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Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing
receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall
be opened.”
The Lord specifies no conditions except that you hunger for His
mercy, desire His counsel, and long for His love. “Ask.” The asking,
makes it manifest that you realize your necessity; and if you ask in
faith you will receive. The Lord has pledged His word, and it cannot
fail. If you come with true contrition you need not feel that you are
presumptuous in asking for what the Lord has promised. When you
ask for the blessings you need, that you may perfect a character after
Christ’s likeness, the Lord assures you that you are asking according
to a promise that will be verified. That you feel and know you are a
sinner is sufficient ground for asking for His mercy and compassion.
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The condition upon which you may come to God is not that you shall
be holy, but that you desire Him to cleanse you from all sin and purify
you from all iniquity. The argument that we may plead now and ever
is our great need, our utterly helpless state, that makes Him and His
redeeming power a necessity.
“Seek.” Desire not merely His blessing, but Himself. “Acquaint
now thyself with Him, and be at peace.”
Job 22:21
. Seek, and you
shall find. God is seeking you, and the very desire you feel to come to
Him is but the drawing of His Spirit. Yield to that drawing. Christ is
pleading the cause of the tempted, the erring, and the faithless. He is
seeking to lift them into companionship with Himself. “If thou seek
Him, He will be found of thee.”
1 Chronicles 28:9
.
“Knock.” We come to God by special invitation, and He waits to
welcome us to His audience chamber. The first disciples who followed
Jesus were not satisfied with a hurried conversation with Him by the
way; they said, “Rabbi, ... where dwellest Thou? ... They came and
saw where He dwelt, and abode with Him that day.”
John 1:38, 39
.
So we may be admitted into closest intimacy and communion with
God. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide
under the shadow of the Almighty.”
Psalm 91:1
. Let those who desire
the blessing of God knock and wait at the door of mercy with firm
assurance, saying, For Thou, O Lord, hast said, “Everyone that asketh
receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall
be opened.”
Jesus looked upon those who were assembled to hear His words,
and earnestly desired that the great multitude might appreciate the
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