SHARING BREAD² He said to them, “When you pray, say:  ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. ³ Give us each day our daily bread.  ⁴ Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. ‘” Luke 11:2-4 (NIV)In response to His disciples request to teach them to pray, Jesus gives our verses for today.  In His prayer He gives five entreaties.  The first two deal with issues concerning primarily God’s interests (which also, of course, ultimately affect us) – that His name be kept sacred and holy and that His kingdom would come.  Many verses are flooding my mind right now in relation to these two pleas.  One such verse penned by King David is found in Psalm 8: ¹ O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory
 above the heavens.    Psalms 8:1 (NIV)God’s name, actually meaning the revealed character of God, is to be exalted above all creation demonstrating His splendor and magnificence. John Piper states:  “God has an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the fame of His name among the nations.” No wonder God describes David as a “man after His own heart”.  The third commandment tells us:¹¹ ”You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.   Deut 5:11 (NIV) We are never to attach God’s name to emptiness – whether using it flippantly or in a profane manner.  The Psalms are replete with praises and enthusiasm for God’s name.  Another such Psalm, again penned by David, is found in Psalm 68: ³ But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.  ⁴ Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds — his name is the LORD– and rejoice before him.   Psalms 68:3-4 (NIV) God also tells is in Scripture to pray for His kingdom to come where His peace will reign.  In fact we are told to give neither ourselves nor Him rest until He establishes Jerusalem making her the praise of the earth: You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest, ⁷ and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.   Isaiah 62:6-7 (NIV) Jerusalem, His beloved city, awaits the perfection of His presence ushering in a kingdom of peace.  At that time His people will be given honor among all the peoples of the earth and he will rejoice over them with singing (Zephaniah 3:17, 20).   Next, Jesus teaches us to pray for our daily needs.  This is interesting in light of how God taught the Israelites to depend on Him for their daily provision through manna.  Each day, they were to gather only what they needed for the day except for the day prior to the Sabbath in which they were to gather enough for two days.  This served as a continuous reminder to them that God supplied their every need just as He does for us too.  We would do well to remember this also. Just the asking for it in prayer is a reminder of Who the supplier is:    ¹⁶ You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. Psalms 145:16 (NIV) Jesus then tells us to ask for forgiveness.  It is important for us to keep our accounts short with the Lord.  Sin needs to be dealt with swiftly and thoroughly.  God looks at no sin lightly. Any sin causes great grief to God.  It cost Him the life of His precious Son.  Again, he looks at no sin lightly and each sin we do carries with it a death sentence.  It would profit us for our hearts to break over the same things that God’s heart breaks over and rejoice over what His heart rejoices over!  Having a heart like God’s was King David’s highest commendation. We are to repent (turn) quickly from anything that breaks our fellowship with God asking Him to forgive us on the merits of Jesus’ blood and His atoning sacrifice for us on the cross.  Because of our faith in Jesus and His work on the cross on our behalf, God will forgive our sins: ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.   1 John 1:9-10 (NIV)Lastly, He shows us to plead for safety from temptation.  What is asked for here is a deliverance from situations which may cause us to stumble and fall.  As humans we are so easily drawn into sin – it began with Eve and continues on to this day.  Praying this also gives us a better focus or mindset to steer away from known weaknesses where we are prone to give up and give in.  This is particularly necessary for those of us who are just breaking out of a bondage to a certain sin. A made up mindset before temptation arises in any area is invaluable and will help keep us from going back there – and trust me, we do not want to go back.  I believe if we could see the end result of each of our poor choices we would doubtless like Joseph with Potiphar’s wife – flee!   ¹³³ Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.   Psalms 119:133 (NIV) What I glean from this: ·         I am called to extol and magnify God’s great name.·         I am to ask Jesus to supply my needs reminding me that He is the One I can depend on to meet them. “⁷ Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” Psalms 20:7 (NIV)·         I am to keep my accounts short with God so as not to break fellowship with Him or shrink the Spirit that resides within my heart. **************************************************************************

SHARING BREAD²³ ”He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters. Luke 11:23 (NIV)Jesus tells us that it is impossible for us to stay neutral in the battle between Christ and Satan.  Are we with Him or do we scatter?  He states the exact same thing again in Matthew:³⁰ ”He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.  Matt 12:30 (NIV) Take heed to repetition in Scripture.  We delude ourselves when we believe we are just standing still.  We are either going forward, growing in Christ likeness, or going backwards becoming more and more conformed to the image of this world.  May the latter never be said of us!  Jesus’ half brother Jude states: ²⁰ But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. ²¹ Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. ²² Be merciful to those who doubt; ²³ snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear–hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. Jude 1:20-23 (NIV) We are to be earnestly contending for the faith, remembering the teachings and warnings of the Scriptures, and building ourselves up in the most holy faith.  We have been commanded to pray continually (I Thessalonians 5:17), keeping ourselves in the love of God, looking always to Jesus for mercy to bring us to eternal life.  Lastly, we are to show mercy to those who are doubting and mercy coupled with caution to the corrupt so as not to become intertwined with sin ourselves.  Paul gives us further insight to the Christian pilgrimage likening it to a runner running a race: ¹⁹ Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. ²⁰ To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. ²¹ To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. ²³ I do all this for the sake of the gospel that I may share in its blessings.

²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. ²⁶ Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. ²⁷ No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.   1 Cor 9:19-27 (NIV) Paul did not exercise his rights but voluntarily shackled them becoming a slave for the good of others whom he desired to win (ouch!); never compromising the essence of the gospel at the heart of which was salvation by faith, not works and also freedom from legalism.  Paul willingly gave up certain privileges that he might have otherwise enjoyed in order to win the eternal crown bestowed by Christ.  That, my friends, is a heavenly, eternal perspective.  Unfortunately, so often we live with a worldly, temporal perspective.  We are not into delayed gratification!  We want what we want when we want it! God says this is not our home.  He tells us to be heavenly hearted! ¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.   Matt 6:19-21 (NIV)Our hearts are where our treasure lies – our hearts are placed on what we highly esteem and value.  That is why we are told in Colossians:¹ Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³ For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.   Col 3:1-4 (NIV)We are to be bringing heavenly direction to our earthly duties fixing our attention on things above and concentrating our concern on the eternal and not the temporal.  Not an easy task in the world we live in but nevertheless, like Paul, one we should strive for.“Sing the wondrous love of Jesus, sing His mercy and His grace; in the mansions bright and blessed, He’ll prepare for us a place.  While we walk the pilgrim pathway, clouds will over spread the sky; but when traveling days are over, not a shadow, not a sigh.  Let us then be true and faithful, trusting serving everyday; just one glimpse of Him in glory will the toils of life repay.  Onward to the prize before us!  Soon His beauty we’ll behold; soon the pearly gates will open, we shall tread the streets of gold.  When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be!  When we all see Jesus, we’ll sing and shout the victory!”   Eliza E. Hewitt What I glean from this:

• If I do not gather for Jesus I scatter.
• I am to be earnestly contending for the faith, praying continually, basking in the love of God, depending on His mercy which is bringing me to eternal life and bestowing His mercy to the doubting and the corrupted.
• Since my treasure is in heaven my heart and mind should stay focused there.

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 SHARING BREAD ²¹ ”When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. ²² But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils.   Luke 11:21-22 (NIV) Stated plainly, Satan is no match for Jesus.  Again, Jesus is stronger than Satan.  In view of the context of this verse, I believe the strong man is Satan but the stronger Man is the Lord Jesus Himself.  Jesus has every right to “divide up the spoils” which, in this case, would be the formally demon possessed people who once belonged to Satan.    Believer, does that not bring you comfort?  I am reminded of Psalm 91 and the beautiful protection from God in the midst of our trials that it presents: ¹ He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. ² I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

³ Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. ⁴ He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. ⁵ You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, ⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. ⁷ A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.  ⁸ You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹ If you make the Most High your dwelling– even the LORD, who is my refuge–¹⁰ then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. ¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; ¹² they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. ¹³ You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

¹⁴ ”Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. ¹⁵ He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. ⁶ With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”   Psalms 91:1-16 (NIV) This is not stating we will not have difficulties in this life.  Jesus tells us plainly in John: ³³ ”I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”   John 16:33 (NIV) I love what the Bible Knowledge Commentary states about the above verse: “Jesus’ instructions about these things (chaps. 14-16) were intended to sustain them, to give them peace in Him. Believers have a dual existence: they are in Christ and in this world. In union with Jesus, His disciples have peace, but the world exerts a hostile pressure. The world system, the enemy of God and His people, opposed Jesus’ message and ministry (cf. 1:5, 10; 7:7). But Jesus won the victory over the system; He has overcome the world. As the “strong man” who came and ruined Satan’s kingdom (Matt. 12:25-29), Jesus is the Victor. Jesus wanted the disciples to remember this fact and to rejoice in His victory. Take heart! means “Be courageous.” (In the NT the word tharseœ [“take heart, be courageous, cheer up”] was spoken only by the Lord [Matt. 9:2, 22; 14:27; Mark 6:50; 10:49; John 16:33; Acts 23:11].) Because He won they, in union with Him, can win also (Rom. 8:37).”
³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:37-39 (NIV) Like our verse for today, Jesus, the stronger man, takes over and “divides up the spoils” from Satan by taking a formerly demon possessed person from his grasp.  Victory!  Victory always lies with Jesus! “Why should I feel discouraged?  Why should the shadows come?  Why should my heart be lonely and long for heaven and home when Jesus is my portion?  My constant friend is He:  His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise, when song gives place to sighing, when hope within me dies, I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me, His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.”  Civilla D. Martin    ²⁸ Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. ³⁰ And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.   Matt 10:28-31 (NIV) Finally, as believers, our armor is the “full armor of God” and we can trust and depend in it!  ¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.    Eph 6:10-13 (NIV) What I glean from this:·         Satan is no match for Jesus.·         Jesus is my refuge and my fortress.·         I am to clothe myself in the full armor of God so that I can take a stand against the schemes of the evil one. **************************************************************************

SHARING BREAD¹⁷ Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. ¹⁸ If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub. ¹⁹ Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. ²⁰ But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. Luke 11:17-20 (NIV)In our verses for today, Jesus responds to the charge that He was possessed by Satan himself when casting out the demon from the demoniac, thus indicating the accuser’s belief that Jesus was actually using Satan’s power to thrust out the demon.  Jesus’ response shows how absurd it would be for Satan to cast out Satan (his own demons)!  It would most certainly weaken Satan’s position and kingdom.  When people do not understand a phenomenon and are perhaps frightened by what they have experienced, they often resort to making all sorts of charges and claims in an attempt to explain what they have not grasped.  Jesus’ own family was persuaded that He had lost His mind – quite possibly thinking He was an unbalanced religious fanatic: ²⁰ Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. ²¹ When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”   Mark 3:20-21 (NIV) Jesus tells us clearly, a divided kingdom will not stand.  This is echoed in other places in Scripture too: ¹⁰ I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.   1 Cor 1:10 (NIV) Paul’s appeal, directed to brothers not adversaries, was a plea for harmony and unity all the while not eliminating diversity.  All throughout the New Testament we are taught this same theme.  Do not be divided, bear with one another and love one another.  Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John: ³⁴ ”A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 (NIV) This was a new command in that it was a special love for the brothers based on the sacrificial love of our Lord.  We are to love each other as He loved.  One of Satan’s biggest tools is to keep believers divided on issues that are not salvation issues.  He is aware that if we are busy fighting among ourselves about the petty we are left with less time towards the important – the advancement of the kingdom of light.  Many of our divisions boil down to personal preferences and pride.  Jesus tells us to “Stop it!”  He again states in John after washing His disciples feet: ¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶ I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. John 13:15-17 (NIV) Paul also tells us to “bear” with one another and forgive any grievances we have against one another, forgive as we have been forgiven, our actions themselves becoming the sermon. “Our actions disclose what goes on within us, just as its fruit makes known a tree otherwise unknown to us.”  Thalassios the Libyan   “Love for the brethren is far more than an agreeable society whose views are the same.”  A.W. Pink ¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.   Col 3:12-14 (NIV) A high command indeed and so worthy of following!  Grudges have no place in the Christians life – they lead us to sin.  Get rid of them!  They will only bring you loss never gain. “There is no torment like the inner torment of an unforgiving spirit.”  Charles Swindoll “Forgiveness saves us the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits.”  Hannah More “I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt, but only more love.”  Mother Teresa Finally, Jesus tells the crowd His power is God’s power using a reference from Exodus to the “finger of God” and stating “the kingdom of God has come to you”.  Let us not let our hearts become hard like Pharaoh’s and not listen: ¹⁹ The magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the LORD had said.   Ex 8:19 (NIV) What I glean from this: 

• Jesus tells me a divided kingdom will not stand.
• I will be known as a disciple of Christ if I love my brother.  “Love and humility are the highest attainments in the school of Christ.”  John Newton
•  Jesus set the example for me to follow.  “Our great honor lies in being just what Jesus was and is. What greater glory could come to any man?”  A.W. Tozer

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 SHARING BREAD¹¹ ”Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³ 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 the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:11-13 (NIV)I love these verses of Scripture – they hold out such a promise for believers!  If any of us have kids, we can certainly relate to the first part of this passage.  What parent can’t relate to wanting what is best for their child? It is a natural tendency to want to give to our children what we deem best.  Most parents are protective and desirous of granting good things to their offspring.  If that is how we are, though we are evil, how much more will Abba Father give to those who ask! Familial love is not unusual although we are told in II Timothy that in the last days we will be woefully short of it:¹ But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God– ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.   2 Tim 3:1-5 (NIV) “Without love” mentioned in verse three is actually without familial love and sadly, we have begun to see this in our own generation.  No one in past generations would have ever suspected parents in the harming of their own children yet in our present generation, parents or family members are the first in suspect and unfortunately, oftentimes, rightly so.  I suppose the “though you are evil” mentioned in verse thirteen above is a shoe that would fit our times.Contrast the giving of gifts by imperfect evil people to the giving of the perfect gift by the Father of heavenly lights.  James tells us:¹⁷ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ¹⁸ He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. James 1:17-18 (NIV)The father of darkness – Satan, brings death; the Father of the heavenly lights brings salvation and life!   Indeed every good act of giving comes from His hand.  What I consider particularly interesting is what the good gift is!  We find almost this exact same passage in Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount.  Again, Jesus tells us: ⁹ ”Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ 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!  Matt 7:9-11 (NIV)In the above verses the term “good gifts” is used in place of “the Holy Spirit” that is given in our verse for today.  The Holy Spirit is the good gift.   Indeed, it is the ultimate gift!  Our greatest desire should be for more and more of the Holy Spirit’s filling of our “jars of clay”.  Remember the manifestation of the Spirit in a life consists of the following:²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Gal 5:22-23 (NIV)Who wouldn’t want these in ever increasing measure for themselves or their offspring?  It is to become more and more like Christ, as we exhibit His character to a lost and needy world. It is important to note that the fruit is not produced by the believer; the fruit is produced by the Holy Spirit’s power within the believer.  The growth of this fruit comes through a vital union with Jesus – consisting of growing in the knowledge of His Word, hiding His word in our hearts, applying the truths we learn to our lives and prayer.  The fruit of the Spirit, given to all at the onset of their faith in Christ, begins to take root and grow through this union.  Jesus again tells us in John:⁵ ”I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.   John 15:5-8 (NIV)We show ourselves to be Jesus’ disciples as we manifest the fruit of the Spirit.  As believers in Christ we need to “grow up” in our prayers leaving childish ways behind us and praying as Christ would not only for the temporal things of life but even more importantly, for the eternal.  As Paul prayed for those at the church in Ephesus, we would do well to echo his prayer:¹⁴ For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.    Eph 3:14-21 (NIV)What I glean from this:

• Though evil, I know how to give “good” gifts to my children, how much more the heavenly Father knows how to bestow the perfect gift to those who ask!
• The Holy Spirit is the perfect gift!
•  I need to “grow up” in my prayers praying for more of the Holy Spirit’s power to be made manifest in my life.

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SHARING BREAD⁹ ”So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Luke 11:9-10 (NIV)What a glorious promise of Scripture Jesus presents to us here!  He could not be any clearer.  Everyone calling on the name of the Lord in faith receives; everyone who seeks the Lord with his whole heart finds; and to everyone who knocks the door is always opened.  Many verses flood my mind right now but the ones in Jeremiah particularly stand out:¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity.^[ Jer 29:11-14 (NIV)Later in the same book we are told:“This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it–the LORD is his name: ³ ’Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’   Jer 33:2-3 (NIV)I do not know about you, but being told “great and unsearchable things” sounds pretty incredible to me!  How very awesome to be privy to such splendor!  I am totally reminded of Paul and his “surpassingly great revelations” stated in II Corinthians:¹ I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. ² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know–God knows. ³ And I know that this man–whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows– ⁴ was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. ⁵ I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. ⁶ Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.⁷ To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.   2 Cor 12:1-10 (NIV) What Paul experienced was so powerful he could not even speak of it – humbly referring to himself in the third person.  The revelations themselves were so great that a “thorn in the flesh” was given him to assist him in keeping his pride at bay. Those must have been some pretty powerful revelations!  I do not think Jesus wants Paul to be the only one allowed to hear sweet love songs or revelations from His mouth.  His call to all is “Come”! (Matthew 11:28). “There are none of us so close to Christ but that we can’t come nearer, and the secret of our daily Christian life is all wrapped up in that one word of invitation from Jesus, ‘Come.’  That nearness is what we are to make daily efforts after, and that nearness is one capable of indefinite increase.  We know not how close to His heart we can lay our aching heads.  We know not how near to His fullness we can bring our emptiness.  We have never yet reached the point beyond which no close union is possible.”   Alexander MacLaren Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!   Romans 11:33 (NIV) “Prayer is, in its most basic definition, a ‘coming’ to God.  Before words are spoken or thoughts organized, the fact that we have come unto Him has established prayer.  Each time we enter prayer, there is this same coming to God.  “Come unto me” are the sweetest words of Christ to echo down through the centuries.  Can you imagine a finer invitation?  As we pray it would do us well to realize just who it is that invites us to come.  It was He who first loved us.”  Nick Harrison ¹ Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³ For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Col 3:1-4 (NIV) What I glean from this: ·         As I ask, it will be given; as I seek, I will find; as I knock the door will be opened.·         As I call to God I am given sweet revelations from Him.  “God is always near you and with you.  Leave Him not alone.”  Brother Lawrence·         As I enter into His presence, I am privy to gaining His wisdom and knowledge – God’s wisdom and knowledge are limitless.    **************************************************************************

SHARING BREAD ⁵ Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, ⁶ because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’⁷ ”Then the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ ⁸ I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. Luke 11:5-8 (NIV)Jesus teaches us today regarding boldness and persistence in our prayers through the vehicle of a parable.  In like manner, He reiterates this same concept in Luke 18 in the Parable of the Persistent Widow.  Here the widow keeps approaching a judge for justice who was neither God fearing nor cared about men yet because of her persistence he grants her request to keep from wearing him out.  I wonder if this is where we get the notion of the “squeaky wheel gets greased”?!?  To this Jesus responds:⁶ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? ⁸ I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”   Luke 18:6-8 (NIV) In contrast to an unjust judge who is compliant to the need brought before him, God who is just and holy and righteous will respond even more quickly to the cries of His children.  We are told in Hebrews: ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin. ¹⁶ Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.   Heb 4:15-16 (NIV)Jesus, our High Priest, who lives to intercede for the saints, administers grace and help to us as we approach the “throne of grace”.  The Bible Knowledge Commentary sheds a bit more light on the above verse:“4:15. The One who served as High Priest on their behalf had been where they were and had been tempted in every way, just as they were. Though unlike them He was without sin (cf. 7:26; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 John 3:5), never responding wrongly to any of His temptations (nor could He, being God), yet as a man He could feel their reality (much as an immovable boulder can bear the brunt of a raging sea) and thus He is able to sympathize (sympath¢sai, lit., “to feel or suffer with”) with their and our weaknesses. It may indeed be argued, and has been, that only One who fully resists temptation can know the extent of its force. Thus the sinless One has a greater capacity for compassion than any sinner could have for a fellow sinner.4:16. With such a High Priest, it follows that believers should approach the throne of grace with confidence (parr¢sias; cf. 3:6; 10:19, 35). In a book filled with lovely and captivating turns of expression, few excel the memorable phrase “throne of grace.” Such a conception of the presence of God into which beleaguered Christians may come at any time, suggests both the sovereignty of the One they approach (since they come to a “throne”) and His benevolence. At a point of contact with God like this Christians can fully expect to receive mercy and find grace to help… in… time of need.”³⁵ So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. ³⁶ You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. ³⁷ For in just a very little while, “He who is coming will come and will not delay. ³⁸ But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.”  Heb 10:35-38 (NIV)“God, the eternal God of the universe, stands, as it were, like an almighty servant and says:  ‘If you, My child, will only pray I will work; if you will only be busy with asking I will see to the doing.’  Not only does He bestow at our cry, but He acts.  Not only does our praying evoke His bounty, it sets in motion His omnipotence.Wherefore, as we enter into the secret chamber of prayer, nothing will so stir us to mighty intercession, nothing will so soon make us master-pleaders with God for a lost world, as to whisper to our own soul, again and again, this wonderful truth, ‘While I am praying God is really doing that which I am asking!’”  James H. McConkeyWhat I glean from this:

• God calls me to pray both boldly and persistently not on my own merits or righteousness, for I have none, but on the merits of Christ alone.  “God’s best gifts, like valuable jewels, are kept under lock and key, and those who want them must, with fervent faith, importunately ask for them; for God is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”  Dwight L. Moody
• Jesus lives to intercede for me and administers grace as I approach the “throne of grace”.
• My prayers in faith are effective.  “Effectual fervent prayer has been the mightiest weapon of God’s mightiest soldiers.”  E. M. Bounds

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SHARING BREAD¹ One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1 (NIV)Jesus was a prayer warrior and His disciples knew it.  Mark tells us:³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.   Mark 1:35 (NIV)No Starbucks, no bottled water, no warm robe around Him, no light to see by, no comforts as we know of, Jesus gets up while dark to passionately pursue conversation with His Daddy.  Wow, I’m convicted!   This was not just a onetime event.  All through the gospels we find Jesus slipping away oftentimes retreating to the mountaintops to pray.  It was as if He were trying to get as close to Abba Father as He could!  He missed communion with His Daddy and He went to extremes to get it.  Oh that we would do likewise!  Our lives would certainly be different!  We are told in James:¹³ Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. ¹⁴ Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.   James 5:13-16 (NIV) We are also told by Paul in I Thessalonians: ¹⁶ Be joyful always; ¹⁷ pray continually; ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.   1 Thess 5:16-18 (NIV) I believe it was C. S. Lewis that stated “I do not pray to change God, I pray for God to change me”.  Prayer – many books have been written on it, preachers preach on it and teachers teach on it yet it remains one of the most difficult of the spiritual disciplines to grasp.  Perhaps it is because none of us truly know the mind of God and we certainly cannot put Him in a box!  Isaiah tells us: ¹³ Who has understood the mind of the LORD, or instructed him as his counselor?  ¹⁴ Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way?  Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding?    Isaiah 40:13-14 (NIV) I am confident that Satan hates prayer therefore distractions are rampant between our own selfish sin nature and the attacks of the evil one.  This was true in Biblical times too.  In regard to Moses praying while Joshua was fighting the battle in Exodus 17, Joshua did not grow weary in the fighting yet Moses grew weary in the praying.  “The more spiritual the exercise, the more difficult it is for flesh and blood to maintain it” – Spurgeon.  It is a wrestling of the soul. Spurgeon states:  “Let it be as God wills, and God will determine for the best.  Be thou content to leave thy prayer in His hands, who knows when to give, and how to give, and what to give, and what to withhold.  So pleading, earnestly, importunately, yet with humility and resignation, thou shalt surely prevail.”  While I am no expert on prayer, I have discovered the following truths regarding this unspeakable privilege.  God enjoys our praying back His promises to Him.  This is where Scripture memory is invaluable.  Pray back His promises.  Stand firm in them.  This was how Abraham boldly petitioned for Sodom.  His appeal rested on God’s mercy and righteousness.  Again Spurgeon tells us:  “The Lord cannot deny His own declarations.  Hold up the rod of promise, and have what you will.”  Scripture tells us: ¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations.
The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.  Psalms 145:13 (NIV) Our prayers should also be full of faith.  Because, as Hebrews tells us:    ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.  Heb 11:6 (NIV) ¹⁴ This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us–whatever we ask–we know that we have what we asked of him.   1 John 5:14-15 (NIV)“Prayer is an open door which none can shut.  Devils may surround you on all sides, but the way upward is always open, and as long as that road is unobstructed, you will not fall into the enemy’s hand.  Prayer gains audience with heaven in the dead of night, in the midst of business, in the heat of noonday, in the shades of evening.  In every condition, whether of poverty, or sickness, or obscurity, or slander, or doubt, your covenant God will welcome your prayer and answer it from His holy place.  Nor is prayer ever futile.  True prayer is evermore true power.”  SpurgeonWhat I glean from this:·         Just as Jesus was and is a prayer warrior – “²⁵ Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Heb 7:25 (NIV) – I should be too.  I am more Christ like when I am interceding for the saints.·         Believing prayers are powerful and effective.·         The Lord is faithful to His promises of Scripture.**************************************************************************

SHARING BREAD
⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42 (NIV)We would all do well to replace Martha’s name with our own and memorize these two verses as I believe Jesus continues to speak to our hearts today regarding this exact same issue – priorities!  It does matter the choices we make!  It does matter how we live!  Scripture tells us: ¹⁵ Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.   Eph 5:15-16 (NIV “Put everything you have into the care of your heart, for it determines what your life amounts to.”  Dallas Willard  Each day dawns brimming full of choices. Some are no brainers – it is usually no problem deciding between blatant right and wrong yet, oftentimes, our choices are between things that are both intrinsically good.  Bill Bright used to say that “You know you are far along in your Christian walk when you are choosing between something good and something better or best”.  As in our verses for today, Martha was choosing between serving the Master (which we are called to do) or listening and learning from the Master (which we are also called to do).  This is not easy and certainly our actions can be misunderstood – all the more reason we must know at a core level what our priorities in life are or, to state it a bit differently, what is the most important thing.  If we do not have this set in our hearts – a resolute mindset so to speak – we will fall for the tyranny of the urgent every time.  Are our choices made against the backdrop of our priorities or do we live by just putting out fires or rushing to the loudest cry?  Are our priorities God’s priorities?  These are important questions to ponder.  Make a list of your priorities then record how you spend your time, resources and talents and see if they match up.  Oftentimes we espouse one thing and live another.  I am tired of deluding myself; I would rather get this right.  A life is a terrible thing to waste!     Scripture teaches us we are not to fret (be worried and upset) about anything.  Paul in Philippians tells us: ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.   Phil 4:6-7 (NIV) “Worry is an intrusion into God’s providence.”  John Haggai Worry is an affront to God and shows a definite lack of trust. Rather than worry we are called to pray with thanksgiving.  Worry demonstrates a thought process that we somehow believe we are in control whether we say it verbally or not!  Peace residing in a heart, particularly in dire circumstances, demonstrates our trust in Him who spoke the world into being.  This is not to imply that we are to sit around doing nothing for we are also told: ²³ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, ²⁴ since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.   Col 3:23-24 (NIV) Yet it is when work crosses over to worry that we stumble.  We work as unto the Lord and we rest in Him for the results.  This is stated all throughout Scripture. ⁹ In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.   Prov 16:9 (NIV) ¹³ From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; ¹⁴ from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth–¹⁵ he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.  ¹⁶ No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. ¹⁷ A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. ¹⁸ But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love - Psalms 33:13-18 (NIV) The best way for us to handle the sin of work crossing over to worry is to stop, pray with thanksgiving and ask God to take captive our every thought and make it obedient to Christ.  Sometimes this has to be repeated many times to regain peace.  Yet God is always faithful.  His desire is for us to depend on Him.   His desire is to lead us to victory:  ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  1 Cor 15:57 (NIV)“If the Father has the kingdom ready for us, He will take care of us on the way.”  Andrew BonarWhat I glean from this:

• The choices I make every day are important – eventually my life will be defined by them. “Every day the choice between good and evil is presented to us in simple ways.”  William Sangster
• I am not to worry about anything but pray with thanksgiving about everything.  “A life of thankfulness releases the glory of God.”  Bengt Sundberg
• Jesus will lead me to victory.  “Jesus Christ is God’s everything for man’s total needs.”  Richard Halverson

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SHARING BREAD⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” Luke 10:40 (NIV)Martha was busy!  Her attention and concentration were drawn away from the teachings of the Teacher to the details of the preparations and service. How very easy it is for us to get distracted in much the same way!  Our motives for service may be as pure as refined gold – perhaps like Martha, a compassionate desire to help the needy – yet our focus is pulled away from the most important – the tyranny of the urgent creeps in and overtakes us!  I think my toes are getting ready to be stepped on!  Scripture tells us in Hebrews 12:¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ² Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  Heb 12:1-3 (NIV)As Jesus pioneered our path of faith, we would do well to keep Him as our focus!  He teaches us how to walk the walk without frenzy.  In Come Away My Beloved – a unique and powerful devotional book written as if God is writing to us personally, Frances J. Roberts states:“I want your life, character, and personality to be as beautiful and lovely as I visualized you to be when I created you.  Much has not developed perfectly.  Some early beauty has been marred.  Live close to Me, and let Me remold and re-create until I see in you the image of all I want you to be.I love you, My child – My very dear and special child.  Through your childhood years I walked very close to you, and in your childlike way you were very conscious of My presence and reality.  You have made an arduous journey.  You have climbed many mountains that you could easily have walked around.  You have not chosen the pleasant path nor sought joys though they were readily accessible.  You have often misconstrued My will and felt that only in sacrifice and suffering could you please me, while much of the time I have longed to deliver you out of the very pains you inflicted upon yourself. You meant to please Me, but in truth you were only marring your own beauty which is precious to Me.I cannot rejoice in a blighted rose.  You have gone far enough in this way.  I offer you My path now, if you are strong enough to accept it.  Life, liberty, love, and joy.  Health and peace – simplicity and rest.  It has been there for you all along.  You can have it even now if you will.  I do not want you to work for Me under pressure and tension like a machine – striving to produce, produce.  I only want you to live with Me as a person.  I have waited for you to wear yourself out.  I knew you would find it eventually – the secret of silence and rest, of solitude and of song.” Silence, rest, solitude and song sound great to me!  They can be ours if we, like Mary, sit at the feet of Jesus.  An example of this in Scripture that I personally find very interesting is in Matthew, prior to the Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus and His disciples are confronted with a vast sea of hurting humanity.  The Bible tells us:²⁴ News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. ²⁵ Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.   Matt 4:24-25 (NIV) Can you even imagine the mayhem?  This was the disciple’s intro into following Christ.  I am confident that they felt as helpless to help the hurting as they actually were!  This is a good place for all of us to begin!  We are all helpless to help apart from the Spirit’s power within us.  What follows is incredibly interesting to me.  Jesus does the unexpected (go figure!) – Scripture tells us: ¹ Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and he began to teach them,   Matt 5:1-2 (NIV) He sat down and taught!  He did not begin by doing the obvious which would have been the physical healing; He began by doing the spiritual healing!  He was bestowing upon the disciples what they would need to accomplish the task ahead of them – which was monumental and far beyond their ability!  Oh if we could only appropriate this into our own lives we would not be so frenzied and defeated!  Jesus desires to work through us with His power, for His glory, for our good and the furtherance of His Kingdom.  Our own strength will fail us; it is through His power that we will be sustained.  This is why we must come to Him daily – to renew our strength and to regain our focus.  Jesus could have just started by healing the masses, yet He chooses to teach His Word.  It is no wonder Scripture tells us: ²⁰ He sent forth his word and healed them;   Psalms 107:20 (NIV) “Two conflicting forces cannot co-exist in one human heart.  When doubt reigns, faith cannot abide.  Where hatred rules, love is crowded out.  Where selfishness rules, there love cannot dwell.  When worry is present, trust cannot crowd its way in.”  Billy Graham ⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.   Prov 3:6 (NIV) What I glean from this: 

• I must fix my eyes on Jesus the perfecter of my faith.
• God does not want me to work like a machine striving to produce in my own strength.
• God desires to teach me the walk of faith.

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