Sunday, September 29, 2019

Knocking Until the Door Opens


Late one afternoon when the office was ready to close, the business manager finally allowed a life insurance salesman to see him. The manager told the salesman, “You should feel highly honored. Do you know that I have refused to see seven insurance men today?” 
“I know,” replied the salesman. “I’m them!”

Jesus told a parable about a man who went to a friend’s house at midnight and knocked on his door, asking for bread (Luke 11:5-8). His neighbor told him to go away. But the man kept knocking on the door, knowing his friend wouldn’t get any sleep until he opened the door and gave him bread. Jesus concluded, “Because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he wants.”

The man did not give him the bread because of their friendship. The only reason for granting his request because the man kept pounding on the door. Jesus used this as an illustration of the kind of persistent faith that He’s looking for. Persistence is the most overlooked way to receive God’s blessings. (If God Knows What I Need, Why Should I Pray? p.81)

What if he had quit knocking after the first refusal? He might have thought, “It must not be God’s will or he would have opened the door on the first knock.” But it was God’s will because he finally received the bread.
What if the four men who carried the paralyzed man to Jesus would have turned around because of the crowd around the house? (Mark 2:2-12). They could have given up and said, “It must not be God’s will.” But they persisted and lowered him through the roof. And it was God’s will because Jesus healed the man.
What if the Canaanite woman had turned around after Jesus ignored her? (Matt. 15:22-28). She could have said, “It must not be God’s will.” But it was God’s will because she persisted and Jesus healed her daughter.

Sometimes you won’t get what you're praying for because it’s not His will. But what if you don’t get it because you quit knocking too soon? God won’t get mad at you for pounding on His door. He might even open it and give you the bread you need.  www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net
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Making Life Count Ministries
P.O. Box 680174
Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174
www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett
www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com