Did You Try Asking?

Anyone have a co-worker, employee, or child that fits a story something like this?

Me: Why didn’t you do _____________?

Other person: I didn’t know how.

Me: Did you ask someone?

OR

Me: Oh wow, you didn’t put bacon into the BACON balsamic maple Brussels Sprouts

Other person: I didn’t know if we had any bacon.

Me: Did you look for any? Did you ask someone?

Many wonderful (Christian) people are secretly resentful towards God because they silently desire something from God & He isn’t giving them what they want - instead of simply asking God for it.

Comment it in right now:

Why don’t you ask God for what you want?

We don’t think God will give us what we want, because He doesn’t care?

Is it a lack of boldness to ask?

Luke 11:11–13 NKJV

11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Romans 8:31–32 NKJV

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Sonship gives us boldness with the Father!

Hebrews 4:16 NKJV

16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

1 John 3:20–22 NKJV

20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

Everyone knows that Genie’s have rules:

No wishing for more wishes

You can’t make anybody love anybody

You can’t bring anybody back from the dead

God is not a genie in a lamp, but there are still some “rules” about what you ask of God

James 4:3 NKJV

3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

God is not going to fulfill requests that miss the mark:

Immoral

Unethical

Illegal

Violating other people’s free will

Things that feed our carnal nature

Wants & Needs:

Matthew 6:8 NKJV

8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

(Don’t be like those that pray out loud for everyone else to hear & get a “hint” of what you want from your loud praying)

How many of you have had the idea and notion that God is kind of “cheap” & grudgingly gives you only what you barely NEED to survive?

Comment an emoji face right now.

If so, I want to introduce you to the extravagant God of the Bible & not the religious God so many were introduced to! - As my dad says:

God is “El Shaddai - Not El Cheapo”!!!

Ready to change your whole way of thinking about God? Let’s Go!!!!

Asking is not about an issue of need - God knows and provides what we need!

Don’t forget, one of the things God provided for us is ability so we can work with Him & not simply be a recipient from Him.

We are commanded to TRUST God for what we NEED! We are instructed to ASK for what we WANT!

Psalm 37:3–6 NKJV

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. 6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.

Desires = Requests [H4862]

Matthew 7:7–8 NKJV

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

James 4:2 NKJV

2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.

Philippians 4:6–7 NKJV

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Isn’t it interesting that:

The Peace of God guarding your heart follows making your requests known to the Lord?

Just One Thing:

If there is something that you want (moral, ethical, legal, etc.), ask God for it, believe for it, & let the peace of God come over your heart!

Discussion Questions:

What’s the most recent show you’ve binge watched?

Have you typically found it easy to ask God for what you have wanted? Share a little bit about why or why not.

Please Read Psalm 37:3-6 and share what this means to you & what you have learned about yourself by looking into the mirror of this scripture.

Please share a personal example of something you didn’t need, but asked God for, that He provided. If you don’t have a personal example, listen to your group mates and allow their testimony to build your faith.