"Ask, and it shall be given you."?

Question

"For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."--Matthew 7:8.

Mark Twain said there are "upwards of a thousand lies" in the Bible. But this is probably the biggest. How many desperate, frightened, broken-hearted parents have watched their children die while begging God to help? Isn't this verse just a huge lie?


I got this question from the "Skeptic's Annotated Bible".

Answer 1

Wow, the skeptics have their own Bible; that's weird.

The Bible never promises to give you or me everything we want. Read the surrounding verses in that passage, and you will see that Jesus is talking specifically about those who seek eternal life.

We are told to ask God for things and that sometimes we don't have things because we don't ask. We are told that God gives good gifts. We are told to ask according to the will of Jesus and we will receive what we ask for. Too often we pray for what we want, what we think is best--God only promises to give us what we ask for when it lines up with what he wants and what he knows is best, and he warns us that his ways are not like our ways. Jesus taught the disciples how to pray, and his prayer was very different from the way many people pray. Even he prayed, "Not my will, but Yours be done."

Answer 2

James 4:3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

Mark Twain was a known sinner and selfish person. Sure, you can get to Heaven while being selfish. All you have to do is believe in Christ, but life is much better when you learna nd live the secrets Jesus uncovered for us.

If you live your life by the Skeptic's Bible, you will probably be against everything and for nothing.

Answer 3

Whenever we read, we bring ourselves to the writing and take messages that others may not take from the same piece of writing.

You could consider the following...

We ask ... we receive.
We don't necessarily receive what we think we ask for.

'Make my sick child better' ... if we could see the consequences ... maybe more prayers would be broader ... 'Make things right' ... but of course they are ... always.

You could regard that if you get what you ask for you are somehow 'in tune' with God. If God gives you something else, well there's a lesson for you to unravel, it's still a gift.

When we ask we sensitise ourselves to expecting to receive something. It sort of opens a dialogue with God,and when we talk to God we can learn by listening to what WE say as well as to what the replies are.

When we seek something we may find something we did not think we were looking for. Here again ... it may be that this is something that we had not considered ... By seeking we sensitise ourselves to the possibility of finding (something).

Knock and the door shall be opened.
Do we know how to knock? Do we know when we are knocking?
Sometimes we just stumble against the door and that is enough ...

You could try imagining that the verse is Zen/Buddhist teaching, note whether you react differently to it in that context ... it may have something profound to say about enlightenment.

The very acts of asking, seeking and knocking bring us 'into the moment' our attention is brought in front of us. Many sages point towards 'living in the moment' as a facet of enlightenment.

You can dare to be robust with God, if you feel God doesn't deliver consider calling God on it. You can set aside time and call God to sit down opposite you an explain what on Earth is going on if you have asked and feel you have not received. Then ... listen ... to the echoes of your question and for the breath of an answer.

Of course ... I may be wrong ... take from this what you wish and ditch the rest.

Answer 4

If you or anyone would read the Holy Bible they would read this verse found in Matthew chapter 7 also, verse 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righeous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them them that do evil.

Don't think for a minute God will do anything for people that live a life of sin! If you don't know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then God isn't going to answer any of your prayers.

Answer 5

Nope, not a lie at all. It is not saying you get everything you ask for. That would be absurd! God has more mercy on us than to give us what WE THINK WE NEED. It is talking about God not being biased based on your worldly position, wealth, etc, but His Generosity is based on His Fatherly love towards His children, just as we, as parents, have for our children.

"For God is no respecter of persons; whoever makes application, be he a Jew, or a Gentile, rich or poor, bond or free, a man of great gifts, or mean parts, provided he asks aright, from right principles, and with right views, shall not lose his labour; but shall receive all such good things at the hand of God, as are suitable and convenient for him. "

Faith that what God gives is what He knows is best for us, and for His Church, is one of those gifts he "gives" when we ask. When the desires of our hearts line up with the will of God, it is "given". That is my experience - every time.

Good question

Answer 6

Why should this be a huge lie? Ask and it shall be given you -
meaning ask the solution to a problem and eventually we will find a cure. Has humanity not found the cure for polio, fevers, childhood diseases... and is humanity not working on the cure of cancers, aids?
Matthew 7:8 does not say ask and you will INSTANTLY receive.
Would you mind not twisting the truth to suit your selfish contempt?

Answer 7

law enforcement officials can do something they choose, criminal or no longer. you're able to desire to take a time without work paintings and bypass earlier a choose and plead no longer in charge; then take yet all over again without work while they get the cop in so he can handle your criticism which you probably did have the belt on, then, if the choose sees issues your way, or the tape would not help the cop, then you definately would get off. the alternative is to throw the value tag interior the trash and overlook approximately it, yet they might arrest you interior the destiny for dazzling value tag.

Answer 8

God has His own reasons for things that happen we cant say God did this or that because we do not know His ways are higher than our ways and we must have faith in any given situation who can say that this child or that man might not have later had an affliction that would be unbearable to live with God is love so we must believe and have faith

Answer 9

It can be defined as a lie, however I think it's really a lever to make religious people beat themselves up as unworthy sinners who would, if they were perfect and godlike as Jesus told them to be (Matthew 5:48), make all the bible lies true. You see, it's not the bible that "lies" in their minds; it's just that no one is "worthy" of its promises.

Amazing how bible literalists bend over backwards to dodge the reality of what they profess to believe, isn't it?

Edit: Sorry to the person(s) who think the ask=receive verses refer to "salvation" but you are mistaken:

"And all things, WHATSOEVER ye shall ASK in prayer, believing, ye SHALL RECEIVE." (Matthew 21:22)

Answer 10

What good does it do to beg a invisible man for anything when history clearly show that NOTHING can occur in anyones life that they do not permit to occur by vertue of their choices!

If someone doesn't like the results they are getting don't beg a nonexistant God to help you! CHANGE YOUR ACTIONS AND YOU'LL CHANGE YOUR RESULTS!

As for death it is part of life and something to which none of us can do anything about! As Venom so clearly pointed out YOU'RE ALL GONNA DIE!