If all is predestined and God has fixed the universe like a bug on a pin, or a fossil in amber, then I’m at a loss to see how the following verses apply:
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” (Matthew 7:7)
“Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:19)
“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” (Matthew 21:22)
“Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” (Mark 11:24)
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13)
“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14)
“And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.” (John 16:23)
“For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.” (Romans 10:12)
“For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” (Ephesians 2:18)
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)
“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. . (Hebrews 10:19)
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” (1 John 5:14-15)
We understand that God has conditions for us though:
“Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshiper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth” (John 9:31).
“If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23).
In Hebrews 11, which is called the Bible’s Hall of Faith, the Lord says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord” (James 1:5-7)
“And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (John 14:13)
We cannot expect the Lord to answer prayer if we have unconfessed sin in our lives.
“If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear” (Psalms 66:18)
“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2)
“One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination” (Proverbs 28:9)
“And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight”. (1 John 3:22)
“Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.” (John 9:31)
“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 18:19)
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
“And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Luke 11:5-9).
All of these verses indicate to me that we are to do. I am at a loss to explain it otherwise.
I appear to have had the photocopier activated for this posting.
Bears repeating. ;-)
But of course they indicate what we are supposed to do. No one says otherwise.
However, we do them knowing the absolute truth that...
"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." -- Philippians 2:13