[Pastor Ralph]

Q3. (Matthew 7:9-11). What do these verses teach us about God's relationship to us? What do they teach about God's characteristic response toward us? How does this differ from a cynical view of God? Why is a positive understanding of God important to be able to pray with faith?

[Tabatha]

Q3. (Matthew 7:9-11). What do these verses teach us about God's relationship to us? What do they teach about God's characteristic response toward us? How does this differ from a cynical view of God? Why is a positive understanding of God important to be able to pray with faith?

Jesus instructed His disciples to pray to God as their Father. He now picks up the theme of God as Father in His second illustration. Earthly Fathers love their children and delight in giving good gifts to them. Human fathrs do not give their children " bad "things when they have asked for something good. Put it a little differently, earthly fathers do not give their children gifts which will harm them when they ask for those things which will help them. Fish and eggs are both helpful. They strenthen the physical body. Snakes and scorpians are both harmful to the physical body. God, as a Heavenly Father, does not give us those things which will be harmful to us , when we ask for those things which are beneficial to us.

To often I find myself asking God for snakes and scorpians, rather than fish and eggs. I discover that I am inclined towards things which are detrimental to my spiritual life. In such cases, I may ask for a snake, But God gives me a fish. I may wish for a scorpian, but God gives me eggs. If God does not give me evil gifts when we ask for good, He does give us good gifts even when we seek those which harmful to us.

Because God is a good God, a loving Father, He cannot only be expected to answer our petitions, but to do so in a way that is for our highest good. From our Lord's first story we learn that God answers our prayers. From the second, we learn that His answers are good ones. The highest good which God gives to His disciples who petition Him in prayer is summed up in the gift of the Holy Spirit. What better gift could our Lord give to His disciples. And we know from the first chapters of the book of Acts that the Spirit of God the Father's gift to the church, in answers to their prayers.

Christ is showing us the heart of God the Father. God is not shelfish, begrudging, or stingy, and we dont't have to beg or grovel as we come with our requests. He is a loving Father who understands, cares, and comforts, if humans can be kind, imagine how kind God, the Creator of kindness can be.

[JustJeff]

God wants to treat us as would any father who loves and cares for their own. He seems to desire that we demonstrate our love of Him by our faith. In turn, He gives us His very best for all of our needs.
Early on I was wrongly taught that if you ask God for patience He will bring you tribulation. That was wrong. What He gave me was greater understanding and people to witness to and to teach. He is a wonderful Father.
Seeing this only adds depth to my prayer life and confidence that He will comply, in His time.

[charisbarak]

God's relationship to us is a loving, good Father.

He Will answer our prayers.

We need not be afraid of God's answers. He wants only the best for His children.

We need to really know Him & pray believing.

[Elwood C O'Dell]

Our Heavenly Father truly cares about us and what is happening in our lives. His response always has our best interest at heart. He can be trusted “to answer wisely with what is good for you.” Knowing this I can approach him regarding any situation and know that He really does hear me and will answer me.

[swordwoman]

Q3. (Matthew 7:9-11). What do these verses teach us about God's relationship to us? What do they teach about God's characteristic response toward us? How does this differ from a cynical view of God? Why is a positive understanding of God important to be able to pray with faith?

The verses teach us that God is loving toward His children. His characteristic response is that He gives us good gifts...that He sees the ENTIRE situation and it is from His perspective that the gifts are given. He is a good God, and He can be trusted. To be able to pray with faith, one needs to trust that the Lord is good and that He can be trusted fully to bring good no matter what we (think we) want....God is good all the time, everytime...!

[JanMary]

Q3. (Matthew 7:9-11). What do these verses teach us about God's relationship to us? What do they teach about God's characteristic response toward us? How does this differ from a cynical view of God? Why is a positive understanding of God important to be able to pray with faith?

1)They teach that He's a perfect and generous Father, whose motive is always Love. God IS love.

2)His characteristic response from His heart of love, is one of giving...of rewarding those who seek Him, with, "good and advantageous things".

3)A cynic says, God wound up the world and started it and we're on our own...anything that we get is of our own doing.....or He gives to favorites and not to others.....or you can't depend on Him, I prayed and nothing happened, so He must not care, or must not be listening...etc.

4)Without a clear understanding of Him, it would be easy to become cynical or diappointed, or to feel unloved by God, especially when answers are delayed for long periods of time. A closed door to a person with a positive understanding of God causes a faith response to persevere in prayer until a door opens...to one with cynical understanding, the same closed door, seems like rejection or abandonment, and a reason to give up and stop praying.

[Dar]

Q3. (Matthew 7:9-11). What do these verses teach us about God's relationship to us?

Father God is just who He says He is, a Father to us. A Father full of love, mercy, and grace, who has our best in mind.

What do they teach about God's characteristic response toward us?

As we go to our Father with our requests, we know, He will give to us what is GOOD.

How does this differ from a cynical view of God? Why is a positive understanding of God important to be able to pray with faith?

I never thought of God as being anything other than a positive God; Because He sent His Son, who made it possible for me to go to Him in prayer. Yes, He has shown me He is a positive God, and He delights in giving to me that which is good; the most important part being, that I grow in His grace and in His righteousness.

I use to think the answers to my prayers depended on MY "faith." If the answer wasn't what I asked for, it was because I didn't have enough "faith," when all along, it had nothing to do with me, it has everything to do with Him, because He knows what is for my "good."

[masika]

Q3. (Matthew 7:9-11). What do these verses teach us about God's relationship to us? What do they teach about God's characteristic response toward us? How does this differ from a cynical view of God? Why is a positive understanding of God important to be able to pray with faith?
These verses teach us that Our Heavenly Father is a loving Father.
We should have a close relationship to know Our Father better, then we will know what to ask for.
Our heavenly Father, is not selfish, begrudging, or stingy, and we don’t have to beg or grove as we come with our requests. He understands, cares, and comforts.

[Lisa Rupert]

Q3. (Matthew 7:9-11). What do these verses teach us about God's relationship to us? What do they teach about God's characteristic response toward us? How does this differ from a cynical view of God? Why is a positive understanding of God important to be able to pray with faith?

These verses teach us that God is our Father and He loves us and we can trust in Him.
His response to us is one of a Loving Father who gives His children good gifts.
A cynical view of God is a view without faith. They don't understand the power of prayer and faith and the belief in our FATHER"S love for HIS children. That is why it is important for us to understand and know our Father and to do all things in Faith. Knowing we can Trust In Him and knowing that He loves His children.

[June]

He is truly our Father and loves us very much. He only wants the very best for us , and His desire is to provide us with our needs. We must believe that what we ask will be given or there would be no need to ask to begin with. FAITH, knowing that God will answer when the time is right for us. Trusting God to give us what we need daily...

[Stan]

Q3. (Matthew 7:9-11). What do these verses teach us about God's relationship to us? What do they teach about God's characteristic response toward us? How does this differ from a cynical view of God? Why is a positive understanding of God important to be able to pray with faith?


9 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 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!" (7:9-11)
That as Father, He is all caring about our needs and desires. That He would only give good gifts and not things that we as His children do not need or would harm us. His responces is to give us our needs and not necessarly our wants. He is a loving Father looking out for our best and that is not always what we want. It is quite differant from the cynical view of God uses His control over us to give us what He wants and when He wants and sometimes punishes us for asking for things, like patience. Understanding God is a reinforcement of our faith as we believe in God and continue to pray our faith becomes stronger.

[mags]

What do these verses teach us about God's relationship to us?
God is as a parent - He only wants good for us and won't give us something useless and dangerous. God loves us and wants the best for us - often what we think is best is not right - God knows better, just as a parent can see that bigger picture ~ how much more of the picture God sees

What do they teach about God's characteristic response toward us?
God's response toward us is love - love of a parent who created us. He will never leave us.

How does this differ from a cynical view of God? Why is a positive understanding of God important to be able to pray with faith?
If we know that God loves us and wants the best for us then we can pray with faith that He won't let us down. We will know that God loves us, can see the bigger picture so we can pray that God will answer and trust that His answer is the right one.

[Patricia A]

Q3. (Matthew 7:9-11). What do these verses teach us about God's relationship to us?
God's relationship to us is one of a loving Father.

What do they teach about God's characteristic response toward us?

“God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in

Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the

world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”

...and from Romans 5:8...

“God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ

died for us.”

...and the promise of John 1:12...

“To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to

become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision

or a husband’s will, but born of God!”

We are called to demonstrate gentleness in our daily lives.



How does this differ from a cynical view of God?
A cynical view of God is one that views God is very judgmental without love.
God is just and fair but loves us and wants us to spend eternity with Him.

Why is a positive understanding of God important to be able to pray with faith?

A positive understanding of God helps us to pray to Him knowing that even though we are sinners, He loves us and will forgive us.

[Eudora]

Q3. (Matthew 7:9-11). What do these verses teach us about God's relationship to us? If the children had asked for a poisonous snake, a wise father would not give this to his children. We have to be wise in what our requests are too but realizing that nothing is impossible for God. As we get to know God and His attributes, we learn to understand Him. Once we begin to even get a hint of what He is like, we can then be motivated to ask for things that are pleasing to Him and that have a good aroma. He is very understanding in that sometimes we ask for foolish things that we think we need, when He has already provided for our every need , even before we ask.

What do they teach about God's characteristic response toward us? God is holy and we are not, so when we ask a Holy Father for something that he may think is foolish, it isn’t likely that He will give us what we foolishly ask for. He knows our thoughts better than we do and His ways are not our ways. He knows this about us and He is gracious to give more than we had ever hoped for and better than what we think we need.

How does this differ from a cynical view of God? I suppose that we in our human state of mind, not even fully believe that God who is Holy would give us something that we think we desire. God is trustworthy and His word is true and we can believe it and that really is all He expects from us is belief in Him. If we believe that jesus Christ is the Son of God, we do well.

Why is a positive understanding of God important to be able to pray with faith? Because like the girl who had the issue of blood had heard the prophet Malachi say, “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” She believed what she had heard and when she saw Jesus in the crowd and reached out for the edge of His garment “wing” her faith was what He said had healed her. So too, our faith in what we do not see, will be manifested if only we believe.

[Roxanne]

[quote name='Pastor Ralph' date='Dec 19 2007, 11:59 PM' post='32227']
Q3. (Matthew 7:9-11). What do these verses teach us about God's relationship to us? What do they teach about God's characteristic response toward us? How does this differ from a cynical view of God? Why is a positive understanding of God important to be able to pray with faith?


THAT IF WE REALLY LOVE HIM WE HAVE TO BELIEVE IN HIM AND KNOW HE WILL GIVE US THE DESIRES OF OUR HEART..AND WE KNOW IN FAITH LET YOUR WILL BE DONE.

[love.serve.know]

God's relationship to us is that of a loving, caring Father. God's response to us always has our best interest at heart. A cynical view of God says that He will hurt us or trick us when we ask unwisely. When we understand that God loves us we can trust that He will provide the very best for us.

[emmaus]

This is telling us God wants a relationship with us where we are connected, one where we are talking and praying to him for our needs. We can count on God giving us what is best for us. We don't have to be afraid to pray that his will be done. There is no fear in love and God loves us.

[sahala p.s.]

Q3. (Matthew 7:9-11). What do these verses teach us about God's relationship to us? What do they teach about God's characteristic response toward us? How does this differ from a cynical view of God? Why is a positive understanding of God important to be able to pray with faith?

About God's relationship to us, these verses teach us that God is our father in heaven, and we are his sons.

About God's characteristic response toward us, they teach that as a father in world will give good gifts to his children, even though he is evil, also, even much more than them, will God give good gifts to those who ask him.

This differs from a cynical view of God, which views that God is unlike a father but like a abnormal or sick father that does not like to give good gifts to his children, or to see his children happy.

A positive understanding of God is important to be able to pray with faith because on it we will base our faith in pray, it motivate us to pray and make us not be afraid to pray.

[AngelOnLine]

Q3. (Matthew 7:9-11). What do these verses teach us about God's relationship to us?
God is relating to us as our earthly Father. He will supply all our needs just as our earthly Dad’s did when we were small children.

What do they teach about God's characteristic response toward us?
God loves us and all we have to do is ask and we shall receive, according to His Will for us.

How does this differ from a cynical view of God?
I would say that a cynical view of God would be one without faith.

Why is a positive understanding of God important to be able to pray with faith?
We need to know Him enough to be able to trust Him and have absolute faith in Him and what He promises us.