Thanks to all who helped with our celebration of our Eighth Anniversary

Thanks to all who helped

with our celebration of our

Eighth Anniversary

Series: The Importance of...The Importance Of Asking

God

The Importance Of Asking GodMatthew 6:1-18(NKJV) 1“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

The Importance Of Asking God5“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

The Importance Of Asking God9In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. 14“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

The Importance Of Asking God16“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

The Importance Of Asking God

How do we ask of God?

Asking is usually done in prayer

Prayer (serious or asking prayer) should be done in private – vs. 5-6

Prayer (asking) needs to be direct – 7












So, How do we ask God?

Approach Him with respect - 99…Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your

name.



Approach Him with respect - 9

Afford Him His due10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On

earth as it is in heaven.




Afford Him His due

Address your need (s)11 Give us this day our daily bread.




Afford Him His due

Address your need (s)

Ask for His help12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our

debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.




Afford Him His due

Address your need (s)

Ask for His help

Applaud His greatness


Are there any other promises about asking God in the Bible?

Yes…Unity helps

Matthew 18:19-20(KJV) 19Again 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. 20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.



Prayer that is full of faith works

Matthew 21:22(KJV) 22And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.



Asking for our needs works

The Importance Of Asking GodMatthew 7:7-12(NKJV) 7“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11If 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! 12Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.


What are the limits of God’s ability?

He can do more than we ask or think

Ephesians 3:20-21(KJV) 20Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.



He can do great things

The Importance Of Asking GodActs 3:1-10(KJV) 1Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. 4And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

The Importance Of Asking God6Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.7And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9And all the people saw him walking and praising God: 10And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.



He can answer according to our faith

James 1:5-6(NKJV) 5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.


Why do my requests not happen?

We doubt - James 1:6

We ask wrongly

James 4:1-3(NKJV) 1Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

The Importance Of Asking GodSo God just hears everyone and answers all of the things they ask to receive?

NO!1 John 3:22-24(NKJV) 22And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. 24Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.


We should not look at God as a “candy jar”

He is a loving sovereign God

He will help us and meet our needs

We need to know Him, love Him, and abide with Him

We can have confidence in Him if we know Him

1 John 5:14(NKJV) 14Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.






























The Gadarean asked the Lord to not torture Him

More than he asked…He healed Him


The woman who had been sick for 12 years just wanted to touch His garments and be healed

She was completely healed


Jairus who came to Jesus and asked Him to heal his daughter Tabitha

She died before He got there…yet the Lord answered Jairus’ request and did even greater

He brought her back from death


The woman at the well in John 4 who asked for the Living Water

Received the Lord and shared His blessings with others


Blind Bartimaeus asked first for mercy (maybe he was thinking alms), then upped the ante and asked to be healed

He was healed

and then followed Jesus


God is willing to help us

God wants us to be His followers


What are reasons we do not ask or not receive?

Lack of faith – James 1:6

Stubborn or self-sufficient

Selfishness – James 4:3

Lack caring, love or we are unconcerned (to ask for others)




















Do you know the best thing you can ask of God?

Forgiveness in Jesus’ name

We call that salvation, being saved, being born again, etc.

Have you ever asked Jesus into your heart?

Have you ever asked God to forgive your sins?

Thanks to all who helped with our celebration of our Eighth Anniversary

Documents

heavenly father

godthe importance

secret place

prayerprayer serious

charitable deeds

left hand

right hand

vain repetitions