There is nothing more difficult than to ask. We will long and desire and crave and suffer, but not until we are at the extreme limit will we ask. A sense of unreality makes us ask. Have you ever asked out of the depths of moral poverty? "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God . . . but be sure that you do lack wisdom. You cannot bring yourself up against Reality when you like. The next best thing to do if you are not spiritually real, is to ask God for the Holy Spirit on the word of Jesus Christ (see Luke 11:13). The Holy Spirit is the One Who makes real in you all that Jesus did for you.

"For every one that asketh receiveth." This does not mean you will not get if you do not ask (cf. Matt. 5:45), but until you get to the point of asking you won't receive from God. To receive means you have come into the relationship of a child of God, and now you perceive with intelligent and moral appreciation and spiritual understanding that these things come from God.

"If any of you lack wisdom . . ." If you realize you are lacking, it is because you have come in contact with spiritual reality; do not put your reasonable blinkers on again. People say - Preach us the simple gospel: don't tell us we have to be holy, because that produces a sense of abject poverty, and it is not nice to feel abjectly poor. "Ask" means beg. Some people are poor enough to be interested in their poverty, and some of us are like that spiritually.

We will never receive if we ask with an end in view; if we ask, not out of our poverty but out of our lust. A pauper does not ask from any other reason than the abject panging condition of his poverty, he is not ashamed to beg. - Blessed are the paupers in spirit.

The illustration of prayer that Our Lord uses here is that of a good child asking for a good thing.

We talk about prayer as if God heard us irrespective of the fact of our relationship to Him (cf. Matthew 5:45).

Never say it is not God's will to give you what you ask, don't sit down and faint, but find out the reason, turn up the index.

Are you rightly related to your wife, to your husband, to your children, to your fellow-students - are you a "good child" there?

"O Lord, I have been irritable and cross, but I do want spiritual blessing." You cannot have it, you will have to do without until you come into the attitude of a good child.

We mistake defiance for devotion; arguing with God for abandonment.

We will not look at the index.

Have I been asking God to give me money for something I want when there is something I have not paid for?

Have I been asking God for liberty while I am withholding it from someone who belongs to me?

I have not forgiven someone his trespasses; I have not been kind to him; I have not been living as God's child among my relatives and friends. (v.12.)

I am a child of God only by regeneration, and as a child of God I am good only as I walk in the light.

Prayer with most of us is turned into pious platitude, it is a matter of emotion, mystical communion with God.

Spiritually we are all good at producing fogs.

If we turn up the index, we will see very clearly what is wrong - that friendship, that debt, that temper of mind.

It is no use praying unless we are living as children of God.

Then, Jesus says - "Everyone that asketh receiveth."

Be ye . . . followers of God, as dear children.—Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.—Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.

After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.—The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.—He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes.

The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.—Your Father which is in heaven: . . . maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Be ye . . . followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.

Be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.

The love of Christ constraineth us.

Love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.