(Matt. 7:7-11) Ask and It Will Be Given

That's word. It's not. There are copies there in the pews.

Please open to that. Passage Matthew 7:7.

Pastor John prayer. Passage on a posture of prayer, and if it helps anybody like it helps me. Do you know that? The word ask aask can serve as an acronym? Bob, here you go ass seek. Ke Nach. How do you like that? Nice memory device prayer prayers. What we talkin about this morning, generally speaking.

if you really want to know,

How popular a church is. Take attendance on a Sunday morning.

You really want to know how popular a preacher is. Take attendance at some of those things he has during the week.

if you really want to know,

How popular? Goddess. Take attendance at prayer meeting.

The quote, I think I read for the first time. Ensuring a book by man named Harold Von. Who wrote a book called Protocols of prayer. That was his book. Little, did I know that these protocols in prayer would be offensive to some that attended our prayer meeting? Apparently for them. And I think they were sincere in their, in their attention. Is how come you're placing rules on prayer? Isn't it just like children coming to their dad and asking for help will surely. That is what it is.

What is there protocol for prayer? We've been seeking the Lord in. This summer on the mount, as we spend time with him in The Sermon, on the Mount.

and we've seen again and again, how Because I sent a prayer either directly or indirectly Blessed Be what the poor in spirit.

Oh, there's no more essential recognition of our need, for God than to realize our poverty, apart from him spiritually and the come to him in prayer. Think about how probably in chapter 5 where we were seeing some stream, Lee challenging commands, they just again and again bring us to the end of ourselves. I mean, just anger with your brother is liable to judgment just looking at a woman is it with lustful? And it is is the same as adultery.

Jesus has very high standards. We are insufficient for even obeying the least of his commands, honestly. Let alone the greatest. You shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart and all your soul, and all your mind and all your strength. And you, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Is it not an impossible thing? I got calls you and I into you think there's protocols for prayer. You think there's maybe a way to get it right? And a way to get it wrong, if nothing else in your posture in your approach to God, I believe It surely is Shirley.

Two things seem to me to be obvious through some reflection. Two things seem very true to me just in my own experience. Many people, myself included do not pray as we are. Not in quantity, not in quality. Jesus, the book of Hebrews says he Supplicated Heaven. He interceded for you and for me he still does. He did it with loud cries and tears and long hours alone. Many people do not pray as they are number one. Number two,

people at the same time have very strong opinions as I found out about prayer, they seem to have something to say to you about prayer.

If you were to write the book, protocols for prayer, what will your protocols be?

Lack of protocol is typically just indicative of a lack of practice. I have no protocols because I don't practice the thing that I preached probably would be appropriate to say consistent protocol results from consistent long-term prioritizing a prayer. This past week was the remembrance 25 years ago, 911, wasn't it? What do you think those and isn't this interesting? I mean a Providence of God on 9/11. What number did people? Call 911 think of those First Responders What did they rely on? In their time of need, was the protocols that they had practice so that they just fell into those procedures without thinking it was their natural posture. Otherwise, they would have had no success, no strength, no courage.

And Jesus calls us into prayer this morning I believe in accord with some protocols. A Matthew 7 verse 7 through 11 and I want to give you three protocols this morning, okay? Three protocols my purpose and preaching this passage of scripture to you today. Here it is it's kind of word e but follow me. This is my purpose. I want you to respond just like a first responder. I want you to respond to the Lord's command. What's he say? Ask What you respond to that command. In accord with the promises that he gives.

With freedom. The freedom that comes from a Clarity found in. Simple, obvious, biblical, protocols. Amen. Let's do that together. This morning. I'm going to pray and then we're going to read into these first assist pray.

Father, as we approach you. Now, again, in this particular way, this way of always, that seems to me, at least to be the most intimate, the most essential to hear you speak.

We pray that you would open ears and Open Hearts and ready. Our souls. Mind body and spirit to respond to you and faithfulness. I need them before. We read a word. Again, we say We want to trust you, help us to trust you at your word. The prayed in Jesus name, amen. Three, protocols. Let's get to them first protocol. These are not complicated. I'm trying to get better at being not complicated, it's not easy for a guy like me.

Ask in accord with God's word. What's the key word there? It's all caps word in accord with his word. Let's look at the word. I'll give you. It says verse 7. A that means the first part of August 7th. Guess what? It's not even a purse. It's a word. Asking a cartoons, with God's word and what is God's word? Ask. Oh, brothers and sisters.

Ask. What a gracious. Lord, he's pausing here to give encouragement from one of the most it would. Otherwise with no promises. It would be the most impressive thing you've ever met in your life. This Sermon on the Mount, it would knock your right off that mountain wouldn't right into the valley and he says, now to his

Is disciples, do you and me to Those whom? He said, you can call God in heaven. Your father. He says, ask This word literally is the word means to ask to beg to call for to Crave to desire, friends, even to require of the Lord. Something It's in stark contrast to many different Greek words that you could find a scripture that are rendered in. Our English is asked, it's like one of those where the Greek has more words than we do to express it. And so ask you can read it other places, and scripture and you might find this word putho, That means to question. Ascertained by inquiry as a matter of. Mirror information, the different word. It's not what Jesus is talking about here. The difference from another word Arrow Tahoe. That's a word that which means request as a favor ask,

What this word. This word.

it means to require, in fact, Strictly the theologians dictionary says to demand. like, You say ah, can I demand anything of God? It's like a drowning child. Calling for help. Asking for a favor, it's demanding. The thing that they must have or they'll perish. Jesus says, ask in that way again, you can't see it in the script. In the English, this word it because of the way it is, is constructed in the Greek. It means this isn't something you do want. And one time only, it wouldn't be appropriate to elaborate on this word and say Jesus is saying ask and continually keep on asking.

You need to ask in accordance with his word. and what it means is that how you ask when you talk to God,

like this presents called present active imperative. That's the kind of world it is. Jesus is saying to you ask like a parent would say to their child, stop before they run into a busy street and get run over.

Jesus is Calling child of God. You hear me? And he saying, ask

That's the word. What's the consequences of not asking Explorer? What scripture says for a moment? And James? What are the consequences of not asking? Look at James. With me.

In chapter 4.

A scripture so clear.

The consequences of not asking James 4 verse to you desire. And you do not have.

So you murdered. What did Jesus say? You have heard it said to those, of all you shall not murder Avenue, whoever murders will be liable to judgment. I say to you, if someone is even angry with his brother, he's liable to judgment.

James says you desire. Do not have. So you murder. You covet and cannot obtain. So, you fight, and quarrel you do not have because you do not ask. The key to overcoming sin. At the Heart level.

Is to ask. You ask and do not receive James says, because you ask wrongly to spend it on your own passions. Do you think there's protocol to asking?

Ask not. Have not, that's the consequence. A strong have not, that's the consequence chapter 1 of James.

Give the a brat. Just just a comprehensive breath of what it is at is at stake. If we don't ask, if we ask wrongly says in James 1 verse 5, if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives generously to all without reproach and it will be given him, you know, we don't know what to ask, do we Until we ask for wisdom.

Does a 17 years, what's at stake? But was it just some things that my life would be better if I had them? But I'll be I'll be able to get by without some things it says do it. Every good thing for 17, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of Lights with whom there is no variation or Shadow do to change. We take comfort in the fact that he doesn't change feel the weight of it, though. Then changed his mind about you ask.

Every good thing is at stake.

What if you ask?

The right thing in the wrong way. What if you're doubting Again, James 1, verse 6.

That's why I let him ask in faith with no doubting for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind for that person. Must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. What's the remedy? What's the remedy for doubt? What's the remedy for asking with doubt? Ask in accord with God's word and essentially just to just to ask and keep on asking and even demanding as a drowning sinner would ask

John the Baptist, I thought of him. When I considered out, I think I think of him every time I think of doubt, I talked to her friend this week, last week, Sunday, wishing all we share with each other. We doubt, we have doubts. God, are you really there? Are you really hearing what I have to say? Do you see the situation? I'm a man. Is it worth it to obey you Knowing from this sermon, the persecution will come revealing persecution saying all kinds of evil. I mean I'm setting myself apart to see Colinas and there's a Target on my back. Is it worth it? That kind of don't we thought about John the Baptist,

You know, John the Baptist, the man who Jesus says you remember this. There's never been a man. Greater than John the Baptist never. As he sat in prison and couldn't go to Jesus, he had doubts. And he said his own disciples to ask Jesus. This question, are you really the one? Or should we wait for another? You could see John's dilemma. I'm in prison soon. He would have his head removed. You think he was asking for free time? I think you probably was, are you really the one? What is the remedy? First touchdown pass. Amen. Asking is the only means to receiving receiving is the only means of believing, you know, faith is a gift. Every good and perfect gift. Comes from the Father of Lights.

Fellow Christian, we believe in a living active present racing raining person, not a protocol, not a principle. Not a distant idea but a present person, if you don't ask. Calling on the resurrection power of that person for what you require. What basis do you have the Hope even in your own salvation? The contradiction.

That's the word, the word ask. That's the consequences of not asking. What is the question that asking bags? Perhaps I'm trying to be too clever there. But, you know, the phrase well that begs the question when this case Asking begs the question. Look at Matthew again and The Sermon on the Mount now. Look back at verse 8 of chapter 6, here's the question that begs. Does it not? Matthew 6 verse 8, Your father knows what you need before you ask him or pics. The question, why should I ask him if he knows already?

Missing you already know.

Yes, he does. But do you know that he knows.

Do you maybe need to agonize in prayer to know that he knows to leave it all there with him? Perhaps the answer to this question is being big, doesn't already know, maybe the answer to every question of asking is just that to ask.

To desire require even demand. That is the answer to all questions of asking, just by experience.

Let go of the control that you think you need to have and ask God to step in and show you what it means to receive what you've asked for. Is ask and it will be given his true. Would it be better to research? Just how?

That is true prior to ask. I'm going to I'm going to ask when I understand or would it be better to ask like a child and then understand what it means.

Not only getting what we call answers to prayer. Amen. I love those.

Of course, Scott answers every prayer in his timing and in his ways, not only answers to prayer, but answers about prayer. When word asked, are you asking?

First protocol. Number two. Don't just asking a chord with God's word. Ask an accord with his ways. Here's what I mean. It says they're in verse 7, chapter 7, ask and it will be given to you what's the next word seek and you will find knock and it will be opened to you and buy some, providential mercy in order for us with short-term memory problems. It does. Equate to an acronym, a s k, ask seek knock, you know what? God's ways in entail. Everyone who asks receives the one who seeks finds and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Theologians have recognized asking, is where it starts and it escalates in intensity to seeking. And knocking. In fact, this word seek. Did you enjoy the meaning here? That is a little obscure to our understanding this word even for seek. Is another word for asked. Another word for ask is contrasted with this favor asking or just simple inquiry from your information and it makes sense because it is actively seeking. Friends seeking is simply actively asking cording to the Bible's definition prayer. Is a pursuit of something. Daily devotion leads to Discovery. faithfulness is a means of finding

everyone. Who seeks will find. That's Jesus promise. Asking in prayer, even for daily bread.

Is this the place where we find all mysteries about who God is and what he promises to us reveal? As much as we can understand them. Back asking for Daily Bread. Many of observed. Is no less than asking God to speak to us from his word. What does Jesus say, man? Does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Listen, if you're seeking your speaking and you're hearing from God in his word,

do you ask that way? Can I share a verse with you? Not a scripture but a poet poem, this is from John Greenleaf Whittier. Surely not a perfect man but I love the way he says certain things. I died many, many years ago. He says we search. There's the word seeking we searched the world for truth. We call the good. The true, the Beautiful.

From grave and stone, and written, scroll, and all old flower fields of the Soul. and we re Seekers of the best, we come back Laden from our quest to find that all the sage has said, Is in the book, our mothers read.

Poem called the Bible from 1870.

God's ways. Swayze. Asking in accordance with his ways is to ask to seek for him in his word prayer. Is seeking via, not just speaking, but hearing Dear friend. if you're going to pray, Unless you just want to speak incessantly and and never hear a word from God, pray with an Open Bible. Pray over your Open, Bible with your hands on its Pages ready to hear because everyone who seeks does fine. That's what Jesus says. It's a promise. We have a living Bible here at Grace Fellowship and we're going to invest in this Gene is working on this for me and this going to be free for the taking, but they'll be a jar jar there and you can put a donation if you want to help perpetuate this. But this is a book, I mentioned it before it's a scripture journal and it only has one book of the Bible in it. But then on one side, it has the Bible and the other side has room for you to write down your discoveries ask in you and it will be given to you seek and you will find the doctor book of the Bible and read it again and again and see, if as a Church Fellowship. Doesn't speak to us more and more and more. It also says not, doesn't it. Ask seek knock, it says knock and what it will be opened to you. Open by whom, that's a question. You perhaps could find with me and Revelation chapter 3, an answer to that question, who opens? That which I have knocked on to be opened. Revelation, 3 and verse 7.

To the angel of the church in Philadelphia. Write the words of the Holy One, the true one who has the Key of David who opens, and no one will shut who shuts and no one opens.

Open by home. Open by Jesus. The stands behind every lock door and predetermined, whether that will be a door, that would be open to you, if you knock or one that will be remain. Shut Jesus opens with no one can shut because Jesus stands in the place that you are seeking.

at least the place that you would seek, had you asked

if you only knew what was really necessary, Far beyond Daily Bread. If you only knew in fact, what you really wanted, you would only go to the right door. Jesus says knock it will be opened to you. According to my Waze. T-shirts with no one can open. Jesus knows what you really want. He knows what you really need and you knows as he's going to demonstrate what you don't want and what you don't need. If you only knew Is an old. Game show called, Let's Make a Deal to remember the doors. You want to keep what you have or want to go and see what's behind door. Number three. Would be great if you could just knock. edit if it opens it opens because it's what you would have wanted no guessing Our kids. This is a weird Rabbit Trail but our kids are good at games and it got very embarrassing a long time ago when I try to play games with them anymore. Cuz you know what they outgained the game they just embarrass me. It's like they can crack the code on every game. I'm sure if they're on that game show, especially our oldest who's, like our favorite mathematician. He would have a way of just calculating whether you should open the door or not.

Jesus has camed the system of your life. Because he is gone every place that you could possibly seek. In fact, he descended to the lower parts even the Earth walked as one of us lived every perfect command perfectly he stands behind every door. And you only opens doors leading to Greater light and Abundant Life. That is his way.

Asking a chord with God's word in accord with his ways. Finally asking a chord with his will. verse 9 says, or Jesus is going to illustrate or which of you, if his son asks, him for bread, would give him a stone. Re ask for a fish, will give him a serpent, you know, their flatbread. Kind of bread that they would have had looked very much. Like some of the wind eroded stones that were very flat probably similar in color. Even their fish. There were certain fish that look very much like a Serpent, you could mistake one for the other in many cases.

Jesus says, no, father would give

A stone or snake when I ask for bread or a fish 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, what is the request bread and fish? You want to protocol Express your simple need to God. You don't have to have any fancy language. God bread. God fish. God, give me what I need. I know, you know better than me. No fancy language necessary. You can speak in. Generalities. Give me bread. You don't have to be specific. Give me pita or Pumpernickel. You don't have to even know.

Give me fish. I have to know whether Cod or catfish is better, just bread and fish requested by whom children. Well, that's where our friends were right. When they were kind of, Irritated with the ID of protocols. They said we're just children approaching Our Father. Why do we need rules? Well, that's the rule, be a child and approach your God, is your father.

Children were relying on the ability of their parent. Totally The farm in to bake the fish into fillet into prepared for them in such a way that would be good prayer. Is an expression of utter helplessness. Embrace it as a child of God. That's the request. What's the ridiculous response? The Jesus supposed is he must be indicating? This is what you often suppose when you doubt in prayer. What father would give? Stone, instead of Brad a snake instead of fish.

I'll look at the radical contrast. He says in verse 11, if you then who are what? Evil. Evil. All compared to God.

Even John the Baptist.

There's only one word.

Fallen humanity is so pervasively. Crooked and deformed. It took the life of God's only son, who is the perfect representation of him. To correct. What went wrong.

God says, even the best of you a loving parent. In comparison to himself. Show me work one word for it. It's evil. It's crooked it's it's malformed. And you know that that goes for our asking as well. it's not only the parent who is crooked in that way, Fallen affected by, even the

The blinding effects of sin. We can't even see what we ought to have or or what's necessary, what we would love if it was given to us, it's warped, it's crooked, but there's good news realize what that means in this Parable that Jesus gives friend. Even if you and your kid. Crooked desires, ask for a stone. God would never give it to you. If you ask for anything less than what is perfectly good and pleasing to you, God will not give it. You won't open the door. You won't show it to you. As that what you would seeking to find, you won't give it to you as a. So what you're asking, if you ask for a snake. Oh, I know I've asked for these things. Got refused to give me that snake. And in time, he gives me the fish instead.

3. Prayer. Protocols.

All according to his word. Understanding that his ways are that you would keep on asking seeking and knocking. And according to his will trust in. Him is only one who is good and that is God, and he knows what you need. And he will give you what you need and what you want in his way in his time. Will you respond for the Lord's? Command in accordance with his promises? Will you have read them? Like, you've never known because you're adopting his Protocols of his word in his ways and is well, thought of a man who embodied this very well George Mueller. Have you heard of George Mueller in the 1800's in Bristol in England, he ran in orphanages after after losing his family to tragedy, he helped something like 10,000 orphans in his lifetime. One morning, George woke in the house mother reported to him in the orphanage. There in Bristol that they were out of food. They had nothing to feed the children that morning. So, mr. Mueller told the house mother to have the children dress and prepare for breakfast and come to the table and sit with no food in front of them. Then George proceeded to thank God for the food that they would soon enjoy. Moments later. A baker knocked on the door of the orphanages orphanage knocking, you will find a baker knocks on the door and shares that last night, I could not sleep. I know this is before he prayed, I could not sleep, I knew you needed bread. Somehow

so, he brought bread in enough for all the children and then some

Moments after that, I'm sure that red created a thirst, just moments later, another knock at the door, a Milkman. My car just broke down. If I don't get rid of this milk, it's going to spoil. Would you could use some help this morning? He already think God.

You say wow that's amazing. Not putting nothing like that. Could ever happen to Christ Fellowship Church. Couldn't, you know, the last thing that George Mueller did the night before or the night he died was an evening news 92. He led an evening prayer meeting. Aladdin evening prayer meeting.

You believe in the power of Prayer. You believe in the promise of Jesus, it's it's in black and white.

Psalm 34. Says. This is up David when he was out of his mind before, abimelech. David was rescued, he says this poor man, cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.

The Lord hears. The Lord saves to the uttermost.

There's one very big ask friend, maybe someone hearing this message either here or online or in the future by a recording. There's one big ask if I share this with you That's answered every time just in the way it is asked and it's the biggest ask of all and if we can trust God for this, which many of us have we can trust God for anything of a lesser nature. What is the most blatant begging? Undeserved? Demand of evil. Sinners. Like you and me apart from Jesus? And it goes something like this. God, save me a sinner friend. If you have not asked God, there is a promise, all who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Unequivocally, no seeking, praise God cuz no one seeks after God. That's what the Bible says that he seeks after you. No knocking down the wrong doors, like a, bulldozer to try to get what you want. No wondering if you're following some protocol. God, save me a sinner. That's it. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. You know, Jesus teaches the kernel of Truth In this passage elsewhere. It's in Luke 11 and he ends that very differently. He starts with The Lord's Prayer. He goes on to say, ask and you will it will be given to you seek and you will find knock and the door will be open. Then he says, Everyone who asks if you were evil know how to give good gifts, don't you know, that God is is willing to give this good gift and he says this is what it is the holy spirit. Holy Spirit that's talkin about the new birth. That's talk about being born again and made into a new creation and sealed for the day of redemption. God's spirit, the spirit of God and of Glory resting on you and your life and it's just for the asking, save me a sinner. It says they're in Luke 11, the father, you can hear and Matthew 7. It says your father because once you have the the Holy Spirit, Luke 11, once he's given to you, now he's your father. Don't you ask? That God would cramp that greatest of all gifts to you today. The greatest prayer that was not answered ever uttered in the history of the world. Is what saves, you know, that prayer was Jesus said in the garden before the day, he would be crucified. He says, father if there's any way, remove this cup from me.

and his father said that door, I'm going to leave shut There's no way out. There's no other way. Because those Sinners need to be Redeemed by your life. That's why. Jesus said nevertheless, your will be done, not mine. Don't you call on the name of the Lord? If you haven't already and receive his gift of forgiveness, through his blood of life, through his Spirit, do it today. Let me lead you into a sinner's prayer. That's close.

Father, this is the prayer I prayed. And there was a day, you you granted to me what? I didn't even understand at the time, was what I needed and what I wanted Above All Things. You've been with me every day since and you've never let me go.

I said on that day and I invite anyone who hears these words to pray this with me. Oh God I see it. I see my sin, not even all of it, but enough to see there is no way for me to be in your presence of my own Merit. I cannot earn Heaven. I cannot be read