Luke 11:9-10 – “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.”

As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God today, the words “persistence” and “perseverance” came to mind.   How many times do we fail in the area of persistence and perseverance?  How many times are we inconsistent and give in to temptation?  How many times do we lament our situation and even adopt a victim mentality rather than standing firm and resisting the devil? Once is too many!

I love the story in Luke 11, where Jesus illustrates persistent prayer.   We tend to read “Ask, seek, and knock” in a nonchalant manner. The context and the Greek debunk that attitude.

The idea, need, and benefit of persistence are impossible to miss. Then, Jesus said, “Ask, seek, and knock.”  The Greek is “Ask and keep on asking. Knock and keep on knocking. Seek and keep on seeking.”  Literally, yell out with extreme urgency, beating on the door persistently, while searching almost frantically for the answer.

Some say that they want freedom from sin and ask casually for God’s help, then succumb. They come back, almost justifying themselves or blaming external stimuli or God, and ask nonchalantly for help, then return to the mire.  No! The answer must become a matter of life or death. The urgency must be impossible to ignore. The desire and determination must become all-consuming to press into God’s presence. THEN, the Holy Spirit and even angelic help comes. THEN, deliverance comes.

In Luke 13:23, Jesus was asked, “Are only a few being saved?” His answer says, “Although the invitation extends to everyone, FEW will find the door.”  Prayer for ourselves or others must be fervent and prayed persistently with perseverance: no more flippant asking, but persistent pursuit of the answer.

James 5:16 – “The effective (fervent, persistent) prayer of a righteous person is powerful.”   How important is the answer? How serious are we about the deliverance? How willing are we to admit our need, confess our sin, and pursue the answer (Jesus)?

God will answer the cries of persistent perseverance.  When we get serious, God responds. That will not automatically remove consequences, but it will give a new start.

LORD, help us to be persistent in our pursuit of your presence!

Luke 6:43-45 – “For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. ⁴⁴ For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. ⁴⁵ The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, two passages of Scripture challenged me. They may seem unrelated, but nothing in Scripture is lacking connection. The theme of God’s purpose is woven into the progression of the Word.

Luke 6:43-45. Jesus spoke of trees and fruit, which are lives and manifestations. Then, in the latter part of verse 45, He said, “For from the overflow of the heart his mouth speaks.”  The heart lets you know by its flow.

Luke 8:25: They were in the boat, Jesus was sleeping, and a storm came. Fear overcame them, panic set in, and in one place they said, “Don’t You care that we are perishing?”    Here, the rendering is, “We are perishing!” Jesus rebuked (strong word – epitimao, to demand with great authority) the wind and waves.  They stopped immediately!   Then He asked, “Where is your faith?”   That was not a question of location or even absence, but object.

The question was, “What have you placed your faith in or on?” Focus and confidence! Is it the boat (system)? Is it your ability to navigate troubled waters? Is it the power of the winds and waves? What we focus on controls our thoughts and shapes our faith.

To their credit, they came to Jesus.  They came empty. They came hopeless and helpless. They came with no solution. Sadly, sometimes we come to Him, but still have a solution in our hearts that we want Him to complete. He will not!

In Luke 8:36-37, the people overcome by fear asked Jesus to leave. Their fear separated them from the benefit of His presence. The fear in the boat snapped their faith. When we realize we cannot, we either focus on God and His promises or fear! Our choice shapes our destiny.

If Jesus is our example and has given (delegated) His authority to us over evil, we either believe it or fear. That was Jesus’ instruction to Jairus: “Ignore circumstances and trust God’s promises.”   What we focus on will be revealed by the overflow of our hearts. The overflow lets us know! What is your overflow?

LORD, help us to have the overflow of our hearts filled with your presence and peace!

Exodus 40:34-35 – “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the Glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁵ Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the Glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, something stirred in my spirit.   We (the church) have lost something we need restored.  We have tried to operate without God’s Shekinah Glory!  As a result, we have become more form than substance.   We have had more ritual than revival.   The Glory (Shekinah) is transformational and challenging.  The Glory takes matters out of man’s hands and puts them in God’s.   No human power, wisdom, charisma, oratory, or program can equal the Glory or produce the effect. (Exodus 40:34-35). Lord, send the Glory!

In Leviticus 6, God repeats a directive (command). The fire on the altar was to be perpetual. The fire is the Holy Spirit, and the altar is prayer. If the fire is not burning, the Glory will not be manifested. Prayer keeps the door open and the heart tender.

John the Baptist said of Jesus, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire!” Fire can be seen not only as zeal, but as power and anointing. It is a divine energy that gives boldness. It is the manifestation of Glory!

The Glory, the fire, and the Holy Spirit keep us focused on the mission. Being saved is not to enter an elite club of separatists who isolate from the world, associating only with other believers. The fish are caught and then cleaned. The sick are ministered to so they can minister.

The attitude of the Pharisee is sectarianism and isolationism. The mind of the Holy Spirit is, “The sick need a physician and a hospital.” The presence of the Glory draws those needing healing. We need the Glory.

The Glory will not come to old wineskins (systems). The Glory comes to fully surrendered hearts willing to abandon themselves for the kingdom.  We have lost the Glory but not hope!  When we set up the tent of meeting and consecrate the tabernacle, the Glory will return.  The tent of meeting is prayer, and the tabernacle is our hearts.

LORD, send your Glory!  

Exodus 33:11 – “Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.   When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.”

As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God today, two words tugged at my heart – Presence and Faith. Are they connected? Yes!

In Exodus, Moses spent a lot of time in God’s presence.   Exodus 33:11 informs us that after Moses heard from God, he left the tent (presence), but Joshua stayed in the tent.   In verses 13-15, we see how much Moses valued God’s presence.   God promised that His presence would go with them to the place of promise. Moses said, “If Your presence does not go with me, don’t let us go up from here!” The preciousness of the presence is expressed.

The presence of God inspires Faith.   Mark 11:22-25 is incredibly revealing about faith and how it operates or manifests.   It is FAITH, not faith in faith.   Faith flows from God’s presence, not from our performance. In God’s presence, we see into the unseen, and there we see the fulfillment of all of God’s promises.  In His presence, the self dwindles, and sight transitions from the seen to the unseen.

God’s presence transforms us into His image.  Mark 12:28-31 reveals a powerful truth.  The progression is astounding and liberating.

We try to love people, but the flesh resists.  We nurture our hearts, hold on to our memories, and console our bruised egos and pride.   But if we love God with our ALL, His presence enables us to move beyond ourselves and become expressions of Him.   If we love God rightly, we can have a right view of self, and out of that we can love people rightly.

God’s Presence enables us to surrender to Him fully; in surrender, we can trust, and in trusting, we manifest faith.  Mark 16:11 gives a revelation we tend to miss.  When reports came about Jesus’ resurrection, “they refused to believe.”   That reveals that belief is a choice; therefore, faith is a choice, not some spectacular spiritual activity. It is simply deciding to believe what God has said. He says something, and we say, “Amen,” and then, “Thank You!”

Therefore, God’s presence is vital.  Matthew 6:33 becomes even more powerful. Moses’ declaration needs to be ours.   “If Your Presence does not go with us, we don’t want to go.”   In His Presence, there is peace, power, protection, and provision. So, let us make His Presence precious to us.

LORD, help us press into Your presence so that we can have Faith!

Exodus 19:5-6 – “Now then, if you listen closely to My voice, and keep My commandment, then you will be My own treasure from among all people, for all the earth is Mine. So as for you, you will be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

Today, as I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God, one word kept echoing in my heart, mind, and spirit – HEART.   I never cease to be amazed and convicted as I read the account of Israel’s exodus from Egypt.  They encountered a problem, complained, and longed for Egypt.   It was bondage with difficulty, but in their minds, it was safe. They did not have to solve problems; they just did what they were told.   We do that!   Any time there is a problem, we tend to want to throw in the towel.  The false idea is: If it is hard or filled with problems, it must not be the will of God.  That is Wrong Thinking!

In Exodus 19:5-6, God says that if you give Me your heart and live in obedience, you will enjoy My favor, guidance, protection, and provision. Think about that in light of the revelation that the New Covenant is a better Covenant with even better promises!

Mark 7:6-8 speaks to the heart.   It is not what we say, but what we do that reveals who we are.   Mark 7:15-23 reveals the importance of the Heart!   In (vv. 20-23), we see the progression.   First, it is in the Heart, then in the Head (mind), then in the Hand.   We either live Spirit life or flesh life.  Whatever occupies the top place in the heart guides the mind, which guides the life.

In Mark 8:17-21, we see hardness of heart.  No seed can grow in unplowed, softened ground.   Lack of understanding.   What we focus on and listen to conditions our hearts (hardening or softening).   That condition either grows and gives rise to faith or doubt.  The heart is the key to obedience or disobedience. The heart is the key.

Mark 10:17-26 reveals the heart’s importance.   Religious acts do not require a surrendered heart. A surrendered heart makes God more important than anything.  Our first focus must become the condition of our soul (heart).   If God has our heart, He has our Head and Hand too.   In Exodus 23:20, God promised Moses He would protect and guide them and even give them divine health.    Consider that promise in light of the reality that we have a better Covenant established in better promises.

It is all a matter of HEART.   If God has our hearts, He has our HEADS and our HANDS. We become extensions of Him in this world.

LORD, help us to surrender our whole hearts to you!