Most people who read Matthew 7 stop at the very first part of the very first verse, judge not, and never move past that.
There's a good amount to learn in Matthew 7!
Matthew 7:7-11- Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Why ask Him? Doesn't He already know?
Matthew 6:8- Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Luke 18:1- And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
He does know. He wants us to have a relationship with Him. More than just asking and getting. It's a conversation that allows you to learn more about yourself as well as Him.
Matthew 6:28-32- And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
He has us pegged, doesn't He? God knows your needs better than you do.
Philippians 4:19- But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
The problem is that we don't always want to accept what He knows we need.
The companion verses to this are found in Luke 11.
Luke 11:9-13- And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
The whole reason we need a Savior is that we can never be good enough. Our idea of righteousness is far below the standard that God accepts. Christ died to fill the need of "not being good enough". Yet, sadly many reject Him assuming they can reach the goal on their own.
There are others who have accepted Him as their Savior and yet treat Him as Santa Clause. They look at the first part of this as a blank check- ask, and it shall be given you. Then they get mad when they don't get exactly what they ask for.
James 4:3- Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
When Paul asked God to remove something he deemed was a hinderance, God told him "no". Paul's response should be how we all react.
II Corinthians 12:7-10 - And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Why would God tell Paul "no"? Because Paul needed something to keep him humble.
When God gives you exactly what you need, it isn't always what you want.
We have need (not needs, plural). What is our need?
Hebrews 5:12- For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
We need teachers who feed us milk until we are strong enough for meat.
Hebrews 10:36- For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
We need patience to wait for God to send us what He wants us to have.
I John 3:17- But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
We need to have compassion on others. We need to help out our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Revelation 13:17-18- Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
We need to see ourselves as God sees us.
The worst thing God could do to you is let you have your way!
Psalm 106:15- And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.
Our desires are carnal. Our view is from a worldly standpoint. We can't see the beginning from the end. We don't know how certain things will affect us.
Luke 11:12 -Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
Now, why would God say this? We wouldn't give our children something that could hurt them. But God sees how that something will affect us. Sometimes He allows things to help us grow, or to enable us to accept what He sees is coming.
Luke 10:19- Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Why would he give you power over scorpions if there were never going to be scorpions?
Ezekiel 2:6-And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
The fact is that every person has a free will. They can choose to act like a scorpion. How are you going to deal with these types of people if you've never faced a scorpion?
Revelation 3:19- As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Hebrews 12:7, 11- If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Everyone wants peace, but no one wants to endure the hardships that lead to peace. There will be bad guys who start wars; there must be strong good guys to fight those wars and bring peace. And you don't get strong good guys when all is easy.
Matthew 7:11b- how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Luke 11:13b- how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Notice the difference in these two verses. One says "good things" and one says "Holy Spirit".
Sometimes we get good things; sometimes we get the Comforter to help us through.
John 14:26- But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
God doesn't stop the bag things from happening; you won't find that promised anywhere in the Bible. What was promised is that He will never leave you or forsake you- through the good times or the bad, when there's joy or mourning, even when you doubt yourself or Him.
Job 2:10- But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
Good times and bad times happen to us all. We all make choices and suffer consequences. Don't lay the blame on God for your choices. Don't get mad at Him for sending things your way that make you stronger. He knows what you will face in the future and He is going to prepare you whether you like it or not.
