May 25,
2003
ASK,
AND YOU WILL RECEIVE, Part I
"Ask,
and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock,
and it will be opened to you... Ask, and you will receive,
that your joy may be full" (Matthew 7:7; John 16:24,
NKJV).
"To
leave no chance for unbelief, misunderstanding, or misinterpretation
of His words, the Lord repeats the thrice-given promise. He
longs to have those who would seek after God believe in Him
who is able to do all things. Therefore He adds, 'For
everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to
him who knocks it will be opened' (Matthew 7:8).
"The
Lord specifies no conditions except that you hunger for His
mercy, desire His counsel, and long for His love.
"
'Ask.' The asking, makes it manifest that you realize your
necessity; and if you ask in faith you will receive. The Lord
has pledged His word, and it cannot fail. If you come with
true contrition you need not feel that you are presumptuous
in asking for what the Lord has promised. When you ask for
the blessings you need, that you may perfect a character after
Christ's likeness, the Lord assures you that you are asking
according to a promise that will be verified. That you feel
and know you are a sinner is sufficient ground for asking
for His mercy and compassion. The condition upon which you
may come to God is not that you shall be holy, but that you
desire Him to cleanse you from all sin and purify you from
all iniquity. The argument that we may plead now and ever
is our great need, our utterly helpless state, that makes
Him and His redeeming power a necessity.
"
'Seek.' Desire not merely His blessing, but Himself. 'Acquaint
yourself with Him, and be at peace' (Job 22:21). Seek, and
you shall find. God is seeking you, and the very desire you
feel to come to Him is but the drawing of His Spirit. Yield
to that drawing. Christ is pleading the cause of the tempted,
the erring, and the faithless. He is seeking to lift them
into companionship with Himself. 'If you seek Him, He will
be found by you' (1 Chronicles 28:9)." Thoughts From
The Mount Of Blessing, pp., 130, 131.
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