Ask Seek Knock

Scripture

Matthew 7:7–14 ESV

“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 the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Intro

Hummingbirds

God wants us to find the way to life and will give us what we need

God never says “Leave me alone”

God never says “I’m tired of you right now”

God never says “I don’t have the time or energy right now for your foolishness”

Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Ask

God’s provision

He wants you to seek Him

He has invited you to seek Him

Israel in the wilderness

God was teaching Israel that He would provide

Food, shelter, clothing, protection

What are we looking for?

Why hasn’t God given me what I have been asking for?

Where is my Ferrari Enzo?

Why hasn’t God healed me?

Praying in Jesus’ name

What would Jesus pray for?

That we would know Him

Know the love of God in our life

John 17:25–26 “O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.””

That we would stand firm

Tribulation will come and God has given us the strength to stand firm until the end

Luke 22:31–32 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

That we would be filled with His joy

John 15:11 “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

What we need is life

God gives good gifts

Matthew 7:11 “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”

Eternal life

John 17:3 “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

Wisdom

James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

Peace

Philippians 4:6–7 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Strength

Isaiah 40:31 “but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

Living it out through the Golden Rule

Treat others like you want to be treated

Obeying the commands of God

Why would God answer your requests when your life is not honoring to Him?

“God, I really need you to help me go down this path of destruction” No!

If we are looking to God to provide then we don’t have to manipulate others

We mistreat others because we are trying to get something from them

Revenge for the way we were treated, not necessarily by them

Justice, “they mistreated me”

Trick, lie, steal, because we want what they have

What you need doesn’t come from anyone else

Our salvation comes from no one but God

Speaker of the House McCarthy

I don’t have an opinion on this but talking about the way Washington works

“You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours”

“He wanted something from me but wasn’t willing to give me what I wanted”

It’s the way the world works

Do what is right because it is the right thing to do

I long for the Kingdom of God when this will be so

The hard path

The truth: It is easier to follow the ways of the world

To give into temptation

To do whatever you want to do without thinking about others

But that path leads to destruction

The payout is not worth it

The truth: The way that leads to life is hard

We have to battle our temptations

We are to honor others more than ourselves

But that is the path that leads to life

The payout is even better than we can fathom

Tozer Topical Reader in Two Volumes 633. Inheritance; Blessings: Unlimited

I believe that God always touches with infinity everything that He does and this leads to the thought that the inheritance we receive must be equal to the God who gives it. Being God, He does not deal in things which are merely finite. Therefore, the inheritance that the child of God receives is limitless and infinite.

Our Moral Exemplar

Jesus had no place to lay His head

Jesus had followers that left Him

Jesus died so we could have life

How now shall we live?

God wants us to have life

He has given us everything we need

We have to pursue Him

This is training for eternity

That He would be our one desire

Do you find yourself in a hard spot?

Matthew 7:7 ““Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

Romans 8:31–32 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”