Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse" Day 365

December 31;      Luke 11:10;      55/260;      ‘Persistence’

Luke 11:10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

If you desire to succeed in any endeavor, hard work and effort is required.  I heard someone say, ‘it is amazing how hard successful people work.’ The Lord Jesus is saying here, that if you are persistent, you will get what you need or desire.  What a statement for Jesus to make.  The Word of God is full of all of the blessings that have legally been provided for us by the Lord.  The things of the Lord are very different from the things of the world.  When you become a Christian, it takes time to literally turn your life right side up by the Word.  Your mind must be renewed to what the Bible teaches.  This takes time and effort, as the world, which is antagonistic to the Lord, endeavors to fill your mind with what it wants you to know. Your faith grows only as you continue to spend time in the Word.  You must not think you will be an overcoming Christian with little or no time in the Word.  Our adversary, satan, does everything he can to keep you from spending time in the Word of God.  The devil does this because he knows that when you learn the truth that the Word teaches, his ability to cause misery in your life is greatly diminished.  The Lord desires to bless your life abundantly, but whether or not we are blessed is not up to Him.  Be diligent to study the Word, get to know the Lord in prayer and be persistent, never quitting.  As you determine to spend time in the Word, it becomes easier to do this.  Reading the Word will soon become a joy to you.  Believe this, do this and watch what happens.