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“Let us look at what the Word of God says.”
Two key scriptures form the backbone of this song:
> “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
> how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”
> — Matthew 7:11 (NKJV)
> “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
> and comes down from the Father of lights,
> with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
> — James 1:17 (NKJV)
These verses reveal three central truths:
1. God is a Father. Not a distant force, not an impersonal power, but a Father.
2. God is a Giver. His very nature is to give.
3. God is Good. What He gives is always good and always perfect.
The song “Heavenly Gifts Disco” simply echoes and emphasizes what Jesus and James have already proclaimed:
Your Father in heaven gives good gifts. He gives generously. He does not change.
Behind these words stands a spiritual reality:
Many believers struggle to trust God as Father. They ask with fear, doubt, or a hidden expectation of disappointment.
These scriptures confront and dismantle that inner mistrust.
Jesus sets up a contrast:
If fallen, sinful, inconsistent human parents can still give good gifts to their children, then how much more can we trust the perfect, righteous, unchanging Father in heaven?
The core issue is not whether God is willing to give.
The core issue is whether we truly believe what He has said about Himself.
### Matthew 7:11 – Jesus Teaching on the Mountain
Matthew 7:11 belongs to the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). Jesus is teaching His disciples about the nature of the kingdom of God. He has already addressed:
In Matthew 7:7–11 He turns again to prayer and the character of God:
> “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
> For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
> — Matthew 7:7–8
Then He uses a simple human analogy:
> “Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
> Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?”
> — Matthew 7:9–10
Jesus assumes something obvious to His hearers:
Even flawed fathers know this much — you do not mock or deceive a hungry child. You give what is good and appropriate.
Then comes the contrast:
> “If you then, being evil,
> know how to give good gifts to your children,
> how much more will your Father who is in heaven
> give good things to those who ask Him!”
> — Matthew 7:11
Jesus is speaking to Jewish disciples living under the Old Covenant, steeped in the language of God as “Father” of Israel (e.g., Deut. 32:6; Isa. 63:16). Yet He takes that concept and brings it to its full relational depth:
Your Father in heaven — personal, intimate, fully involved in your needs.
### Luke’s Parallel – The Holy Spirit
The song also alludes to Luke’s parallel passage:
> “If you then, being evil,
> know how to give good gifts to your children,
> how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit
> to those who ask Him!”
> — Luke 11:13
Luke preserves a vital detail:
The supreme “good gift” is the Holy Spirit Himself.
So we have two connected truths:
This is not a contradiction but a progression. All good things from God are derived from, mediated by, and sustained through the Holy Spirit.
### James 1:17 – In the Midst of Trials and Temptation
James writes to believers scattered among the nations, facing trials, pressures, and temptations.
He has just said:
> “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’;
> for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.”
> — James 1:13
Apparently some were beginning to ascribe their temptations and internal conflicts to God Himself. James corrects this:
Then he contrasts the instability of human desire with the utter stability of God:
> “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
> and comes down from the Father of lights,
> with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
> — James 1:17
So the backdrop is this:
In times of trial, confusion, and temptation, we must hold fast to the unchanging fact that every truly good and perfect thing comes from God alone, never from the flesh, never from sin, never from the devil.
Let us examine two key words: gift and Father.
### 1. “Gift” — dόsis & dórēma (James 1:17)
James 1:17 uses two related Greek terms:
So we could render James 1:17:
> “Every good giving and every perfect gift is from above…”
Two insights emerge:
1. God’s goodness is not only seen in what He gives, but in the way He gives — freely, generously, without manipulation.
2. What He gives is complete, perfectly suited to its purpose, not halfway, not defective.
This aligns with the lyrics:
“He gives generously,
He gives good things
to those who come to Him.”
The nature of His giving and the quality of the gift both reflect His character.
### 2. “Father” — patḗr (Greek) and the underlying Hebrew concept
The word used in both Matthew 7:11 and James 1:17 is:
Behind this Greek term lies the Hebrew concept of ’āb (אָב):
So when Jesus says, “your Father in heaven,” and James says “Father of lights,” they are not speaking of a detached deity.
They are speaking of the ultimate source of everything:
This deepens the message of the song:
The Father is not reluctantly persuaded to give.
He gives because that is who He is.
He is the Fountain; we are the recipients.
Let us now walk through the themes of the lyrics, comparing them with scripture.
### Stanza 1
> 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!
This is Matthew 7:11 almost verbatim.
#### “You… though you are evil”
Jesus is not flattering human nature. The Greek word is ponēroi (πονηροί), meaning:
He is saying:
Even people whose nature has been corrupted by sin still possess a residual desire to provide for their children.
This removes any illusion of human goodness as the standard.
Yet it highlights something powerful:
If even a corrupted human nature can still give good gifts to its own children, how much more will a holy, righteous, pure Father give good things to His?
The contrast is absolute:
So the first theological pillar is:
God’s generosity is not measured by human limitation but by divine perfection.
#### “To those who ask Him”
The condition is simple, but it is a condition: asking.
James confirms this same principle:
> “Yet you do not have because you do not ask.”
> — James 4:2
God’s willingness is not the problem.
Many times, our failure or reluctance to ask is.
The act of asking acknowledges:
### Stanza 2
> How much more will your Father in heaven
> give good gifts to those who ask!
> He gives generously,
> He gives good things
> to those who come to Him.
Here the emphasis shifts from the contrast to the certainty:
#### “How much more…”
This phrase is one of Jesus’ key teaching methods. He often uses a minore ad maius — from the lesser to the greater.
This logic is meant to dismantle unbelief.
If we accept the lesser as obvious, we must accept the greater as even more certain.
#### “He gives generously”
This echoes James 1:5:
> “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God,
> who gives to all liberally and without reproach,
> and it will be given to him.”
> — James 1:5
God does not reproach, shame, or insult you for asking.
He does not say, “Again? Didn’t you ask yesterday?”
He gives with open hand and consistent heart.
#### “To those who come to Him”
This phrase suggests approach — coming near.
Hebrews 11:6 reinforces this:
> “For he who comes to God must believe that He is,
> and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Two requirements for those who come:
1. Believe that He is (His existence and authority).
2. Believe that He is a rewarder (His goodness and generosity).
This completely overturns any image of God as grudging or reluctant.
### Stanza 3
> If you then, being evil,
> know how to give good gifts to your children,
> how much more will the heavenly Father
> give the Holy Spirit
> to those who ask Him!
This stanza shifts from Matthew’s wording to Luke 11:13.
Here the “good gifts” are specified: the Holy Spirit.
#### The Supreme Gift
Ephesians 1:13–14 tells us:
> “…you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
> who is the guarantee of our inheritance…”
The Holy Spirit is not merely a blessing from God.
He is God Himself dwelling in us.
Through the Holy Spirit:
So when Jesus says the Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask, He is saying:
> The greatest, most precious, most powerful gift the Father can give is Himself — in the Person of the Spirit.
If we can trust God to give lesser good things (bread, fish, daily provision), how much more should we trust Him to give this highest of gifts when we ask?
Many believers fear that if they seek the infilling of the Holy Spirit, they might receive something counterfeit.
Jesus addresses this directly in Luke 11:11–12 (before verse 13):
> “If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?
> Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?
> Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?”
Then:
> “How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
The implication is clear:
If you come as a child to the Father, asking sincerely for the Holy Spirit, He will not allow a demon or deception to take His place.
This is vital in spiritual warfare. The safeguard against deception is:
### Stanza 4
> Every good and perfect gift
> is from above,
> coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,
> who does not change like shifting shadows.
This is James 1:17.
#### “From above”
The Greek: ánōthen (ἄνωθεν) elsewhere means “from above” or “from heaven” (cf. John 3:3, 7).
This emphasizes:
Anything truly good, truly perfect, in our lives has its origin in God’s initiative.
#### “Father of lights”
This likely refers to:
Yet notice:
The lights God created move, change, cause shadows.
But the Father of lights does not change.
#### “With whom there is no variation or shadow of turning”
God does not vary in His nature:
Malachi 3:6 confirms:
> “For I am the LORD, I do not change…”
Hebrews 13:8 says:
> “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
So when James says “every good and perfect gift,” he is grounding our faith in an unchanging Giver.
Our circumstances change. Our emotions change. But the Father of lights remains constant.
### Stanza 5 & Refrains
> Your Father in heaven gives good gifts—
> ask Him, and He will give generously.
>
> How much more will your Father in heaven
> give good gifts to those who ask!
> He gives generously,
> He gives good things
> to those who come to Him.
These lines summarize and reinforce the whole biblical message:
1. The Giver: Your Father in heaven
2. The Nature of His gifts: good
3. The Method: He gives generously
4. The Condition: ask and come to Him
Spiritual warfare often begins right here:
The enemy’s primary tactic is to misrepresent God — to whisper:
“God is holding out on you. He is not as good as He says. He will not really give what you ask.”
This was Satan’s first lie in Eden (Genesis 3).
These verses destroy that lie.
They reveal a Father who is better than any human father, more generous than any human giver, more stable than any created light.
We must now move from theory to practice. It is not enough to admire these truths; we must act on them.
### First, We Must Renounce Wrong Images of God
Many carry inner images of God shaped by:
These images must be brought under the judgment of Scripture.
You can say something like this (out loud, before God):
> “Father, in the name of Jesus,
> I renounce every false image of You
> as harsh, distant, reluctant, or unwilling.
> I choose to believe what Your Word says:
> You are my Father in heaven.
> You give good gifts.
> You give generously.
> You do not change.”
You align your inner picture of God with the Word of God.
### Second, We Must Obey the Command to Ask
Asking is not optional; it is commanded:
> “Ask, and it will be given to you…” (Matt. 7:7)
Make it a deliberate practice:
1. Identify your need clearly (wisdom, provision, healing, strength, the Holy Spirit, etc.).
2. Bring it to the Father in Jesus’ name.
3. Ask specifically and simply, without bargaining.
For example:
> “Father, I ask You for wisdom in this decision.”
> “Father, I ask You to fill me with the Holy Spirit.”
> “Father, I ask You to provide what is needed for this situation.”
James 4:2 says, “You do not have because you do not ask.”
Do not let that be your condition.
### Third, We Must Receive the Holy Spirit as the Supreme Gift
If Jesus identified the Holy Spirit as the “how much more” gift, we cannot ignore this.
A simple, scriptural pattern:
1. Repent and believe in Jesus (Acts 2:38).
2. Ask the Father for the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13).
3. Receive by faith (Gal. 3:2; Mark 11:24).
4. Yield your faculties (especially your tongue) to the Holy Spirit’s control (Acts 2:4).
You might pray:
> “Father, I come to You as Your child, cleansed by the blood of Jesus.
> I ask You now: give me the Holy Spirit.
> Fill me, empower me, saturate me with Your Spirit.
> I receive the Holy Spirit by faith, in Jesus’ name.”
Then begin to thank Him, and allow the Holy Spirit to express Himself through you, including in new languages if He so leads.
### Fourth, We Must Acknowledge God as the Source of Every Good Thing
To live in victory, we must continually remind ourselves:
> “Every good and perfect gift is from above…”
Make it a habit:
This breaks pride, destroys self-reliance, and anchors you in gratitude.
It also guards you against attributing to God what does not come from Him (temptation, confusion, evil).
### Proclamation (Say This Aloud)
I proclaim:
My Father in heaven is good.
He is the Giver of every good and perfect gift.
He does not change like shifting shadows.
Though I am weak and once was evil by nature,
I now come to Him as His child through the blood of Jesus.
If earthly fathers give good gifts to their children,
how much more will my heavenly Father
give good things to me when I ask.
My Father gives generously.
He gives good things to those who come to Him.
He is the Father of lights,
my source of every blessing.
I declare that the Holy Spirit
is the supreme gift of the Father.
I ask, and my Father gives the Holy Spirit to me.
I receive the Holy Spirit by faith.
I refuse every lie that God is reluctant or withholding.
Today I set my heart to ask, to seek, and to knock,
believing that my Father hears and answers.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
### Prayer
Father in heaven,
I thank You that You are good, that You are generous, and that You do not change.
Forgive me for every time I have doubted Your goodness,
or believed lies about Your character.
Today I come to You as Your child,
trusting Your Word above my feelings and experiences.
I ask You:
Give me every good and perfect gift that You have prepared for me in Christ.
Above all, Father, give me the Holy Spirit in fullness.
Fill me, lead me, empower me to live a life that honors You.
Let every area of my life testify
that You are the Father of lights,
the Source of every good thing.
I receive Your gifts with gratitude,
and I commit myself to use them for Your glory.
I ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
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