Matthew7:7-8

[jeffnevins]

Hm, good insights.  Interesting how one must often be mindful of other scripture when tackling an individually challenging one.

[OneLight]

Starting at Matthew 5:1 and ending at Matthew 7:29, everything Jesus taught speaks of living for God.  In a nutshell, if we are doing His will, our hearts and mind will be focused on what He wants for us, so what we ask for, what we seek and every door we knock on are inline with His will.  The key is His will, not ours. 

[Guest]

Keep asking seeking and knocking to me is to keep focused on him

[Retrobyter]

On 2/14/2016 at 11:22 AM, Spock said:

Yes but doesn't the Lord also seem to chastise men for being redundant?  The woman before the judge comes to mind. And Jesus also reminds us the father knows what we need before we even ask. I'm not sure God expects us to keep making the same request over and over and over in order to get his attention.  It depends on what we asking for, don't you think?

for example, if my wife had terminal cancer, are you telling me in order for God to heal her is for me to keep on keeping on asking God for healing until the day she dies or is healed? And by asking merely a few times is not enough to satisfy him?

Shabbat shalom, Spock.

Actually, the LORD doesn't "chastise men for being redundant"; He "chastises" them for "being redundant like to other gods."

Matthew 6:7-8
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
KJV

The woman before the judge was COMMENDED for her faithfulness (which the UNJUST JUDGE found "tedious").

Luke 18:1-8
1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
KJV

Now, about healing: First, it's important to understand that healing - TRUE healing from God - a miracle FROM GOD - is TEMPORARY! It's not the "end-all" to one's problems! We are to be looking forward to the RESURRECTION of our bodies! It will be THEN, when our bodies are renewed, that we can expect everlasting life.

The REAL purpose for God's healing is to DEMONSTRATE God's approval and AUTHENTICATE God's message, or rather, that the person doing both the healing and the speaking for God is ATTUNED to God!

This is how it was for Yeshua` (Jesus) during the 3.5 years He offered the Kingdom to Israel.

Matthew 4:23-25
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching (heralding) the gospel of (good news about) the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.
KJV

John 10:32-38
32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
KJV

John 14:9-15
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
KJV

Are you seeing the pattern? Yeshua` did not just perform some random miracles! They were chosen by God to support and authenticate the message that Yeshua` announced! Those He healed, even Elezar (Lazarus) whom He raised from the dead, DIED LATER! That's not the point!

If we have forgotten God's message about the coming Kingdom and we don't herald (annouce ahead of time) its arrival, as Yeshua` did, one should not be surprised when miracles don't come! GOD DOES NOT CHANGE! If He performed miracles for Yeshua` and the ones He sent ("Apostles"), He can do so for you, as well, WHEN you are attuned to the message about the Good News about His Kingdom that He wants all to hear!

Matthew 24:14
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached (heralded) in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
KJV

(We have hardly even BEGUN to herald this!)

God DOES want us to pray to Him, not to get what WE want, but to SPEND TIME WITH HIM! And, when we get on the same page with Him - "HIS page," btw - then amazing things can happen once again! Make the message about His coming Kingdom, which will be ruled by His Christ - His Messiah - His Choice for its King, and bring the one to be healed into that message (as God directs us to do so), and that person shall be healed to authenticate the message!