I "am" asking, how come I'm not "getting?"

Luke 11:9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

===============================

The entire Bible is special, but anytime words are repeated, they are truly special. It seems like over the past few weeks I have run into GOD saying "ASK." I have to say to myself, "am I asking for the right things."

I pondered again, "what does GOD want me to ask for?" I thought about the things HE definitely won't or can't do. HE won't answer selfish prayer. HE can't cease to exist. HE can't make me GOD. HE can't go back on HIS promises to humans. HE can't and won't save me if I don't believe in HIS SON. Okay, maybe some of those things are obvious. But what about some of the lesser obvious prayers that HE won't or can't answer.

HE won't have my enemy drop dead if I'm the offender. HE won't shower each human with earthly riches instantly. HE won't force someone love you. HE won't force me to love HIM.

Wow, so HE says "ASK" but it doesn't seem like I get what I'm asking for. Check the rest of the story. JESUS had just finished teaching HIS disciples about prayer. The model HE gave them was to praise GOD, ask for needs not wants, ask for forgiveness of sins and ask to not be tempted.

I hear you. If you are like me you are thinking "what about my bills?" "What about the people in my life?" "What about my comfort?" "What about my desires?" Then I notice something. HE says "I'm evil."

I think I've glanced over that for years. HE says that an "evil" person like me knows how to give "good" gifts to my children. HE is right. I know how to provide for my family and I occasionally bring a smile on their faces. In my evil selfish way of thinking I still can give a "good" gift.

Then it hit me. GOD is telling me to "trust" HIM. HE is saying to me that HE has better gifts than I could ever know how to ask for. so HE says ask for the one very obvious thing that HE can provide namely the HOLY SPIRIT.

• To be filled with the SPIRIT means I am full of joy!
• To be filled with the SPIRIT means I can face today's issues knowing they can't hurt me.
• To be filled with the SPIRIT means I go through trials to strengthen my faith not weaken it.
• To be filled with the SPIRIT means I look forward to the day of CHRIST's return.
• To be filled with the SPIRIT means I will love humans the way HE loves me.

I now know what to ask for. GOD please give me a healthy dose of YOUR SPIRIT today. Please give me the drive and determination to keep my thoughts and actions focused on YOU. Please remove the frustrated thoughts that take me away from YOU and give me peace.

• Are you asking GOD for the wrong things?
• Have you asked GOD "what should I ask for?"
• Have you asked GOD to reveal HIS plan for you today?
• Have you asked GOD to change you instead of changing that person?