A.S.K.

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Deuteronomy 4:29     But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your soul.

Jeremiah 29:13     You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.    

Psalm 40:16     May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!”

Psalm 63:1     O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Psalm 119:10 -11    With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!  I have stored up your word in my heart.

Proverbs 8:17     I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.   

Matthew 7:7-8     “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.

Luke 11:9-10     And I tell you, 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.

Hebrews 11:6    And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

 

Early in my Christian walk, I did not know much about what I was doing and did not have a mentor to explain and advise.  I knew I believed in God, and I wanted to be a better person than I was but for awhile I floundered unsure of the steps.  I had not attended a bible teaching church.  There was usually a paragraph or two of verses read, but not followed by any explanation, not did it have anything to do with whatever the message was about; most frequently I remember messages about giving more to this or that.

My first bible that I attempted to read was a KJV and I was confused and frustrated with an English I was unfamiliar with and sounded stunted and formal, and therefore to me the message was not clear.  Believing there was more, I sought other churches, looking for one that would teach me what the bible was saying.  I read John 1:1-6.  Then my brain was so confused.  ‘Created by the Word, who was with God, and is God’  I was confused!  It is all so clear now, but in my beginning, it was not clear to me.

I began following several different TV preachers—Charles Stanley, David Jeremiah, Joyce Meyer and some of my confusion lessened as they taught.  Then I got 2 bibles that were easier to understand, and could listen to their teaching, and compare versions—and things became clearer—and exciting.

Anyway, growth and growing closer to Him is part of what the bible wants for us.  It is God’s living Word, and we can see different meanings and words of importance in our lives at different times.  It is a guidebook, a book of Laws, to some degree, but the real message is LOVE.  Love and honor God, be loving and kind to others, help in any circumstances you can or are able.  You may not know how to take care of an injured person, but you can grab a blanket to keep them warm and stay with them, until someone arrives who does.

When I first read the verses in Matthew 7:7-8 I assumed it meant I can ask for anything, believing, and I will get it.   Wow, I can wish for enough money to buy this sweater, or this and that; I will have success in this endeavor, and on and on with wishes of the moment.  Of course, those did not come to pass.  IN the first point, they were not all good for me; second, God is NOT Santa Claus and should never be treated as such; and third, God gives me what I need—and sometimes, He does not give that, but each week gives me the health, knowledge, and ability to do my job and earn funds to support my family. So He has given me exactly what I need.  And that is what His word says.  It was MY selfishness which chose to believe it would be whatever I want. 

When I forward that Sunday, I am not sure I thought of confessing my sins or was repentant.  I just recognized there was joy, a happiness if I went forward.   And I had the joy, the feeling of being included and welcomed.  Shortly, thereafter my life changed, I moved and had to search for a bible teaching church.  Because of my job, I worked every other weekend, so there were limited Sundays to find the right fit for a church.  All I knew was I wanted the message to be a teaching one—help understand the bible.  Unfortunately, there was no teaching in the church I grew up in and much of what many children had gotten as a foundation in other churches, I had missed.

It has taken years to get a good handle and since it is the Living Word of God, there are constantly new messages for me—but now they are truths—not just a clump of words strung together.

But truly, what ASK was referring to was seeking God, asking Him to come into your life, and answering His knock when He gave the invitation.  He wants us, our committed love to Him, seeking Him daily, learning His path for your life when you are weighing options.  He wants a RELATIONSHIP with each one of us.  So, I was not supposed to ask for things I desired from my selfish heart, but to ask Him into my life so He could guide me, and help me learn to be a joy-filled person who could help others in whatever manner.

It might be to help with a nursing/health issue, it might be to supply a meal or two, to give a ride to someone in need, donate time, objects, and skills.  I have to realize what He might be ASK-ing me to do for His kingdom, and supply that need when ASK-ed.  How my life has flourished following His guidance when He asks.

Lord, thank You for coming into my life even if I went forward with probably a non-repentant heart, but learned how freeing and joy-filled I become when I confess my sins and answer yes when You ASK for me to do something for another in Your kingdom.  Thank You for changing my outlooks and selfish views and for guiding me and ‘mybellaviews.’