Seeking after God…
Matthew 7:7-11(NIV) says,
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
I recently purchased a copy of the Complete Jewish Bible…which I haven’t read much of because of the Jewish names used in it(have to parallel to determine what it is talking about). However the other night during prayer I was asking my Father in Heaven to teach me to be like Him. To teach me to love and see others like Him, to not have judging thoughts pop in my head upon first glance, to understand and feel His pain for the lost, and a sense of urgency to reach the lost. I know all these things are His will and have always been told ask and it will be given to you…read the scripture above…but I have been praying this for awhile but I still do not feel it has been fully answered. I felt compelled to read the word so I turned to Matthew 7 and read the chapter in the Complete Jewish Bible and something stood out that was different from what I have read in the past.
Matthew 7:7-11(CJV),
Keep asking, and it will be given to you; keep seeking, and you will find; keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps asking receives; he who keeps seeking finds; and to him who keeps knocking, the door will be opened. “Is there anyone here who, if his son asks him for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone? or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? So if you, even though you are bad, know how to give your children gifts that are good, how much more will your Father in heaven keep giving good things to those who keep asking him!”
When reading this it was like ah, consistency and persistence of seeking after Him and His will. For some reason when I read it in KJV, NIV, NLT or any other version I took it to mean instantaneously...that one day I would wake up and just have “it” or my perception of what “it” is! I see now it is a a continual process. My prayers it will continue to produce fruit in my life as I persistently seek a personal relationship with Him. I will continue taking on His likeness in my speech, thoughts, beliefs, and actions.
I am not saying I am 100% correct but I am just sharing what I believe He has spoke into my life!!! I also plan on reading CJV more frequently, I am now liking how it reads and I will just have to work through the Hebrew names and words until I learn them.
