Stepping Stones For Victorious Christ Centered Living #7 A-S-K

 

Levels of Relating To God

Having a conversation with God is, perhaps, one of the most important things you or I can learn. And when you are talking about walking on "Stepping Stones For Christ Centered Living," this is especially true: For this requires we cooperate with God's grace to develop our relationship with God. Many folks say the verses below are key for helping us pray, and this certainly has merit; however, nowhere in Matthew 7:7-11 does the Lord say He is talking about prayer. Please consider this: Elsewhere, in Jesus teachings, you will find that, when Jesus is teaching about prayer, you will actually see that He is using the word "prayer" to signal that He is wanting to teach about prayer. See Matthew 6:5-14, and Luke 18:1-8 as examples.  I don't want to push this point of view so stringently; however, I do want us to think about the possibility this passage, maybe including prayer, is about levels of relating to God. Or, to be more specific, it's about Rock Solid levels of relating to God. Level #1 is  Asking. Level #2 Is Seeking. And Level #3 is Knocking.  Interestingly enough, when translated into English, this provides us with an clear acrostic A-S-K.

Hear The Word of The Lord

Ask, and it shall be given unto your;
Seek, and you shall find;
Knock, and it shall be opened to you:
For everyone that asks, will receive.

He who seeks, will find; and to Him who knocks 
The door will be opened.
Matthew 7:7-8

God Honors This

Now, it's important to note that God really does honor this rock-solid way of relating to Him: I know this to be true because Jesus continues by asking us, "What man, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?" Then He ask a second question: If that child ask for a fish, what Dad would give him a snake? Then, Jesus seems to become more emphatic: He says, "If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more  will your Father in Heaven give good tings to them that 'ask'" Matthew 7:9-11 Yes, indeed, God wants you, and He wants me to relate to Him as His children. And He clearly wants us to A-S-K.

A

A is the most simple form of relating to God. It's just a simple ask.  You, or I, want something, and we need to relate to our loving heavenly Father in such away that we can acquire what we want or need.  Our loving Heavenly Father says, "Just ask me?" Then, "I am willing to give it to you." Remember, He has already stated He is more willing, than an earthly Dad, is willing to give to his children.

S

In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus tells a story about what seeking is like. The parable begins like this, "He told a story that a men ought to always pray and never give up." Now, what takes place is their are two characters: One is a widow. Widows, in that day in time, had no rights whatsoever. The other was an ungodly, unjust Judge. The Judge didn't fear God nor man, and he certainly did NOT fear this powerless little woman, who was alone in the world. The judge was one of the most powerful people of the day. The powerless widow went before the Judge to get him to give her justice for a person who had harmed her.  To make this long story short, the widow repeatedly came before the Judge, and she repeatedly asked the Judge to help her, He refused as many times as she came before him. But eventually this woman's seeking literally wore the Judge out. 

Check out what the Judge finally said, and check out what Jesus emphasized was/is important: "The Judge finally said, 'even though i do not fear God nor do I fear man, nor do I care what people think; yet, because this widow is wearing me down, I will see that she gets justice, so that she want eventually attack me.'" Now, listen carefully to Jesus, "Listen to what the unjust Judge says. And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly."

Sometimes, when relating to God, when issues are hitting us as really difficult challenges, God is willing to help; however, God is NOT a bell hop in the sky or our concierge. God is God. He is listening. And difficult situations, according do Jesus teachings, requires seeking.

K
Knocking -Knocking-Knocking

Then Jesus said to them, "Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.  And suppose the one inside answers, 'Don't bother. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet, because of your shameless audacity, he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.'"

Wow!  Here's a friend. He has a guest show up, and it appears the guest shows up unexpectedly because no preparations for food have been made. It's the middle of the night, and apparently the guest is hungry. But no food is available; therefore, this "friend" comes to your house. You are asleep. Your spouse is asleep. Your children are a sleep.  It's midnight!!! Your friend ask you to get up, and not being worried about your inconvenience, nor your spouses inconvenience, nor the fact that your kids most likely have school the next day, really wants you to be a pal and provide food.  Jesus says this is a shamelessly audacious person. And because of this, the food is provided.  

Ever so often, I stop to have a quick conversation with God regarding a friend I am concerned for. So, I simply ask God to help this person. I am fairly certain, as you read this, you can remember doing the same.  Then, there are times, when perhaps you are publicly seeking some justice or a legal remedy. This is kind of formal, but this is another level of conversation entirely because this may require you to put in some more effort. And when it comes to prayer, you seek, or are more persistent.  God honors these first two. But, when you have the last scenario that we describe as knocking. Well, that takes some boldness. Or it takes audacity.

Lessons Learned

There are some clearly important lessons we can learn from this knocking part of relating to to God.  First, God's love is so great for you, He is always listening. He is listening even in the middle of the night. Second, He actually does, sometimes, really expect us to be bold in coming into the throne room of Heaven. Or to use a form of Jesus's  translated word, God wants us to be audacious. He wants us to act like we are heirs of God's Kingdom, and we are Kingdom Kids who can come into "Papas" presence, and feel free to be bold. As the Hebrew writer says, He actually wants us to "Come boldly before the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Finally, it can be something as small as asking for bread. Absolutely nothing is unimportant to God when God's child has a need. Neither is anything too big that God isn't concerned about your concerned.

Here Are A Few Questions

As God's child, do you know He loves you enough that you can Ask God anything? Seriously, do you actually believe this?  When your have some real problem, a public problem, a  legal problem, and the person you are dealing with is more powerful than you, and they are intimidating you, do you know you can keep on keeping on "bugging" God for an answer?  And do you know that is precisely what God wants you to be.  He wants you to be a Seeker. He wants you to keep coming back until things are settled.  So, don't quit.  Here's the final question: Do you really know just how audacious, or bold, God wants you to be when you come to him and Knock on Heaven's door as His child. 

If you can answer in the affirmative these questions of mine, I celebrate with you this freedom you have in Christ!  Please, never forget, we have a Divine privilege to ask, and it will be given us. We are blessed with God's entitlement to seek, and we will find whatever it is for which we are looking. And we have the Heavenly benefit, of a child of God, to be bold, even audacious, when we come to our Heavenly Father in prayer! HALLELUJAH! 

Enjoy, dear Christ Follower, these 3 Stepping Stones For Victorious Christ Centered Living. All you have to do is A S K.

SoJourner