Luke 11:1-13 ~ ask Him

 

 

Luke 11:1-13

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when He had finished,
one of His disciples said to Him,
"Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples."

He said to them, "When you pray, say:

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. 

Thy Kingdom come, 

Thy will be done,

 on earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread

And forgive us our trespasses, 

as we forgive those who trespass against us. 

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

5 And He said to them, 

“Which of you who has a friend 

will go to him at midnight and say to him, 

‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 

6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 

7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’?

 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 

9 And I tell you, 

ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 

11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 

13 If you then, who are 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!”

Jesus begins the Eleventh Chapter of The Gospel of Luke, with an unusual phrase,

Jesus was praying in a certain place

I sing a song of the saints of God:

patient and brave and true, 

who toiled and fought 

and lived and died

 for the Lord they loved and knew.

And one was a doctor, 

and one was a queen,

and one was a shepherdess on the green: 

they were all of them saints of God, and I mean,

 God helping, me to be one too.

They loved their Lord so dear, so dear,

 and His love made them strong;

 and they followed the right, 

for Jesus’ sake, 

the whole of their good lives long.

And one was a soldier, 

and one was a priest, 

and one was slain by a fierce wild beast: 

and there’s not any reason, 

no, not the least, 

why I shouldn’t be one too.

They lived not only in ages past; 

there are hundreds of thousands still; 

the world is bright with the joyous saints 

who love

 to do Jesus’ will.

You can meet them in school, 

or in lanes, 

or at sea,

 in church, 

or in trains, 

or in shops, 

or at tea; 

for the saints of God are just folk like me, 

and I mean to be one too.

The Almighty does not want us to pray in any certain place. 

"Prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God." - Teresa of Avila. 

This passage, Luke 11, links prayer to friends seeking a favor.

Strictly a come as you are invitation, Prayer. 

When we see David including all the aspects of life, for example hating the wicked, God is allowing David to be who he is.  When we see violence like the war in Israel, we are plunged into emotions. God is allowing us to come near Him with our inner being. God doesn't stop David and say, no, hate the wickedness. This wouldn't help Aaron come into the Holy of Holies. 

A human being will ask us to be saintly and wear contrition. Contribute to God, even if you wear a mask?  God would run to us and say, My Child is Coming Home. God wants us to fully understand, God sees our heart to infinity and beyond. 

When Jesus returned to His Disciples from the Transfiguration, He met a father with a son possessed by a demon. And the father didn't cry out, my son hit his knee. Or my son fell into a fire. A few times. Maybe my son took wine. It happened more than a few times.

Jesus challenged the man. Jesus didn't say this is okey-dokey, let's give it a quick fix.  Jesus looked at the father and His Disciples and said, "Have Faith, keep praying." Then Jesus was a bit ruffled, by the less than eager idea of having faith. And He said, "Anything is possible with God!"

The father didn't say, you betcha, sounds good. Jesus didn't turn to the men He appointed, anointed, and say, line up, and we will take names and numbers of who didn't handle this spot on. 

Let's take a step back and look at Jesus with Spiritual Glasses. 

Jesus is Glowing with Vacation. Tremendous, Heavenly Vacation. Jesus laid eyes on His Father, for the first time since Bethlehem, perhaps.  Jesus is coming down the hill with Peter, James and John and they are - seeing correctly - Who Jesus Christ Is.  Jesus is with them in profound fellowship.

The Lord is greeted by a great crowd of people looking at Him in the distance. Welcome Back, Jesus, You Have a Problem. Dealing with a cloud over them, because the boy has a demon. Upset people. People who are focused on Jesus because they can't solve the situation surrounding them and know He can provide a joyous path forward.  The cloud is reminding them, they are powerless. The cloud is also saying this whole thing is a downer. The exact opposite of Vacation. Polar opposite.

The Disciples have a history of complaint in their hearts about Jesus. An equal measure of awe and discomfort, with some hand it off to Jesus. Maybe even thinking Jesus is going to give us the speech about knowing bread, again.

The father is motivated at the arrival of Jesus. 

Yes, sir. Here is the exact problem, with my exact need. Let's get to the Jesus part.  This needy father is going to annoy Jesus, what me?  What are you saying, that we should pray about this? What, Jesus, wants me to do something? A something vague, like be positive,  then the outcome will eventually pray out???

The father picks up his solution, miracle hope. Jesus is standing here! What should this man do with have a hope? Ask Jesus for More Help! Goal!

Voila, we have Prayer.  

The man realizes Jesus is dealing with him, the exact way you deal with a friend:

Let's flowchart, a possible thought process: 

Glad to see you. 

Oh, Lord, you have a need? 

Ok, what.  

Yes, thanks heard you. 

What are you really telling me? 

And you want me to do the whole thing? 

What are you going to do? 

Oh, is that enough? 

I can't do that. Correct. 

Great, now we have the same situation.

Yes, like a team.

 Mark 9

And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 

And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. And He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 

And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 

And He answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 

And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 

And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 

And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 

But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.

 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

Everyone faces they are powerless. The forest for the trees.

And look to Jesus with all sorts of emotions:

Flowcharting a prayer, from the brain to the heart, to the soul:

Gratitude

Why did you take so long, 

Why don't you help me more and faster.

Maybe I should try to look like I'm enthusiastic

I'm compliant

So glad You are here, even if you are a disappointment.

But You forgive! 

There is Hope!

The process is about Friendship. Understanding Who is in Charge.

Dealing with His Authority.

Feeling like a duckling under His Pinions.

Feeling a little like Judas for having negative emotions.

Being forgiven again.

Awe at the Gracious Endurance of Jesus.

Wonder at the Steadfast Love of God.

Joy at His Mercy.

And the Lord's Prayer is an ongoing search for the Living Word

of His mysterious Lord's Prayer. The clarity of one phrase, as needed.

Because Jesus was praying in a certain place!

Our Almighty Father does not record the name of the father and son. They do not come back and say thank You. And neither are they condemned. There is no Chapter saying they came back to complain that God gave a backsie miracle. 

Instead, they are forgiven that day, that week, that month. Forgiven on the Cross. 

The Mercy and Love of God are Steadfast.

Jesus is true, honorable, just, pure. Their lives do not place this time as their forever.  They are not listed as Purgatory.  Jesus, even as He says, Pray, isn't telling them stand here forever.

Jesus is Lovely, Commendable, Excellent. He does not call down fire from Heaven when not faking full faith. Don't Have Enough Faith, have some fire! There is no backsie, God changed His Mind Chapter. 

Anything to Praise? The crowd counted this as death. They cried out, this is death.

Jesus gave Life. Anything is Possible With Jesus.

Psalm 122

 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

    “May they be secure who love you!

7 Peace be within your walls

    and security within your towers!”

8 For my brothers and companions' sake

    I will say, “Peace be within you!”

9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,

    I will seek your good.

Abba, Father,

We pray for Israel.

For the Children of Israel who are terribly afraid

in their homes of violence.

Cover us in the 

Highest Name of Jesus.

Our hearts cry,

Lord Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, as we pray

Dwell in us, Father, please.

Dwell in the ones we Love.

Bless us with Your Love,

Help us to Seek You First.

And 

we will finish well in Jesus Christ.

Heal the hurting, uplift the families. 

Send Your vast blessings. Father God, 

You are truly are as vast as the Universe itself 

and as gentle as a breeze. 

Speak the Word, Father God, and we know Your healing. 

We ask You for healing:

In the Nation,

Nations and Israel,

mankind,

families

and the weather

Economics.

All the things we pray for diligently!

We pray 

to rise

 to shine for Your Glory.

In the Name of Jesus Christ,

Your Son.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Thank You Lord Jesus 

Micah 6:8 ~ what is good

 

In a novel I read, the wife maintained the happiness of her marriage by listening to the songs her husband would whistle, sing or find on the radio. And with his inner thoughts arriving, then the discussion could be made complete.

We live in a dichotomy. 

Controversy and comfort. Struggle, yet maintain safety.

Peaceful Protests had strong desires, because when we see the USA history of riots, we learn our roots of yearning to be free are also fighting words. And then, we find in the Bible, mankind lives to struggle. Like roses, trimmed back pretty diligently and severely, to bloom again, in health. People crave, crave controversy and want, or make up reasons, to have controversy, because they are singing a song within themselves to work out meaningful lives.  Push this away of watch this. Apply ideas to life.

We are just people. And if we think casually of surfing, we are going to think of Portugal, the incredible force of nature, waves.

Jesus understood mankind well. 

He said He did not trust Himself to us. And then brought a new Heaven and a new earth. Jesus died for me to be called holy and righteous, Jesus died for you to be invited, as holy, to His Eternal Kingdom. Forever. And Jesus died for the Church, with all the flaws of His Disciples, due to humanity and shown in history.

Jesus said, He has overcome the world. Expect the world to have situations requiring prayer and diligence and hope.

Jesus told us He is the Light of the world and gave us the rhythms of life.

 If we were going to seek a Biblical phrase to describe us all, putting one day to the next, we might grab:

Matthew 2:1-6 ~ Herod was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him

Scripture repeats situations and advice.  God tells us to live in hope, do kindness, seek justice and walk humbly with God. Letting God be... in charge.  Allowing our own wonder into the works of God to overcome just looking at our own needs.

We will all have different portions of our understanding of God. We will all have different ways to seek God. And different Scripture, the Word of God, to favor our own relationship with The Lord and Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit in us will give us strength in our unique qualities and bless His Mankind.

We live in the Dichotomy of Faith. 

More science or mysticism. 

Some are more like the Book of Esther. No one walks on water, and real life situations are where the good are thrown. Soaked in the present day culture. And not responsible for taking the controversy, relying on faith and overcoming.

Some are like the Apocrypha, or David, watching the wind in the trees to see the movement of God's Works. Mighty, mighty, mighty.

Some are like the Books of Acts and want results, results, results. Can end up haunted by performance, looking like Simon asking to pay for the Holy Spirit. Believing money solves everything and then the Holy Spirit will be satisfied. Then we will have works. 

Reawakening, Revival. 

Like Salvation. Are the Work of God. 

And God will not be stopped.  Mankind does not save mankind. Jesus Does.

Some are like Peter, trying hard, looking bad and pleasing the Lord mightily.

Some are like John, and will lose their life, home, and gain a new family and a longevity through faith and loyalty with Love.

Some are like Philip. Rejoicing in the Spirit of God and moved on. Story unknown, yet in God's hands.

Some are like Samuel, strong with mistakes. 

No one is like Jesus Christ. All have fallen short. And we, who look to the game of finding faults, do not serve God is Love.

Israel is peril.

Some will say this is their fault. Some will lament the sorrow of the 9 Million Jews of Israel facing nations of ugly, horrible actions.  Loss of the elderly and children. Watch with dislike at the people who call this victory. And some will look to mysticism of the ways of God and say: Israel had fallen into reworking Orthodox or Biblical standards. As told in Numbers and Deuteronomy and, recently, the 20 year peace following the 6-Day War of 1967. 

Others will look to the Book of Ruth and say mankind is within the tyranny of Herod and everyone is troubled.

We have to rely upon the Truth. Sorrow for the harm. Shock at the depth of violence. Sorrow, sorrow. Living in expectation of Israel, relying again upon their Savior, The Lord God Almighty, to be a strong Israel again. To support this incredible nation in our heart, in our prayers, in our votes and in our monetary support. 

We have to support History. To understand, the World War II Jewish refugees getting off the ships, from the concentration camps, were fired upon in Israel. And ran into a Catholic Church to find miraculous help. Herman Wouk recorded the History. The Jews did not come in and toss out, or evict, anyone. Granny was not evicted. The Jews purchased homes and worked. In fact, the Jews could afford the swamps and desert. And the Desert Bloomed due to hard work.  Truman and the peacemakers allowed their government a voice in policy. 

The Nation of Israel is really a miracle.

The Blessing seekers. Controversy. To bring Heaven to earth. To travel through Egypt and the Middle East, there is poverty. The people seeking God have created a clean, gleaming space. Traveling through a land desiring water, Israel is now planted, irrigated, swamp leveled and fixed. The Garden of Eden is tended and worked. The buildings are white, architecturally accurate with simple lines.  The landscape is carefully planted with those would bloom where planted.

Israel has more patents per person than anywhere on earth.

Micah 6:8

He has told you, 

O man, what is good

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justice,

 and 

to love kindness, 

and 

to walk humbly with your God

When the world does not bring good readily, when Justice is merely a cry from the heart,

Kindness is a memory, walking with the Lord is not the glorified path, there is an answer:

Zechariah 8

16 These are the things that you shall do: 

Speak the truth to one another; 

render in your gates [your own home] 

judgments that are true 

and make for peace.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Thank You Lord Jesus 

1 Peter 4:10 ~ Gift

We live in the most controversial, strangest time.  

Pope John Paul II determined, by circumstance, he needed a Pope mobile.  And everyone LOVED John Paul II and was called Pappa. We all melt to hear of Pappa.  Now... Pope Francis was riding around in a convertible this last weekend with 80,000 people in front of the Vatican. Francis has been widely criticized for supporting the environment while speaking with President Clinton, and the only one who mentioned Scripture for their 2.5 hour interview was President Clinton. 

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo is the local Catholic Cardinal. He is marvelous in deeds and Biblical in words. And he publically has said Francis could do better, when compared to the 3 Popes he personally knows, works with and spent time with. I think most of the world would agree. Francis has been worldwide called a heretic during his sermons that were not Biblical or doctrinal in the base.

Time will tell if Pope Francis is defined by inviting Nancy Pelosi the week she was booed in NYC for news of her daily, many different million dollar stock investments. And pushing a CHILD out of her photo op, in front of a running TV camera. The same time frame Pope Francis did not invite the USA Supreme Court, many Catholics, for removing Roe vs Wade. Will this define Pope Francis in history? Francis asked if Nancy Pelosi could be an Italian Ambassador upon her retirement during all this.

The President of the United States had a miltary 'picnic' in front of the White House, and you don't want your children to see the photos of nudity.  His employee said in the Halls of Congress that parents who would parent their children are, "Domestic Terrorists."

Biden greeted the largest Teacher's Union by speaking of falling in love with a 12-year-old when he was in his 30s and marrying her. This by the man who upheld the stock price of DISNEY falling far for having weird sex theories regarding children.  And DISNEY Lately had arrested executives for being part of porn and sex trafficking of ... children. All this, during the time frame when attacks of teachers on students is at a historic, unnewsworthy time. 

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Everyone has had tragedies. 

CNN had their Atlanta offices burned down while saying the violent mob was peaceful protesters. Peaceful protesters. Peaceful Protesters. 

Alive for 6 decades. I miss seeing gift shops, toy shops, wedding registries and the absence of large weddings.  Radically miss college being given funding by the government and costing $12,000 to get a four-year degree from Texas A and M University.

Received phone calls during the Pandemic from a friend in her 70s who rescued her 90-year-old husband from poor medical care. She found information on which Hospital was doing well with Covid. This while watching Italy sing and NYC sing for the heroes of the Pandemic. Never thought I'd see this.

We did like so many have done, according to the Pew Report, and changed Churches. Our Pastor came in the Biden supports Disney week and did the sermon on his trip to ... Disney. When the other woman's minister was fired by saying she needed to retire, the same week, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer was told he was going to retire. The Ukrainian war week was turned into gun control for everyone week.  I also changed my Church the week a small church of 110 people was given a Sermon on Darth Vader and asked for $13 million dollars to build a Cathedral for Bishops.  

All of these sermons were broadcast to the world, via relay, internet, the Sermon feed. And their criticisms of other ministers and Churches. Oh, I've heard my own father bashed at Church, Lee Strobel, invited to speak and bashed. Giving new meaning to the word Host. Ross Perot (during his elderly 90s, while having Leukemia). TD Jakes. Joel Olsteen. The Pope. Baptists. Catholics. Joyce Meyers and, and, and Billy Graham. Kerry Shook. All have fallen.  All have endured in Jesus Christ. You can see them in church and in the lane. We intend to be saints, too. All have virtues in the eyes of God. And all the saints of God have endured feeling criticized at Church, privately. It's called practice. 

I've seen the Revival Groups debunking Church going for the last month.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? 

I was thinking this week of the tragedies I have seen and experienced in these decades. And some would say you've had some appalling tragedies.  Yes, and I've tried to take every knock, and make life more wise, strong, compassionate, to the goal of Love without insincerity.  And in relying on the Lord, I have lived being a 39-year Episcopalian, 5 year Catholic. 5 year - other congregations and Biblically based. 23 years in the same house. 10 years in Youth Ministry. 37 year marriage to Edward and we dated 5 years. And 4 years in ProLife. 10 years with Club Corp, reconciling their refundable deposits and traveling across the United States. Written a blog since 2007, this one, and had reports of readers above 8 million unique readers, in 2015. Once told by a Bishop, with a huge congregation, this blog increased the readership of the Bible.  The Scripture for Today Blogspot maintains a Scripture Today search record on the 1st to 4th pages of Google, Brave and, again, of Bing. Yahoo and DuckDuck. This would make us a better rank, if we were one of the paid to sponsor spots, but rank well, thank God.

I've employed one landscape gardener for ten years. The next for fourteen years. Half of the work, I can do myself.  Asked the neighbors to employ them 12 months a year. And our block is the block who finds work 12 months a year.  I've worked with 3 contractors, 2 in Dallas, Dallas for 2 years, and here. Both to completion of good work. And one contractor here for 2 years, when other Church members quit. Our AC friend worked with for 23 years.

Argued with my mother, increasingly, who had fatal Alzheimer's, the Ronald Reagan variety. Found out from her Rector, during her knee surgery, when he reported.  My husband and I risked our lives during knee surgery recovery for Swine Flu and, later, Covid to nurse our family. Stayed as Mother's sole guardian for twenty-two long years and hired her live-in nursing for 4 years. Was my first cousin once removed's Texas Guardian of the Estate and Person for 12 Years. Gave Maxine the choice of her home or a facility, after her 23 strokes. Worked with the same Guardianship Attorney for 12 years, we had to go to Probate Court for every budget, medical plan, investment plan, employee for Maxine's extra help, and yearly audit, improvements before we sold Maxine's home and Estate Sale.  We had to propose a plan for her Estate.  I was Maxine's Executor of her Estate for 68 heirs. Was asked to be on our smaller Church Board, sometimes called Vestry, declined due to complete inheritance ideas and children. Argued with my own children, was told we were excellent parents, of all they had seen and know, but 30-year-olds don't need parents. And they prove it ? ! Well, God Bless us all. Please and Really. God Bless the adults and the children. Lord Jesus!

We should all experience the staying power of God.

It's so easy to recall the tragedies. But more amazing, wondrous, to remember the Blessings. The hard fights that have the most resilient of daily victories.  

The Joy of the Lord is our Strength.

 

1 Peter 4:10

Everyone has been given a gift. That includes you, too.

 “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” 

 Each has received a gift . . .not some have received gifts,

 or the most holy Christians receive gifts, 

or God’s brightest receive gifts. 

No, each has received a gift.

We need Church.

We need the Practice. To Hold up the ALL the WORD OF GOD

and find what the Holy Spirit is saying

to our Lives.

We need to be able to look at the 3,000 pages

of God's Eternal Word

and 

see how His Quiet Voice

inside us

who Believe 

Jesus Christ

came to

forgive

sinners,

us,

and find

the enduring

truthful

Hope

Of

Daily Salvation.

Thank You, Jesus Christ,

for 

dying 

for me

and for

us

for us ALL.

For Your Love

Your Mercy

to me

and

to

Your Church.

God Bless us

and

He does

we have

Jesus the Lord.

Abba, Father,

Listening to Ben Shapiro:

We pray for Israel.

For the children in captivity, crying, "Ima, Ima."

And the Israeli mothers who have died, Israel calling for 

Breast Milk donations.

For the families and parents.

We pray Peace for Israel.

In Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay Lord Jesus