For everyone who asks receives

Luke 11:10
For everyone who asks receives...

This is one of the promise of God. Many disciples of Yshua know this. However how many of us take it seriously or take this to heart and apply it in our everyday lives. The phrase is simple to understand, but it is hard to practice because subconsciously we don't believe it. We don't believe it because it does not seem to match with our experience - can anyone just ask and receive what they ask? The answer is no. But God's Word cannot be wrong. So it seems something is missing here.

Firstly, God and His Word is right for all time. And it says everyone, so it means everyone. The key is that the phrase does not mention the object being asked for. What is not being written is that the object should be according to God's will. So it clearly rules out all kinds of selfish requests or requests from lusts, envy, covetousness and so on. On the positive side, we should humble ourselves as we work in the Kingdom, and ask God's help for matters related to this work and for those that God cares about.

For you are still carnal

1 Corinthians 3:3
For you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?

Paul is speaking to fellow believers in this message about being carnal. To provide a brief definition, being carnal means to be influenced or acting or desiring the things of this world, which are usually in opposition to God's will.

The opposite to living a carnal life would be to live and walk in the Spirit. Since none of the believers are perfect while living on earth, there will be times when the carnal nature has its way. If so, then the believer who walks in the Spirit would admit and confess their sins and allow God to deal with that sin. To rationalise away the sin or wrongdoing only leads to a deeper carnal life.

Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Speaking to believers, Peter urged us to lay aside malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, evil talk and instead to grow in maturity. This indicates that believers are still like non-believers in terms of having unholy thoughts and desires, in other words believers are not perfected just yet. However, like Jesus, although we are rejected by the world, we are precious to God like precious stones. In addition believers are considered as a royal priesthood.

Although faced with the same temptations and lusts as other people, believers are called to abstain from the unholy things. This is so that the accusers will be silenced by the conduct of the believers if they cannot find faults. This may even lead non-believers to recognize God and glorify Him.


God's people are called to submit to the civil authorities because that is the will of God. The authorities are put in place by God to punish evildoers. Believers are free but they are servants of God. The advice is the same for believers toward their masters. In fact, we are called to accept unjust suffering at the hands of our masters because this is commendable to God and is what Yshua had went through in order to redeem us.






1 Peter 2

1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,[a] 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People

4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

“Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”[b]
7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,[c]

“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,”[d]
8 and

“A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”[e]
They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Living Before the World

11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Submission to Government

13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— 16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Submission to Masters

18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. 19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us,[f] leaving us[g] an example, that you should follow His steps:

22 “Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; [h]
23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer[i] of your souls.

To speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men

This chapter reminds believers to live peacefully under authorities and with others. The motivation for believers is because God has loved us, even when we were disobedient, and fighting one another. It is the Holy Spirit in believers that help them change. To live godly lives also mean to avoid arguments including religious arguments unless they are truly false doctrines.
 

Titus 3
Graces of the Heirs of Grace

1 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. 3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

Avoid Dissension

9 But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. 10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.

Final Messages

12 When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey with haste, that they may lack nothing. 14 And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.

Farewell

15 All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith.

Grace be with you all. Amen.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Paul describes the one thing that is greater than all the spiritual gifts - love. It is better to pursue love than to have the gift of speaking in tongues or prophecy or healing or others. He continues to describe what love is so that the definition of love is clear and no longer abstract or dependant on individual interpretation. Verses 4-10 are the definition of love. Paul urges the followers to grow up into maturity and putting aside childish things. He also compares the other great virtues of hope and faith but love is even above all these.




1 Corinthians 13
The Greatest Gift

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing.

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God

Paul addresses the division and strife within the Corinthian church. He describes it as carnal, and not spiritual and that the church is still immature concerning concerning their walk with Messiah. He specifically addresses the division based on the split between those who claim to follow Paul while others who choose Apollos. He explains that they are both ministers of God and neither is better than the other.

Paul explains that the work of ministers like himself and Apollos are building on the foundation of God's work. The real foundation itself is Jesus Christ, and others build on Him. Although saved by faith and not works, Paul also explains that our work is valued and rewarded by God. Those whose works are not valuable will be saved, but having no other reward. Paul also refers to each individual believer as the Temple of God, because the Holy Spirit dwells in each believer. Finally Paul warns the believers against worldly wisdom, which is foolishness in God's sight.



1 Corinthians 3
Sectarianism Is Carnal

1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

Watering, Working, Warning

5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

Avoid Worldly Wisdom

18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; [a] 20 and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”[b] 21 Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. 23 And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

Taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor

This is the passage where it clearly instructs believers to respect and accept authorities, because they are put in place by God. God has also given authorities the responsibility of justice in the society. Paul calls for believers to uphold the law of the land, not only due to fear but also due to conscience. This also include paying taxes and giving honour to the authorities.

Paul again reiterates what Jesus said about love being one of the highest commandment, where all the other commandment follow from it. Finally Paul hasten believers to walk in Christ and put away sinful acts. In particular he says not to give opportunity for sin "to fulfill its lusts" and put on the "armour of light".





Romans 13
Submit to Government

1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

Love Your Neighbor

8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,”[a] “You shall not covet,”[b] and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”[c] 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Put on Christ

11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

You shall be Desolate, O Mount Seir, as well as all of Edom

A proclamation of judgment is given on Mount Seir. From the first few books of the Old Testament we see that Esau, Jacob's brother, was settled in Mount Seir. His descendants became known as the Edomites and hence Mount Seir is Edom. In this chapter, God refers to Mount Seir, as one of Israel's old enemies, who hated Israel. God will make Mount Seir desolate forever.



Ezekiel 35
Judgment on Mount Seir

1 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir and prophesy against it, 3 and say to it, ‘Thus says the Lord God:

“Behold, O Mount Seir, I am against you;
I will stretch out My hand against you,
And make you most desolate;
4 I shall lay your cities waste,
And you shall be desolate.
Then you shall know that I am the Lord.
5 “Because you have had an ancient hatred, and have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, when their iniquity came to an end, 6 therefore, as I live,” says the Lord God, “I will prepare you for blood, and blood shall pursue you; since you have not hated blood, therefore blood shall pursue you. 7 Thus I will make Mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it the one who leaves and the one who returns. 8 And I will fill its mountains with the slain; on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines those who are slain by the sword shall fall. 9 I will make you perpetually desolate, and your cities shall be uninhabited; then you shall know that I am the Lord.

10 “Because you have said, ‘These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess them,’ although the Lord was there, 11 therefore, as I live,” says the Lord God, “I will do according to your anger and according to the envy which you showed in your hatred against them; and I will make Myself known among them when I judge you. 12 Then you shall know that I am the Lord. I have heard all your blasphemies which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, ‘They are desolate; they are given to us to consume.’ 13 Thus with your mouth you have boasted against Me and multiplied your words against Me; I have heard them.”

14 ‘Thus says the Lord God: “The whole earth will rejoice when I make you desolate. 15 As you rejoiced because the inheritance of the house of Israel was desolate, so I will do to you; you shall be desolate, O Mount Seir, as well as all of Edom—all of it! Then they shall know that I am the Lord.”’