Luke 11:10 says “Everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the doors will be opened”

This is a verse that is often misused and misunderstood.  I don’t believe it was intended to be a “name and claim” sort of verse.  If we were to underline the important words, we might underline, receive … find … opened.  After all, that’s what we want right?  We want what we want.

So, is this verse about, “give it to me”, “finding the golden object”, or “opportunity opening”?  I really don’t think so.  I believe we miss the mark if those are our key words.

First, I believe the verse can always be made to be true if we want to badly enough.  If you ASK long enough, increase your sample of petitionees, eventually someone will say “yes”.  If Dad says “no” ask Mom.  If both say “no” ask a friend.  If friends say “no” as an acquaintance, and eventually, even if everyone who loves you says “this is not good”, well someone who doesn’t know or love you may say “yes” and you will get what you want.  If you search long enough, hard enough, and even in the wrong places, you are likely to find what you think is important.  If you knock on enough doors, eventually one will open … for good or for bad.

but again, is this verse simply about persistence?  I really don’t think that this is the point.  It is more about personage and purpose than about persistence.  I would like us to underline the words, ask … seek … and knock.  Then I would like us to see that it is about engagement more than persistence, it is about experience more than product.  It is about coming God, seeking His fulfillment and His provision.  Asking God means I engage Him in conversation.  I don’t demand, i don’t inform, I Ask.  Then God has an answer.  Could your prayer life be defined as a conversation or just a list you give to God?

Ask – “Lord, I have a need, can you fill it?  Here is what I believe to be the desired outcome.”

Then Listen – as God answers.  Sometimes it is “Yes, I have been waiting for you to ask.”  Sometimes He says “Yes but not today, be patient and keep praying.”  Sometimes He says “no child, that is not good for you, and it doesn’t fit my purposes.”.   Other times, He says “no not that, but I can and will fill that desire but I’m going to do it another way.”

Seek – Seek God … His purposes, His plan, His pleasure, approval, direction, … seek and you shall find.  Again it will perhaps be different than expected, but if you seek HIM, you will find Him, even if the earthly thing you desire is different.  Seek Him and you will find what is best.

Knock – Every time we knock on Heaven’s door, seeking to know and experience God, the door is always opened.  Hebrews 10:22 “let us draw near with a sincere heart and full assurance of faith.”  Hebrews 4:16 says “let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Back in Luke 11, it talks about a neighbor giving what is wanted in the middle of the night because of persistance and boldness.  But then it moves to God down in verse 11 it says, if a son asks for a fish, will a father give him a snake?  Or, if he asks for an egg, will the good father give him a scorpion?  Of course they would not, and so Jesus says “if you know how to give good gifts, how much more will your Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

WAIT … back it up … I was asking for MY stuff.  I was asking for a car, a job, a spouse, stuff, won’t he give me what I want when I ask, seek, knock?  What do you mean, “if i ask He will give me The Holy Spirit?”

The problem is not with Him giving us a snake or a scorpion, when we ask for eggs and toast.  The problem is that sometimes WE are ASKING for snakes and scorpions and God says “No!  I won’t give you that, But I WILL GIVE you MYSELF”.

Ask HIM, seek HIM, knock on HIS door, and God will give you HIMSELF.

I will Take It … Give Me Jesus

I love the Negro Spiritual that says

In the morning, when I rise, in the morning when I rise

In the morning, when I rise, Give Me Jesus

Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus

You can have this whole world, Give me Jesus

80 years ago, George Beverly Shea was offered a big, for that day, secular recording contract.  He had always been a Gospel singer.  He was being asked to shift and sing the most popular songs of the day.

But he was committed to sharing the Gospel through Music.  He went home and put to music these words

I’d rather have Jesus, than silver or gold, I’d rather be his than have riches untold

I’d rather Jesus than houses or land, I’d rather be led by his nail-pierced hand

Than to be the king of a vast domain, or be held in sin’s dred sway

I’d rather have Jesus than anything, this world affords today

Bev Shea joined with Billy Graham a few years later and when he died last year in 2013 at the age of 104, he had sung live to more people than anyone in history, thanks to the crusades all over the world

Ask,

Seek,

Knock

And God will Give you Himself and it will be Perfect!