ASK, SEEK, KNOCK
Key verse: 7
NIV
Ask, Seek, Knock(A)
7 “Ask and it will be given to you;(B) 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;(C) and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If 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(D) to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,(E) for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.(F)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Ask, and It Will Be Given
7 (A)“Ask, (B)and it will be given to you; (C)seek, and you will find; (D)knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for (E)bread, will give him (F)a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, (G)who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will (H)your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
The Golden Rule
12 “So (I)whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is (J)the Law and the Prophets.
Read full chapterCross references
- Matthew 7:7 : For ver. 7-11, see Luke 11:9-13
- Matthew 7:7 : ch. 18:19; 21:22; Mark 11:24; John 14:13; 15:7, 16; 16:23, 24; James 1:5, 6, 17; 1 John 3:22; 5:14, 15
- Matthew 7:7 : 1 Chr. 28:9; 2 Chr. 15:2; Prov. 8:17; Jer. 29:13; [Isa. 55:6]
- Matthew 7:7 : [Rev. 3:20]
- Matthew 7:9 : ch. 4:3
- Matthew 7:9 : ch. 4:3
- Matthew 7:11 : ch. 12:34; Gen. 6:5; 8:21
- Matthew 7:11 : [See ver. 7 above]; ch. 18:19; 21:22; Mark 11:24; John 14:13; 15:7, 16; 16:23, 24; James 1:5, 6, 17; 1 John 3:22; 5:14, 15
- Matthew 7:12 : Luke 6:31
- Matthew 7:12 : See ch. 22:40
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Don't give up--pray (7-8)
Sometimes we are judgmental or critical of others because we are competitive or envious. But we don't need to struggle with people; we must struggle with God in prayer. We must ask our Father God for what we need. James 4:2b-3 says that we do not have because we do not ask God, and we do not receive because we ask with wrong motives.
2. God gives good gifts (9-12)
Even sinful people love their children and want to give them good gifts. How much more does our loving heavenly Father want to give us the very best gifts. Luke 11 says that the best gift God can give us is his Holy Spirit. God wants us to ask him for his good gifts because he wants us to know him and love him and depend on him. When we receive God's good gifts, we can be generous with others.
Prayer: Father, teach me how to pray persistently, until I know you better and love you more and walk with you every day. Give me your Holy Spirit.
One Word: Ask, seek, knock
