Ask, Look, Knock

Meditations based on readings from

The Story of My Life As Told by Jesus Christ

September 6, 2019

Ask, Look, Knock

Page 99-100

Matthew 7:7-29; Luke 6:43-49

Today we conclude our reading of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus invites all people to come to him and receive eternal life. Jesus has painted a beautiful picture of the Kingdom of God. He has described a way of living that I want to be my way of life. However, Jesus is telling his followers there is no cheap grace. There is a cost to discipleship. Jesus wants to be clear so that people know that while they have been invited to come as they are and live under the reign of God, when they come in, they will want to change the way they are living.

“Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention” (Matthew 7: 13-14 The Message).

In this digital age, where we can be overwhelmed with information and misinformation, finding our way to the life in Christ can seem quite daunting. However daunting the task may be, it is not impossible to find the truth, “For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened (Matthew 7:8). Twenty-six times in the Gospel of Matthew Jesus says, “I tell you the truth.” In John 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Jesus is the Truth we seek amidst the issues of our times.

My Takeaway: So persevere in asking, seeking and knocking as you

“Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!”

Hebrews 12:1-3 (The Message)

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Copyright © 2019 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

• Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

• The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.