11:11Luke 11:11

No father answers a son's cry for bread with a stone, or for a fish with a serpent, giving what is harmful or useless instead of food.Ms 23, 1899, par. 1–4+2 Even earthly fathers who are evil and sinful know how to give good gifts when their children ask in this way, so the heavenly Father will much more surely give what is good to those who ask Him.CT 242.2+4 God hears humble, wholehearted prayer and answers with what is good and helpful rather than harm.Ms 31, 1898, par. 5–6+2 The good He gives is above all the Holy Spirit to those who ask, with all its blessings bestowed abundantly and far beyond what can be conceived.CT 242.2+2 This assurance calls for persevering, earnest prayer in living faith without distrust, asking in order to receive from the Father and impart to others as Christ Himself received to communicate to men.COL 139.1+4

The question pictures something impossible: a son asks his father for bread and is handed a stone, or asks for a fish and is handed a serpent, food answered with what is harmful or useless.Ms 23, 1899, par. 1–4+4 No father answers a child's cry for food in that way, but gives good gifts rather than harm.Ms 23, 1899, par. 1–4+4 The illustration belongs to teaching on prayer, assuring that those who ask God will receive, and in its setting the good gift is specified as the Holy Spirit.Ms 54, 1895, par. 8–13+4 It encourages people in trouble to seek help and strength from God, whose invitation to ask is for all, and humble, contrite prayer is precious to Him and is not lost.Lt 77, 1896, par. 23–26+1

Even earthly fathers who are evil or sinful know how to give good gifts to their children when sons ask for bread or fish.Lt 42, 1907, par. 17+4 They do not give harmful things instead of food, do not answer hunger with what is useless or harmful, and never give a stone or serpent instead.Lt 42, 1907, par. 17+3 An earthly father who is evil still gives his hungry child bread and not a stone, and a fish and not a serpent.Ms 28, 1900, par. 1

The argument works by contrast, not by comparison: if imperfect human care acts this way, the heavenly Father will much more surely do good to His children because they ask Him.Ms 16, 1887, par. 4–5+4 A human father's care points to the far greater goodness of the heavenly Father, who is more willing than a human father to answer those who ask Him.CT 242.2+2 He is willing to bless those who ask, to give good gifts and above all the Holy Spirit, and to do far more for His people than they can conceive.CT 242.2+3 The promise that those who ask receive is therefore sure, expressing a dependable connection between human asking and divine action.20MR 192.4–193.1

The illustration shows that a father does not meet a child's request for food with something harmful or useless, and this is presented as impossible: no father answers hunger for bread with a stone or hunger for fish with a serpent, but gives what is good rather than harm.Ms 31, 1898, par. 5–6+4 The heavenly Father hears humble prayer, regards humble and contrite prayer as precious so that it is not lost, freely gives blessings, and does not turn away those who seek Him wholeheartedly.Ms 31, 1898, par. 5–6+3 His willingness to hear requests and meet needs is the assurance given to all who ask, and prayer brings people to His mercy and promise where they can receive the best heavenly gifts.Lt 65, 1898, par. 24–28+2

The good He gives to those who ask is above all the Holy Spirit, identified in the following verses as the good gift, with all the blessings that gift contains.Lt 42, 1907, par. 17+4 As even earthly fathers who are evil know how to give good gifts, asking and seeking and knocking brings receiving and finding and opening, and the heavenly Father much more gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him and will not withhold Him from those who ask in faith.CT 242.2+4 Sincere seekers who persist in asking for what they need will not be disappointed, for He bestows His blessings abundantly and is willing to do far more for His people than they can conceive.21MR 183.2+2

He delights to give, is full of compassion, and longs to grant the requests of those who come to Him in faith.COL 141.2–3 He welcomes petitioners through Jesus and invites them to ask, seek, and knock, so that petitions made in Christ's name are not pleaded in vain and continual prayer is encouraged with humble, confident trust in His mercy.CE 128.1+1 Having entrusted the whole of heaven's treasures to Christ to impart to the church in rich, full currents of love and grace and power, God who is good and righteous will much more give good things to His children and will not deny them the gift of the Holy Spirit.Ms 28, 1900, par. 1

Like a loving father He gives what is good and healthful rather than what would harm, even when it differs from what was asked for.SG4 166.2–4+1 Every honest prayer offered in faith is heard, and no true prayer offered in faith is lost.SG4 166.2–4+1 The answer may not come immediately, but the petitioner receives blessing when it is most needed, arriving later and unexpectedly and often greater than expected, so faith should hold fast without distrust while waiting.SG4 166.2–4+1

The picture is of a kind father who does not meet an honest request for what is good with something harmful or useless.1T 71.1–2+3 Bread is not answered with a stone, and a fish is not answered with a serpent or scorpion, and this expresses the goodness of the Father in heaven.1T 71.1–2+3 Those who come to Him alone, plead His promises, and claim His salvation are not thereby exposed to evil, deception, or delusion, nor given harm instead of good.1T 71.1–2+3 They need not fear that sincere pleading for His promises and salvation will be met with something deceptive, and this trust in God's goodness holds even when others accuse those who pray and seek God of being deceived by Satan.ExVEGW 6.3–4+2

Sincere seeking for God's help, promises, and salvation is not yielding to Satan's deception.LS 219.1–220.1+1 To ask God for these things is not to ask to be given over to Satan, and those who sincerely draw near to God can trust His goodness.LS 219.1–220.1+1 The experience of the Holy Spirit so received is not mesmerism, delusion, or deception.LS 219.1–220.1

The call to ask, seek, and knock belongs to everyone, with the promise that asking brings receiving, seeking brings finding, and knocking brings opening, showing a sure and dependable link between human asking and divine action.Lt 42, 1907, par. 17+4 Prayer is answered by a Father who does not meet a son's request for bread or fish with a stone or serpent or anything harmful or useless, and the impossibility of such refusal in earthly fathers points to the far greater certainty that the heavenly Father gives good gifts, above all the Holy Spirit, to those who ask Him.Lt 42, 1907, par. 17+4 Those who persist in asking for what they need will receive and sincere seekers for the Spirit will not be disappointed, and God welcomes petitioners through Jesus and gives the Spirit to those who ask.CE 128.1+2

Humble and contrite prayer is precious to God and is never lost, and this assurance calls for humble, confident trust in His mercy.12MR 297.2–3+2 In trouble believers are to seek help and strength from God rather than relying on fallible human beings.Lt 77, 1896, par. 23–26+1

The assurance calls for persevering, earnest, importunate, fervent prayer with living and steady faith rather than doubt or mere passing impulse, with faith holding fast without distrust while waiting for the answer.Ms 111, 1898, par. 6–8+2 Persistent asking strengthens spiritual union and faith, and those who plead for purity and salvation may continue pleading until they receive assurance of pardoned sin.Ms 111, 1898, par. 6–8+1 Every honest prayer offered in faith is heard and no true saint's prayer offered in faith is lost, for God gives what is good and healthful even when it differs from what was asked, and the blessing comes when most needed, sometimes later and unexpectedly and often greater than expected.SG4 166.2–4+1 Receiving the Spirit in this persevering way requires consecration, self-denial, taking up the cross, and following Christ.4MR 335.2

In trial and trouble believers are encouraged to earnest prayer and closer reliance on God, fleeing to Christ as Mighty Helper as a child comes to earthly parents and believing that He hears and never leaves them to fight alone the battle between flesh and spirit.Lt 77, 1896, par. 23–26+2 He answers requests for good with what is good and helpful rather than with what is useless or harmful.Ms 16, 1886, par. 11+1 His children may bring Him every need, even the smallest cares of daily life, and continue asking without fearing that persistence will weary Him.ST May 28, 1896

Asking, seeking, and knocking brings a heart where Jesus dwells to be quickened, purified, guided, and ruled by the Holy Spirit, with strenuous human effort to bring character into harmony with God and to avoid all that is contrary to His revealed will and mind.Ms 88, 1894, par. 9–10 This means poor souls give up idols, come to the light, plead with God instead of profitless talk, ask the Lord to reveal self, place life under His searching eye, see grievous mistakes and things thought of little importance that offend Heaven, recognize decided need of thorough transformation of character, put away the evil of doings, and cooperate with God and with heavenly angels sent to minister to heirs of salvation.Ms 88, 1894, par. 9–10

Every son and daughter of God has the privilege of close relation with the heavenly Father with the trust and confidence a child has in an earthly father, and indeed with a deeper and stronger trust because His love is larger, broader, deeper, and immeasurable.Ms 16, 1887, par. 4–5+1 Exalting that love as it is gives that trust and turns attention from earthly things to heavenly things, with power coming not from human wisdom but from the wisdom of an infinite God giving access to souls.Ms 16, 1887, par. 4–5 There is efficiency in earnest, importunate, fervent prayer for the vitalizing power of the Holy Spirit, and in answer to it God turns the thoughts and hearts of men as He turns the waters of the sea.Ms 242, 1902, par. 11

Applied to prayer for instruction, light, wisdom, purity, and salvation, believers may ask in faith for the Spirit's power, and workers who look to Him for wisdom as they take truth to people in spiritual need are blessed as the Spirit comes to those who hunger and thirst for the bread of life and ask for it.MYP 268.2+2

In Luke 11:1-13 asking of the Father is for the sake of receiving in order to communicate to others, and Christ Himself lived that pattern by continually receiving from the Father that He might communicate to men, living and thinking and praying not for Himself but for others.COL 139.1 Morning by morning He came forth from hours spent with God to bring the light of heaven to men.COL 139.1 Each day He received a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit, with soul and lips anointed with grace and with words given fresh from the heavenly courts to speak in season to the weary and oppressed.COL 139.1

Those sent to give the people the bread of life will face hungry souls while recognizing they have no spiritual food of their own to share.RH Aug 11, 1910 They are to seek God's blessings and trust Him to supply what they need rather than turn anyone away unfed, for God supplies those who ask Him.RH Aug 11, 1910 As a father does not answer a child's request for food with something harmful, God gives the Spirit to those who seek Him in faith for what they need, and those who ask for the Spirit are equipped for service and to share spiritual nourishment with others.2MR 32.2–3 In that application God blesses workers who look to Him for wisdom as they take truth to people in spiritual need, and the Holy Spirit comes to those who hunger and thirst for the bread of life and ask for it so they can share it with others.Lt 166, 1899, par. 4–8

Even sinful earthly fathers give good gifts to their children and do not answer hunger with what is useless or harmful, and by contrast rather than comparison the heavenly Father will far more surely give good.COL 141.2–3 He delights to give, is full of compassion, and longs to grant the requests of those who come to Him in faith, giving above all the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.COL 141.2–3 That assurance strengthens confidence to call God Father and to trust Him with a deeper and stronger trust than a child places in an earthly father, because His love is larger, broader, deeper and immeasurable.COL 141.2–3 He gives to His children, redeemed out of the world into His royal family, that they may minister to others and thus become like Himself.COL 141.2–3 Those who persist in asking for what they need will receive, sincere seekers for the Holy Spirit will not be disappointed, and those who receive are to impart to others, with receiving requiring consecration, self-denial, taking up the cross, and following Christ.4MR 335.2