Charles Stanley (February-10-2024) Daily Devotional: Confidence in Prayer.
Our loving heavenly Father delights in meeting the needs of His children.
Matthew 7:7-11 - ``Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ``For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ``Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? ``Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? ``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 what is good to those who ask Him!
Yesterday we discussed how our prayers are a kind of worship that brings God glory. But that’s not the only reason we are to pray. Bringing our concerns to God helps us grow in dependence on Him and in gratitude for His faithfulness and provisions. As a loving Father, He delights in giving good gifts that assist us in our walk with Him. And in that way, His thoughts, desires, and strength become ours as well.
Prayer also enables us to participate in God’s work in the world. At any given moment, you can pray for anyone anywhere on earth and have confidence that the Lord of the entire universe will hear you and respond in the most effective way possible. What a wonderful privilege it is to be used by God to expand His church and to help fellow believers.
Another reason the Lord bids us to pray is so that our faith in Him will grow. He promises to answer when we ask, seek, and knock. The result may not be in the form we expected, but our heavenly Father always gives us what is right according to His will. If you set aside time daily to talk to Him, you’ll learn firsthand just how faithful He is to His children.
