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 he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
Today in this Life Lesson, we are looking at the next teaching of My Son in the Sermon on the Mount, which is the Sermon of the Heart. In this teaching you are taking a heart exam, but not of your physical heart but of your spirit and soul, the inner man of the heart. And that is the place from which all the issues of your life flow. “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23.
Jesus made an amazing promise to those to whom He was preaching. Remember that Jesus was teaching His disciples in this sermon. This was not spoken to unbelievers but believers. Today this would all be born again believers with My Spirit dwelling in them and upon them. At that time, however, when He walked the earth as one like you, He had come to bring you new birth, as He told Nicodemus when he came to Him at night, but He had to take on all your sins and die before you could actually be born again and be indwelt by My Spirit. But their faith alone was credited to them as righteousness, like Abraham, whose descendants they were. There were already My own little flock to whom it would please Me to give the Kingdom. They were in line for their inheritance, but just as any inheritance, Jesus had to die for you to receive it.
Jesus said many things that were beyond their capacity to understand at that time but He told the disciples, “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.” John 16:12-15.
The Pharisees and religious leaders at that time were on a totally different wavelength, so to speak, than Jesus. They were limiting themselves to what they could see and understand with their five senses and physical circumstances and they refused to see beyond their established traditions, but Jesus was talking on the plane of spiritual understanding, which is unlimited. They failed to understand Scriptures and My power.
And His teaching we are considering today is about what you are looking for what you are seeking. “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 he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 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!” Matthew 7:7-11.
This teaching should make your heart leap with joy for all the good things coming your way from Me just for the asking, seeking, and knocking. But you have to be diligent about this and really want what you are asking for and seeking. Many of you do not have what you would like because you do not ask for it. And then there are those who ask for things but ask with wrong motives and evil intent. I do not hear the prayers of the wicked. They never make it to the golden altar of incense before Me.
What are you asking for, what are you seeking, and where are you knocking trying to find entrance? For I assure you that what you ask for you will receive, what you are seeking, you will find, and where you are knocking it will be opened to you. This can be good or bad. It can be a pathway that ends in death or a pathway that leads to life.
This may surprise you but I do give you very specific direction about what you should be asking, what you should be seeking, and where you should be knocking. There are certain doors I tell you are already open to you and certain gates you should stay away from.
Jesus told you who believe in Him, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:11. And He told you that whatever you ask of Me in His Name, I would do for you. There was a condition there of abiding in My Words and being authorized to use His Name.
In Gibeon I appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and I said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.” 1 Kings 3:5. But if you read the lines right before this amazing “carte blanche” I gave Solomon, which is very similar to this teaching of the sermon on the Mount to ask and receive, I tell you that “Now Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David.” 1 Kings 3:3. And even more, the night I asked him this question, during that day he had gone to Gibeon to sacrifice there on the bronze altar a thousand burnt offerings. 1 Kings 3:4. The tabernacle of Moses was set up there but David had the ark of the covenant in the tent on Mt. Zion near his palace. .
I tell you to Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession. Psalm 2:8; Revelation 2:26-28. In Abraham as his descendant, I made you heir of the world. But here I am asking you to come before Me and intercede for the nations. Be a prophet to the nations.
David is a prophet and he shows you what to ask for. He asked Me to create in him a clean heart. He asked to dwell with Me in constant communion. “One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and inquire in His temple.” Psalm 27:4.
I tell you to ask according to My Will (which is My Word, such as healing, prosperity, how to profit) and I will hear you and what you have asked for is yours.
I tell you to ask for wisdom and I will give it to your generously. And I tell you how to ask, in faith with no doubts. And that is shown by thanksgiving as soon as you ask.
And Jesus told you that if you knew the gift I gave Him to bring you would ask Him for a drink and He would give you living water. John 4:10. What is that gift? It is a Person, it is the Holy Spirit, the living water, the well spring of your spirit and soul. And I tell you I will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Me. Luke 11:13.
I tell that I reward those who seek Me. I tell you to seek My face. I tell you to seek Me while I can be found and to call on Me while I am near. I tell you to seek wisdom as the principal thing and to get understanding. I tell you to seek My Kingdom first and My righteousness.
And I tell you that Jesus is the door for the sheep that leads you into the green pastures and refreshing living waters. And He is the only way (door) to Me. No one comes to Me but through Him.
This teaching is not just about prayer though it has elements of it and would fit in the pattern of prayer known as the “Our Father,” in the “Give us this day our daily bread . . .” section. But it is also about what you are doing with your life and where you are setting your priorities.
So what are you asking? Are you seeking things or seeking answers? Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and mighty things you could not know. David wanted to stay continually in My house to behold My beauty and to inquire in My temple. Are you asking about what decisions to make each day? Are you asking for things you desire? Are you asking things for others? Are you asking healing and restoration?
Has a friend or family member ever expressed to you a desire in their heart for something they would love to have but it is beyond their means? Has anyone ever told you of a career position or home of their own they are seeking to find but all doors just seem closed to them for the fulfillment of their dreams? And have you ever responded and bought them the treasure they seek or helped them find the job or house they dreamed of? Did it give you joy to see them shout with joy?
If you want to give good things to your family and friends, do you not know that I, your Father in Heaven, desire to do that far more than you do? I created the world for you to enjoy. And as I created the earth, the sun, the moon and the stars, it was so magnificent and beautiful that “the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy.” Job 38:7.
I gave My Son so you can enjoy My Kingdom forever. Do you think I would not give everything good with Him besides? “If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” Romans 8:31-32.
Come to Me for all you need, but this section is going beyond the basics to those things that are the desires of your heart and the plans for your life. I tell you to ask Me for those, to seek the good things of My Kingdom that My Son died to obtain for you.
When you seek My Kingdom and My righteousness first all the basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter are added to you, for I know what you need before you ask Me, but here I tell you to ask, seek, and knock. Why? This is beyond daily bread and basic protection; this is going for the things that are your dreams.
The wisest thing you can do is seek Me, for I am seeking you, and when you have Me, you have everything for everything was made by Me, is sustained by Me, and comes to you through Me. Every good thing given and every perfect gift comes down from Me.
I love you. I delight in doing good to you who are My children. “Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it.” Psalm 37:3-4.