July 13 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Matthew 7:1-14:

¹Judge not, that ye be not judged.
²For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
³And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
⁴Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
⁵Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
⁶Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
⁷Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
⁸For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
⁹Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
¹⁰Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
¹¹If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
¹²Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
¹³Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
¹⁴Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Devotional

God is our Father. He wants us to have a childlike trust in him. He knows our needs. Christ said, "Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him." Yet, He wants us to ask. He is willing to supply our needs. Christ says again, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"

Our Father is rich. He is able to supply our needs. The Lord is rich unto all that call upon him. He has made provision, "that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his graces in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."

Now notice the unlimited promises Christ gives them that pray. "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever, ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any­thing in my name, I will do it."

Of course, we must remember that praying is not merely say­ing, "Lord, Lord"; but it is asking in faith, in the name of the Lord, according to his will. Christ says, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." Do we have faith? Then let us ask, and we shall receive.

Prayer

O God, our Father, teach us to pray. Awaken in us that true filial reverence and trust toward Thee, that we may come to Thee in faith, nothing doubting, laying hold of Thy promises, and experiencing the joy of their fulfilment. Thus may we go from strength to strength, praising Thy name. Help us to continue instant in prayer. May we become rooted and built up in Christ, and established in the faith, abounding therein with thanksgiving. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Matt. 6:8; 7:11; Rom. 10:12; Eph. 2:7; Mark 11:24; John 14:13, 14; Matt. 7:21f; James 1:6; John 16:23; 1 John 5:14; 5:7.

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