The Sermon Ask, Seek, Knock by David McGee
May 03, 2015
Ask, Seek, Knock (36:48)
Referenced Scriptures: Luke 11:1-13; Luke 15:8-10
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The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.
Luke 11:1-13
1) It happened, that when he finished praying in a certain place, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples."
2) He said to them, "When you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven, May your name be kept holy. May your kingdom come. May your desire be done on Earth, as it is in heaven.
3) Give us day by day our daily bread.
4) Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.‘"
5) He said to them, "Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight, and tell him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
6) for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,‘
7) and he from within will answer and say, ‘Don‘t bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can‘t get up and give it to you‘?
8) I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs.
9) I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you.
10) For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.
11) Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won‘t give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?
12) Or if he asks for an egg, he won‘t give him a scorpion, will he?
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?"
Luke 15:8-10
8) Or what woman, if she had ten drachma coins, if she lost one drachma, wouldn‘t light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she found it?
9) When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost.‘
10) Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting."
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This morning we're going to speak about prayer and about asking seeking and knocking if you ever get somebody knocks at your door. What's your first impression. Who is it. Run and hide down answer. Do you do you look out the side and see who it is said we will do that while the nurse at the door or you have our front door has a lot of squiggly things on it you know and you can't see through it so you're always kind of look at who's who that Ardour you know who's ringing our bell What's your impression what do you do something off that you do or is it do you think it's a stranger do you think it's somebody you like somebody you don't like is it somebody selling religion cookies. Phelan What do they have. So what's your impression when somebody knocks at your door. Go away OK how about if you're the one knocking at the door. What do you expect to see whenever you knock at the door. I hope somebody is home. They came all this way to see them and they're in there and they will open the door you know. Well one time we were at someone's house and we you know they we visited and they had been to churches with a number of years ago and we knocked at the door windows were open and we heard Tony answer the preacher non-answers the preacher and we knocked again. They didn't answer it was the preacher and so I just kind of like OK I guess they don't want us to visit them so I never went back to that house. But so we have these occasions when we knock at the door. We have some anti tion. So. If you're knocking at the door you're going to you're expecting something you're expecting something to happen. If you weren't expecting something to happen you would be knocking at the door. So whenever we are praying whenever we are praying we have an expectation. Now there is no wrong there are no wrong prayers OK. There are no wrong Pres Now this is not I know this is a Christmas Cup but it's the only Cup I can find so that was large enough so it isn't this is not has nothing to do with Christmas. Maybe so when it's when you knock at the door or whatever we are praying we basically are asking and we have an expectation OK. You know pray without an expectation. Now second question if you've ever asked why why did this happen why did that happen. Why are things the way they are. What what is the motive behind the why. If you were expecting something else. You know why would they do that why would they knock at my door. Why are they knocking at my door why aren't they answering the door. See why indicates that we have an expectation. Now we look at our society and we look at all the earthquakes the earthquakes going over in Tibet ever asked why would this happen if you're underneath the rubble they found a baby if you see that in a picture of a baby that was still wrapped in its blanket they found it in the rubble. Couple days later still alive. So we'll say why why did this happen. What were we expecting we were expecting something different to take place if there was not an expectation of something different. We were not asked. QUESTION Why. And secondly the expectation is that there is a someone or something behind the universe that's making it work so that bad things don't happen or we wouldn't ask why. So whenever we are asking why it's basically a statement of faith that we expected something different to happen and it didn't. So whenever we are asking those no wrong prayers but how would you if you were hadn't had a drink of water in a week. I know we can't live a week without water. But if you hadn't had a drink of water for a week how would you ask for water. What would be your prayer. How would you approach playing. How would you ask how do you do it this way. How do children ask you for something. Get me get me a drink right. What else. Please give me what else. Any time I can have a drink of water. Where's My Water. You know hey there's no water. If I need water. So whenever we are praying and approaching how do we approach . Are we beggars playfully you know well when Mary after the resurrection and she went to the tomb there was no one there she is at the feet of Jesus saying Please tell me where you have taken my master. That was a baking. Now we have. That's OK there's no wrong prayers. OK please give me a drink right demanding hey got OK. They hear I need some help. Yeah you know you ever see somebody pray over their meal. OK In what else how do we approach we have the beggars we have the pleasers you know please do this. What does How does want us to approach him. Pardon. Come boldly will not arrogance boldness your will what else are expecting so we got bold will be expecting us. Humility humility and boldness are both very good. They're the same. We would think that they're not the same but they are the same that we recognize that we are a child of in that we are His child and that gives us privilege. But yet we are humble about it in the sense that I am not better than but it is your purpose for what's going on in our lives. So one of the things that the Bible also puts before us is being Thanksgiving with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to with Thanksgiving what's Thanksgiving. All that happens once a year and we eat turkey. What is Thanksgiving we are thankful in advance that we are believing that is going to give to us what we need and that he already has it and that he is going to give to us. It's this blessing that we need in our life. So here I am saying I am thankful to you. Number one that you have water for me. You have a blessing for me. I am thankful that the Bible says in all things give thanks for this is the will of in Christ Jesus concerning you. So in everything I am to be a thankful person. How does that grab you. I like to be a thankful person. I am to be grateful that has given me the gift of life and that he has given me the day that I live in that I can be expecting something to happen so every day I am practicing the presence of by being thankful for what is about to happen what is happening what will happen. I'm thankful. Why. Because my Thanksgiving sets up the premise that good is coming into my life and that this situation that I'm facing is going to be good for my life. With Thanksgiving. So I am I am being thankful to in advance for where I am that is going to do something different something unique for me so we can be grumblers and complainers. I don't like this day it's too hot sunshine and I wish it were rainy that I could complain about the rain and the cold temperatures. I don't like whatever we're grumbling and complaining we can't see what can we say we see the negative we see that all you got. I thought you would have a bigger gl that is you know that been used you know want one person. We were cooking hamburgers once on the grill and this person came up and then he said to us Can I have one. Oh yeah sure you know what I had with you and I'll give you this when she said or he she said there's a poison. No no why you give me that one when I want that one over there. That's OK I'll give you that one. Are they all poison. So whenever we think of things whenever you know when gives us something when gives us something do we question it. Why do you give me this why don't you give me that. Why do I have this life and not that life. Why is it that I'm only five foot seven and not six foot. I'd rather be six foot In fact I'd rather be about six four and you know one hundred eighty pounds of meanness toughness. I'd rather be. What happens when we start comparing. We're not thankful we're not thankful I'm too tall I'm too thin and I'm too fat. I don't have enough hair I have too much hair. I am you know. So whenever we start complaining we are looking at life from a from a perspective that no matter what we've got isn't good enough. And whenever we're asking for something it's not a big enough Cup and I don't like Christmas I don't get what I wanted. And is there water in there. Somebody drink out of the cup before you giving this to me. New Chapter eleven. One day he was praying in a certain place and when he finished one of his. People said Master teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples. You know we are used to the Lord's Prayer being our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us and lead us daughter to temptation but deliver us from evil for lying is a kingdom the power and glory forever amen. I would have sung that for you but you're glad that I didn't. That would not be your prayer request. But in the Message Bible that same sequence is Father reveal who you are. Keep the world right keep us alive with three square meals to keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others and keep us safe from ourselves and the devil. That's the Lord's Prayer in The Message Bible father reveal. Keep things right keep us alive with our meeting our needs our physical needs keep us forgiven with UN and US forgiving others and keep us safe from ourselves. Keep us safe from ourselves and the devil is see how we look at things determines how we receive them how we look at things determines how we receive them. So whenever we are praying I want you to do this. I want you to do that I I need a gl of water I need I need I need I need. Well prayer isn't just asking for prayers also. So listening to prayers also being friends with recognizing that isn't here to get even with us nor is he our Santa Claus in the sky that wraps things up and presents and gives them to us just because he likes us you know he does like us in fact he loves us. But what he gives to us in presence we unwrap every day we unwrap the gift of life every day we unwrap the gift of life every day. Now sometimes we'd like to wrap the gift back up and give it back now and I can't do that. Just kidding. So we find that we hat we are unwrapping life every day we are unwrapping the gift of life every moment of every day and how are we looking at it how are we on what type of expectation do we have. Remember the story of the optimist in the press and the pessimist. Remember the story of the optimist impressiveness. There is these two twins they were probably. It's a twelve years old ten twelve years old and one was an optimist one was a pessimist no matter what you did for the optimist It was wonderful no matter what you did for the pessimist it was terrible. So we went to the went to the counsellor and the doctor and he says OK I tell you what you do tell the parents what you go home and I want you to get for the pessimists buy the nicest gifts in the things that they like and wrap them up and put them in the room. Now for the optimists. I want you to get some horse manure. Put it in a box. Wrap it up put it in his room. So they set out going to teach him a lesson about the difference between being an optimist or pessimist so the. I'm pessimist opens the gifts. Wrong color wrong size. Then like you already got it. I don't you know just there was nothing nothing he opened up was any good and of course the optimists opened the box with horse manure in it and he starts jumping around the room saying one while great this is this is wonderful best thing ever happened and parents of what are you jumping around horses with this much horse manure. There's got to be a pony somewhere and how we see things. So the cup of water. Is it good water is a bad water you see. But if we had spent a week in the desert or a day or two in the desert without any water we'd be drinking because we'd be happy. But whenever we look at our life and we start asking and ask him for what. Well then he said in verse five the persistence. Then he said imagine what would happen if you went to a friend in the middle of the night and said friend lend me three loaves of bread and an old friend traveling through just showed up and I didn't have to have a thing on hand. Now number one when somebody knocks at your door and they don't have the food that they need you need to use need to go home and get what they want you know you know I don't have anything for you to eat when you come here tomorrow night. I'm going to come to your house and I want to eat supper. Pastors at the door. Oh my get out the chicken little ice cream. Yeah I got your ice cream. Make a Sunday you'll be happy. So a friend shows up unexpected a need. Ok flip it around. We have a need. Those up in our Life Unexpected. What are we going to do about it. What we're going to pray whenever. When you're going through your every day life do you think of when things are good when things are bad when things are just things you know. Why should I think of I don't need him. But you see we need to think of whenever we are going about our daily life whether it's in school or whether it's on work whether it's at home. We are thinking about that He's with us and that he helps us deal with everyday situations everyday life and so when things show up unexpectedly we should pray. thank You that you you know this need was coming. Now David was going to was to go to Nepal this week and was unable to go because of the the earthquake but you know was I nervous about it I look at it this way knew six months ago one hundred years ago a thousand years ago this earthquake was coming. And David made plans to go there six months ago. So if he goes it's because he was supposed to be there. He made plans and and if changes the plans OK but if doesn't change the plan then he's supposed to be where we supposed to be that our life is ordered by the Lord and so if we are where we are at if we are where we are at we should be thankful for where we are and where we are at and with what's around us because knew before you were even born. What you need. And it isn't that Rhonda needs me to straighten her out that's why I'm here I'm here to straighten her out and it isn't like she's here to keep me. He may remembering all the things that I forget but you see we are to be together because we are to be together that she needs me I need her and we're together. And in our life the things in the people and all the situations we find ourselves in. They're not for me to use to teach others. They're here for me to understand that has a purpose and a will for my life and I'm to be thankful for in all situations where I find myself that because knows that I was to be here and that I am to learn from this situation and that I am to grow in the situation I am to grow in this because wants to take me somewhere he wants to lead me somewhere. David I want you to have a drink of water. I don't need to drink I'm not thirsty. But maybe we have a need that. So whenever we drink whenever we want to. Well maybe there won't be water when you need it so here take this now. When leads us he leads us to a place in a time where his will and His purpose are continually being revealed to us. So being thankful now. But let me tell you even if he won't get out because he's a friend. If you stand your ground knocking and waking all the neighbours he'll find he'll finally get up and get you whatever you need to know. Sometimes doesn't answer our prayers because we need to know that it isn't just a wish book. Prayer is not wishful thinking. OK I wish I had this wish upon a star tonight. You know all that. If I wish. Prayer is not wishing. Prayer is needing and asking with thanksgiving prayer is having a need taking that need to with a specific request being thankful for the need and for the provision that isn't here yet. wants to help us understand that life is more than Rayment life is more than what we eat and what we wear. Life is more than everything just working together and fitting into a nice little puzzle so that I understand everything and it's all OK. It's a matter of that in the most difficult places I am thankful to that he has given me the wisdom and the knowledge to be here. It isn't by failure or by fault that I am here it is by divine providence by my own choice by 's Spirit. And as I find myself here is at work in the moment. If I am thankful for the situation for the moment and for the answer. I can see it more clearly now. So and it goes on. He shows up because he gets out of bed and gets in meets the needs because of the persistence that as we look to this isn't about nagging somebody till they get to we get what we want. This is about recognizing the need in our lives and willing to give to us. He's more willing to give to us from his own loving heart than a nagging person at the door of a friend who won't go away. Now here's what I'm saying. Jesus says ask. And you will get sick and you will find knock and the door will be opened. Ask seek knock and ask. Don't bargain with . Be direct. Verse ten don't bargain with if you do this for me I will be in church every Sunday. You know a lot of people have made that prayer. A lot of people make that prayer change. I switch that around whenever I visited in the hospital in the just the normal hospital situation. People would say well you know if gets me through this situation I'll go to church every Sunday you know bargaining. is not barred. He's not a bargain hunter and he did. And the problem of the situations that come up in our life aren't situations that we bargain over is that we have a need and we ask for it. We have a need and we present it. The reason you know the Bible says where is that one needs to says you have not because you ask not OK You don't have because you don't ask. Well I told him what I needed he knows what I need though I don't have because I don't ask. If I were. Because what I'm asking I'm becoming dependent and I don't need to depend on anybody. But you see we do need to depend we need to ask for wisdom because we don't know it all we need to ask for forgiveness because we carry on forgiveness in our life. We need to ask . Or a specific need and the asking is not to consume upon ourselves but how that we're going to bless and others. You know in El Salvador there's a village that David worked with and they have water for the first time in their life they drilled a well built it took over two three years I don't know a couple million dollars to get and they have water for the first time but now that that village sells the water too. So they have an income. Could you imagine them saying OK we don't have water. give us water give us water give us water they got water. OK now let's fill up our reservoirs and we're not going to give it to anyone else. We're not going to share what we got. It's like the fool in the Bible. That let me build bigger barns. You see whenever blesses us he blesses us with the intent that we will share with what we got what we have that's why we are giving money in the offering and I think it was sharing of who we are and that sharing is is opening the door for to provide in our lives that we are believing for Divine Principle that as we give that will give to us as we share with the answers to what has given us. We are giving it to others. And yes it will create a blessing. Yes it will create in our own life a refreshing when David David went to see this is David and Goliath not David our son when when David was a young boy and he went to the battle where Goliath was just you know hollering out threats to the to the the armies of Israel and Goliath this is a big it's a big He's a big guy he's probably easy easy easy or eight. Ten feet tall. He's hugely carries a spear that's bigger than a beam he has a shield he has a helmet I mean he's one monster of a man who's a great fighter. David comes along and he into this Goliath is insulting the of Israel. And David says in his heart who is this guy who is degrading the of Israel there and also the king has set up and he says if you whatever soldiers before David showed up whatever soldier will go out and face the Goliath he'll not have to pay taxes to give I'll give my daughter to him and who gets so much money I think was the thirty I don't remember the third thing was so De Mint goes out the face Goliath because Goliath is insulting but also he's going to be rewarded for his actions. In our life the reward is not what we are seeking. David isn't seeking the reward the reward just comes because he is doing the will of He goes out he faces Goliath. He takes on the giant he takes on the giant with a slingshot. Now in our time we understand that a stone in a sling can probably projected one hundred over one hundred miles an hour and you know a stone. Yeah a big hitting someone in the forehead at over one hundred miles an hour or knock him out and a person who is deadly with the sling shot can take down a giant but they didn't think of those things at the time. David took what he had in his hand and what he knew and he used that to bring down the giant. What do you think David's prayer was as he's headed into the valley. Hey god I'm doing this for you. What do you think his prayer. There was so we don't know but we know that Goliath insulted David and his and David turns the very insult around and uses it throws it back it go live in our life what we have may seem very little but whenever we ask for what we need we always ask for more than what we need so we can share it with others. Izzy if I prayed that would help one whenever you need it need a job the more money I need this I need that taking that need to the Lord being specific and we just don't need enough to get by. We need enough to share. So whenever I am asking I'm asking in the Bible says if I ask being specific says I'll get if I seek I will find it. And if I knock the door will be open. And see this is what asking seeking knocking being having needs in our life is all other opportunities having needs in our life or opportunities for us to know more about for us to experience more of and for us to have more than enough to share with others. If only gave us enough in our prayers. You know David you need a cup of water. I'll give you half a cup because that's all you need in El Salvador they have a well that can they can sell water all the time. The well that they dug is so deep and in such a deep ravine or whatever that underground cistern that they hit into that water has more water than that village of sixteen thousand can ever use. And they sell it. So answered their prayer gave him more than enough that they can sell and give to those who are in need. The divine economy no one's own drink this but me. There is water in here. So what is doing. What is your need. What is more than enough for you to have in your life and who can you blessed with the extra that is going to give you. Ask seek knock. It isn't about what I need it's how much wants to bless me so that I can give away more than what I need. I think the selfish prayer is bless me so I can consume this upon me and I can have this and everybody will know that you are with me and saying no god thank you boldly humbly boldly come to 's throne humbly asking him and seeking after him to bless our lives so that we can bless others and that the message of can affect the lives of others and then shall we stand up. So here is a situation where the wife in her fifty's has an aneurism at death's door and she doesn't die. She comes back and she was able to talk and communicate but she's not able to do normal tasks. And then the husband who is taking care of her got sick found out he has stage four cancer and he's dying. Why don't know why and all things give thanks for this is the will of in Christ Jesus our our will is not to understand our will is to believe and to be thankful that will work his will out in our lives for this moment in this place and this time to help us in our need. And no we don't know why. Is it for a miracle. Is it to bring someone home. I don't know but I know this is with them and is with them and if we have with us it's all OK. Ask seek knock and expect to answer father. THANK YOU THANK YOU LORD. We don't understand why people are ill why earthquakes happen in children and people are killed why wars and and slave meant persecution. These things are in our world but yet in our world you are present. To give us strength to give us power to give us hope. To know that life is more than the problems that we face and the difficulties that we experience life is more because life is in you. We ask your blessing upon our lives upon our life and Lord the life of those the real lives of those around us. Bless all and may we be specific. I ask for your blessing. A financial blessing. Healing so physical strain spiritual strain. I ask the Lord for your touch of your spirit upon the need that we speak to you even now. We pray this in Jesus' name amen. Now bless you. Ask, Seek, Knock This morning we're going to speak about prayer and about asking seeking and knocking if you ever get somebody knocks at your door. What's your first impression. Who is it. Run and hide down answer. Do you do you look out the side and see who it is said we will do that while the nurse at the door or you have our front door has a lot of squiggly things on it you know and you can't see through it so you're always kind of look at who's who that Ardour you know who's ringing our bell What's your impression what do you do something off that you do or is it do you think it's a stranger do you think it's somebody you like somebody you don't like is it somebody selling religion cookies. Phelan What do they have. So what's your impression when somebody knocks at your door. Go away OK how about if you're the one knocking at the door. What do you expect to see whenever you knock at the door. I hope somebody is home. They came all this way to see them and they're in there and they will open the door you know. Well one time we were at someone's house and we you know they we visited and they had been to churches with a number of years ago and we knocked at the door windows were open and we heard Tony answer the preacher non-answers the preacher and we knocked again. They didn't answer it was the preacher and so I just kind of like OK I guess they don't want us to visit them so I never went back to that house. But so we have these occasions when we knock at the door. We have some anti tion. So. If you're knocking at the door you're going to you're expecting something you're expecting something to happen. If you weren't expecting something to happen you would be knocking at the door. So whenever we are praying whenever we are praying we have an expectation. Now there is no wrong there are no wrong prayers OK. There are no wrong Pres Now this is not I know this is a Christmas Cup but it's the only Cup I can find so that was large enough so it isn't this is not has nothing to do with Christmas. Maybe so when it's when you knock at the door or whatever we are praying we basically are asking and we have an expectation OK. You know pray without an expectation. Now second question if you've ever asked why why did this happen why did that happen. Why are things the way they are. What what is the motive behind the why. If you were expecting something else. You know why would they do that why would they knock at my door. Why are they knocking at my door why aren't they answering the door. See why indicates that we have an expectation. Now we look at our society and we look at all the earthquakes the earthquakes going over in Tibet ever asked why would this happen if you're underneath the rubble they found a baby if you see that in a picture of a baby that was still wrapped in its blanket they found it in the rubble. Couple days later still alive. So we'll say why why did this happen. What were we expecting we were expecting something different to take place if there was not an expectation of something different. We were not asked. QUESTION Why. And secondly the expectation is that there is a someone or something behind the universe that's making it work so that bad things don't happen or we wouldn't ask why. So whenever we are asking why it's basically a statement of faith that we expected something different to happen and it didn't. So whenever we are asking those no wrong prayers but how would you if you were hadn't had a drink of water in a week. I know we can't live a week without water. But if you hadn't had a drink of water for a week how would you ask for water. What would be your prayer. How would you approach playing. How would you ask how do you do it this way. How do children ask you for something. Get me get me a drink right. What else. Please give me what else. Any time I can have a drink of water. Where's My Water. You know hey there's no water. If I need water. So whenever we are praying and approaching how do we approach . Are we beggars playfully you know well when Mary after the resurrection and she went to the tomb there was no one there she is at the feet of Jesus saying Please tell me where you have taken my master. That was a baking. Now we have. That's OK there's no wrong prayers. OK please give me a drink right demanding hey got OK. They hear I need some help. Yeah you know you ever see somebody pray over their meal. OK In what else how do we approach we have the beggars we have the pleasers you know please do this. What does How does want us to approach him. Pardon. Come boldly will not arrogance boldness your will what else are expecting so we got bold will be expecting us. Humility humility and boldness are both very good. They're the same. We would think that they're not the same but they are the same that we recognize that we are a child of in that we are His child and that gives us privilege. But yet we are humble about it in the sense that I am not better than but it is your purpose for what's going on in our lives. So one of the things that the Bible also puts before us is being Thanksgiving with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to with Thanksgiving what's Thanksgiving. All that happens once a year and we eat turkey. What is Thanksgiving we are thankful in advance that we are believing that is going to give to us what we need and that he already has it and that he is going to give to us. It's this blessing that we need in our life. So here I am saying I am thankful to you. Number one that you have water for me. You have a blessing for me. I am thankful that the Bible says in all things give thanks for this is the will of in Christ Jesus concerning you. So in everything I am to be a thankful person. How does that grab you. I like to be a thankful person. I am to be grateful that has given me the gift of life and that he has given me the day that I live in that I can be expecting something to happen so every day I am practicing the presence of by being thankful for what is about to happen what is happening what will happen. I'm thankful. Why. Because my Thanksgiving sets up the premise that good is coming into my life and that this situation that I'm facing is going to be good for my life. With Thanksgiving. So I am I am being thankful to in advance for where I am that is going to do something different something unique for me so we can be grumblers and complainers. I don't like this day it's too hot sunshine and I wish it were rainy that I could complain about the rain and the cold temperatures. I don't like whatever we're grumbling and complaining we can't see what can we say we see the negative we see that all you got. I thought you would have a bigger gl that is you know that been used you know want one person. We were cooking hamburgers once on the grill and this person came up and then he said to us Can I have one. Oh yeah sure you know what I had with you and I'll give you this when she said or he she said there's a poison. No no why you give me that one when I want that one over there. That's OK I'll give you that one. Are they all poison. So whenever we think of things whenever you know when gives us something when gives us something do we question it. Why do you give me this why don't you give me that. Why do I have this life and not that life. Why is it that I'm only five foot seven and not six foot. I'd rather be six foot In fact I'd rather be about six four and you know one hundred eighty pounds of meanness toughness. I'd rather be. What happens when we start comparing. We're not thankful we're not thankful I'm too tall I'm too thin and I'm too fat. I don't have enough hair I have too much hair. I am you know. So whenever we start complaining we are looking at life from a from a perspective that no matter what we've got isn't good enough. And whenever we're asking for something it's not a big enough Cup and I don't like Christmas I don't get what I wanted. And is there water in there. Somebody drink out of the cup before you giving this to me. New Chapter eleven. One day he was praying in a certain place and when he finished one of his. People said Master teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples. You know we are used to the Lord's Prayer being our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us and lead us daughter to temptation but deliver us from evil for lying is a kingdom the power and glory forever amen. I would have sung that for you but you're glad that I didn't. That would not be your prayer request. But in the Message Bible that same sequence is Father reveal who you are. Keep the world right keep us alive with three square meals to keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others and keep us safe from ourselves and the devil. That's the Lord's Prayer in The Message Bible father reveal. Keep things right keep us alive with our meeting our needs our physical needs keep us forgiven with UN and US forgiving others and keep us safe from ourselves. Keep us safe from ourselves and the devil is see how we look at things determines how we receive them how we look at things determines how we receive them. So whenever we are praying I want you to do this. I want you to do that I I need a gl of water I need I need I need I need. Well prayer isn't just asking for prayers also. So listening to prayers also being friends with recognizing that isn't here to get even with us nor is he our Santa Claus in the sky that wraps things up and presents and gives them to us just because he likes us you know he does like us in fact he loves us. But what he gives to us in presence we unwrap every day we unwrap the gift of life every day we unwrap the gift of life every day. Now sometimes we'd like to wrap the gift back up and give it back now and I can't do that. Just kidding. So we find that we hat we are unwrapping life every day we are unwrapping the gift of life every moment of every day and how are we looking at it how are we on what type of expectation do we have. Remember the story of the optimist in the press and the pessimist. Remember the story of the optimist impressiveness. There is these two twins they were probably. It's a twelve years old ten twelve years old and one was an optimist one was a pessimist no matter what you did for the optimist It was wonderful no matter what you did for the pessimist it was terrible. So we went to the went to the counsellor and the doctor and he says OK I tell you what you do tell the parents what you go home and I want you to get for the pessimists buy the nicest gifts in the things that they like and wrap them up and put them in the room. Now for the optimists. I want you to get some horse manure. Put it in a box. Wrap it up put it in his room. So they set out going to teach him a lesson about the difference between being an optimist or pessimist so the. I'm pessimist opens the gifts. Wrong color wrong size. Then like you already got it. I don't you know just there was nothing nothing he opened up was any good and of course the optimists opened the box with horse manure in it and he starts jumping around the room saying one while great this is this is wonderful best thing ever happened and parents of what are you jumping around horses with this much horse manure. There's got to be a pony somewhere and how we see things. So the cup of water. Is it good water is a bad water you see. But if we had spent a week in the desert or a day or two in the desert without any water we'd be drinking because we'd be happy. But whenever we look at our life and we start asking and ask him for what. Well then he said in verse five the persistence. Then he said imagine what would happen if you went to a friend in the middle of the night and said friend lend me three loaves of bread and an old friend traveling through just showed up and I didn't have to have a thing on hand. Now number one when somebody knocks at your door and they don't have the food that they need you need to use need to go home and get what they want you know you know I don't have anything for you to eat when you come here tomorrow night. I'm going to come to your house and I want to eat supper. Pastors at the door. Oh my get out the chicken little ice cream. Yeah I got your ice cream. Make a Sunday you'll be happy. So a friend shows up unexpected a need. Ok flip it around. We have a need. Those up in our Life Unexpected. What are we going to do about it. What we're going to pray whenever. When you're going through your every day life do you think of when things are good when things are bad when things are just things you know. Why should I think of I don't need him. But you see we need to think of whenever we are going about our daily life whether it's in school or whether it's on work whether it's at home. We are thinking about that He's with us and that he helps us deal with everyday situations everyday life and so when things show up unexpectedly we should pray. thank You that you you know this need was coming. Now David was going to was to go to Nepal this week and was unable to go because of the the earthquake but you know was I nervous about it I look at it this way knew six months ago one hundred years ago a thousand years ago this earthquake was coming. And David made plans to go there six months ago. So if he goes it's because he was supposed to be there. He made plans and and if changes the plans OK but if doesn't change the plan then he's supposed to be where we supposed to be that our life is ordered by the Lord and so if we are where we are at if we are where we are at we should be thankful for where we are and where we are at and with what's around us because knew before you were even born. What you need. And it isn't that Rhonda needs me to straighten her out that's why I'm here I'm here to straighten her out and it isn't like she's here to keep me. He may remembering all the things that I forget but you see we are to be together because we are to be together that she needs me I need her and we're together. And in our life the things in the people and all the situations we find ourselves in. They're not for me to use to teach others. They're here for me to understand that has a purpose and a will for my life and I'm to be thankful for in all situations where I find myself that because knows that I was to be here and that I am to learn from this situation and that I am to grow in the situation I am to grow in this because wants to take me somewhere he wants to lead me somewhere. David I want you to have a drink of water. I don't need to drink I'm not thirsty. But maybe we have a need that. So whenever we drink whenever we want to. Well maybe there won't be water when you need it so here take this now. When leads us he leads us to a place in a time where his will and His purpose are continually being revealed to us. So being thankful now. But let me tell you even if he won't get out because he's a friend. If you stand your ground knocking and waking all the neighbours he'll find he'll finally get up and get you whatever you need to know. Sometimes doesn't answer our prayers because we need to know that it isn't just a wish book. Prayer is not wishful thinking. OK I wish I had this wish upon a star tonight. You know all that. If I wish. Prayer is not wishing. Prayer is needing and asking with thanksgiving prayer is having a need taking that need to with a specific request being thankful for the need and for the provision that isn't here yet. wants to help us understand that life is more than Rayment life is more than what we eat and what we wear. Life is more than everything just working together and fitting into a nice little puzzle so that I understand everything and it's all OK. It's a matter of that in the most difficult places I am thankful to that he has given me the wisdom and the knowledge to be here. It isn't by failure or by fault that I am here it is by divine providence by my own choice by 's Spirit. And as I find myself here is at work in the moment. If I am thankful for the situation for the moment and for the answer. I can see it more clearly now. So and it goes on. He shows up because he gets out of bed and gets in meets the needs because of the persistence that as we look to this isn't about nagging somebody till they get to we get what we want. This is about recognizing the need in our lives and willing to give to us. He's more willing to give to us from his own loving heart than a nagging person at the door of a friend who won't go away. Now here's what I'm saying. Jesus says ask. And you will get sick and you will find knock and the door will be opened. Ask seek knock and ask. Don't bargain with . Be direct. Verse ten don't bargain with if you do this for me I will be in church every Sunday. You know a lot of people have made that prayer. A lot of people make that prayer change. I switch that around whenever I visited in the hospital in the just the normal hospital situation. People would say well you know if gets me through this situation I'll go to church every Sunday you know bargaining. is not barred. He's not a bargain hunter and he did. And the problem of the situations that come up in our life aren't situations that we bargain over is that we have a need and we ask for it. We have a need and we present it. The reason you know the Bible says where is that one needs to says you have not because you ask not OK You don't have because you don't ask. Well I told him what I needed he knows what I need though I don't have because I don't ask. If I were. Because what I'm asking I'm becoming dependent and I don't need to depend on anybody. But you see we do need to depend we need to ask for wisdom because we don't know it all we need to ask for forgiveness because we carry on forgiveness in our life. We need to ask . Or a specific need and the asking is not to consume upon ourselves but how that we're going to bless and others. You know in El Salvador there's a village that David worked with and they have water for the first time in their life they drilled a well built it took over two three years I don't know a couple million dollars to get and they have water for the first time but now that that village sells the water too. So they have an income. Could you imagine them saying OK we don't have water. give us water give us water give us water they got water. OK now let's fill up our reservoirs and we're not going to give it to anyone else. We're not going to share what we got. It's like the fool in the Bible. That let me build bigger barns. You see whenever blesses us he blesses us with the intent that we will share with what we got what we have that's why we are giving money in the offering and I think it was sharing of who we are and that sharing is is opening the door for to provide in our lives that we are believing for Divine Principle that as we give that will give to us as we share with the answers to what has given us. We are giving it to others. And yes it will create a blessing. Yes it will create in our own life a refreshing when David David went to see this is David and Goliath not David our son when when David was a young boy and he went to the battle where Goliath was just you know hollering out threats to the to the the armies of Israel and Goliath this is a big it's a big He's a big guy he's probably easy easy easy or eight. Ten feet tall. He's hugely carries a spear that's bigger than a beam he has a shield he has a helmet I mean he's one monster of a man who's a great fighter. David comes along and he into this Goliath is insulting the of Israel. And David says in his heart who is this guy who is degrading the of Israel there and also the king has set up and he says if you whatever soldiers before David showed up whatever soldier will go out and face the Goliath he'll not have to pay taxes to give I'll give my daughter to him and who gets so much money I think was the thirty I don't remember the third thing was so De Mint goes out the face Goliath because Goliath is insulting but also he's going to be rewarded for his actions. In our life the reward is not what we are seeking. David isn't seeking the reward the reward just comes because he is doing the will of He goes out he faces Goliath. He takes on the giant he takes on the giant with a slingshot. Now in our time we understand that a stone in a sling can probably projected one hundred over one hundred miles an hour and you know a stone. Yeah a big hitting someone in the forehead at over one hundred miles an hour or knock him out and a person who is deadly with the sling shot can take down a giant but they didn't think of those things at the time. David took what he had in his hand and what he knew and he used that to bring down the giant. What do you think David's prayer was as he's headed into the valley. Hey god I'm doing this for you. What do you think his prayer. There was so we don't know but we know that Goliath insulted David and his and David turns the very insult around and uses it throws it back it go live in our life what we have may seem very little but whenever we ask for what we need we always ask for more than what we need so we can share it with others. Izzy if I prayed that would help one whenever you need it need a job the more money I need this I need that taking that need to the Lord being specific and we just don't need enough to get by. We need enough to share. So whenever I am asking I'm asking in the Bible says if I ask being specific says I'll get if I seek I will find it. And if I knock the door will be open. And see this is what asking seeking knocking being having needs in our life is all other opportunities having needs in our life or opportunities for us to know more about for us to experience more of and for us to have more than enough to share with others. If only gave us enough in our prayers. You know David you need a cup of water. I'll give you half a cup because that's all you need in El Salvador they have a well that can they can sell water all the time. The well that they dug is so deep and in such a deep ravine or whatever that underground cistern that they hit into that water has more water than that village of sixteen thousand can ever use. And they sell it. So answered their prayer gave him more than enough that they can sell and give to those who are in need. The divine economy no one's own drink this but me. There is water in here. So what is doing. What is your need. What is more than enough for you to have in your life and who can you blessed with the extra that is going to give you. Ask seek knock. It isn't about what I need it's how much wants to bless me so that I can give away more than what I need. I think the selfish prayer is bless me so I can consume this upon me and I can have this and everybody will know that you are with me and saying no god thank you boldly humbly boldly come to 's throne humbly asking him and seeking after him to bless our lives so that we can bless others and that the message of can affect the lives of others and then shall we stand up. So here is a situation where the wife in her fifty's has an aneurism at death's door and she doesn't die. She comes back and she was able to talk and communicate but she's not able to do normal tasks. And then the husband who is taking care of her got sick found out he has stage four cancer and he's dying. Why don't know why and all things give thanks for this is the will of in Christ Jesus our our will is not to understand our will is to believe and to be thankful that will work his will out in our lives for this moment in this place and this time to help us in our need. And no we don't know why. Is it for a miracle. Is it to bring someone home. I don't know but I know this is with them and is with them and if we have with us it's all OK. Ask seek knock and expect to answer father. THANK YOU THANK YOU LORD. We don't understand why people are ill why earthquakes happen in children and people are killed why wars and and slave meant persecution. These things are in our world but yet in our world you are present. To give us strength to give us power to give us hope. To know that life is more than the problems that we face and the difficulties that we experience life is more because life is in you. We ask your blessing upon our lives upon our life and Lord the life of those the real lives of those around us. Bless all and may we be specific. I ask for your blessing. A financial blessing. Healing so physical strain spiritual strain. I ask the Lord for your touch of your spirit upon the need that we speak to you even now. We pray this in Jesus' name amen. Now bless you. Ask, Seek, Knock