STANDARD FOR ASKING, SEEKING AND KNOCKING

Dear One,
     The good news is for whatever you ask, it will be given to you.  If you ask for your daily bread, it will be given to you, per the practice prayer that Jesus had just taught. (Matthew 6:11)  You will not be given a stone if you ask for bread. 
     The good news is that if you seek anything from Me that you will find what you are seeking.  If you are seeking insight or wisdom from Me, you will certainly find that wisdom and insight will be given into your mind. (Matthew 7:7)  Jesus said that if you seek a fish, you will be given a fish by Me, never a snake. 
      The good news is that if you knock on any gate leading into My kingdom, that that door or gate will be opened for you to come in and visit with Me, sharing My spiritual bread and meat.  
      There was never easy access to Me under My old covenant with a nation.  The promises of Jesus that all you have to do is ask of Me, to seek Me and to knock at My gate or door to gain My attention and gain access to Me was new and thrilling news to the  listeners.
      However, then Jesus added a little codicil or amendment to the standard in your life that is necessary for the access to be easy.  He said that you must do to others as you would have them do to you. (Matthew 7:12)  He explained that additional amendment by saying that it's always been that way, even a requirement under the old religious laws and instructions of the prophets.  He was saying that you can't be true to your old nature of being evil and expect to access entry into My kingdom to ask anything of Me or seek anything from Me or knock expecting to gain access to Me because evil cannot exist in My kingdom. 
      Jesus went on to say that the gate is narrow and hard that leads to Me and My family but your rewards are great when you find Me.  He explained that the gate is wide and easy that leads to destruction because the devil has many traps planned for you in order for you to do his will and be part of his family.  The meaner, the dirtier, the more corrupt, the more deceptive, the more angry and the more destructive, those are the ways that lead to his destruction.  That is why Jesus told you to beware of false prophets who appear in sheep's clothing but are actually ravenous wolves.  He said that you know them by their fruit, giving you a stone instead of bread to eat, giving you a snake instead of a fish to eat. (Matthew 7:15)  In other words, what you receive from them are demons and heavy, stony burdens.
     He went on to teach that false prophets teach you to hate your enemies, whether they are your neighbors, your family members or people who differ from you in culture, nationality, religion or politics.  I teach you to love your enemies and to pray for those people who persecute you so that you will be known as My child.  Jesus even said that the tax collectors only love the people who love them and He said that unbelievers are only friendly with people of their own nationality.  But He said that you must be perfect, just as I am perfect, even loving the people who persecute you and do evil to you.  He said that you must be friendly to people who are of different cultures and nationalities, loving them and making peace with them, desiring unity with them just as I do. (Matthew 7:43-48)
    In setting the standard of loving your enemies and praying for them, you are the light in the dark world.  Jesus said that He is the light of the world and that you are the light of the world.  Don't let your light diminish by hating people, being angry with someone who opposes you, or returning evil for evil done to you.  He said for you to always do to other people what you want them to do to you, because when you do, other people will be also gracious to you. 
     Jesus said it's always been that way in the world, that what you sow you will always reap.
     Asking, seeking and knocking are your right as My child.  The way for easy access to Me are to treat people the way you wish to be treated.  That is a powerful standard in My family.
     Your Standard Setting Father