JULY 3
THE GIVER OF GOOD THINGS
Matthew 7:7-11
7 “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (WEB)
Jesus encourages us to ask, seek & knock. The very basis of today's Scripture passage rests on the premise that we have a Father in heaven who is waiting to give good things to those who ask Him. Though He is ready, willing and able to meet our needs, we do need to play our role. We need to ask. We need to seek. We need to knock.
He can't do that for us. It is something that He wants us to initiate, and when we do, He is right there waiting to give us good things. James 1:17 says... Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of Lights. He is the ultimate giver of every good gift that we receive...not only for believers but not yet believers too!
After all, our Father's heart is to pour out good gifts on all He has created. The Scriptures tell us that the sun shines on both the just and the unjust, so every person on the planet is a recipient of the goodness of God whether they know it or not.
When you think of Jesus' encouragement for you to ask, seek and knock, what is your response? Are you asking God for good gifts? Are you seeking Him out? Are you knocking on the door, expecting Him to answer? If not, my encouragement for you today is to simply GO FOR IT! Our Dad loves it when we seek Him out.
Back in January 2001, I felt the Lord encourage me to ask Him to bless our lives and our ministry. I realized at that time that I was more comfortable asking for His blessings for others than asking for His blessings on me personally. But nonetheless I was obedient and I asked my heavenly Father to bless our website which was getting 3,000 visits a day.
With a new boldness, I asked for 10,000 visits a day! Within a week, we were at 10,000 visits a day. Within another week, we were at 30,000 visits a day! And that is what really launched the Internet phenomenon that Father's Love Letter has become. Simply because I asked.
My prayer for you today is that you would have the boldness to go before the throne room of your heavenly Father knowing that He loves you and He delights in giving you good things. Not because you earn it or deserve it, but simply because you belong to Him and that is what good dads do for their children. So what are you waiting for? Ask!
James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow. (WEB)
7 “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (WEB)
Jesus encourages us to ask, seek & knock. The very basis of today's Scripture passage rests on the premise that we have a Father in heaven who is waiting to give good things to those who ask Him. Though He is ready, willing and able to meet our needs, we do need to play our role. We need to ask. We need to seek. We need to knock.
He can't do that for us. It is something that He wants us to initiate, and when we do, He is right there waiting to give us good things. James 1:17 says... Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of Lights. He is the ultimate giver of every good gift that we receive...not only for believers but not yet believers too!
After all, our Father's heart is to pour out good gifts on all He has created. The Scriptures tell us that the sun shines on both the just and the unjust, so every person on the planet is a recipient of the goodness of God whether they know it or not.
When you think of Jesus' encouragement for you to ask, seek and knock, what is your response? Are you asking God for good gifts? Are you seeking Him out? Are you knocking on the door, expecting Him to answer? If not, my encouragement for you today is to simply GO FOR IT! Our Dad loves it when we seek Him out.
Back in January 2001, I felt the Lord encourage me to ask Him to bless our lives and our ministry. I realized at that time that I was more comfortable asking for His blessings for others than asking for His blessings on me personally. But nonetheless I was obedient and I asked my heavenly Father to bless our website which was getting 3,000 visits a day.
With a new boldness, I asked for 10,000 visits a day! Within a week, we were at 10,000 visits a day. Within another week, we were at 30,000 visits a day! And that is what really launched the Internet phenomenon that Father's Love Letter has become. Simply because I asked.
My prayer for you today is that you would have the boldness to go before the throne room of your heavenly Father knowing that He loves you and He delights in giving you good things. Not because you earn it or deserve it, but simply because you belong to Him and that is what good dads do for their children. So what are you waiting for? Ask!
James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow. (WEB)