ask and ye shall receive

[third_servant]

Why is it that God can promise that “ask and ye shall receive” and then I ask and don’t receive? Is there something in the Bible that has an explanation on why asking for good things from God means he can deny you?

 

[Pug]

If you read that passage in Luke, around 11:3-13 (not Matt), the near context is getting three loaves of bread by driving a neighbor nuts, the daily bread in the Our Father, and also it talks about the Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.

I think the last one there, the Holy Spirit is the most important to receive. The Eucharist is also important.

You could look at the 2Cor12:7 passage about St. Paul praying and not having the “thorn in the flesh” taken away so that he would not get proud. Also, biblically, you could look in James4:3 about asking with wrong motives.

Try Matt 6:24 onward about not worrying about how to get clothes and stuff and ending with seeking the kindgom of God and having stuff added to you.

Anyway, those are a few places I know to look about this topic.

 

[JCPhoenix]

That is one of my favorite verses in the Bible.

Don’t confuse God with a mythical genie; he’s not there to grant wishes and answer your every demand.

God is our Father in heaven, the one who looks out for what’s best for us, which only he can determine through his view of our entire lives as well as the lives of those around us. Sometimes his answers are immediate and obvious, sometimes he asks us to wait, to persevere, and sometimes he gives us a flat-out “NO.”:

When I look back on my life, I am beginning to see why he gave the answeres he did when he did. I’m also seeing everyday answers to prayers…sometimes when looking to know what to do, and then someone crosses my path. Interanally he tells me to ask that person my question…and there’s the answer I need.

God doesn’t send down tongues of fire to tell us where to go or what to do, but instead leads us to people around us or into situations. He wants us to figure things out for ourselves. And if you want answers directly from him, learn about the Holy Spirit, spend quiet time with God and have enough respect to shut up and listen.

I struggled with this and continue to do so, but ever since I’ve begun spending time in adoration, I’ve begun to understand how he works and how he answers.

God is often not very obvious and if you think he’s not responding then it’s time for you to dig deep and open your eyes. Remember that you’re here to serve Him, not the other way around.

God Bless you on this journey.

 

[Joysong]

Dear Third Servant,

Yes, I understand how difficult it is to read words such as this. We read the promise, then ask in faith, believing we will receive, but instead, we find our petition is delayed or not answered at all.

Perhaps we may need to look at John 15:7, “If you live in me, and my words are part of you, you may ask what you will – it will be done for you. In this is my Father glorified, that you may bear very much fruit.”

Some bibles use the word “abide” in me. Jesus is giving His disciples a deep understanding of what it means to “abide” as He gives them the image of the vine and the branches.

To me, this passage says that when we are so close to God as to be one spirit with Him and abide in Him, our prayers will be made with the mind of Christ to the Father, and in that sense, they will be heard.

Carole

 

[third_servant]

Pug:

Try Matt 6:24 onward about not worrying about how to get clothes and stuff and ending with seeking the kindgom of God and having stuff added to you.

so this is proof God doesn’t care about our temporal needs. “Dont worry about your needs because they won’t be taken care of. Just care about the spiritual only since that is the only thing God cares about.”

 

[third_servant]

Joysong:

Dear Third Servant,

Yes, I understand how difficult it is to read words such as this. We read the promise, then ask in faith, believing we will receive, but instead, we find our petition is delayed or not answered at all.

Which means that either God broke his promise or I’m so worthless that that promise doesn’t apply to me.

To me, this passage says that when we are so close to God as to be one spirit with Him and abide in Him, our prayers will be made with the mind of Christ to the Father, and in that sense, they will be heard.

But this requires us to know what God wants, and God must tell us what he wants since we are so close to him.

Obviously, God doesn’t want to tell so I’m too far away. Maybe I should just kill myself so I can talk to him in person and get the answers I am supposed to get?

 

[Therese_Martin]

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This thread is now closed. Thanks to all who participated in the discussion.