What do you think about this passages?

[MatthewG]

Jesus speaking to his disciples on the mount of Olives; 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.

9 Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?

10 Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?

11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

 

[Randy Kluth]

Jesus speaking to his disciples on the mount of Olives; 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.

9 Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?

10 Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?

11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

I think it's one of the most misunderstood passages in this era of positive confession and "be all you can be." The idea that self-effort is a good thing causes us to misconstrue passages like this into thinking we can manipulate God to do things our own way. Everything we read in the Bible, with respect to promises and dreams, come under the purview of God's will. Everything we can do is meant to be understood, in advance, as something committed to the Kingdom of God first.

So when we ask for something, we are asking for something that pleases God, and not just ourselves. We can ask things for ourselves, but always subject to God's will.

So the issue is, if we ask for things that are in fact in God's will, should we doubt that God will do it? Will we think God is hostile, like a carnal man, and will act with capriciousness and arbitrariness, holding records of wrong, being vengeful and unforgiving, and perhaps just indifferent to our needs?

The idea is to understand the good nature of God, and to know He does care, and always hears, particularly those who are in submission to Him and to His will. They will find that God is always "Yes" to them.

This doesn't mean that we will get everything we pray for, because our prayers will always be subject to God's will. But it means that God will always look with favor on us, and that when we align ourselves with His will we will always have success. We will know His kind provision and always feel His love.

 

[marks]

Jesus speaking to his disciples on the mount of Olives; 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.

9 Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?

10 Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?

11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

I think it's a great passage! One of the ones I like. How about you?

Much love!

 

[MatthewG]

Thank you for your comment Marks, and Randy.

 

[marks]

Jesus speaking to his disciples on the mount of Olives; 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.
9 Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?
11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!
12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

I've been thinking about this, what I would have to say about these verses.

God never turns us away. We are not to turn others away. We are to have the same generousity with others as God has with us.

A parallel passage would be where Jesus talks about God giving the rain and sun to saint and sinner alike, that He does not exclude anyone because they are His enemies, and we are to do the same. God loves even those who don't love Him. We are to be like that.

Much love!

 

[Ziggy]

I been floating around a couple other forums lately.
Not even close to this one.. not by a coountry mile.
This place is blessed.

The part about the loaf and the stone.

You walk into a room, it looks pretty friendly, polite.
Conversation is good. Easy. Picture lots of furrowed browed in concentration, thinking, others smiling.
And then the door opens and in walks Ebenezer Scrooge.

The stench and foulness, the gloom just clinging to this person, permeating the entire room.

I think to myself... why are they here?
Now some people just do it to be obnoxious. These ones you can pick right out of the crowd.
You know they know better. They're are just there to be trouble makers.

And then there is the one who comes in all gruffy and mean. But the questions are sincere, even though they are worded
to bring attention and reaction from them.

I think this one is looking for that loaf, but is afraid to ask. They don't want to look bad or weak in front of their friends.
Some people in the room just throw stones back. They are so tired of being belittled and made fun of. They've lost patience.

Then out of the clear blue, you hear this little squeeky voice...
(are you hungry?)

And somebody puts a piece of real bread on the table.

Well, Scrooge grabs that bread haughtily and frustrated and leaves the room. (SLAM)

Next day.. their back again.. looking for more bread.

:)

Ask and ye shall recieve.
Seek and ye shall find.
Knock and it shall be opened.

Amen

Thank You @MatthewG
HUGS

 

[amigo de christo]

Jesus speaking to his disciples on the mount of Olives; 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.

9 Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?

10 Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?

11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

In the gospel of luke its made even more clear .
Notice that Jesus says SEEK not these things , your Father already knows what you have need of .
Notice when He says ask , seek and knock . Seek ye the kingdom of GOD and His righteousness
knock upon the Door , and how much more shall my Father give the SPIRIT to those who ask Him .
Spiritual . SEEK the GLORIOUS LORD .

 

[MatthewG]

@Ziggy that scourge character reminds me a lot of myself. :) Thank you for your comment friend, and glad that seeing it again was helpful.

@marks God never turns us away. We are not to turn others away. We are to have the same generousity with others as God has with us. Loving God, and Loving others is paramount to living in the spirit ! Thank you for your comment.

@amigo de christo Thank you for sharing more from Luke that is very helpful to see that we should seek after God, and allow the spirit to work in our lives; and continue in going to God to be thankful, and also ask for help by the spirit that lives with-in side of us, praying and giving thanks and asking God in pure motives so that we can live a life that is having love for God and others.

@Randy Kluth I believe we must ask in pure motives otherwise we will be double-minded especially asking in doubting faith. Believers should ask in faith and not doubt and with pure motives of love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, forgiveness, mercy. Thank you for your comment.

 

[APAK]

@MatthewG

Matt 7:7-12 Post Christ ascension interpretation, for the believer in the Father and his Son:

If and when we are drawn and come to the Father in faith and are 'accepted' by grace as one of his own. And when as a child of our Father, we ask for 'good things' and personal consideration of him, and our Lord, when he gives, he does so as gifts, with love, goodness and righteousness. And so, when we ask 'things' of others, or expect to be treated by others in love, goodness and righteousness, regardless if we get it in this way or not, we should expect to give to them in the very same way as our Father gives or provides to us. We are not evil as we were once before, we are of our Father in Heaven. So, give as our Father gave and gives to us, and considers us, in pure heart and mind, with goodness that flows from his divine Spirit and through our Lord's spirit into our entire being - mind and heart.

 

[Ronald Nolette]

Jesus speaking to his disciples on the mount of Olives; 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.

9 Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?

10 Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?

11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

I thank God. for this passage! I also know that this passage is bounded by what it says in James in that when we receive not- we ask amiss so that we would consume it on our lusts. God will not give us things to fulfill our lusts.