"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?
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!" [Matthew 7:7-11]

There is no doubt, if we observe the previous laws, we live with deep faith in God and with strong confidence in His promises.
Through prayers we are able to have strength and victory. Let us then pray till we get what we ask for as long they are according to God’s wish.
As true children to God, we belong to the Kingdom of Heavens who are His dependents in everything.

God listens to His children’s prayers and gives them good gifts. As He said, if your child asked you for a loaf of bread you don’t give him a stone, nor gives him a serpent if he asks you for a fish. Even as being sinners we give our children good things. Our Father who is in heaven always gives us undoubtedly everything that we ask for. God’s gifts are always in according to His grace and love. He gives what is the best for them.

If your younger son asks you for money that is more than he can handle, though you can afford to give it to him, yet you don’t, as he can’t appreciate its value at his age. When he grows up and asks for such an amount you are going to give it to him. When he is young, he can only handle small amounts, till he reaches the age to be able to understand and manage.

Similarly, God’s sons depend on their heavenly Father Who is rich and they don’t ask Him for pennies! They ask what they consider as appropriate to His wealth. If we pray for our earthy needs and refrain from asking for what is more important, this would be considered inappropriate. Jesus our Lord said, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." [Matthew 6:33]

As we get more knowledgeable, we understandingly know Him. We have to depend on Him in all our needs, and not to think that we are capable to get things done on our own. This may lead us sometimes to failure and weakness. A friend of mine when he was at the College of Arts, realized before the exam that some subjects was easy and some were difficult. He prayed and said he needed God’s help in the difficult one, as he was sure he needed no help in the easy subjects. He passed the difficult and failed in the easy ones. He learned then how to pray, but it was too late, to ask God for help in all the subjects! He realized that he needs God’s help all the time.

We realize that with God’s help is needed in everything and there is no winning without Him. St. Paul said, "…be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." [Romans 12:2]

A wise man once said that as we become more experienced, we feel our weakness, and we seek refuge between His strong arms for our safety, like the children in reaching their fathers and mothers for protection. God loves us tremendously with unlimited kindness and provides us in all our needs, as long as we ask Him for help. St. James said, "…You do not have because you do not ask" [James 4:2]

Ask and you will get everything and the people will be your friends. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." [Matthew 5:5].

God said, "And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." [John 14:3]

Ask at any time and knock the door so it will be opened. This is how God is encouraging us to pray. Does God need our prayers? He Himself knows before we ask, but the prayer gives us the feeling of His Fatherhood. The Father knows the needs of His children, but He is pleased when He is asked and gives them what pleases them. "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." [John 16:24]

Knock the door and it will be opened and believe that this door is opened by holy readings, as it is the door of the Heavenly Kingdom. If it is not opened, continue knocking till you are able to enter to enjoy His love in His presence.

I recall the story of a chap who went to Canada seeking a good job that may help in reconciliation between him and his wife. He stayed three months without finding a job. His money was almost gone and became worried and prayed God for help. In his thoughts he questioned why God permitted him to come to a country that wasn’t suitable for him. He prayed in tears, asked for God’s mercy. He was ready to return back to his country if necessary. He opened the Bible and as he read, he had an inner feeling that he will stay. Earlier he contacted the airline to extend the date of return for 10 days but this was denied, as his ticket didn’t qualify for such a change. As he kept praying, he was notified that they will waive this condition and was prepared to leave. Two days prior to his departure he got a good job, even it was held for him till he left, brought back his wife and their child,

God prepares everything during our life. Thus repeated prayers brings us great joy when we finally receive God’s gifts at the proper time.

Praying has 3 stages:

           First: Proceeding.
This is mentioned in the Bible, where it is said, "knock and it will be open". We have to ask. Knocking means that we re standing by the door. But God wants us to be in, in His presence. Unfortunately, we neglect to comprehend that and we stay on the outside. The Lord encourages us to knock and to come in and ask for our needs. He wants us to get nearer to Him, or there would be some distance between Him and us.

 
It is necessary for us to call Him first and search to reach Him before asking for our needs. Surely we will find Him in the same place, as Joseph and Mary did after their return to Jerusalem and were looking for Him for three days.

Whenever we seek Him, we will find Him. Always as we knock the door, it will be opened, so we enter and ask for what we need, in His presence.

A conversation with God, written in English in poem described a man saying, "God, while I am walking I usually see Your feet print and mine, but sometimes I only see one pair of footprints. Where are yours then? God replied and said, these were my foot prints as whenever I see you tired I carried you!"

Secondly :Faith

When we assemble in the name of the Lord, we believe according to His true promises that He is present with us. We don’t see, hear or touch Him, but we know He is there. Faith breaks the human limitation and takes us to the unseen. We truly believe of His presence.

The Holy Bible asks us to believe that we get what we pray for. It is through faith, the hidden vehicle that reaches us to the unseen. If we believe in this we will get what we ask for. He will give us what we ask for at the proper time in the way of His choice.

Many people may fail in this process, as God gives, but some of us wouldn’t receive it for faults of our own.

Listen to this:

A church’s congregation prayed God to send them servants needed for extended services in the villages of the diocese. They strongly believed that God would send them enough servants before the end of the year. A person suggested fixing a day for praying at the end of the year to thank God for sending as they asked. Another person asked that they have to thank God now as His giving is assured by their faith. So they held another meeting on the spot to thank Him for that. Before the year-end, their prayer had been accepted and they had more than one hundred servants to serve over one hundred villages.

Do you have that kind of faith? Have faith now.

There are three causes that work wrongly. These are :
1- Bad conscience
2-Hypocrisy to gain honor from particular people of authority
3- Loving money

Bad conscience:

St. Paul wrote, "Having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck." [1Timothy 1:19]

This illustrates a ship sailing in the ocean that is hit against a big rock and breaks down. This rock is nothing but the bad conscience. If I have faith in God, that is pure like the faith of a pure child, my conscience would be shameless towards God and people.

The conscience is nothing other than knowing yourself. There should be nothing impure between our God and us as St. John said, "For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight." [1John 3:20-22]

You may remember the "First Law" where is stated, " If therefore you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering."

We know that when our conscience is not good, our relation with our God is neither deep nor pure. If you don’t follow the "Law of Love" and insulted your friend then a black cloud will spoil the trust and faith.

This is, unfortunately, common among many Christians nowadays. Some who hear about faith during the sermons, give up because their lack of faith! Faith without deeds is dead.

Why our faith is that weak? Could it be because our behavior isn’t good?

Let us then behave well so He can strengthen our faith and then we see the greatness of our faith through our deeds.

Preaching for self-purposes

The Lord showed the reason by saying, "How can you believe, who receive honor from another, and not seek the honor that comes from the only God?" [John 5:44].

This deceives and hinders the faith. To try to to receive praise from people for what we say or do is against faith. That is bad. Christ our Lord questioned those who receive glory among them.

A man of faith, is the one who seeks glory from God only and not from the people. His only aim is to satisfy God not his friends. He is the one who depends on God. That is the man who believes in God and depends on His true promises. Who seeks people’s glory has no true faith.

For us the preachers, it is a grave mistake when we try to seek satisfaction from an audience for the sake of gaining fame, glory or authority.

One of the servants mentioned that he was on his way to attend a conference and he was not feeling well health wise. He said he used to ask God to give him blessing and strength. On this particular day he didn’t feel comfortable and he attributed that to the lack of faith. He said: "I prayed God to strengthen my faith so I can receive what I ask for. I felt as if God was whispering in my ears blaming me for my lack of faith as we try to reach glory among ourselves! I screamed and denied that never I did that. I received an answer that I had two friends that I was keen to gain their acceptance and attention!

I stood speechless with a shameful conscience and confessed to God that it was true. I went and confessed to God in the presence of my priest. I thanked the Lord the faithful Who said that He forgives those who confess their sins. I felt that I was forgiven and began to feel my faith coming back to me and was full of joy as felt God beside me. I believe in Him and His promises."

Is it the reason in loosing faith? We have to confess and pin this sin on the cross that Jesus Christ was pinned to it. And then we would be saved by God Whom we take as our interest in this life from now on. Then we will feel the wonderful freedom. But if we run after the glory of the earth, then we will be enslaved all our life. Let us ask for God’s glory to live in the freedom of His glory.

Worshipping wealth:

When you say thanks to the Lord that I don’t love money, do you really mean it? If you believe you don’t, do you execute the heavenly laws regarding money? Try to answer these questions:

• Do you give to those who ask you?
• Do you give who are seeking loans?
• Do you consider what you have belongs to your Lord and you are just an agent to God. Are you honest to the real owner –God - for what you were trusted for?

We have to rid ourselves from these characters and follow God’s path. If we do, we will be blessed by His gifts. Remember what the Lord said that we the sinners would not give our children a serpent when they ask for neither fish nor a stone when they ask for bread. If we, the sinners, don’t do it then our Father Who is in heaven will be more generous in His gifts for those who ask Him.

God is pleased when He gives. He is delighted to give us everything we ask for. When He doesn’t sometimes, that is because it was in our best interest not to have it at that time. That is similar to what fathers on earth would refrain from giving their children what they think might harm them.

            Thirdly: Generosity:

This will lead us to the "Tenth Law", the last of the laws of heavens. "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." [Mathew 6:12]

As we have a wonderful and generous Father who gives those who ask Him, we have to behave like His kindness and deal with others in the way we like them to deal with us.

There is a strong link between asking and giving.

The Sermon on the Mount aims that we should live on this earth for the others. What we ask God for others and their comfort, "The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself." [Proverbs 11:25]

Selfishness in itself is a cause that our prayers are not accepted.

St. James wrote, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures." [James 4:3]

God wants every one of us to be a blessing to others and to give them some of what God gave us.

Let the Lord save us from our own deficient requests, that His blessings may be limited upon us.

If we follow His orders, we get His blessings

If we ask we will get and if we knock, the door will be opened.