Ask Rightly to Receive

“⁷Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” – Matthew 7:7-8 (ESV)

Jesus said the above and I know that it gets misquoted a lot. Or at least misunderstood and applied in our lives. When reading the above, it can be presumed that if you want something, you need only ask. And when it is not given, we wonder in frustration and tend to attempt things on our own to get that which we want.

“³You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” – James 4:3 (ESV)

And here we have James addressing one of the reasons that we do not receive what we ask. We are asking wrongly or for the wrong reasons. We are not asking as someone needing provision, we are asking for blessings, or fleeting things. We are not asking for things to be used in bringing glory to God or to get by in this world. We are asking for things that will bring glory to ourselves.

To receive that which we ask for, we should be asking for those things of provision and to bring glory to God. Asking for riches may not be right, but asking for means to provide for others may be right. Asking for arm candy as a date is likely wrong, but asking for a husband or wife who loves me is more in line with what God has in store for us. Asking for a huge house in a nice neighborhood is not the same ask asking for a place to call home for your family. It is the context of the ask where we will receive, not in the what we ask.

God will ensure that we have what we “need”. And, He will provide blessings for us as well. I know that Lori and I have all that we need to make it today, a home, transportation, clothing, food, and all those things. And God has blessed us with things that are much more than we need, our 3000 square foot home, our 2024 Ford Bronco, new clothing, and occasionally a steak for dinner.

We will receive that which we ask for when we ask rightly from the LORD. He will provide for our needs and once we have those, He will give blessings on top, at His discretion. Regardless of those needs or blessings, God gives to us when we ask and are using those things to ultimately bring glory to Him.

What is your view of asking and receiving? Do you get frustrated when you don’t get what you ask? What if you were to ask rightly, in concert with the LORD and bringing glory to Him as opposed to your own personal wants?

Receive From The One Who Knows

Jesus is divine. He is not like me. Yet, as our LORD, He knows what we go through daily. He understands our struggles and how we can and do give in to our temptations. Jesus walked as we walk in this world. He was here walking this world and subject to all, if not more struggles than I, and yet, He did not give into those temptations, and even suffered more than I as He was killed.

“¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” – Hebrews 4:15 (ESV)

Ever notice in the world those who speak for us in the world have rarely gone through that which we go through daily. Oh, sure, they may have had some challenging times, but their challenges pale in comparison to trying to figure out how to just survive. Heads of State, heads of companies, heads of a lot of things, have not walked in our shoes, yet we look to them for guidance in how to make things work. With Jesus, we find comfort in knowing that He did. He walked this world. He never had a true dwelling to make His way back to for comfort. He wandered deliberately giving to others. He lived in tents outside the city. He relied on friends and acquaintances for food and shelter. He found comfort in the company of friends. He was like me.

As Jesus was like me He was also not like me. He died for me. He took my sin and the consequences of that sin to the point of death. He received no such grace or mercy. He was flogged. He was cursed. He was beaten. He was humiliated. All in front of the people in public view of everyone. And no one came to His defense. No one eased His pain. No one provided for His discomfort. But He offers it to us. He gives what He Himself did not receive. Jesus knows what was missing and is sure to provide that to us.

“¹⁶Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” – Hebrews 4:16 (ESV)

I choose to follow and be led and receive from the one who knows. Not the one who talks a good game. Not the one in the position of authority who does not know the struggles I find every day. I choose the one who walked in my shoes. More importantly, I choose the one who walked as I do and yet did not find Himself giving in to the ways and sin that would come at Him. I choose the one who worked through the challenges (and more) than I. I choose the one who did not sin and received no grace or mercy and yet offers and give it to me. I choose to receive from the One who knows.

Who are you getting your guidance? Are you relying on those who are in positions of authority, yet did not struggle as you do? What if you relied on the one who walked as you do and received not as you and yet did not give in as you do, and has grace and mercy for you as one who knows your need?

Receive Through Obedience

This morning I am in Colossians continuing my study on the word “receive”. The passage is titled, “Rules for Christian Households”. The big takeaway for me is obedience this morning. As with a lot of my studies, I am led to passages time and time again and this one is no different. The focus in the past was on the work done and the reward received. This morning I see the obedience to receive and not the work itself.

“¹⁸Wives, submit…”, “¹⁹Husbands, love…”, “²⁰Children, obey…”, “²¹Fathers, do not…”, “²²Slaves, obey…”, and “¹Masters, treat…”. – Colossians 3:18-22, & 4:1

All of these are the rules that we are to obey in our households. They will keep us moving in the right direction with our families and most importantly in our Family of God.

“²³Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, ²⁴knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” – Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV)

And there we have it. Obedience to the rules will result in receipt of the inheritance. See the one we are obeying is “the Lord Christ”. We are serving Him in our work. We are in His house and we are to follow and live according to the rules of the house. Those rules are spelled out in the passage as noted above: “Wives, submit…”, “Husbands, love…”, “Children, obey…”, Fathers, do not…”, Slaves, obey…”, and “Masters, treat…”. Everyone in the house is addressed. We are all accountable to the rules set forth in the household. We are all to obey the head of the house, our Father God.

I remember speaking to our boys and answering their questions as to why they have to do certain things with, “because I am the head of the house and I said so”. I am sure that all of us have used a similar statement in the past and we do so for the good of the children and others in the household. I have to remember that I am part of the house of the LORD and am accountable to what He answers me with, even when that answer is, “because I am the head of the house and I said so”. We will receive our reward through our obedience to the head of our forever household, our Father God.

What is your view on obedience in the house? Do you see yourself with only the earthly household? What if you realize the forever household you are in with God as the head and master and delivered your obedience to Him?

Receive Through Faith

You know we cannot receive the Holy Spirit through our works or even purchase access with our monetary gifts, right? Yet, we continue to try. It is interesting to watch people doing things and spouting them publicly to somehow gain some righteousness in the eyes of the world. And, I guess they do, but that is not going to get them anywhere beyond this world. They are slaves to the law of man and will only receive the volatile and fleeting rewards of man.

“¹²But the law is not of faith, rather ‘The one who does them shall live by them.’” – Galatians 3:12 (ESV)

We were not meant to receive the gift of God through the law. Oh, yes, when looking at the Old Testament and adhering to the Old Covenant, there was the component of following the law to gain righteousness. The Old Covenant is gone and we now live in the New Covenant where Jesus earned our salvation and freedom from sin thanks to His sacrifice on the cross for us. It is His sacrifice that we place our faith and in doing so, we gain the Holy Spirit in our lives to guide us forward.

“¹³Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’— ¹⁴so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” – Galatians 3:13-14 (ESV)

We do not receive the Holy Spirit through our works according to man and the law. We receive the Holy Spirit through our faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ who suffered to remove the suffering from us.

“¹¹Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” – Galatians 3:11 (ESV)

It is not our adherence to the law, or our good works in this world that allow us to receive the gift of salvation and the Holy Spirit. It is through our faith in Jesus that He paid the price for me and I only need to realize, acknowledge, and accept. It is through faith that I receive and not through any other means.

What is your view of gaining righteousness? Are you out there doing good to somehow receive greatness to come? What if you were to realize that Jesus satisfied the law for you by dying on the cross and you receive the Holy Spirit through faith in Him and His actions for you?

Give and You Will Receive

I get frustrated with giving all the time and not receiving, well as I have been seeing it. This morning I was reminded that we don’t give to receive, but our giving is the receiving. It know, it sounds a bit as though I am speaking in circles a bit, and that is why I forget about all that I have received.

You see, we give, not to receive, but to see that others are receiving that which is good and they are in need of, even if they did not realize that it was a need. I don’t give to others to get something from them, I give to them to remove the need from their plate so that they can focus their attention on other things. I provide for them so they do not have to provide for themselves. Here is an example. Lori makes sourdough bread and over the past few weeks started using nitrile gloves so the dough does not stick to her hands. I noticed she was out of them and went to get a pack for her. This example is not a grand gesture, but one that demonstrates giving without looking for receipt.

The thing is that I did receive something far greater and more important than any physical item. I got to witness Lori using the gloves to do what she does. I received satisfaction that I met a need for her. Isn’t that a better receipt than the monetary or physical items.

“³³I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. ³⁴You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. ³⁵In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” – Acts 20:33-35 (ESV)

Paul, who was from the educated and ruling class, did not have physical possessions as he was in the throws of his ministry. He provided for the needs of others and did not worry with accumulating things, as he only focused on his “needs”. Paul received the gift of spending time with others and providing for their needs as opposed to his own.

“²³I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. ²⁴But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. ²⁵Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.” – Philippians 1:23-26 (ESV)

Paul explains his joy is found in remaining in this life to give to others for their joy in the faith and that they might have “ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus”. All the while being content with what he had even being in prison for his actions.

Too often we look to “what’s in it for me” and shy away from thing that do not bring us gifts. This is not the direction of a follower of Christ. We should be looking as to “what can I do for you” knowing that we have what we “need” and will receive joy by ensuring that others are provided for in their needs. I have to remember that I am giving, not to receive, but that I am/will receive just by giving and seeing others needs fulfilled.

Why do you give? Do you give with the expectation that at some point you will receive? What if you were to realize that you are receiving just by giving to fulfill the needs of others?

Receive, Yes, When, Unknown

We live in a time when we want and a lot of times are able to get things at a moment’s notice. The past weekend, our daughter in law to be stayed with us and wanted pizza to which she order and had delivered. Now, I did not turn the pizza away and did enjoy a couple of slices, it is just that Lori and I will typically order and then go pick up, or Lori just makes the pizza here at the house (Yes, I am spoiled). It is not about when or how fast or uninterrupted things come about, it should be about the quality of that which we are receiving.

“⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” – Acts 1:8 (ESV)

Jesus made it clear to the apostles that they would receive the Holy Spirit and would carry on the work He had begun. He had told them the same thing in the upper room before His death and resurrection (which did happen as we know). And just like us here in today, the apostles where anxious about receiving things in the moment. Jesus addresses the receiving of the power of the Holy Spirit as you can see in above in verse eight. Also look below at how He prefaced verse eight after their asking about the restoration of the kingdom of Israel.

“⁷He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.’” – Acts 1:7 (ESV)

Jesus points out that yes, all will be restored and the power of the Holy Spirit will come, just that we are not to know when. We are to prepare constantly for that which will come. We are not to wait on things, just do the work and know that God is working His plan for all and for us in His time. We are to be patient, have faith, and know that we will receive.

Pizza is one thing that we can rush to receive and will be pretty good regardless. But, when we wait that thing is so much more. Homemade pizza that takes some time is so much better after the wait. Receiving the LORD now would be great, but so much better as we wait for Him to provide in His time and not our own.

What is your expectation of the LORD? Are you looking for Him to provide now without thought to the quality of what He will provide? What if you waited on the quality of the LORD, knowing that when He does, we receive the best of Him and not just something good?

Receive, Believe, Become

It is that easy. We receive Jesus Christ, we believe in Him and what He has for us, and we are given the right to become heirs in heaven with Him.

“¹²But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,” — John 1:12 (ESV)

The opening sentence of our introduction to the book of John in my ESV Bible is: “The Gospel of John was written to persuade people to believe in Jesus (20:30-31).” Verse 12 above speaks more to this and what we get in return for doing so, adoption.

It is on us/me to do what is required to get adoption. But it is not what is generally thought. We do no earn our way. We do not take on more work and perform at a certain level. The requirement is only to receive Jesus for who He is and believe in Him. When we have done these tow things, we get the reward, being adopted as children of God.

What are you doing thinking it is getting you somewhere? Are you out there working on being good and doing good things to earn your place in heaven? What if you put down your works and received Jesus and believed in Him to get the reward?

Stay Persistent in Your Prayer

“¹⁷pray without ceasing,” — 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV)

Paul, in writing to the church at Thessalonica told them to be in continuous prayer. I see this as being persistent in reaching out to the LORD. Notice that Paul’s directive is not specific for any subject other than prayer and communication with the LORD. I believe this to be the case today.

“⁷And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?” – Luke 18:7 (ESV)

Jesus even addressed continued prayer in, “The Parable of the Persistent Widow” that the above verse comes from. The widow comes to a judge all the time for justice to which the judge finally provides for her. Where the judge was worn down thanks to the persistence of the widow.

God will not be worn down. As we know of God’s character, He acts in His time and we are to wait on Him. But, that does not mean that we are not to make out petitions known, even continually. God wants for us to continue reaching out to Him. We are to pray all the time for those things that we are in need. Remember that He does say to ask and you shall receive. So we must keep asking.

“⁸I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” – Luke 18:8 (ESV)

Our faith is demonstrated through our consistent and persistent asking of our Father to be there for us. We are to come to Him day and night, continually. We are to bring to Him all things. We are to ask for His will in our lives. We are to commune with the LORD and He will listen. But not only will He listen, He will provide for our needs speedily. He will address our needs in a timely manner. The LORD will give to us.

The LORD answers our prayers. Maybe not to the extent that we envisioned, but He does answer. Remember that the LORD provides for our needs not always our wants. We are directed to continually and persistently pray, “pray without ceasing”, and the LORD will answer our petition.

How are you praying? Are you asking once and expecting to be given? What if you followed the direction Paul and more of Jesus, to be persistent in your prayer to receive from the LORD?

Lose Your Life to Find It

I am sure that you are like me in that you wonder when God is going to come through for you and take away pain and provide relief. Well, have you ever thought that maybe He is waiting on you to fully obey Him.

“³⁹Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” – Matthew 10:39 (ESV)

This morning I am reminded that in order for me to get the life I always wanted, I have to give up what I want and take up the cross for Christ. I have to deny my own self and provide for the glory of the LORD, then and only then will I reach the heights I was meant.

“²³And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. ²⁴For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.’” – Luke 9:23-24 (ESV)

I do my best to not be concerned with myself and getting what I want. But, I have to say that it gets frustrating seeing others seemingly getting ahead and finding what appears to be an easy way of things and not getting that same thing myself. It is tough to see others enjoying the “finer things” all while I am doing what I can to get by. Even in my own home, I seem to give and give and give and yet receive very little other than that which is the norm.

But, that is just it. I am not called to receive. I am called to give. To give of myself for others and more/most importantly, to give to the LORD all of me. I am not to be looking for my own life and seemingly getting ahead in the eyes of others. I am to be giving all of myself to the LORD and to others. I am to take up the cross of Christ and carry it for Him. I am to place my own down and follow Him. It is not about me it is about Christ and the spreading of the gospel to all of those around me.

I know that I am here to do the work of Christ. I know that I am made for great things. I also know that it is not supposed to be easy. It is not supposed to get me anything specific in this world. I know that my joy is found in the joy that is the face of God. I work so that others can relax and enjoy. I give to Lori so that she feels the love I have for her. I provided for my boys so they could get on with life. I will gladly wear the same 7 shirts each week. I will gladly drive the 30 year old car. I will gladly give up for myself to ensure that the LORD is glorified. And in return, I will find life everlasting in the presence of the LORD in heaven.

What are you working for? Are you working to find your life? What if you were to forget about your own life and worked to provide for others and the LORD, knowing that you will find your life in the presence of the LORD?

Gain Christ with Loss Through the Law

Here goes. I know, it sounds interesting in that we can gain through loss.

Paul was a very learned man and had considerable gain in life. He was fully Jewish. He was fully Hebrew. He could be considered a Pharisee. He was a great man thanks to his work in the law. Yet, he did not fully gain until he found Christ and in doing so, he lost all that he had gained in the law. Paul ended up in prison and ultimately died for his faith in Christ and through it all, counted that time as the time of his life as opposed to all that he had gained and lost in the law.

“⁷But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ¹⁰that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” – Philippians 3:7-11 (ESV)

Read carefully the above again. See and feel the freedom that Paul experienced through his faith in Christ. He had everything from the standpoint of the world, and yet he was overjoyed to lose it all for the sake of knowing Christ and seeking after him daily. Paul found joy in prison as he led people and churches to know Christ. He did not want for things other than to know Christ more.

I was reading and studying this morning and this passage hit me a little different this morning. I have been struggling with things a bit and needing a bit more clarity. God provided for me this morning that I am to just be joyful in the gain of knowing, trusting, and relying on Him. I am to put all the struggle away and know that God has me in a place, whether physical or in time, that I am to be in for Him and He will ensure things to be right according to His plan. I just need to revel in the fact that I may lose that which was gained through the law, but what a minimal loss it is compared to the gain I receive in Christ.

Where are you placing your gain? Are you relying on the law to provide for you and give you great things? What if you instead relied on the LORD, knowing that there is far greater gain in Christ?