One of the greatest tools we have in the teachers book of educating is the asking of questions. Even if us teachers don't know the answers, we can ask the questions. We will then get a wide range of answers and that's what shows us where a student is in their studies. Asking questions opens the mind to possibilities beyond the class.

Then more questions we ask the more we learn and the more growth we will have with our Lord and Savior.

Asking as a Statement

There is a form of asking for someone to help you, and this is usually done in the form of a statement. Will you help me do the dishes, or can you run to the store for me. Generally when these questions are being asked, they are not intended by the questioner to get any other answer than the one that they are particularly looking for. I find quite a few people out there that are really good at this particular method and have even developed it into an art form. Have you ever ran across those people that you just can't say no to?? They must have taken a class on it or something. LOL. And I see the people that are being asked, answering in a couple of ways. Some respond out of intimidation, because they don't want to lose their job, or disappoint someone, or actually fear the repercussions of. Others will answer out of love. Sometimes people ask me to do something and I will just do it out of love for that person, and sometimes I really don't want to do it for that person or group, but I am going to do it out of the love for Christ Jesus.

When Jesus Asks: And speaking of doing things that we are asked; that is why we do things for Christ, because we love Him. That is why we keep all His commandments, because we Love Him. And When Jesus asks us to do something for Him, we need to know that He is asking us to do these things for a particular reason that may be beyond our understanding. We need to joyfully accept what we asks of us. I am a perfect example of Isaiah when it comes to Christ asking me to do something.

Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
" Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."

That's the way Isaiah was, Jumping up and down, SEND ME!!! Who do you think God would want to send? The person who is hoping not to be picked or the person who is excited to serve? Who are you?

Asking in Prayer

I would like to take this Ask More section to a far higher calling by presenting this to you; to Ask More In Prayer. And what I would like you to ask for is not the materialistic items that we usually ask for, I not going to suggest that we ask for the aid of others that we should always be asking for;I am asking you to come to God asking what you can do for Him, how He can help us change! Here are some of the best questions that you can constantly be ASKING God for the answers.

Father God, Is there any areas in my live that I need to work on, to be better for you?

How can I serve you today?

Lord Jesus, I'm asking you to help me change my ways? For alone, I can not!

What can I do to become closer to You?

Lord, do You have anything that I can do, for You?

Ask these questions in the silence of your prayer, AND WAIT FOR THE ANSWERS! Too many people jump right out of their prayers into their everyday lives, leaving God behind and leaving their prayer's answers behind too.

So now that we have the most important part of asking questions, there are a couple other elements of asking questions that I would like to share with you.

 

Asking When You Already Know The Answer

This is a great tool that we use from time to time. i often see parents ask their children in this form. It can be a good way of discovery, but be careful for the little bit of bad. We want to teach our children to be truthful, without continually be presenting them opportunities to lie. So many times people take this to a extreme and they are actually teaching their children to become better liars in the process. So we too must be careful as to how we use this tool.

In business, I will often use this tool to see if my employees are being truthful or if I have employees that are liars. And if they are lies, chances are that the devil has them being capable of a wide range of other sins too. We too need to be careful when we are testing people thru asking a question that we already know the answers for. We need to know that our own answers are correct, and we need to make sure not to assume the known knowledge of the other party involved. It does take a little restraint but can be a great aid in life. Discernment really helps too!

Jesus asked many questions that He knew the answers for:

Luke 8:30
Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.

Matthew 16:13
He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"

In fact, I would have to say that there was not one single question Jesus asked

that He did not know the answer for.

 

There were also the many parables that were brought in the from of a question. these were intended for a number of reasons, one of which was to encourage people to study and think of all the many possibilities.

 

Not Answering a Question That is Asked

Quite often we can ask a question instead of answering a question. So often I will run into someone that will ask me a question that I don't want to answer and I will send them back as question of my own.

And for the most part I don't like answering a lot of people's questions because they are asking such stupid or inappropriate things. In this age of predators and idiots, we really don't want to release too much information, especially to people we are not closely connected to. I get people that ask me how my business is, and instead of telling them that it's none of their business, I simple say unbelievable! This doesn't mean unbelievably good or bad. They can come to their own conclusions. People are always wanting to know how much money you are making too! They may be wanting to see if they can capitalize off your good blessings in one way or another. And in the church, it is where you need to be the most careful. You may thing that they are friends, but beware of wolves in sheep's clothing.

Let's Look at Jesus: He actually asked a lot of questions. Quite often someone would ask Him a question to try to trap Him and He would answer them with a question of His own or flip it into a necessity for you to have to ask yourself a question. READ BELOW John 8: 3-11

John 8:3-11

And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,

They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

 

So we are realizing that asking questions is not only a way to get an answer for a question you don't know, it is also a very powerful tool for many other things.