Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

October 1
Thursday


EXPECTANCY

READ:
Matthew 7:7-11
____________________________________________________

If you...know how
to give good gifts to
your children, how
much more will your
Father who is in heaven
give good things to
those who ask Him!
__Matthew 7:11
_____________________________________________________

With a handful of Cheerios, I tiptoed across the deck in my backyard trying to sneak up on the fish in the pond. Perhaps it was my shadow on the water...or maybe I wasn't as sneaky as I thought. As I approached the railing, 15 enormous goldfish raced toward me, their large mouths frantically opening and closing in eager anticipation of an expected treat.

So, why did the fish so furiously flap their fins? Because my mere presence set off a conditioned response in their tiny fish brains that told them I had something special to give them.

If only we always had such a response to God and His desire to give us good gifts--a response based on our past experience with Him that flows from a deep-seated knowledge of His character.

Missionary William Carey stated: "Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God." God desires to equip us perfectly for what He wants us to do, and He invites us to "Come boldly" to find mercy and grace in time of need (Heb. 4:16).

When we as God's children are living in faith, we can have an exciting expectancy and a quiet confidence that God will give us exactly what we need, when we need it (Matt. 7:8-11).

__Cindy Hess Kasper
_____________________________________________________________

`````````````````````When with expectancy we pray``````````````
`````````````````````````According to God's will,`````````````````
````````````````````We'll see Him working in our lives`````````````
``````````````````````His purpose to fulfill. __Sper```````````````
_____________________________________________________________

Prayer without expectancy in unbelief in disguise

***********Today's Bible Reading __ Matthew 7:7-11***************

7 Ask, and it will be given
to you; seek, and you will
find; knock, and it will be
opened to you. 8 For
everyone who asks receives,
and he who seeks finds, and
to him who knocks it will
be opened. 9 Or what man
is there among you who, if
his son asks for bread, will
give him a stone? 10 Or if he
asks for a fish, will he give
him a serpent? 11 If you
then, being evil, know how
to give good gifts to your
children, how much more
will your Father who is in
heaven give good things to
those who ask Him!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

In today's Bible reading, Jesus gives us a wonderful picture of prayer
and how it works when he says we are to ask, seek, and knock.
However, it is important to note that though God calls us to ask for
what we need in prayer, His answer is not dependent upon our skill
in asking. His answer is rooted in His character as a loving Father
(vv.9-11), who is infinitely wiser and far more concerned for our
true needs than even the most loving parent on earth. His responses
to our prayers are a continual reminder of the depth of His love for
us. __BILL CROWDER

[Lani]

*Amen2*

Indeed sis,

So incredibly true.. I've lost count of how many times I've heard people say "God didn't answer that prayer, I knew He wouldn't"

How can one say such a thing, if you "Knew He wouldn't" you didn't pray with your whole heart and therefore He couldn't hear your request....

Human Limitations...

Lani