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Text to read: Matthew 7:7 “Keep asking, and it will be given to you; keep seeking, and you will find; keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who keeps asking receives; he who keeps seeking finds; and to him who keeps knocking, the door will be opened. 9 Is there anyone here who, if his son asks him for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone? 10 or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 So if you, even though you are bad, know how to give your children gifts that are good, how much more will your Father in heaven keep giving good things to those who keep asking him!
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John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for Text to read: Matthew 7:7-11
Verse 7
[7] Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
But ask — Pray for them, as well as for yourselves: in this there can be no such danger.
Seek — Add your own diligent endeavours to your asking: and knock - Persevere importunately in that diligence. Luke 11:9.
Verse 8
[8] For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
For every one that asketh receiveth — Provided he ask aright, and ask what is agreeable to God's will.
Verse 11
[11] 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?
To them that ask him — But on this condition, that ye follow the example of his goodness, by doing to all as ye would they should do to you.
For this is the law and the prophets — This is the sum of all, exactly answering Matthew 5:17. The whole is comprised in one word, Imitate the God of love. Thus far proceeds the doctrinal part of the sermon. In the next verse begins the exhortation to practise it.
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Daily Devotional:
Monday, November 9, 2015
Text to read: Matthew 7:7-11
- What place does doubt have in your life of faith?
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Text to read: Matthew 7:7-11
- Is there any question we might ask God that is inappropriate?
- Why?
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Text to read: Matthew 7:7-11
- Read Matthew 7[Matthew 7:“Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged. 2 For the way you judge others is how you will be judged — the measure with which you measure out will be used to measure to you. 3 Why do you see the splinter in your brother’s eye but not notice the log in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ when you have the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite! First, take the log out of your own eye; then you will see clearly, so that you can remove the splinter from your brother’s eye!6 “Don’t give to dogs what is holy, and don’t throw your pearls to the pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, then turn and attack you.7 “Keep asking, and it will be given to you; keep seeking, and you will find; keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who keeps asking receives; he who keeps seeking finds; and to him who keeps knocking, the door will be opened. 9 Is there anyone here who, if his son asks him for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone? 10 or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 So if you, even though you are bad, know how to give your children gifts that are good, how much more will your Father in heaven keep giving good things to those who keep asking him!12 “Always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that sums up the teaching of the Torah and the Prophets.13 “Go in through the narrow gate; for the gate that leads to destruction is wide and the road broad, and many travel it; 14 but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.15 “Beware of the false prophets! They come to you wearing sheep’s clothing, but underneath they are hungry wolves! 16 You will recognize them by their fruit. Can people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every healthy tree produces good fruit, but a poor tree produces bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, or a poor tree good fruit. 19 Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown in the fire! 20 So you will recognize them by their fruit.21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, only those who do what my Father in heaven wants. 22 On that Day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord! Didn’t we prophesy in your name? Didn’t we expel demons in your name? Didn’t we perform many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will tell them to their faces, ‘I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!’(Matthew 7:23 Psalm 6:9(8))[24 “So, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on bedrock. 25 The rain fell, the rivers flooded, the winds blew and beat against that house, but it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the rivers flooded, the wind blew and beat against that house, and it collapsed — and its collapse was horrendous!”28 When Yeshua had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at the way he taught, 29 for he was not instructing them like their Torah-teachers but as one who had authority himself].
- What does Jesus say about asking?
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Text to read: Matthew 7:7-11
- When we ask God a question, what issues are most pressing?
Friday, November 13, 2015
Text to read: Matthew 7:7-11
- Do you expect an answer to a question you ask of God?
- Do you keep track?
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Text to read: Matthew 7:7-11
- List your top three questions for God.
- Do they have anything in common?
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Text to read: Matthew 7:7-11
- Pray for those who doubt or struggle with faith.
First United Methodist Church
2111 Camino del Rio South
San Diego, California 92108 United States
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Sermon Story "Good Gifts" by Gary Lee Parker for Sunday, 15 November 2015 with Scripture Text to read: Matthew 7:7 “Keep asking, and it will be given to you; keep seeking, and you will find; keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who keeps asking receives; he who keeps seeking finds; and to him who keeps knocking, the door will be opened. 9 Is there anyone here who, if his son asks him for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone? 10 or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 So if you, even though you are bad, know how to give your children gifts that are good, how much more will your Father in heaven keep giving good things to those who keep asking him!
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As we reflect upon this passage of Scripture where Jesus is teaching about God giving good gifts to His people, He states that we should continue to ask what we need for life. We realize to often that people have abused this teaching to relate to asking for wealth to enjoy life in pleasure and leisure while ignoring the poor and marginalized. We see that many people who are marginalized seek God with their whole heart and aske for their basic needs to be met and to be accepted by other people. They give thanks because their baic needs are being met, but they get frustrated and angry because they are not included in the activities of society even in the church. One group of people who have been marginalized have been people who are differently abled have been set aside or maybe brought into the church in segregated classrooms, but still not included in the full activities of the church. We look at this and we see many people attempting to remedy this through such organizations as Joni and Friends or the United Methodist Church's Task Force on The Disability Ministry yet people within the church even leaders struggle with this because they do not see their place in the inclusion of people who are differently abled as viable ministry other than attempting to heal them to be just like they are. Yes, Jesus did heal many people in His days He walked the earth from their disability or infirmities, but just as Jesus said about the children to let the little children to come unto Me and do not hinder them, He refers to all of us as children especially the people who are vulnerable. We hear talk about the church in the United States declining in numbers while we seek ways to include the young people who are leaving the church, we appear to forget how they see their friends and family members who are differently abled. They have learned more about God and His love and mercy than they did from the church who appears to reject their friends. It is amazing how God can work through the least of these my children to get His truthful Message of Grace, Love, Acceptance, and Inclusion especially as we take part in the Holy Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist when we eat the Body of Jesus and drink His Blood. We come for His Power of LOve and Blessings singing the Hymn "For God's Gifts" by Howard Thurman
O Holy God,
open unto me
light for my darkness,
courage for my fear,
hope for my despair.
O loving God,
wisdom for my confusion,
forgiveness for my sins,
love for my hate.
O God of peace,
open unto me,
peace for my turmoil,
joy for my sorrow,
strength for my weakness.
O generous God,
open my heart
to receive all your gifts. Amen.
or "For your gift of God the Spirit" by Edith Margaret Clarkson (1959, 1976, 1984)
1. For your gift of God the Spirit,
power to make our lives anew,
pledge of life and hope of glory,
Savior, we would worship you.
Crowning gift of resurrection
sent from your ascended throne,
fullness of the very Godhead,
come to make your life our own.
2. He who in creation's dawning
brooded on the lifeless deep,
still across our nature's darkness
moves to wake our souls from sleep,
moves to stir, to draw, to quicken,
thrusts us through with sense of sin;
brings to birth and seals and fills us
saving Advocate within.
3. He, himself the living Author,
wakes to life the sacred Word,
reads with us its holy pages
and reveals our risen Lord.
He it is who works within us,
teaching rebel hearts to pray,
he whose holy intercessions
rise for us both night and day.
4. He, the mighty God, indwells us;
his to strengthen, help, empower;
his to overcome the tempter
ours to call in danger's hour.
In his strength we dare to battle
all the raging hosts of sin,
and by him alone we conquer
foes without and foes within.
5. Father, grant your Holy Spirit
in our hearts may rule today,
grieved not, quenched not, but unhindered,
work in us his sovereign way.
Fill us with your holy fullness,
God the Father, Spirit, Son;
in us, through us, then, forever,
shall your perfect will be done.
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Gary Lee Parker
4147 Idaho Street, Apt. 1
San Diego, California 92107-1844 United States
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