Your Decision to KNOCK

Notice that the RSS Feed AND the iTunes podcast links have changed (11.1.21)!

Click on the links at the bottom of the blog to access the new information. 

 

Alright, now that we have THAT out of the way, let's get on with today's topic - the "final step" in the "Asking, Seeking, Knocking" formula that comes from Matthew 7: 7-8.

 

Be sure to go back and read the previous blog articles on this series and, FOR SURE, go and listen to the podcasts (notice the "special announcement" above about the links below) to get fully caught up on this series. Why is this important? Because this series (as in ALL series that I do) goes through a specific process...a specific "order of events" that will benefit you most when done in that order. 

 

I've already covered the "Asking" and "Seeking" part of this process and now we get to the point of actually "knocking on the door" but, first, a main question to consider...

 

WHAT is it that has led you to THIS particular "door"? Another way to word it would be, WHY have you decided to knock on THIS "door"?

 

  

 

In your process of SEEKING, what is it that has led you to this discovery...this "door"? You need to really examine yourself and do your best to discover the answer to these questions so that you can be confident that YOU have not directed this search to find only what YOU were willing to "see" and "find". 

 

You may not really KNOW the answer to those questions and, to some extent, that is o.k. BUT you need to try to make sure that you haven't followed only what YOU wanted to follow. You need to make sure that you did not ignore or willingly pass up "signs" or "opportunities" that may have led you a different way in your search because YOU decided that you liked the way something else "looked" or "felt" better. HOW HONEST HAVE YOU BEEN IN YOUR SEEKING?

 

Sometimes you just have to have FAITH! Notice the definition of faith that is given in the Bible in the book of Hebrews, chapter 1, verse 1: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (NKJV) WOW! I love this definition of FAITH because it clearly states that there is SUBSTANCE and EVIDENCE and that it is NOT just "wishful thinking"!

 

It is the "substance of things hoped for". THIS is your WHY and this is your DESIRE for that thing for which you have been SEEKING! There is SUBSTANCE there because this DESIRE has been so great - your WHY has been so strong - that it has caused you to MOVE and TAKE ACTION! You have decided that you MUST find this for which you have such a desire and you will do whatever it takes, go wherever you must go in order to find "it"! 

 

FAITH is also the "evidence of things not seen". Listen friend, the fact that you BELIEVE that your answer lies behind that door on which you have decided to knock is all based on - even though you have to have FAITH about what is behind that "door" - EVIDENCE that has led you to believe that THIS is THE door that leads to your answer! You have NO IDEA what actually is behind that "door" but...based on your "evidence"...you have FAITH (believe) that, indeed, this is where you answer can be found! 

 

Now then, as a way to prepare for our next - and concluding - article in this series, I want to point you to another section of scripture in which Jesus speaks in a couple of parables. This is found in Matthew 13: 44-46...

 The Parable of the Hidden Treasure 

⁴⁴ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price 

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, ⁴⁶ who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it."

 

Use these verses to prepare for the next article as I conclude by asking WHAT IF the door opens and you DO find "the answer" for which you have been seeking.

 

WHAT THEN? WHAT WILL YOU DO?  

 

Until next time, remember, YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

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"Seek and..."

Seek and...

...you shall find.

Today I'd like to discuss the second of three "legs" behind the "Concept of A.S.K."

Yesterday we discussed the first, "Ask and it shall be given to you." We discussed the importance of asking some vital questions that we MUST be asking if we are serious about following the path of our purpose. And THEN taking action when the answers are revealed to us. And, be assured, they WILL be revealed if we do, indeed, want to know the answers!

Please notice that all three of these words - ask, seek, knock - are VERBS. That being so, they denote ACTION!

We discussed the idea that we must not ask and then wait for something to fall into our laps. No! When you look at it as a VERB then we understand that we must ASK with the intention of MOVING TOWARD the answers.... actively pursuing those answers. And then ACTING upon them once discovered.

Today is the same as we look at the idea of, "Seek and you will find".

Remember that, this too, is a VERB word and that it denotes ACTION! This is not a "passive search" but an "active search".

Why am I emphasizing this so much? Because it is IMPORTANT for us to understand! Too many times we may say we are asking the questions and seeking or searching for the right path for our life when - in all reality - we really aren't!

Many times we are "going through the motions" just to try to pacify either ourselves or someone else and we aren't really serious or we don't really have any intentions on changing ANYTHING in our lives.

Don't waste your time and don't try to do ANYTHING in this area to try to please or pacify someone else.

It is UP TO YOU and it has to be FOR YOU or it will never really work out for you.

YOU have to want it! YOU have to really want to know the answers to the questions we discussed yesterday. YOU have to really want to find the direction for your life so that you can life a life of purpose and passion. YOU!

Here's a fact of life: You will find what you are looking for - good or bad!

If you focus on the negative things in this world then, guess what? You will continue to see and see nothing BUT the negative things in this world. Your life and your world will seem to be nothing but a sea of negativity.

However, the opposite is also true and CAN be true even for those described in the previous paragraph IF they desire to make the needed changes to make it happen. If you focus on the positive things in this world then you will continue to SEE and EXPERIENCE the positive things that this world has to offer!

Oh, you will see the negativity from time to time but, because you are being ACTIVE, in your pursuit of the positive, you will easily overcome any impact the negative might have on your life and you will move on in a POSITIVE direction!

Again, it's YOUR choice!

Ask, and it WILL be given to you... Seek and you WILL find!

Whether this matters to you or not is up to you. For those that say that it DOES matter, answers and direction await!

And, as you travel this journey of life, always remember to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike