Asking God

God - in His sovereign grace - can (and does) give us good gifts which we neither ask for nor deserve. At the same time, God commands us to ask.

"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you." - John 15:7 (NIV)

Whenever God gives us good gifts which we neither ask for nor deserve, it is not because but in spite of the fact that we do not ask.

Submit Yourselves to God

"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." - James 4:1-3 (NIV)

We should ask for God's presence.

"One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple." - Psalm 27:4 (NIV)

We should ask for God's protection.

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

We should ask for God's perspective.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." - James 1:5 (NIV)

Ask, Seek, Knock

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" - Matthew 7:7-11 (NIV)

Praise to Thee, O Lord, for all creation
Give us thankful hearts that we may see
All the gifts we share and every blessing
All things come of Thee