with me, if you would take your Bibles and open to the New Testament gospel, according to Matthew chapter seven. And herein, I'm going to read into your hearing verses seven through 11 and ask you to pray with us. For I know that the Lord is eyes to speak to his people. Amen.
We want to be led by the Spirit of God for those that are led are his sons. Thank you, Jesus Christ. Again, the gospel according to Matthew chapter seven, get somebody to pray with us just for a few moments. We know the Lord will bless us.
Beginning at verse number seven, these words are recorded. Jesus speaks here and says, ask and it shall be given you. Seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you for everyone that asketh receiveth. And he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Or what man is there of you, whom if his son asked bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then being evil, if ye then being born and fashioned in a sinful nature, know how to give good gifts unto your children. How much more shall your father, which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him?
You have the church say, Amen. The message from the Lord today is very simple. Jesus said, ask. Jesus said, ask.
Turn to your neighbor and say, neighbor. Jesus said, ask. Turn to that other neighbor and say, Jesus said, ask. Praise our God.
Will you pray with me just for a few minutes? Because I want to, if you allow me to, I want to begin this lesson in a very transparent fashion. Because as I walk with the Lord, there are some things that I ponder, think about from time to time. And when it comes to our place in this relationship with the Almighty God, our Lord Jesus Christ, sometimes I think about who I am in relation to who he is.
Because I've come to understand that he is so great, yet we are so small, that I find myself asking the question that the great King David asked in Psalm chapter eight, beginning at verse number three, where the Bible says, when I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, thank you, Jesus, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained. I have to ask the question, what is man? That thou art mindful of him? Who am I that your mind is full of me?
Thank you, Jesus. And the son of man that thou would visit him? Thank you, Lord. I've come to understand that God doesn't need us.
He doesn't need our help. He doesn't need our input. He doesn't need our ideas. He doesn't need our anything to still be God and for his will to be done in earth as it is in heaven.
Thank you, Jesus. When I think about who God is, and when I say God let me unequivocally help you understand, and when I say God, I'm talking about the one God who is the Lord Jesus Christ. For this same Jesus who was crucified, hath God made both Lord and Christ? He is God alone.
And I've come to understand that he is omnipotent. Hallelujah to God. That means that God has all power. I've come to understand that he is omniscient.
That means that he knows all things. I've come to understand that God is omnipresent. That means that he is more than just ubiquitous. He just doesn't seem to feel all spaces.
He is omnipresent. He does feel all spaces. And all of that amen leads me to the summary of this conclusion that God is sovereign. Thank you, Jesus.
Turn to your name and say, God is sovereign. In that word, sovereign is an appropriate way to refer to God. For sovereign means a person who has supreme power or authority. Isn't that just what God is?
Isn't that just who he is? He has supreme power and authority. And so with all of this knowing and knowledge about God and knowing that I'm not anywhere near all of that, I again, with my cogitations at times, come to the questions, amen, and come to question different things. And as I meditate on this thing, I seek to gain understanding.
And one question that occupied my mind earlier this week in prayer calls me to think deeply and to ask the Lord to minister to my heart in regards to my question. And the question which the Lord solidified in my mind was this. If God is sovereign and his will is going to be done, will my asking in prayer make a difference in what God has already determined to do? Thank you, Jesus.
I'm going to say that again, because I had to think deeply about this. If God is sovereign and his will is going to be done, will my asking in prayer make a difference in what God has already determined that he's going to do? In other words, if God is going to do what he wants to do, what's the point of me asking for what I want? And I thought about this.
And I was driving in my car on Monday thinking about this. And the answer that the Lord gave me was so simple and so direct, which led me to this text in Matthew this morning. I said, Lord, what's the point of asking if you're already sovereign? And he said to me in my car driving down the Hill Road, because I asked you to.
And I had to think about this. The Lord said, the reason why you ask is because I told you to ask. Thank you, Jesus Christ. And I had to conclude that even though God is sovereign and his will is going to be done, Jesus wants us to be active participants in our walk and in our relationship with him.
Turn to your name and say, neighbor, Jesus doesn't want robots. He wants relationship. Come on, turn to somebody else and say, neighbor, Jesus doesn't want robots. He wants relationship.
See, God is sovereign. He could have fixed everything to where we didn't even have to do anything. But God said, I'm going to leave a space for these people to be able to interact with me in such a way to where they won't be able to deny that I'm God. Hallelujah.
Lord, why should I ask? Because I told you to. Hallelujah. He wants relationship.
Thank you, Jesus Christ. And one of the blessings of relationship is that we have the privilege. Hallelujah. To come boldly before the throne of grace, that we might obtain mercy.
How many need mercy? How many glad that the mercies of God are new every morning? Somebody said, great is thy faithfulness towards me. We come that we might obtain mercy and find grace.
How many need more grace? I said, how many need more grace? Grace to stand for the grace of God that brings salvation and appear to all men. God, I need more grace because we're living in the last and evil days when the world is doing all they can.
Amen, the kiddos to conform. I pray Lord, give me more grace to stand in such an evil world. Thank you, Jesus Christ. We can find grace to help in the time of me.
And even if a man God doesn't answer us the way that we feel he should, amen, I'm so glad I don't have to worry, amen, because he's still sovereign and has assured me that I ought to know that all things work together for good. Hallelujah. I wish you hear what the word is saying here. Even if he doesn't answer in the way we think he should answer.
He's still sovereign. And he has assured you in his word that no matter what it looks like, all things work together for good. To them that love God. How many of y'all love God and you show you love him because you keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous.
Tell your neighbor it's not hard to serve this God. Tell your other neighbor we make it hard, but it's not hard. It's so simple the way it's so plain that even a fool won't error in this way. Come on somebody even praise God if we don't get what we think we need God said all things want to work together for good.
To them that love God to those who are the called according to his purpose. How many glad to be a part of the Church of Jesus Christ. Oh thank you Lord. And so amen I want you to know, amen, you don't need to concern yourself with trying to figure out amen the depths and the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God for who have known the mind of the Lord or who have been his counselor.
All we need to know is that we're in the hand of the Lord. Thank you. All you need to know amen is that Jesus said nothing shall plug these out of my hand. If you're in the hand of the Lord the only way you get out is if you jump out because he said I'll never leave you.
Oh y'all not hearing me here. He said I'll never forsake you so that you can say with boldness stand up even in the face of adversity. Stand up in the face of your adversary and say, Holy the Lord is my helper. You get to go.
I call out on my yasata and I will not fear what man can do into me because the Lord is my light and he is my salvation whom shall I fear. The Lord is the strength of my life. I wish I knew amen Jesus. He's the strength of my life.
Of whom shall I be afraid. He's God even in the midst of trouble. Amen. He's going to hide me in his pavilion.
In the secret of his tabernacle he'll hide me and eventually amen he's going to set me up. How many waiting to get set up upon a rock breeze Lord? Amen before us all over. If you humble yourself and a sight of the Lord he will lift you up and give you feet like a hind's feet so you can walk upon your high places God.
Tell you never God knows what he's doing. You just have to let him do it. Hallelujah. Thank you Jesus Christ.
I said Lord I thank you because you told me amen that you when you think about me you have thoughts of peace and not evil. I'm glad when the Lord thinks about you. Amen. He's taking thoughts of peace and not evil.
The Bible lets us know that God in Psalms 7 is angry with the wicked every day but when he thinks about you his son when he thinks about you his daughter he doesn't think evil he thinks peace. He said my peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you now as the world give it give I unto you don't let your heart be troubled. Neither let it be afraid how many thank God that the peace of God can pass all understanding and it will keep it will guard your heart and your mind through Christ Jesus. Lord I thank you that you have thoughts of peace and not evil to give me a hopeful end.
That's all I need to do is obey the word of the Lord because Jesus said act. So as I thought more I said Lord one may wonder amen why are you so concerned with us asking? Why why do you want us to do this and the Lord hands on me and said amen because I want to reveal myself to mankind. I don't want people walking around amen thinking like the deist used to think that God was a clock maker and he would make everything and set it in motion and then step back taking his hands off of his creation and just let everything run.
Amen as he said it he said I don't want people to think of me that way. I want people to know amen that I am a present help in the time of trouble. I want people to know that I am involved in their lives. I want them to know that they're never alone.
I want them to know that even though weeping may endure for a night if you hold on to me sure I will come in the morning. I want them to know that I'm able to turn their morning into dancing. I want people to know amen that I'm so concerned. Amen that you can cast every care upon me because I'm strong enough.
I'm big enough. I'm powerful enough. Amen to take all of your cares from you so you can have the peace that I promised you. Hallelujah to God.
Lord why do we need to ask because I want people to know I'm involved in their lives. I want people to know that I care about what they're going through. We've heard the word before that Jesus sees and Jesus knows and Jesus cares. I don't know about you but I'm glad amen that when I'm in need all I have to do is call Jesus.
And I know that he steps right in. How many know when you call Jesus? Amen somebody said at the mention of his name as soon as you call him. He steps right in.
And I'm so glad he's not like somebody's hard-headed kids that we have here because somebody's kids you call them once and they don't come. You call them twice and they act like they're deaf. That's when things need to start to fly in. Amen so they can make sure that they're hearing opens praise God but God is not like that God said if you call me once in faith.
Here I come. You don't have to call me over and over again. I know some of you here are seeking for the gift of the Holy Ghost amen but I really should grab a hold and what about the ivy talks about in his testimony from time to time. Amen because he said I'm going to purpose to call him once because the Bible says he's a present help.
He's not far away from you. Amen the Bible said the word is nighy even in that mouth and in that heart the word of faith which repress I'm going to tell you right now whatever you need from God because he's here right he's here right now. Bible let's me know all you got to do is say Jesus and if you call him believing here comes your help. I'm not hearing me.
I said if you call him believing here comes your because he's right the Bible said we're two or three. We got more than two or three here is that right. Amen the Bible said we're two or three. I gathered together my name.
Jesus said I'll be in the middle. I'm not going to stand way up in the balcony away from you. I'm not going to be way up in the choir hall from you. I'll be in the middle and as soon as you call my name all I do it stretch out my hands and I start moving because when I start moving amen everything in the house is going to shake.
When I start moving blessings are going to fall down. When I start moving healing is going to take place. When I start moving deliverance is going to be wrong. If you just give me a middle spot tell your neighbor make room.
Tell your neighbor make room. Jesus is here right now. He wants to show you that he is powerful. How many know God is powerful.
His name is so powerful. The Bible says that his name through faith in his name will make you strong. That's what the Bible said. All you got to do is say the name and here comes his strength because he's powerful.
Let me tell you something amen. Some of you need to start looking at your troubles and stop telling God about your troubles. Turn it around and tell your troubles about your God. You hear what I said?
Stop telling God about everything and turn around to your trouble and say trouble. I got a God behind me. That is Aiba. Trouble I got a God with me.
That can do it. Trouble I got a God here that if you don't get out of the way soon enough he's going to lift up his hand of deliverance and move you right out of the way. I don't care how trouble looks. I don't care how trouble trumps.
I don't care how it feels. Tell your trouble. I got a God that is Aiba. What a Bible said that he's able to do exceedingly.
How many y'all believe that today? Abundantly. Above all that we can ask or think according to the power that God put in us. How many y'all got the Holy Ghost in here?
If you got the Holy Ghost you got the power of God. If you got the power of God there's nothing that can stand in your way. Do y'all believe that here? There's nothing that can stand in your way.
The song we sing says in the name of Jesus. In the name Jesus. We have victory. Somebody tell me who will stand before us.
Diabetes can't stand in front of you when Jesus comes. Come on arthritis can't stand in front of you when Jesus comes. High blood pressure can't so whatever it is. Amen.
Marital problem. Financial problem. Somebody tell me who will stand before us when we begin to call. Hallelujah.
When we begin to call on that great name. What's his name church? Sometimes a man you need to take a moment. A man and just call on the name of the Lord.
Amen. For the Bible said, who so ever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. You shall be delivered. Amen.
All I know to do and I get into trouble is lift up my voice and say, Jesus have mercy on me. Jesus delivered. Jesus move the situation. Either way I need you.
Somebody are here today. You're going to get your blessing the moment you get desperate. When you've exhausted all of your natural resources and you come to the conclusion that if God doesn't do it, it can't be done. And so I need to throw myself on his altar and just cry, Jesus.
I need you. Blind by the mains was sitting by the side of the road and the Bible said that he was blind. Amen. But he heard that Jesus was coming by.
Let the church say, man. And the Bible says when he heard that Jesus was coming by, he couldn't run up to him because he was blind. He couldn't see him. Amen.
So we use the only thing that he had, his voice. And he lifted up his voice and said, Jesus, the son of David. Have mercy on me. Come on and say, man, how many on in here need some from the Lord?
If you need some from the Lord, live your voice and say, Jesus, have mercy on me. Did Jesus answer about a man? I said, did Jesus answer about a man? Yes, he did.
How many know that if you ask, you shall receive. No, if you seek, you shall find. How many say God for the promise? You got to do it.
Nah. And God said, I'll sweep open the door. I'm just not going to crack it and peek through it and say, who's there? All you got to do is knock.
And I'll swing the door. How many know that the Lord will open doors for you? I said, how many know the Lord will open doors for you? That no man can shut.
How many know that the Lord will make a way out of no way? All you have to do is ask. Tell your neighbor, Jesus said, ask. He wants to demonstrate his power.
Hallelujah. So I said, Lord, how do we do this? Jesus said, the first thing you need to do when you ask is ask in faith. Come on, somebody.
Heard a man, James, a man, the apostle and James, one in six said, but let him ask in faith. Nothing wavering. For he that waverth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.
If he really needs something from God, you need to ask him believing. Don't ask without in your heart. The only reason you doubt in your heart is because you think your trouble is greater than him. If I believe that that brother had a million dollars and I felt like I needed a million dollars, I'm going to him because I believe that he has what I need.
If I don't think you have a million dollars, I'm not coming to talk to you. There's no reason for me to come and talk to you if I need a million dollars and I know you don't have it. But because I believe he's already got it, I'm going to walk in his direction to get what I need. And if Jesus is all powerful, that means that there's nothing too hard for him.
I wish you all really believe that. Because some of you right here are languishing in your own troubles because you want to, not because you have to. The Bible tells me in James chapter 2 that he have not because you ask not. The only reason you're not blessed in that particular situation is because you think God can't do it.
Because if you thought he could do it, you would have asked him already to do it. And after you asked him to do it, you would have gotten up and praised him for it. But the only reason you stayed down there fighting and struggling and wondering is because you're really not trusting the Lord. You're really not convinced that he's able.
Amen. But if I have somebody here that knows that God is able, amen, to fix the situation, to fix the condition, to fix the problem, I dare you right now to take 30 seconds and just praise him. Amen. Because you know he can do it.
Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. I bless you.
I know you're able. I know you can do it. Ah, Lord God. Is there anything too hard for thee?
There is nothing. I want you to tell this to the devil. Tell this to your situation. Lift up a voice and say there's nothing too hard for the law.
Maybe see it. I'm almost finished here. Ask in faith. Nothing.
Waverly. If I knew he had a million dollars, I wouldn't hesitate. I'm going right to him. I'm going to ask him.
And if I know that he's the kind of person that gives good gifts, why am I hesitating to ask? If you know that God is in the business of giving good and perfect gifts, all you need to do is ask. Some of you right here right now, you will leave this sanctuary free from the bondage you've been in for years if you would cast off your perplexion and ask in faith. Hallelujah.
Jesus said you also need to ask in my name. Hallelujah. For the Bible said in John 14 and 14, if ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it. Now some of you all need to say that with me.
Tell your neighbor Jesus said, if I ask anything, I have to stop right there. Because some of us have regulated him, relegated him to something, to what we think he's able to do. But what did you ask? If he asked anything, tell your neighbor anything, in his name, the name Jesus Christ, Jesus said, I will do it.
Why haven't you asked yet? What are you waiting for? Why aren't you blessed? Why aren't you free?
Why aren't you delivered? Why are you still fooling around with those chains of sickness and discomfort and malcontent? That's not your portion. The Lord, the Bible says in Psalm 73, is my portion.
And the Lord said, I have good and perfect gifts for you. And even if I'm going to a trial, it's only because he's trying to make me more like him. Don't try to wear it, Lord. What are you doing?
Just get down on your knees and say in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. I ask Hallelujah. Ask in faith.
Ask in his name. And you'll be a different person by the end of this worship experience. How many of you want to leave here differently from the way you came in? More grace, more joy, more love, more power, more anointing.
How many of you want to be more like Jesus by the time you get out of a worship service? You're not coming here. Amen. Just sit down in my time.
You're coming here because you want to close a walk with the Lord and fellowship with God. You want to lift your voice right now and say in the name of Jesus. Ask. I feel like preaching here for five minutes.
I ask until I feel an anointing. I ask until I feel power. I ask until I feel the Holy Ghost, surgeon in my soul. Let me tell you something.
Amen. When you get it like you ought to have it. When you begin to say the name and you begin to ask in faith. You feel something on the inside.
Let the church tell you. You feel the power of the Holy Ghost. It's not a game. It's not a show.
It's the power of the Holy Ghost. And I don't know about you. Are you? But I say, God, all I need to do is ask.
And when I ask in faith, here comes the anointing. When I ask in faith, here comes the power. When I ask in faith, here comes joy. How many I want more joy.
The Bible said, we've been made into a foreign night. But joy. Somebody shout joy. Somebody shout joy.
So I come in the morning. I'll leave you. Lord, I'm going to lift my voice. I'm going to ask you Lord.
Have mercy on me. And the more I ask them, the more I'm going to praise them. The more I ask them, the more I'm going to glorify them. I'm a magnifier.
I'm a lift up. Oh, Jesus. Oh, Jesus. Oh, Jesus.
I'm a lift up. The name. Shania. Shania.
Shania. That he is a way maker. I believe that he is a burden. I feel like preaching here.
Where's my watch? I believe that he is a healer. Do you know what I'm talking about? Sister Simo?
I believe that he's a doctor. When the doctor don't know what to do. He's a lawyer. When the chains are coming around my neck to choke me.
He's my friend. When I don't have anybody else. He's my lord. When I need something done.
He's my right to say. He's my redeemer. He is. I said he is.
He is. My helper. I will look to the hills. From where coming my help.
My help comes from the Lord who made the heaven and hell. I'm so glad. I know Jesus is. And if I need it, I'm just going to ask.
I'm just going to ask. I'm just going to ask. I'm just going to ask. I'm just going to ask.
I'm just going to ask. I'm just going to ask. Shout out. Shout out.
Shout out. Shout out. Honey, look. There's some of y'all here need to get busy.
Praise in the Lord. I said, some of y'all here need to get busy. Praise in the Lord. See when you ask like you ought to.
And you really believe what you understand is that because God is able in the mind of God, it's already done. That's why even when I'm in the fire, because I asked for deliverance. All I need to do is praise him in the fire. Because one of these days, one of these days, one of these days, I'm coming out.
I'm coming out. I'm coming out of the fire. I'm not going to be in the fire forever. But because I asked, it's already done.
I'm a praise him. I'm a praise him. I'm a praise him in the fire. I'm a given the glory.
I'm a given the honor. I'm a gift God. All the praise. If you know him, praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Eyes. Already done.
I said it's already done. The way has already been made. How was it made? Because you asked in faith and you asked in his name.
All you have to do is do it. It's just that simple. I said it's just that simple. Some of y'all sitting there right now trying to wonder, isn't that easy?
Yes, it's that easy. The word said it. You just need to do it. And if you do it, praise him for it.
If you do it, give him the glory. If you do it, give him the honor. Lift your hand. Lift your hands and praise the Lord.
I'm so glad. I don't have to wait on anybody. It's a praise to Lord. I asked Jesus.
Jesus said ask because I asked, I know. I know. I know. He's able.
You can't praise him for that. I don't know what's wrong with you. You can't praise him for that. I don't know what's going on with you.
But the Holy Ghost is here. Right now. You want to give God the glory. You want to get out of yourself.
I said, Lord, I'm thinking. Lord, I'm thinking. Lord, I'm thinking. I asked.
I asked. I asked. I asked. And you will.
You will. You will come through. Praise him. Praise him for it.
Listen. Leave this word. The devil wants you to sit here doubting. He wants you to sit here confused.
Did he really mean that? Yes, I meant that. It came from the Word of God. Not from me.
All you need to do is do it and start praising him. And I guarantee you, you'll get your blessing. Show me you'll need to lift up your foot and stomp on the devil's head and give God the glory. Lift up your foot and stomp on the devil's head and give Jesus the glory and Jesus the honor.
Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Give him the praise.
Surprise him. Praise him. Praise him. Praise him.
Praise him. Give him the glory. Jesus said, ah, I need to praise the Lord until the devil got to get out of the way. If I were you, I would tell that devil, get out of my way.
Get out of yourself. Get out of your pew. If you need to. And say, Lord, I'm going to praise you.
Lord, I'm a magnified. Because it's already done. It's already done. We'll pray.