Introduction

Good morning, everyone. It's so good to see all your faces here today. We're gathered together in this sacred space to share in the Word of God, and today, we're going to be talking about some pretty important stuff. So, get comfortable, settle in, and open your hearts and minds to what the Lord has to say to us today.

Our focus today is on a passage from the book of Luke, chapter 11, verses 8-9. And it goes like this: "I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

These words from Jesus remind us of the importance of persistence, consistency, and desperation in seeking God. Now, don't get me wrong, desperation here isn't a negative thing. It's about having a hunger, a passion for God that's so strong, you just can't help but knock on that door, seek His face, and ask for His guidance.

On that note, I'd like to share a quote from A.W. Tozer. He once said, "To have found God and still to pursue Him is a paradox of love, scorned indeed by the too-easily-satisfied religious person, but justified in happy experience by the children of the burning heart." Isn't that powerful? It's about that relentless pursuit of God, that constant seeking, that's what we're going to be talking about today.

But before we get into all that, let's bow our heads in prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for bringing us together today. We ask that you open our hearts and minds to your Word. Help us to understand what you're trying to teach us. Give us the strength to persist, to be consistent, and to seek you with a desperate passion. We ask all this in Jesus' name, Amen.

The Essence of Persistence

Persistence is a powerful force. It's a quality that pushes us to keep going, to keep knocking on that door even when it feels like no one is answering. It's that relentless pursuit, that refusal to give up, that sets the persistent apart. It's not about being stubborn or obstinate, but about having a deep, unwavering faith that God will answer, that He will open the door.

In the Scripture we read, Jesus is telling us to be persistent. To keep asking, to keep seeking, to keep knocking. He's not saying that God is like the friend who only gets up because of our shameless audacity. No, God is much more loving and generous than that. But Jesus is using this parable to illustrate the power of persistence.

Now, let's think about what persistence looks like in our daily lives. It could be as simple as persisting in prayer for a loved one who's going through a tough time. It could be persisting in seeking God's will when we're facing a difficult decision. Or it could be persisting in our faith when we're going through a season of doubt or struggle.

Persistence is not about getting what we want when we want it. It's about staying the course, staying committed to seeking God, even when the answers aren't immediately apparent. It's about trusting in God's timing, not our own.

Now, let's look at the second aspect of persistence: consistency. Consistency is closely related to persistence. It's about showing up, day in and day out, even when we don't feel like it. It's about making a commitment and sticking to it, no matter what.

In the context of our faith, consistency could mean setting aside time each day for prayer and Bible study. It could mean consistently attending church services or small group meetings. Or it could mean consistently living out our faith in our actions and words.

Consistency is not about perfection. We're all human, and we all fall short. But consistency is about making an effort, about striving to live out our faith in the best way we know how.

The Hunger that Drives Consistency

As we continue our exploration of the teachings of Jesus, we find ourselves drawn to the hunger that drives consistency ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO