Seek The Things Above

Sermon July 28   Ask, Seek, Knock

Old Testament -Amos Hosea 1:2-10

In this text Hosea, the first of the Minor Prophets, challenges us to see the world through God’s eyes.  It is not a pretty picture…

God is a like a long-suffering spouse who encounters never-ending unfaithfulness and rejection but whose love is so great that He is willing to suffer great pain and all kinds of indignities in order to win back the beloved.  On down the road God is even willing to be crucified for the unfaithful one. Just when the story is at its lowest point, Hosea sounds a message of incredible grace.

So, In this story God is showing how Israel had forsaken God. Hosea was instructed to marry this prostitute as an example of how Israel had treated God.  In the end Hosea had to go after this wife that had harloted herself out to a rich man and had to buy her back on the auction block.

But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Lord their God; I will not save them by bow, or by sword, or by war, or by horses, or by horsemen.

4: 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because those hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shall be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children….

A warning by God not to forget His Law….Jesus told us the two laws that are the most important….Love the Lord they God with all thy heart, soul, might, and mind…and love thy neighbor as thyself.

Psalm  85

Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.

Even in the book of Revelation Jesus sends out a warning to the churches. Even in our world and society today when we get off the path we are given warnings.  We should take heed to the warnings given to us by Jesus,  God,   Almighty.  (I encourage you to go home and read these passages from the book of Revelation.)

Rev. 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto  the churches…(Ephesus)

Rev. 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches .(Smyrna)

Rev.2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches..(Pergamos)

Rev. 2:29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.(Thyatira)

Rev. 3:6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches…(Sardis)

Rev. 3:13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches..(Philadelphia)

Rev. 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches..Laodiceans)

Rev. 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock, if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Epistle- Colossians 2:6-19

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human TRADITION, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ.

The problems the Pharisees got into was listening to man rather than God. They were pushing the people to hear their proclamations. The same is true today in many circles.

We must guard ourselves against traditions and STICK to the Word of God. That is where the answers lie.

Mankind has written all kinds of books. They have come up with all kinds of philosophies. All of that shall pass. But Gods Word last forever. Matthew 5:17-18 Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.  For verily I say unto you, Til heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Isaiah 55:11 So shall my Word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Lets make a comparison.  In Genesis 1:1 what does it say:  In the Beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

 Look at John 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by Him: and without Him was not anything made that was made.  In Him was LIFE, and the LIFE was the light of men.  And the light shineth in the darkness: and the darkness comprehended it not.

Now let us look at Revelation 1:8 JESUS is speaking:  I Am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

V. 17….Fear not, I am the first and the last. 18. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death.

Is there any doubt Who Is Speaking to Us.

Gospel Reading ( Please Stand if Able)  Luke 11:1-13

The first part of this text we see the disciples asking Jesus to teach them to pray. He instructed them to ask for Daily bread. There is bread that feeds the body. And there is bread that feeds the soul. Jesus stated that he is the Bread that came down.

He also instructed them about forgiveness. Look it up in the KJV and read it carefully. It says this:  And forgive us our sins; for we ALSO FORGIVE EVERYONE THAT IS INDEBTED TO US.

After this instruction Jesus gives the story about Asking, Seeking, and Knocking.

Ask, and it will be given you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you.

Let us look at other areas that Jesus refers to Asking.

MT 6:8 Your Father knoweth what things you have need of, before you ask him.

MT 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Jesus is inviting us to have conversation with the Father.

In life we have to ask in order to receive. And after we ask we are in expectation of an answer.

Why do we continue with our education? Because we are seeking answers, we are seeking knowledge, we are seeking our purpose in life. 

When we are in doubt about our spiritual life we seek answers in Gods Word.

We have to keep knocking on the doors of knowledge to find answers. Sometimes we have to continue knocking until we find the answer we are looking for that satisfies us.

Matt 7:11 If you 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?

How much clearer can this be?  If we can do the least to our own children and family how much more will God do for us.

 

Matt 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall Agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ASK, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. V.20 for where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in the midst of them.

Some people get hung up on thinking that you have to have a large crowd to be thought of as successful. Jesus plainly tells us if two will agree it shall be done.  And if two or three are gathered together HE WILL BE THERE>

Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, BELIEVING, ye shall receive.

The key word in this passage is the word “BELIEVING”.  In the formula I have shared with you many times it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that most people get stuck between asking and believing which then hinders the receiving.

Even Jesus could do no great miracles in his own home town because of their  “UNBELIEF”.

John 15:7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.

Abide means to live. If we live in Christ and His Words live in us then we can ask and it shall be done.

John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ASK, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.

Many people ask without expecting God to hear or answer.  The same is true of seed time and harvest. You plant butterbeans you get butter beans back.  We give to God because we love him. Not because of a religious expectation. But he clearly tells us that  if we give it shall be given.  For as long as I can remember I have given away clothes, cars, furniture, and YES MONEY.  And guess what?  I can’t outgive God. It comes back as it says “pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall MEN give unto your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete (give out) withal it shall be measured to you again.

Giving is part of the principle of God’s Kingdom. He clearly shows that from Genesis to Revelation. It not a blab and grab it philosophy. It is the way with God. And God has tried to show us over and over that this is a principle of the kingdom….a law if you will.

James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lust.

God is not a vending machine and many people look at it as such. You don’t give to get as in bargaining with God. Yet the principle is in force which is giving and receiving. God gave us His Son so that He could receive us back unto himself IF , IF,  IF, we will accept that free salvation offered to us.

I John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that , if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever wwe ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

What is the Will of GOD?  It is His Word.  If you have installed a new ice maker in your refrigerator and it doesn’t work what do you do? You look at the instructions (MEN). The reason so many peoples lives are in such chaos is because they have not looked at the instruction manual for life in a long time. That instruction manual is Gods Word. Unless you know His Word you do not understand the principle of how to Ask, Seek, and Knock. Lord, open our eyes that we may see that you are our help in the Past, the present, and the future.