In "A Christmas Story" a young boy named Ralphie wants nothing more in the world than a Red Ryder 200 shot range model air rifle for Christmas. When he finally mentions it to his mother, she responds with the famous line, "You'll shoot your eye out!" Is that how you feel God responds when you ask for things? Have you reached the point where you don't even want to ask because you just don't think he's there or will really respond? This sermon looks at Matthew 7:7-11 and dives into how we are to understand God's willingness to give us what we ask for.

2. $1,078,000

3. $1,078,000
$90,000

4. $1,078,000
$90,000
New Total: $1,168,000

5. “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 the one who
seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be
opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him
for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a

6. fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are
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

7. Critical Question: If I don’t get what I want, is
my father still good?

8. “Ask, and if it’s a good gift, God
will give it to you.”
– Dr. Don Sunukjian

9. So what should we ask for?

10. So what should we ask for?
1) Ask for what only God can give.

11. At that time Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day
when the LORD gave the Amorites over to the sons
of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,
“Sun, stand still at Gibeon,
and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
And the sun stood still, and the moon
stopped,

12. stopped, until the nation took
vengeance on their enemies.
Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun
stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry
to set for about a whole day.

13. There has been no day like it before or since,
when the LORD heeded the voice of a man, for the
LORD fought for Israel.
- Joshua 10:12-14

14. So what should we ask for?
1) Ask for what only God can give.
2) Ask for what is good.

15. So to keep me from becoming conceited because
of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a
thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of
Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming
conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord

16. about this, that it should leave me. But he said to
me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power
is made perfect in weakness.”
- 2 Corinthians 11:7-
9

17. So what should we ask for?
1) Ask for what only God can give.
2) Ask for what is good.
3) Ask for a stake in the kingdom.

18. “Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
- Matt. 6:9-10