Invited

Invited

John 8: ²¹ Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”

²² So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”

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Adorned with gifts, my boss made their last appearance. It was my boss’s last day, so the tradition was to have a last meal dinner. About a year and a half later I got in touch with the person. “Want to come over to this company?” was the question. “Absolutely” was my answer.

• It felt great to be invited.
• It felt great to be thought of in a positive way.
• It felt great to be part of someone’s group.

JESUS says to the church leaders, who did not believe in HIS position as GOD, “I AM going away, and you will seek ME, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.” HIS words were not inviting.

• GOD invites me to be in HIS family.
• GOD wants me to see with my heart that I need HIM.
• GOD seeks me especially when I sin so I can be forgiven.

Being invited gives me the option to say, “No, I do not want to attend.” Unfortunately, the church leaders of that time said just that. They held onto the Bible’s words so tightly, that they missed the heart of what was said. When JESUS, the Messiah showed up, they indignantly refused to believe in HIM.

JESUS invites everyone, even me, to believe they are sinners in need of salvation from eternal separation from GOD. Satan’s pride of trying to be GOD would not be tolerated by GOD. HE threw Satan out of heaven, along with his followers. HE seeks HIS creation who are being fooled. I am grateful HE invited me to seek HIS family members.

• Do you wander around aimlessly?
• Do you feel you are not part of a family even though you were born into one?
• Will you accept GOD’s invitation as HE knocks on the door of your heart today and seek those HE wants to find?

Knock, knock

Luke 11: ⁹ “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ¹¹ If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?¹³ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

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Rubbing my hands together, I tried to keep warm but there was no sign of relief in sight. The bus was nowhere to be found and my friend and I danced around just to keep the blood flowing in our feet. A car pulled up and the driver looked like one of people who was going to our destination who we knew. Should I ask for a ride? “Yes!” It was delightful being in a warm car!

• There were times when I asked and I received.
• There have been many times when I was given exactly what I asked for.
• There were times when I thought I would not get what I asked for so I didn’t ask.

JESUS explains the heart of the HEAVENLY FATHER to HIS disciples. Right after HE explains how to pray, HE tells them to “Ask and it will be given to you.”  HE also explains that the HEAVENLY FATHER gives much better gifts than any human can give.

• GOD wants me to depend on HIM for all my needs.
• GOD wants me to believe that HE desires to give me what is best for me.
• GOD wants me to know HE can and will provide when I ask.

I guess asking is part of the free will GOD gave me. Even in my “evil” state I know how to give good things to people and GOD says “Ask ME for anything. I know how to give to you beyond anything you could ask for.” GOD’s heart is for me and HE seeks me daily. HE does want the best for me.

• Are you tired of asking?
• Do you fear GOD will say “no” so you have stopped asking?
• Will you simply believe GOD has the best in mind for you and ask HIM to fill you with HIS SPIRIT today?

What to Ask For

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

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New to this “asking” thing, I prayed “Please, please let me win the lottery!” I was sincere and I thought my motives were right because I just wanted to “quickly” help those around me who were in debt, me included. I purchased a ticket and watched zealously. Strangely each number on my ticket was off by exactly one or two. What are the odds?

• There have been many times I asked for the wrong things.
• There have been many times I sought after things that were not good for me.
• There have been many times I knocked on the door that would have led me to my destruction.

Asking, seeking and knocking are powerful, yet dangerous abilities. Sometimes I ask to get into trouble and GOD allows me to do it abundantly, then when I ask to get out of the trial, it seems like HE leaves me there long enough for me to wish I never had asked! What can I ask for?

• GOD wants me to ask for wisdom, knowledge and understanding in order to grow HIS kingdom.
• GOD wants me to seek first HIS kingdom so HE can draw all who seek HIM back to HIM.
• GOD wants me to knock on the hearts of those who have turned their backs on HIM.

Asking for “that” person to be successful or better yet, saved, is what I find being aligned with what GOD wants. If money is required, then I truly have to check my motives to ensure the “ask” is not rooted in all kinds of evil. GOD also wants me to seek out those who are lost. HE then wants me to press on their heart by knocking on the door of their soul.

GOD also knows my needs. HE has granted me stuff, jobs and relationships. HE even showed me the location of my lost keys. HE allows me to ask for anything, but the more I ask for things that align with what HE wants, the more my prayers are answered with “Yes, of course!”

• Are you asking for something GOD does not want you to have?
• When is the last time you asked for something that would enable a person to seek GOD?
• Are you seeking GOD’s kingdom?
• Will you allow GOD to show you how to knock on someone’s heart to accept JESUS as their Savior?

Ask and HE will give it to you! Is this real?

Matthew 7:7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 9"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

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I have seen this scripture for years and sometimes I find it hard to believe. You mean all I have to do is ask? Okay then, where is my money, fame and riches? Why didn't my favorite team win? Why is my friend still sick?

For years I thought this was the blank check to get whatever "I" wanted, but after closer examination I see this scripture, like all scripture, is associated with GOD. Anything associated to GOD has to have a pure motive.

When my motive is selfish then my prayer isn't heard. "Wait a minute", you say... I pray "for" people and it seems like they aren't getting "their" way. It still comes back to motive. I have prayed for people and haven't believed in the thing I was praying for.

When I hear GOD say "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; Knock and the door will be opened to you" I hear a message that is no longer paved with greed or lust. So what does GOD want? GOD wants every human to be saved. HE wants the well being of every human on this planet.

• When I ask for a person to be saved and that it is not necessary for me to see their salvation, GOD gives it to me in abundance.
• When I ask for my heart to be changed towards the person I am angry with, HE gives it to me in abundance.
• When I ask for better relationships with family and friends, GOD gives it to me in abundance.
• When I ask for GOD to supply all my "needs", GOD gives it to me in abundance.

The problem is sometimes I can't separate "needs" from "wants." A "desire" pops in my head and then it may turn into an "expectation." When I expect to get my selfish desire then I get disappointed with GOD when HE remains silent. I pout for a while and then I blame GOD for not listening.

Now I see it... GOD knows that if I get my selfish way I would continue to move away from HIM. The more money I have, the more lavish my lifestyle becomes. After a while I judge “who” are my "true friends" or I judge who gets “some” of my money, or I judge my family’s’ motives asking "do they love me or my money?"

Now this isn't about living a poor life barely existing, but it “is” about motive.

• If GOD sees a good steward of finances, HE will bless that person with more to distribute to HIS people.
• IF HE sees a humble person who points their actions to CHRIST, then HE will grant miracles of healing.
• If HE sees faith in a person then HE will show them more and more of the future which always points to GOD.

Then I read "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you." Finally, I get it. "Asking" is yet another tool for me to have better relationships with people. When I "ask" for the best for others, GOD blesses me and grows their faith.

• Do you think GOD hears you?
• Check your prayer... Is it all about "you" or about your relationships?
• Do you really believe GOD will supply your "needs?"
• Do you need the thing you have been asking for all this time?
• Do you have bad thoughts about how GOD answers prayers?