thirsts for righteousness . It's a hungry person . Why do I seek ? I seek because I'm yearning to find something . I've lost something , or I don't have what I need , or I had it but I lost it . I'm seeking , or I want it , I'm hungry for it , I'm searching , I'm longing .

Mark Medley 20:46

So I think Jesus is speaking of a holy kind of discontent here . So I think Jesus is speaking of a holy kind of discontent here . You know there is a holy discontent . Yearning is not a thing to be ashamed of . In fact , I think yearning or knowing there's more , is part of the human experience and it says that God has put eternity in our hearts . There's something we know . Eternity in our hearts there's something more than what is just in front of my eyes . I know there's more , there's all , there's this thing inside of us . We know there's something beyond just what we're , what we're currently experiencing , right . So yearning is not a thing to be ashamed of , hungering , searching , knowing there's more , this part of being human . But aren't we supposed to be content with what we have ? That's a good question .

Mark Medley 21:40

So , as I understand it , the Bible teaches contentment in material things , but it teaches discontentment in spiritual things . Okay , you remember Paul said to Timothy 1 , timothy 6 , that carnal men say that gain is godliness . But godliness with contentment is great gain . We brought nothing into this world and it's certain we can carry nothing out of it . So , having food and clothing , let us be content . That's a holy contentment . But with spiritual things it's a different thing .

Mark Medley 22:19

Paul says in Philippians 3 , brothers , I do not consider that I've made it my own . The one thing I do , forgetting what lies behind , straining forward to what lies ahead , I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus . And let those who are mature think this way . Do you see those words there ? It's like straining forward , pressing on . There's a prize , there's an upward calling , there's something calling you up up above . There's a bar being raised here for us . There's something more . There's a holy kind of discontent . That's what I'm saying this morning , and also I would like to say that there's a difference between discontent and malcontent .

Mark Medley 23:12

Discontent is one thing . Discontent is not being satisfied with something and so pushing on to more . Malcontent is never being satisfied with anything . It's a troublemaker . It's the person who always sees the bad and always tries to stir it up . Malcontent is a person who really needs Jesus . A malcontent is somebody who needs an adjustment . It's a chronically discontented person .

Mark Medley 23:44

But the fact remains that it's crucial to living in the kingdom of God to seek , to want more , to long for more . So maybe you've been asking , but that's all you've been doing is asking . Maybe God is saying he wants you to seek , he wants you to put a little more effort into this . So why do we not seek ? Maybe we're not hungry anymore . Maybe

The Three Actions of Earnest Prayer

Mark Medley 24:10

we used to be hungry , but we're not hungry anymore . I don't have that same kind of drive in me that I once had . Or maybe we just resign ourselves to our situation , which is okay . Nothing's going to change . We're just going to . We've got to cope . We've got to cope with the way things are . So my question to you is when did you last seek God's word and his will with an urgency , urgency ? I've got to know this , I've got to have this , and I don't think we ever really change without that . And so God is stirring that up in us . Sometimes , if you're feeling uneasy about the way things are , it could be that God is tearing up your nest so that you'll learn how to fly . He's messing things up here because and you feel that you can feel that change Sometimes , when there's transition , there's rumblings before a transition , god wants to take you to a new place and you feel so , not at home in this place .

Mark Medley 25:10

You feel like there's something wrong here . There's some place God wants to bring us to , so he wants us to get started seeking . This is why Jesus is saying it . And the result ? There's a result . If you seek , you will find it's a promise . And then there's a third one , and that's knock . And I think knocking is the response of someone who is salt and light in the world , because knocking has to do with getting somewhere that you're not . There's a place I need to be , there's a place I need to enter a new realm that I need to be in , and there's a door or an obstacle . And so we knock . We knock Something between where you are and where you're supposed to be .

Mark Medley 25:53

You remember the prayer that Jesus told ? And he actually the scripture literally says he told a parable . He told a parable about prayer . He told a parable so that men , to teach men that they ought to always pray and not faint .

Mark Medley 26:07

Okay , and remember that it was about a widow , just a little widow , and an unjust judge . And so the widow kept coming to the judge saying give me justice , give me justice , I've got a situation that needs justice . The judge , it says , did not fear God and did not respect man , and he didn't listen to her . But she kept coming and she wouldn't shut up . It's a holy discontent . A holy discontent . She wouldn't shut up , she kept coming and he said you know what ? I don't fear God , I don't respect man , but this lady is wearing me out and if I don't answer her , she's never going to stop . Literally , it says I will give her justice so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming . Come on , I need justice , give me justice . She's beating me down and this judge gave her justice .

Mark Medley 27:11

And then God says well , look at the evil judge , the unjust judge . If he would do that , how much more will your just Father in heaven give you what you asked for , give what they asked for to his elect , who cried to him day and night ? So there's this knocking and continual knocking , and come on and don't stop and don't faint , and when you get discouraged , knock some more . Maybe you've been asking and maybe you've even been seeking , but God wants to encourage us this morning to not stop knocking . Keep knocking on the doors . When were you last so desperate for something that you would not quit knocking ? That's the question . But why do we not knock ? Maybe because we're apathetic ? Maybe because we're just lazy ? Maybe because we're binging Netflix ? Possible Apathy , fear , comfort is our idol . Maybe we think it's not supposed to change . I don't know . Maybe there's a lot of reasons . But Jesus is saying knock , and not only to say knock . He says keep on knocking .

Mark Medley 28:33

This is the tense of the verb . Literally ask keep on asking . Seek keep on seeking . Knock keep on knocking . That's the tense of the verb there , and the result is it will be open to you . So I think there's like a growing intensity , like a progression of intensity here . Right , because I can ask from the quietness of my own heart , but to seek , I got to get up out of my bed and do something . Right , there's some effort required , and to knock is still more intentional , still more forceful .

Mark Medley 29:07

Okay , so he's just continuing to raise the bar on us . Why not ? Because he wants our performance or we ? You know we need to pray longer and louder , that's not the point but because your father wants to give to you and your father wants to invite you into his heart and into his mission . He wants you to co-labor with him . So what doors do you need to knock on ? In what ways are you not where he wants you to be ? What are the obstacles ? Maybe the doors are not opening because you're not knocking . It's interesting .

Mark Medley 29:49

Paul said to the Colossians pray for me that a door would be opened for the gospel . Pray for me . Imagine that . Paul , such a powerful man , but he knew there needed to be doors that are open . Right , and just a little aside , if you , if you're not content with your present state of your walk with God . Please remember that you are the one responsible for it . You can change it . Okay , there you go , let's take it . I'm not saying you can control everything in your life , but the things that you do have control over are more than the things that you don't have control over . And Jesus says ask , seek , knock . So he urges us to prayer .

Mark Medley 30:37

So here's my question why does Jesus have to urge us to prayer ? I mean , why is it that prayer is not our first reflex , like it should just be knee jerk , right , something happens . Pray I've got to be honest with you . That's not always my first reflex . Prayer it's like what can I do ? Well , maybe it's complain , and then it's what can I do to help or who can I look to ? But my first reflex should be going to Him in prayer .

Mark Medley 31:13

Maybe there's some reasons why it's not our first reflex . Maybe because we're looking to ourselves or to others to meet our needs . Possibly Maybe because we become comfortable with status quo . This is just sometimes staying the same is more comfortable . It's not better , but it's more comfortable . We're lazy or we're passive . Or maybe because we don't understand the heart of our father . Surely he couldn't be interested in my request , right ? Surely God's not . What would God want ? Why would

Why Prayers Sometimes Seem Unanswered

Mark Medley 31:43

he want to do something for me ?

Mark Medley 31:47

Okay , so let's get to the heart of the question . Why is it that when we do ask , we don't receive ? Every time we ask , we don't receive . So what's up with that ? Because Jesus said ask and who you ask will receive . And he said how much more will your father , relationship in heaven , who's mighty and sovereign , give good things because he loves and he cares to those who ask him ? So that's a real legitimate question , because all of us have prayed and have not seen an answer , or at least it doesn't seem like it's been answered .

Mark Medley 32:26

Well , there's right and wrong asking First of all . James says this in James chapter four , verse three and four you do not have because you do not ask . That's the first part of it . But you ask and do not receive because you ask , wrongly , to spend it on your passions . So there's a right and a wrong motivation for asking things . Am I asking for me and for my own desires , or am I asking for the glory of God and for the purpose of God ? And how can I make my desires His desires ? How can I make those two line up ? And it's interesting .

Mark Medley 33:01

There's a Psalm , psalm 37 , verse 4 , and it says that when you delight yourself in the Lord , he gives you the desires of your heart . When I first came to Jesus I thought that meant if I serve God , then whatever I want and ask him for , he'll give me . But as I grew in the Lord , I realized that's not even the way we raise our kids . When you raise kids , you can't do it that way Because you know better , you're wiser and you're more loving than that than to give them everything they want . So I think it's more like when we delight ourselves in the Lord , he gives us the desires that are in our heart and then , when we turn those desires into prayer , we begin to pray what he wants . We're praying his will . When he says , whatever things you ask according to my will , he will hear you and he will give you the things that you answer . It's because as we grow close to him , we know his heart more .

Mark Medley 34:11

Jesus says something really similar to this in John 15 about asking and receiving , but it's in the context of abiding in him , it's in the context of relationship . You know him , you abide in him and his words live inside of you , and then you ask whatever you will , because when his words abide in you , your will begins to change . You love him and his stuff becomes your stuff and your heart changes from a bad motivation or a selfish motivation to a God-centered , kingdom-oriented orientation , and then your prayers are right prayers . So I believe every prayer is answered from the heart of a wise and loving God , just different kinds of answers . Maybe this will help a little bit .

Mark Medley 35:06

If the request is not God's will , god says no . But he says no from his loving and wise and father heart . If the timing is wrong , god says slow , from his loving , wise father heart . If my heart is not right and my motivations are wrong , god says grow from his loving , wise father heart . But if the request is right and the timing is right and I'm right , my heart is right , he says go and he answers the prayer in the way that we may be wanting it to be answered . But some of us have asked and we're in the process . We're in the process and the potter is molding us to fit the thing that we're asking for . We're not quite ready yet and he's working in us first , and so the timing is not always our timing . And Amy shared something with the pastors and the songwriters while we were in Poland along these lines , and I want to ask her to come up and just share it with you . Is there a ?

Amy Medley 36:24

microphone . So , along the lines of the timing of the Lord , there was a story in Luke , chapter 1 that really has encouraged me in my prayer life . I've dealt with a little bit of waiting in my own personal experience , and there's a story in Luke chapter 1 about when Gabriel appears to Zechariah , and the first words that Gabriel says to Zechariah are kind of peculiar . He says your prayer has been heard , and then the next words that he says are that Elizabeth is going to bear a child . And so Zachariah is probably thinking what prayers , what , what prayers have been heard ? He's not . Most likely he's not praying those prayers anymore because Luke , chapter 1 says that he is already of age , he's well stricken in years in the King James Version , and so they're beyond the years of having children . But Gabriel comes to him and says your prayer has been heard , and so it's really powerful to realize that God remembers the prayers that we have forgotten , the prayers that we have forgotten . So there may be a promise in your heart or a deep , deep desire in your heart that just won't go away and you keep bringing it before the Lord and maybe it seems like he's not answering . He's not answering , maybe am I praying wrong ? Am I asking from a wrong desire ? But in this situation there are certain situations where it's just a matter of God's timing . It's a matter of His timing , and this was the case for Elizabeth and Zachariah . They wanted a baby , they wanted a son , they wanted a child . There were probably many sleepless nights when Elizabeth was weeping and praying . They probably fasted and really sought the Lord about this and then kind of maybe buried that desire because they didn't see anything happening . But they wanted a baby . God was looking for a legacy . You know . He wanted to give them the forerunner of Christ . He didn't want to just give them a child , he was going to give them John the Baptist . So if he had answered their prayers in their timing , you know , they would have had no part in the story of Christ's birth , you know . So the timing had to line up with Mary . Mary was pregnant with Jesus and Elizabeth was pregnant with John . It seemed like weird timing , you know . Why would God choose a barren woman who's old and a virgin ? It's just , it's weird , it's mysterious , but the Lord had a purpose in that .

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And so with time , god's delays and God's denials become clear to us . We understand them more with age , as we get older , and so Psalm 84 reminds us that the Lord , god , is a sun and shield . He gives grace and glory . No good thing will he withhold from those who walk uprightly . And Elizabeth and Zechariah were upright .

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Luke , chapter 1 , says that they were righteous , they were blameless

When God's Timing Differs From Ours

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. So why did God make them suffer ? Why did God make them wait all of those years ? Were they righteous ? Well , yes , they were . So why was God withholding something that was good ? Well , god is in the giving and he's also in the withholding . If he withholds something , it means that it's not good for us at that moment . And he has a bigger perspective , right With Elizabeth and Zechariah , again , it wasn't just about their baby , their son , it was about the universal plan of the birth of Christ and fulfilling all of these prophecies .

Amy Medley 40:55

So maybe God has a bigger plan in mind than we do , and his design is greater than what we've asked for . So if it's bigger than what we've prayed for , it's worth the wait . Than what we prayed for , it's worth the wait . So just an encouragement that God remembers the prayers , the desires that you have brought before him . He doesn't forget those prayers and he will fulfill them in his time .

Amy Medley 41:28

We saw this also in the Old Testament with Abraham and Sarah , right , they had a promise and then you know , about 20 years later that was fulfilled . But Hebrews 11 , 11 says through faith also , sarah herself received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a child when she was past age , because she judged him faithful , who had promised . So let's judge him faithful , who has promised . Let's be patient with God . In a way , assume that there is a good reason for the delay , that he has our best interests at heart and he will answer them at the right time . We can continue to seek , we can continue to knock , and that he is our father . The God of the universe is our father . So weeping can endure for a night , but joy is on the way for his children .

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Thanks , Thank you , wow , for His children , thanks . Thank you , wow . Can we judge Him faithful ? Yeah , god's working . It doesn't matter if we see Him or if it doesn't look like it . He's working and process is progress . Sometimes we don't think it's progress because we don't see what we're looking for , but process inside of us is progress .

Mark Medley 43:04

I think the ultimate point of today's passage that we're reading is that Jesus is calling those who follow Him higher in prayer , higher in abiding in him to discern his heart , and higher in faith and expectancy . So let's stand up and let's pray , let's respond . If you're a follower of Jesus , it doesn't matter your age , it doesn't matter how long you've been in the Lord , it doesn't matter your socioeconomic status , it doesn't matter your age , it doesn't matter how long you've been in the Lord , it doesn't matter your socioeconomic status , it doesn't matter your gender , it doesn't matter what you've been through . Jesus is wanting you to learn how to ask and press in and seek and join his mission and knock Even you , even you right now , even you right now , even me right now . So , father , we judge you faithful this morning . The things that we put in your hands , you're faithful . You're faithful to receive them . You're faithful to hold them and to care for them . You're faithful , to give them to us in the way that's best for us . Lord , we ask you that you would teach us how to ask Lord , forgive our prayerlessness . Lord , I just want to say that I've been prayerless because I feel like it's a duty sometimes , father . So forgive me for that and teach me to respond to your invitation into your heart , to come into you . Lord , reveal your heart to us , lord , give us the power of your spirit to walk in this relationship and pray from that Lord . Lord , teach us how to seek you . Seek your face , seek your word , seek your will , seek your power at work in us , seek the truth that changes us . Lord , teach us how to knock .

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Lord , some of us are at a door and there's a new ministry area . There's effective doors that you want to open . There's a new convergence of people walking in their gifts , lord , that you've worked so many years to pull things together in streams into one river and now you're bringing them into something , lord , that's different than what they've been experiencing before . Lord , I pray for transitional grace , in that I pray for grace to knock on those doors . Lord , until those doors open , I pray for endurance for us , god . Help us , lord , to pray always and not faint .

Mark Medley 46:08

Lord , we pray for new converts . God , we pray for your kingdom to come in our families , in our church services , in our outreaches , in our community groups , and we pray for , we ask for new ground , lord . Give us new ground . Let your kingdom come , god , and that our hearts and our hope will be turned back to you alone in this nation . This is what we pray , lord .

Mark Medley 46:38

Lord , turn us from a life of dependence on ourselves . Let us walk in that blessedness of those who are poor in spirit . Lord , teach us to be hungry . Let us walk in the blessedness of those who hunger and thirst for righteousness . And , lord , teach us to realize that you want more , to ask bolder . Would you just kindle our faith and freshen our faith , god , please , by your spirit , lord , I'm asking this morning that you would just add fuel to the fire . Lord , blow on those embers , god , and fan those things into a flame . Add your fuel to them , god . Rekindle vision and give direct new vision , lord ,

Joining God's Mission Through Prayer

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for people in Jesus' name . Lord , let us be those who live in the blessedness of those who are salt and light in this world .

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God , this is what we pray , give us grace . Give us grace to hear your voice , lord , and to understand that you're raising the bar is not for us to perform more , god , but you're raising the bar is for us to come into your heart and join your mission and see your kingdom , for this is where our joy is . Lord so Lord , you said to this point , you haven't asked anything , so ask , so your joy will be full . Lord so Lord , this week , we ask you to put those things on our hearts that you want us to ask , so that the joy that you intend for us is what we're walking in . This is what we pray , and thank you for the fruit that's going to come from these prayers . Lord , this kingdom belongs to you , the power is yours and the glory is yours forever and ever , and we ask these things in the name of Jesus , amen , amen .