Page 1 FINDING YOUR WAY Part 2 When You Have Real Needs #22 Matthew 7:7-12 Hope Community #206 - November 10, 2013 Pastor Gary Blosser s PREACHING NOTES I. LIFE is filled with decisions A. Some are really difficult B. Choices, Options, Possibilities 1. Some w/ Potentially GOOD results 2. Potentially HARMFUL C. LIFE is LIKE A MAZE II. Our Lord / Savior Jesus Christ UNDERSTANDS A. He provides a Map for the Maze of Life B. We explore God s Map EVERY SUNDAY 1. Most recently - Book of Matthew C. Last Week Map we began looking at the map in Matthew 7 Matthew 7:7-11 (NIV) 7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 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! III. Jesus says ASK, SEEK, KNOCK A. These words all describe prayer B. They are ALL VERBS (ask, seek, knock) 1. They imply direct action C. Ask, Seek, Knock are imperatives (commands) 1. Two basic kinds of imperatives in the New Test. a. AORIST IMPERATIVE which is a command to do a particular thing at one specific time! Put up your tray table up... b. PRESENT IMPERATIVE which is a command not only to do something but to KEEP ON DOING IT INDEFINITELY. 2. Ask, Seek, Knock are not only imperatives (commands) but they are present tense imperatives. a. We are told to ask and KEEP ON ASKING, b. We are to seek and KEEP ON SEEKING and c. We are to knock and KEEP ON KNOCKING IV. Also notice there is a PROGRESSION of INCREASING INTENSITY A. Step one: ASKING 1. We Are Expected to Ask Matthew 7:7 Ask and it will be given to you Matthew 7:8 For everyone who asks receives Matthew 7:11...how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 2. Same principle is stated in
Page 2 James 4:2 (NIV)...You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3. How can you expect God to answer a prayer that has not been prayed? 4. Did you take the situation to God in prayer? 5. Did you invest the time to ask God? a. To protect you while you were driving b. To help you keep from getting into it with your boss or spouse c. To his will be done in the test that the doctors were taking 6. Don t blame God for not answering prayers that you did not pray. 7. STEP ONE ASKING - Be SPECIFIC! B. Step two SEEKING 1. Seeking is Asking PLUS ACTION 2. Example: You can pray for a car but you need to go Car shopping - seeking. 3. There are times when we need to take an active role in answers to prayer Martin Luther Pray as if everything depends on God, then work as if everything depends on you. 4. Matthew 7:8 he who seeks finds 5. HOW are we to seek? Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV) You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 6. Step one: ASKING 7. Step two: SEEKING C. Step three: KNOCKING 1. Knocking is Asking PLUS action Seeking PLUS ATTITUDE. 2. As a kid I wanted candy a. I d verbalized my desires I WANT CANDY b. I d take action and dress up and walk thru the neighborhood 3. BUT I WOULDN T GET ANY CANDY UNLESS I WOULD TAKE A RISK AND KNOCK ON THE DOOR D. When we HAVE REAL NEEDS 1. We knock when we need what is on other side of the door 2. We knock when we desire entrance 3. AND We will knock on every door until we find the right one 4. Once we find the right door we continue knocking until we gain entrance E. If we want to receive we MUST ASK; F. If we want to find we MUST SEEK; and G. If we want entrance we MUST KNOCK H. ARE YA WITH ME? V. Have you ever prayed for something you REALLY NEEDED? A. If God doesn t come thru it will be a horrible day 1....RUIN MY LIFE? B. Or maybe you have heard someone say something like this; 1. I ve been praying for my house to sell and it hasn t. 2. I ve been praying for a job, but I can t find one. 3. I ve been praying for my wife s depression but nothing has changed. 4. I ve been praying for my anger issues but I m still angry 5. I ve been praying for guidance, but no guidance has come C. Bible says ask and it will be given to. I ve been asking so why haven't I
Page 3 received anything? D. When that happens what happens inside of a person? 1. Disappointed, Confused, Hurt, angry 2. FAITH WEAKENED or SHATTERED E. You Experience Difficulty seeing your way thru the MAZE of LIFE? VI. Maybe it would be HELPFUL TO EXPLORE HOW GOD RESPONDS to our prayers: A. God answers prayer in a number of different ways. (Stole the four words from a sermon by Stephen Sheane) B. 1 st God Says NO - the request is wrong Matthew 7:9-11 (NIV) 9 Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 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! C. God gives His children GOOD GIFTS. 1. If we ask God for a fish, He will NOT give us a snake. D. But what happens when we ask for a SNAKE? 1. Sometimes we just don't understand what God's will is for our lives 2. There are inappropriate prayer requests E. Remember when Peter, James & John were with Jesus on the mountain 1. God s glory descended upon Jesus a. Elijah & Mosses show up Matt 17:4 Peter said to Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters -- one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah. 2. God s response to Peter NO 3. Sorry Peter, wrong request F. One time James & John went to Jesus, and asked if they could make reservations for the best two seats in heaven. 1. Jesus answered by saying NO. The request was wrong. G. Another time, Jesus and the disciples were traveling through Samaria. 1. Wouldn t welcome him into a village Luke 9:54 Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them? 2. Jesus rebuked them - NO 3. The disciples walked with Jesus and were still fully capable of making inappropriate requests. H. When requests are wrong, Jesus says NO I. If you have been praying diligently about a matter and sensing resistance from heaven 1. Maybe you need to review your request and ask is this what God really wants for me or not? 2. Maybe the request is a cop-out unwillingness to face a real issue 3. Maybe the request is destructive in ways you don t understand 4. Maybe the request is self-serving 5. Maybe the request is shortsighted 6. Maybe the request is too small God might have something better in mind. J. 1 st God Says NO K. SIDEBAR: Freewill...NORMALLY God doesn t violate a person s freewill
Page 4 1. Illust: Praying for someone s salvation VII. 2 nd God says SLOW - the timing is wrong A. Another way to say that is 3 words - dreaded by children around the world 1. NO, NOT YET - They hate hearing that! 2. Are we there yet? 3. Can t I open my presents? 4. Mom, I m nine, and I want to wear makeup to school 5. No, Not yet 6. Children hate those words! We all do. B. We want God to meet every need, to grant every request, to move every mountain as soon as we ask. C. But our all-knowing, all-wise, loving Heavenly Father sometimes decides it s best to say to his children, NOT YET. D. It is important for us to understand that God s delays are not necessarily denials. 1. He simply wants us to trust Him that He knows what He is doing. E. God's ways are infinitely higher than our ways. We see in part, God sees in full. F. Sometimes the issue is simply that we are not spiritually ready for the answer. 1. Time is required in developing patience, trust, endurance & character G. God is more concerned with our character than our comfort. H. Sometimes God says NO Sometimes God says SLOW VIII. 3 rd God says GROW - you are wrong A. This means that sometimes our own ACTIONS OR INACTIONS ARE THE PROBLEM and stand in the way of God granting the requests we seek. B. Look at these examples of situations where God says There s a problems and you need to GROW. : MUNCONFESSED SIN IN YOUR LIFE: Psalm 66:18 (TEV) If I had ignored my sins, the Lord would not have listened to me. Proverbs 15:29 (NLT) The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous. 1. Do the spiritual frisk Psalm 139:23-24 Search me... a. Confess, repent, commit to walking in God s ways. MASKING WITH WRONG MOTIVES: James 4:3 (NIV) When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 2. Check your motives MUNBELIEF James 1:6-8 (NIV) But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. 3. Ask God for more faith. See Mark 9:14-32 MHAVING NO COMPASSION FOR THE POOR
Page 5 Proverbs 21:13 (NIV) If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered. 4. God is concerned for the poor and we must be as well. MLACK OF CARE FOR YOUR WIFE 1 Peter 3:7 (NIV) Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. 5. MHAVING NO INTEREST IN GOD S WORD Proverbs 28:9 (NIV) If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable. 6. God wants you to read and internalize His words. They are life! MUNRESOLVED CONFLICTS Matthew 5:23-24 (NIV) Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. 7. God is concerned about relationships a. Broken relationships block our relationship with God C. Before we go on, Did anyone notice I missed a verse in Matthew 7:7-12 1. vs 12 Golden Rule Matthew 7:12 (NIV) So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. 2. WHY HERE? a. Ask, Seek, Knock are Prayer Commands b. Why Golden Rule? Why here? 3. Because Your RELATIONSHIP with others effects your prayers! a. Repair the relationship! D. If there is NO ANSWER God says GROW E. It is a lot easier to point the finger at God for not answering prayer 1. than it is to look in the mirror and to say that maybe I am the problem. IX. 4 th God Says LET S GO you, the timing, and the request are right A. When we pray and all these things line up 1. If We are in God's plan - Living Right... 2. If it s the right time 3. If we ve checked the growth areas of our lives and GROW 4. God delights to say LETS GO Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance; it is laying hold of his highest willingness. -- Archbishop Trench B. Let me close with a story Pastor Stephen Sheane wrote: I had a friend growing up who had the ugliest bicycle I'd ever seen. It was a hand-me-down made from the parts of other bicycles. It was so ugly it didn't even have handlebar grips. He was always complaining that his hands would slip off the slick handlebars. He pestered his dad to buy him some handlebar grips, but his dad kept
Page 6 refusing. One day, his dad took him to the Western Auto hardware store. Near the front door, there were some new handlebar grips for sale. They were plastic and had long streamers hanging from the ends. He said, "Daddy, Daddy, I've just GOT to have these handlebar grips! Please, Daddy!" His dad looked and him and said, "No, son, you don't need those grips. Now come with me to the back of the store." As he followed his dad, my friend was bitter and frustrated. Under his breath, he was muttering, "I never get ANYTHING. It's just a lousy three dollars! My dad sure is mean!" When they got to the back of the store, the owner wheeled out a shiny, brand new bicycle complete with handlebar grips with plastic streamers. My friend's dad said, "Here, son, it's an early birthday present. C. Sometimes when you ask God for something 1. He says NO 2. B/C He has something better for you! X. Prayer: XI. Next week Part 3 of FINDING YOUR WAY WHEN SHARING JESUS Resources used in preparation: Sermons from Sermon Central: 1) The Power of Persistent Prayer by David Dewitt 2) Ask.. Seek.. and Knock Sermon by John Hamby 3) What About Unanswered Prayer? by Stephen Sheane 4) Prayers that God Doesn't Answer by Mickey Bell
Page 7 XII. Do you ever wish you could do Christmas a bit differently? A. Maybe reflect more on Christ and less on shopping? B. We can recapture and emphasize the spiritual heart of Christmas as we join together in our ADVENT CELEBRATION: SEASONING THE SEASON: C. Bringing Out the Flavor of Christ in Christmas Traditions D. PURPOSE: of this advent series is to help you & I make sure the flavor of Christ s presence stays prominent. 1. Keeping Jesus as the MAIN INGREDIENT of this holiday season 2. Special ADVENT CALENDAR E. Weekly Themes: 1. PRE - Grace Your Home with More than Decorations 2. Greet Others with Expressions of God s Love 3. Give with the Generosity of Christ 4. Gather Together with Jesus Near 5. Glorify God in His House and Your Heart 6. CHRISTMAS EVE Gratefully Receive What You re Given XIII. Gather Together with Jesus Near A. Susan Barlow - share about one aspect of our Advent Celebration XIV. Give with the Generosity of Christ A. Toni Momose share about