Availability of Good Gifts
Matthew 7:7-11
Pastor Jerry Koller

This passage is found within the teaching of Jesus called the Sermon on the Mount.
· Jesus is addressing various aspects of kingdom living and kingdom principles.
· The passage is directed to those already in the kingdom of God.

In this verse, we find two different givers of gifts.
· One is divine, and one is not.
· One giver is evil by nature. By implication, the other is divinely good.
· One giver is giving gifts to his children. By implication, the other is giving gifts to His offspring or children.

The word evil means “of a bad nature or condition.”
· From this, we get the term “sin nature.”
· It is a description of the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized.
· It reflects our state of being prior to coming to Christ, prior to becoming new creations.
· We still have the capacity to sin, but we are no longer slaves to sin.

The word know means “having the ability to understand.”

They know how to give good gifts. That’s a good thing, right?

· Bread and fish were common staples in Jesus’ day.
· Bread and fish would have represented those things necessary for physical life and for growth.
· Jesus used these common necessary things to illustrate a much deeper spiritual truth

· Ask, seek, and knock all relate to one another.
· Ask simply means to make a request. It expresses a desire, a want, or a need.
· Jesus is addressing spiritual things, things essential to our spiritual life and wellbeing.

Much of what we ask for gives a clear measure of our spiritual maturity.

Jesus also tells us to seek. Seek is an intensification of ask.
· It is more active, intense, urgent and passionate

Seek means to intently pursue. It includes desire and want.

Knocking is a picture of perseverance, of keeping at it.

Asking, seeking, knocking all show how much we depend on God.

Keep on asking. Keep on seeking. Keep on knocking. Persistence is a part of continuous kingdom living.

Everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. Everyone who knocks will have the door opened for them. You cannot have a greater guarantee than this.

If you desire good gifts from God, you need to ask. Are you an asker?

We do not ask to inform God of a need. We ask because it acknowledges just how much we are dependent on Him.
It acknowledges our insufficiency as well as His ability.

Are you seeking first the kingdom of God?

Is this your desire? Is this your want? Are you intensely pursuing it?

Are you knocking—persisting—persevering in your asking and seeking?

Let’s enjoy the good gifts God the Father offers us and use them to bring Him glory and honor.

PLEASE NOTE: DUE TO THE CHURCH OFFICE BEING CLOSED, THIS LIST WAS LAST UPDATED ON 12/14/2022.

· Caroline Bocock received a really bad concussion on 11/5 while playing soccer. Doctors are concerned because she is still vomiting, dizzy, and having constant headaches. She has an neurological appointment scheduled to determine if they can get some of the symptoms under control. Please pray for healing, wisdom for the doctors, and that the Lyme’s Disease hasn’t been triggered. Old symptoms are surfacing, but can’t determine if they are concussion symptoms vs. Lyme’s symptoms because they are the same symptoms for both.
· Ben Harris (Allie Wilson's dad) is recovering from a successful heart procedure.
· Walter Hatfield is scheduled for hernia surgery on 12/20 and will be off from work for two weeks as he recovers.
· Annette Koller is recovering from knee replacement surgery.
· Bruce & Vasha Ferguson and their family upon the loss of Vasha’s sister, Deborah Kirby, on 11/28.
· Keith Buckley is recovering from injuries due to a fall off a ladder.
· Nolan Marshall (son of Dan & Tracy) is struggling with major tantrums and other behavioral issues. Please pray for the doctors to have wisdom in choosing medication and treatments, and that the tantrums do not escalate worse than what they are. He had an evaluation at a brain specialty clinic on 12/6 ; the parental follow-up meeting is on 1/6. Also pray for patience and safety for him, his parents and his brother Riley as they try to work through situations.
· Carl Oisten (Sue Richmond's brother) is in the NCU at Borgess Hospital, for breathing issues.
· Shannon French (son of Curt & Patty Bales) continues eye drop treatment for an infection. It looks the damaged part is creating new cells and hopefully healing.
· Joyce Bocock finished radiation on the large tumor in her spine. She is handling the medication for the endocrine therapy well.
· Pete Danapilis is home recovering from a successful back surgery.
· Linda Newell is recovering from surgery to have a rotator cuff repaired.
· Vincent Bryant (Miriam Bryant’s son) is recovering from a broken ankle.
· Check out our monthly prayer card on-line at southhavenfbc.com under “Weekly Bulletins” for a list of those with on-going needs.

First Baptist Church
1635 76th Street
South Haven, MI 49090
269-637-1291
southhavenfbc@gmail.com