NT Fire Starters – Day 9: Matthew 7:7-29

READ: Matthew 7:7-29

THINK: Are you as persistent in seeking what God wants of you as you are about getting what you want from God? Are His priorities your priorities? What are you doing with what God has already shown you in His Word? Does your time in God’s Word simply help you to know about God, or to actually know Him personally? Do you sometimes get more excited about the opportunities and experiences you have as a Christian than about spending quality time with Jesus, getting to know Him better?

RESPOND: What is Jesus trying to say by telling you ‘ask,” ‘seek” and ‘knock”? (See 7:7-8 note.) What does it show when we keep asking, seeking and knocking? What does it develop in your life? What does it mean that the road to life is narrow and few find it? (See 7:14 note.) What do you do when you have doubts about whether someone is really speaking God’s truth? (See 7:16 note and article on False Teachers, p. 1370.) How could it be that some who claim to know Jesus and seem to do powerful things for Him really do not know Him? (See 7:22 and 7:23 notes.) How can you ensure that your relationship with God is on solid ground? How can putting God’s Word into practice help you weather the storms of life? What kind of plan or strategy do you have for remembering and applying what you learn from your time in God’s Word?

PRAY: Ask God to help you do more than just gain knowledge from His Word, but to also for His retain and apply what He shows you on a daily basis. Also, pray that you continue to rely on God for direction and discernment.

ACT: Make a deliberate effort to apply something God has shown you through His Word today or recently. Think of something you felt He wanted you to do but you never quite put it into action. Perhaps it was an act of kindness or forgiveness toward another person. Then again, maybe you sensed God telling you to step out in faith and trust Him for guidance, but you’ve been hesitant to follow His lead.