Ask, Seek, Knock

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."  Matthew 7:7-8

"Ask and it will be given to you"...do I believe scripture?....yes!!

But what will be given may NOT be what we think we asked for.

God gives us what He knows to be the right answer.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

I know I have blogged with this verse before, but I am going to go in a bit of a different direction this time...and break it down.

ASK with right motives
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. James 4:3
As it says in the passage above from Romans....we must transform our minds, to align with that of Christ.  IF are aligned with Christ then....

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:14

"Seek and you will find"....If you truly desire to seek Him you will find God and what His will is for you.  his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12: the end of verse 2)

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  Jeremiah 29:12-13

SEEK Him
📖 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Matthew 6:33
📖 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ Acts 17:27-28

And when we have acknowledge who He is..
SEEK Forgiveness 
📖 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9  

^📖  Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:14-16

KNOCK and the door will be opened
📖 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!   Matthew 7:11

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs  3:5-6

If we ask in HIS name....
with our hearts seeking His will ...
our focus on HIS outcome.....
we will receive HIS answers.
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. John 16:24
And in that receiving you will have JOY!

Praying today for your asking, seeking and receiving....and that you feel HIS JOY!

🎵 Ask, Seek, Knock ( click on link and enjoy the song)

More about J-O-Y next week!