Vin Smith Concert Pianist. Piano Tuner. Talk Show Host. Novelist.

To ask, to seek, and then armed with the knowledge of where to find the answer behind what specific door is the quintessential trio of ingredients behind mankind's historic Salvation Quest. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (Matthew 7:7 KJV)

Many other examples abound in scriptural reporting of Salvation Quests. Nicodemus experienced something similar when he sought Jesus (John 3:1-21) The rich young ruler (Mark 10:17-27) The Magi also went to ask, seek and knock (Matthew 2). That they inquired of King Herod gives us a beautiful picture of how God protects us all. 

He protected His only begotten son with the information to flee to Egypt. The enemy, the god of this fallen planet--Satan himself, originator of sin--cannot touch us if we always remember to ask the right questions. Then seek out the right source when we get the clues we need to find the source; and finally, knock on the right door.

Is the right door the houses of Mammon? Never! The right door will always find those who love the Lord. What if we ask the wrong sources at the beginning of our Salvation Quest? Remember that the magi did just that. They came from the East... They knew not the lay of the land... They asked the most evil one they could have come across. And they were protected by God. They returned to their own land by another route, going away from the danger that Herod and his minions would have posed. 

The same protection is given to us. If you wish to escape the clutches of sin and death--simply ask, seek and knock. "For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (Matthew 7:8 KJV) 

There is no risk in seeking the Lord! The quintessential "sure bet."

February 04 2014 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Hannah Towe

I believe that what he means when he says that is that you won't get your answers from him if you don't ask and desire it. He won't help you unless you truly ask, you can't just sit on the couch and expect him to do something.... you have to earnestly seek him or you won't get it. He wants you to desire the knowledge or whatever you're asking for, not just expect it.

February 04 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Dan Rivers Christian, Husband, Grandfather, Son, AT&T retiree

Only believers seek God...

Paul, who received all he knew directly from the Lord (Gal 1:11,12), tells us that NO ONE seeks God, no one understands... (Rom 3:11).

He tells us that Jesus would not have been crucified if they had understood, 1 Cor 2:8

Only a person that understands the Gospel of Grace WILL seek God because that person is indwelled with Holy Spirit, 1 Cor 2:11-13

In fact a person without the Holy Spirit thinks that what Christians believe is foolishness because they can't understand it...

{1Co 2:14 NLT} But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.

Once a person has the Spirit then can they understand and thus believe and seek the Lord because the Spirit gives us "the mind of Christ"

{1Co 2:16 NLT} For, "Who can know the LORD's thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?"But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.

The Spirit in us is what not only gives us the desire to seek and please God, but it also gives us the power to do the things that please God...

{Phl 2:13 NLT} For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Because the Lord has given us the Spirit we can say, 

"That only God truly deserves All the glory and praise"

So Jesus is saying that everyone with the indwelling Holy Spirit SEEKS and WILL find and everyone with the Spirit that knocks will have the door opened. No if's, buts or and's...Matt 7:8

December 04 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

TJ Horsman

To me this scripture contains a beautiful message about God welcoming and accepting into his family anyone who actively seeks to know him. No-one is excluded; if you look for him wholeheartedly, you will find him, and in him you will find the fullness of life and all you need. He will love you as a parent loves a child:

7"Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8Everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find, and for the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9"If your child asks you for bread, would any of you give him a stone?... So how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him? (Matthew 7)

In Jeremiah there is a similar expression of God's desire to reconcile with and bless anyone who turns back from their own path to seek him again:

11I know the plans that I have for you, declares the LORD. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope. 12Then you will call to me. You will come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13When you look for me, you will find me. When you wholeheartedly seek me, 14I will let you find me, declares the LORD. I will bring you back from captivity. (Jeremiah 29: 11-14)

February 05 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Shantkumar S. Kunjam An Indian, Mennonite Church, Pastor, Administrator, Bishop,

First let us get it right that the trio in Mt. 7:7 are not commandments but examples from every-day life. The verses 7-12 form a unit. The only command in this unit is in v. 12, "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."

To be able to obey this command in v. 12 our Lord gives two examples. First is in verses 7 and 8. Keep on asking, seeking and knocking because it works. Second example is in vs. 9 and 10 in the form of rhetoric that no parent will give harmful things to their children.

In v. 11 there is a promise that our heavenly Father will give much better things and sooner than our earthly parents can give. This promise is given citing the two previous examples.

So on the strength of these two examples and one promise we are commanded to a behavior that fulfills the Law and the Prophets. So far the worldly ethicist had come up with a negative proverb that we should not do anything to others which we do not like for ourselves. But our Lord gave a positive command, to do to others what we would like them to do to us.

So the main question: What did Jesus mean when He said ask, seek and knock, and you shall be given, you shall find and the door will be opened for you. This is simply citing everyday experience to reveal that our heavenly Father is much more generous giver than even the loving earthly parents. Hence we should not hesitate to do to others what we would like them to do to us. This is an ethics, par excellence.

In my above answer I just want to add this that 1. if we persistently ask, knock and find even the reluctant person will respond positively. 2. Even our earthly parents being not perfect know to give good things to their children. 3. Our heavenly Father is much more willing to give what is the best for us. With these things we can surely obey the command in verse 12.

February 24 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Rush Hampton

Math 7 is a very hard chapter to follow. Math 7-8, 7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Kjv. 

In order to fully understand what is being addressed here, in context, we must look at referencing scripture to understand. So let's bring in Luke 11 to see the subject......

And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?o

12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

The subject here is a friend has come to a friend, asking for help or is in need. So the friend does not have what he is in need of (bread), so the friend goes to his friend (the Holy Spirit) and asks for help. The Greek wording here implies a consistant knocking, asking, seeking as a continuation until he (the friend who is innercending for the friend) receives revelation from the Holy Spirit to give the traveling friend his answer. Here's the sum, maybe someone needs a word of knowledge on a let's say a business decision and they ask your opinion, you are to go to the Lord, ask for revelation on the matter then after you have received it, give it to your friend. We are to innercend for our friends when a time of need comes. We are to keep knocking, keep seeking, and keep knocking till we get the answer.

Mathews explanation is kinda vague but Luke puts in in perspective to better understand the subject. This is why the scripture says, 2 Timonthy 2:15, study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needth not to be ashamed, rightly deviding the word of truth.

Always cross reference scripture so we can fully understand and not, "miss the mark"

God Loves You, Amen

December 04 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report