'Ask, Seek, Knock'

Bunbury Seventh-day Adventist Church

"Welcome to 'Ask, Seek, Knock' - The Podcast!" Join us on a journey of discovery as we explore the power of asking, seeking, and knocking. Each week, we'll invite experts, influencers, and thought leaders to share their insights on a wide range of topics - from personal growth to career development to spiritual enlightenment. You'll learn new skills, gain valuable knowledge, and discover practical advice to help you achieve your goals. So tune in to 'Ask, Seek, Knock' - the podcast that unlocks the doors to your potential. Remember, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." - Matthew 7:7

  1. 13h ago

    The Perfect Portrait: Revealing God's Character.

    This powerful message invites us to rediscover Jesus as the perfect reflection of our Heavenly Father's character. Drawing from John's Gospel, we're reminded of Philip's request to see the Father and Jesus' profound response: 'If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.' This isn't just theological theory—it's the foundation of our entire understanding of God. Throughout Scripture, we see that Jesus came not to promote Himself, but to reveal the Father's heart of love, compassion, and mercy. The challenge we face today is that God's character has been deeply misunderstood and misrepresented, both in the world and sometimes even in our own minds. We may have grown up with distorted images of God as harsh, demanding, or distant. But the truth revealed in Jesus is radically different: God is love, pure and simple. When we truly behold Jesus—His kindness to the outcast, His patience with the struggling, His forgiveness of sinners—we begin to be transformed into His likeness. This is the biblical principle found in 2 Corinthians 3:18: by beholding, we become changed. The message calls us to spend thoughtful time each day contemplating the life of Christ, letting our imagination grasp each scene of His ministry, especially the closing scenes at Gethsemane and Calvary. As we do this, something profound happens within us—our pride diminishes, our compassion grows, and we begin to reflect the very character of God to a watching world.

    47 min
  2. May 30

    Placed for a Purpose

    This powerful message takes us on a journey through the life of Joseph, from the pit to the palace, revealing profound truths about faithfulness, integrity, and divine timing. We explore Genesis 39-41, discovering how Joseph maintained unwavering consistency in his character regardless of his circumstances. Whether serving in Potiphar's house, wrongly imprisoned, or elevated to second-in-command of Egypt, Joseph demonstrated that faithfulness in service matters everywhere we are placed. The sermon challenges us with five critical lessons: people may not understand our God-given dreams, but we must keep dreaming; faithfulness in service transcends our circumstances; integrity means doing right even when no one is watching; we must use our gifts consistently wherever we find ourselves; and we must trust God's timing rather than rushing ahead of His plans. What makes this message particularly compelling is how it connects Joseph's ancient story to our modern experiences of feeling displaced, undervalued, or uncertain about our purpose. We are reminded that just as the Lord was with Joseph in every season, He is with us too, preparing us for purposes we may not yet understand. The core invitation is clear: serve faithfully now, not when conditions are perfect, because there is kingdom work to be done and people waiting to encounter Christ through us. Chapters Chapter 1: Introduction and Key Takeaways 0:00 - 3:52 We are introduced to the sermon's structure and three main takeaway messages about God's purpose for placing us where we are. Chapter 2: Five Lessons from Joseph's Life 3:52 - 17:55 We examine Joseph's journey from favoured son to Egyptian leader, learning five crucial lessons about faithfulness, integrity, and trusting God's timing. Chapter 3: A Personal Journey of Faith and Relocation 17:55 - 37:50 We hear a personal testimony of moving to Australia, experiencing pit experiences, and learning to trust God through career challenges, relocations, and family growth. Chapter 4: Ministry in Every Season and Circumstance 37:50 - 50:35 We are challenged to serve God now, regardless of our circumstances, recognizing that ministry looks different in various seasons but remains essential.

    51 min
  3. May 23

    God's Business Plan: Dwelling With His People

    What is God's ultimate business plan for humanity? This powerful message takes us back to the very beginning, to Genesis chapter 3, where we discover that God's singular objective has always been remarkably simple yet profoundly intimate: He wants to dwell with us. From the moment He walked in the Garden in the cool of the day, through the construction of the wilderness tabernacle, to the incarnation of Jesus Christ, and culminating in Revelation's promise that the tabernacle of God will be with humanity forever, the thread is unmistakable. God's heart cry echoes through Scripture: 'Where are you?' and 'I am coming.' Yet something stands in the way of this divine desire. When Adam and Eve sinned, they didn't just break a rule; they fractured their psychological ability to be in God's presence. Suddenly they experienced guilt, shame, and fear, emotions previously unknown to them. They hid from the very One who loved them most. This message challenges us to examine the tools we use to deal with our own guilt and shame. Do we hide from God by denying His existence? Do we manufacture religious fig leaves to cover our nakedness? Do we blame others to deflect from our own brokenness? Or do we come to the Light, allowing Christ's blood to cleanse our conscience and restore the relationship God has always desired? The cross reveals God's solution: Jesus became naked, experiencing our shame, so we would no longer run from Him. When we truly grasp this love, we can finally stop hiding, stop pretending, and stop fighting. We can walk humbly with our God, experiencing the very purpose for which we were created.

    49 min
  4. May 16

    490 Kind Tenderhearted & Forgiving

    This powerful exploration of forgiveness takes us deep into Matthew 18, where Jesus tells the parable of the unmerciful servant who owed millions yet refused to forgive thousands. The message challenges us to examine the disconnect between receiving God's boundless mercy and withholding forgiveness from others. We're presented with a practical five-step journey through forgiveness: calling out the behavior, admitting our hurt, acknowledging unmet needs, confessing our own sinful responses, and ultimately committing our pain to the Healer. What makes this message particularly compelling is its honest acknowledgment that forgiveness doesn't always mean reconciliation, and that healthy boundaries aren't barriers to love but expressions of it. The distinction between burdens we carry together and loads we bear individually offers freedom from false guilt. Most profoundly, we're reminded that Jesus, even in his torment on the cross, spoke words of forgiveness for those who didn't understand what they were doing. This same grace extends to us, inviting us to forgive ourselves as fully as God has forgiven us. The artwork illustration of beautiful sculptures created from rubbish illuminated by light perfectly captures how God transforms our brokenness into something redemptive when we allow His light to shine through our pain. Chapter 1: Understanding Forgiveness Through Scripture 0:00 - 4:23 We explore the biblical definition of forgiveness through the parable in Matthew 18, where a servant is forgiven a massive debt but refuses to forgive a small one. Chapter 2: Practical Steps to Forgiveness 4:23 - 10:13 We learn five essential steps for the forgiveness journey: calling out the behavior, admitting the hurt, acknowledging unmet needs, confessing sinful responses, and committing our pain to God. Chapter 3: Boundaries and Reconciliation 10:13 - 14:22 We discover that healthy boundaries are essential to forgiveness and that forgiveness does not always require reconciliation in broken relationships. Chapter 4: Forgiving Ourselves and Embracing God's Love 14:22 - 24:21 We examine the crucial need to forgive ourselves by understanding God's character through Scripture, recognising that He delights in showing unfailing love and never abandons us.

    24 min
  5. May 9

    Restoring the Biblical Structure of the Early Church

    This powerful Bible study challenges us to examine the original structure of the early church and consider what we might have lost along the way. Drawing from Acts, Ephesians, and 1 Peter, we discover that the New Testament church was built on three foundational roles: apostles, deacons, and elders. The most striking revelation is that these terms we've separated—apostle, elder, pastor, bishop, overseer—were actually used interchangeably in Scripture. An elder was a pastor, and a pastor was an elder. Even more challenging is the biblical pattern that churches were always led by teams of elders, never by a single pastor. The apostles functioned as missionaries and church planters, sent out to establish new communities of faith where none existed. This study confronts us with an uncomfortable truth: the tithe was never meant to provide us with our own personal pastor, but to send workers into new territories where the gospel hadn't yet reached. The early Adventist movement understood this, with pastors functioning as evangelists and church planters while local elders led established congregations. When we grasp this biblical model, we're forced to ask ourselves: Have we become spiritually decadent, expecting to be served rather than becoming towers of strength? This message calls us back to apostolic Christianity, where every believer is equipped to lead, teach, and shepherd, and where our resources fuel expansion rather than maintenance.

    42 min
  6. May 9

    The Perfect Storm

    We are living through a convergence of unprecedented global events that signal we're approaching the final chapters of Earth's history. Five major forces are reshaping our world simultaneously: the clash between globalism and nationalism, spiraling national debts that threaten economic stability, escalating conflicts and wars, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, and the merging of spiritual and political power. What makes this moment unique is that any one of these would be historically significant, but all five are happening at once. The political landscape is shifting dramatically as nationalist movements react against decades of globalism, with immigration, climate policy, and economic sovereignty becoming flashpoints of conflict. Meanwhile, governments have accumulated debt beyond comprehension—trillions upon trillions—creating an unsustainable system that can only end in crisis. Artificial intelligence is developing so rapidly that we may soon face machines smarter than any human, with profound implications for warfare, economics, and daily life. Most significantly for us as believers, we're witnessing the dangerous fusion of Christianity with political power, particularly in the United States, creating the prophetic 'image to the beast' described in Revelation 13. These aren't distant prophecies—they're unfolding realities. Yet rather than paralyzing us with fear, this recognition should energize our mission. We know how the story ends, and we know the One who holds the future. Our calling is clear: to shift from business-as-usual Christianity to mission-focused urgency, reaching people while the window of opportunity remains open. Chapters Chapter 1: Political Upheaval: Globalism vs Nationalism 0:00 - 17:10 We examine the global shift from globalism to nationalism and its prophetic significance for the end times. Chapter 2: The Debt Crisis and Economic Collapse 17:10 - 27:40 We discover how unprecedented global debt and modern monetary theory are leading toward economic catastrophe. Chapter 3: War, Energy, and the Struggle for Global Power 27:40 - 39:20 We understand how current wars are proxy conflicts between superpowers fighting over energy resources and technological supremacy. Chapter 4: Artificial Intelligence and the Coming Transformation 39:20 - 50:50 We discover how artificial intelligence is rapidly advancing toward surpassing human intelligence with profound implications for society and prophecy. Chapter 5: The Spiritual Crisis and Our Mission 50:50 - 72:40 We recognise how Christianity is merging with political power, forming the image to the beast, and why personal mission work is our urgent response.

    1h 13m

About

"Welcome to 'Ask, Seek, Knock' - The Podcast!" Join us on a journey of discovery as we explore the power of asking, seeking, and knocking. Each week, we'll invite experts, influencers, and thought leaders to share their insights on a wide range of topics - from personal growth to career development to spiritual enlightenment. You'll learn new skills, gain valuable knowledge, and discover practical advice to help you achieve your goals. So tune in to 'Ask, Seek, Knock' - the podcast that unlocks the doors to your potential. Remember, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." - Matthew 7:7