Luke 11:1-13
Today we see probably the most well known prayer in the Bible, the Lord's prayer. But it was Jesus' words after the prayer that I found most helpful. What a wonderful reminder that God wants us to talk with Him. He wants us to come boldly before him with our prayers. "For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened to you" (verse 10).
So would you join me in considering and answering these questions today? Are we coming boldly before the Lord? If not, what's holding us back? What needs to happen for that to change? Tami W.
SIN! If I don't confess my sin then I can't expect God to listen to me. But when I look to the cross and know Jesus forgives I can admit those sins and that I am a sinner and that HE died for me. so I CAN boldly ACT in prayer. Adore Confess and Thank God for His Grace in my life. And request anything I need for His Will to be done.
Hi Tami W. , This passage was always a terror for me to understand. Then I realized that we aren't being told to pray this pray word for word, but use it as a model for our own personal prayers.
I can seriously say I'm coming boldly before the Lord. Though being an imperfect human sometimes my health holds me back. If my pain would totally go away I could come Boldly each and every prayer and pray without ceasing like the Bible tells us to do.
Jerry S.
I just noticed the humor in this passage -- all of us know how it feels to have someone knock on the door or call in the middle of the night, and no one really wants to get out of bed, but we'll do it anyway. What a neat picture -- "bother me, please" the passage seems to say in a lighthearted, fun way. Also, when our friends have needs, we may not want to get up, but we also don't want them to suffer or hurt. If their need is important enough to cause them to get up in the night to seek us out, they trust we will care enough to help them, and they really need the help. (In most cases, lol!) But I can imagine the listeners chuckling when they heard this.
Verse by verse in this prayer, Jesus illustrates to us how we should approach God in our own prayers. This is a model for us to structure our prayers with. Then He goes on to show us (as was already mentioned) how the Father wants us to come to Him anytime and for any need! Our concerns, are His concerns too. What a loving Father we have!
Dear Tami, my comments to "Are we coming boldly before the Lord? If not why not, what's holding us back? "
I think we try to come boldly to the Lord but sometimes we have sinned but does not want to own it by confess and asking God to forgive us. Sometimes, we come to Him half-heartedly with other things on our minds. But when we come to the Lord, we must come to Him and all else should go from our mind. Sometimes we also think that God is not interested in what we have to say. "Will He listen to me a sinner? I am an awful person I don't even go to church regularly. He does not have time for me. My sin is too big and He will not forgive this one. This is a sin I have repeated." But God is not like that, God made us He knows us. He knows what we have done but He wants to hear us say what we have done and wants us to be penitent and seek Him. Knock on the door.
For us to really move from that thinking we have to read His Word, pray about it and seek His guidance. God wants us to trust and really believe in Him instead of what mankind might tells us. He IS always there for us. He has promised not to leave or forsake us. It just like when our child does something that is wrong we want that child to come to us and tell us the truth and that he or she is sorry. When this happens, we let them know it is OK and try to guide them so it does not happen again. God does this for us. It is easier to go to God and talk to Him than to go to someone else who could be judgemental. He is so happy when we come to Him. Remember He molded and made us in His image and in His love. Enjoy Him.
I feel that I am coming boldly at times, but at some times, I am not as bold as I should be. I faithfully pray each day, but I also know that there are times when I am struggling, I may or may not have a heavy heart, and I am boldly approaching the Throne. I am working at being consistent in my pray life in my boldness when I pray. I know that God will answer me and sometimes my answer may be no, but still I should use the same manner to approach Him every time I pray.
I think when my heart is heavy; my emotions take over and then is when I approach with boldness because of my emotions. My change needs to be consistency in my approaching the Throne in prayer.
It is a great privilege to come before The Lord boldly. I think over the years I have learned how to do just that. But too I believe sin does keep us from doing it as well. I don't think any of us wants to sin but we all fall short at times. It is so great that HE gives to us as we ask and as we need. :)