This study was first taught on March 22, 2011

Topic: ASKing (1): ASKing Who?

No audio available for this study.

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Background
Last week, as we concluded on the theme, “Not Fitting for the Unfit”, we saw that since fools don’t value wisdom, their asking or seeking for wisdom will not be fruitful because God will not give what is precious to ‘swine’. In the same vein, we said that we should not keep company with fools. Again, we saw that scorners hate correction and rebuke, as well as those who correct them. Hence, we noted that God will not give scorners counsel, as it will go to waste. We also saw that punishing a scorner will not help him, as he is bent on his own destruction. However, punishing scorners benefits those people who may not learn to depart from iniquity except they see people punished.

We saw a few things that are not fitting for certain people among which are:
(a) Miracles: not for people who refuse to exhibit faith in God;
(b) Demons: cannot possess people who are right with God;
(c) The immoral woman: cannot trap men who are devoted to God;
(d) A good and prudent wife: not for a wine-bibber or a wife-abuser;
(e) Marriage and business partnership: cannot be between a believer and an unbeliever;
(f) Ministry: not for money lovers, fame seekers, lazy bones, and immoral people;
(g) Heaven: not for people who are not uncompromisingly righteous; and,
(h) God’s inheritance/rewards: not for unholy, filthy, evil, and wicked people.

Scripture Text(s)
Matthew 7:7-11
The Amplified Bible and NLT render v.7 of our scripture text as “Keep on asking, … keep on seeking, … and keep on knocking …” in place of the KJV rendering of “Ask, … seek, … and knock …”. Basically, the Lord is telling us to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking, until we receive, find, and the door opened unto us, respectively.

As our theme, we are using the word, “ASKing” which is formed from an acronym of Asking, Seeking, and Knocking; and joining it with “ing”. ASKing is to be distinguished from ‘Asking’, which is ‘to make a request’. As we study these verses over the next few weeks, we pray that the Holy Spirit will help us to continually and relentlessly pray, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
We are challenged to keep on ASKing; but who are we to ASK? The answer is obvious, but some believers have misrepresented Jesus’ illustration of a friend knocking and a child asking his father, to mean we can ASK anybody. This not the intention!
Genesis 32:1-2; Luke 11:5-13; 18:1-8; 9:40-48; Isaiah 30:1-4; 31:1-3; Jeremiah 2:26-27; Hosea 4:12; Isaiah 44:9-20; Psalm 115:1-11; 1 Samuel 5:1-7; Proverbs 21:31; Jeremiah 17:5-8; Psalm 60:11; Mark 4:37-39; Hosea 12:13; Psalm 23:1; 33:6-20; 20:7; 2 Chronicles 20:1-25; 2 Kings 19:35; Numbers 23:19; Proverbs 21:1; Esther 4:1ff; 5:1ff; Nehemiah 1:1ff; 2:1-8; Genesis 18:14a; Psalm 121:1-8; 86:6-10; 46:1-11.

Conclusion
Many people ask, seek, ad knock on the doors of their spouse, friends, family, judges, professionals or experts, great nations, great kings and their military, and even lifeless idols. Unfortunately, these human beings, nations, systems, and carved/molten images cannot deliver or save in the time of trouble. Indeed, vain is the help of man! Those who put their trust and confidence for deliverance and salvation in men of any stature and status, as well as idols, are cursed and doomed to destruction, respectively.

If we are going to ASK and get the result that we desire, we must be ASKing God, who is closer that a friend, more loving and caring than parents, and who is able to do what no man can. God alone judges righteously; and He alone can defeat nations, mighty armies, and national idols. He is able to save all who call on Him for help from the storms of life, bondage and captivity, oppression, and troubles of every kind. God controls the rulers of the nations and get them to do His bidding. Indeed, with God nothing is too hard or impossible. By merely speaking, God made the heavens and the earth; and He can resolve matters just by speaking to situations. It is this God, the Father of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Who we should be asking, seeking, and knocking on His doors! And if the need arises to talk to any man about anything, God Himself will give us His leading and bring us into favour with such men, no matter how high and mighty they may be.

Throughout the rest of our study, when we speak of asking, seeking, and knocking, we will be speaking of making our requests, inquiries, and pleadings to God; not to a man, nation, system/organization, and most certainly, not an idol. Even when we speak of ASKing men, it will be in the context of God giving us His go-ahead to do so.

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