Luke 11:9-13
"So I [Jesus] 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. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 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!"
Observations for living today:
God wants us to be a part of His Team, a partnership to accomplish His will. Before the creation of the world the path to success was determined by His purpose in Jesus Christ. Adam/Eve did not understand the glory of God given them in the Garden and they failed to believe the truth God spoke. When they tried to hide from Him, He found them and began the process of restoring His creation (Eph 2:10).
God the Father, His Son and His Holy Spirit are constantly at work restoring mankind and fulfilling God’s purpose for creating everything. For us to succeed in being part of God’s “making everything new,” (Rev 21:5), we must believe what Jesus told us and believe what the Spirit of God can accomplish when working within each of us.
God wants to give you His Holy Spirit. Not like He did when He breathed into Adam’s nostrils and he became a living soul. Rather, now in Christ, when you firmly believe God rewards those who seek Him (Heb 11:6) and you ask, seek and knock looking for God’s truth, God Himself will enable you (Jn 7:37-39) to grow spiritually, so as to be transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory (2 Cor 3:18). Every Christian, as a child of God, has received God’s Spirit and can call Him Daddy (Ro 8:15), which was a title in Aramaic households used only by the children for their Father.
Max Lucado, wrote in The Applause of Heaven, “Being a parent is better than a course on theology.” (Kindle Ed, location 495) You do not need a doctorate in Philosophy or Divinity to understand the Father and God of our Lord Jesus. Jesus is speaking to both the parents and the children in a way that cannot be misinterpreted or confused. Consider what Paul wrote: “no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus be cursed,’ and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men” (1 Cor 12:3-6).
Reality in Christ:
The reality in Christ is simple, if you say Jesus is Lord, the Holy Spirit is with you. Does that mean you have arrived and no longer need to worry about growing spiritually? Absolutely not and the Spirit will warn you if you think you can trick God or yourself—please listen carefully. Paul taught those who are trying to use “religion” to gain some worldly advantage will not be successful. “God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” (Gal 6:7-8)
Remember you are a new creation, God is calling you from your hiding place, His Christ is your teacher and His Holy Spirit will help you accomplish God’s purpose.
"So I [Jesus] 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. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 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!"
Observations for living today:
God wants us to be a part of His Team, a partnership to accomplish His will. Before the creation of the world the path to success was determined by His purpose in Jesus Christ. Adam/Eve did not understand the glory of God given them in the Garden and they failed to believe the truth God spoke. When they tried to hide from Him, He found them and began the process of restoring His creation (Eph 2:10).
God the Father, His Son and His Holy Spirit are constantly at work restoring mankind and fulfilling God’s purpose for creating everything. For us to succeed in being part of God’s “making everything new,” (Rev 21:5), we must believe what Jesus told us and believe what the Spirit of God can accomplish when working within each of us.
God wants to give you His Holy Spirit. Not like He did when He breathed into Adam’s nostrils and he became a living soul. Rather, now in Christ, when you firmly believe God rewards those who seek Him (Heb 11:6) and you ask, seek and knock looking for God’s truth, God Himself will enable you (Jn 7:37-39) to grow spiritually, so as to be transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory (2 Cor 3:18). Every Christian, as a child of God, has received God’s Spirit and can call Him Daddy (Ro 8:15), which was a title in Aramaic households used only by the children for their Father.
Max Lucado, wrote in The Applause of Heaven, “Being a parent is better than a course on theology.” (Kindle Ed, location 495) You do not need a doctorate in Philosophy or Divinity to understand the Father and God of our Lord Jesus. Jesus is speaking to both the parents and the children in a way that cannot be misinterpreted or confused. Consider what Paul wrote: “no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus be cursed,’ and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men” (1 Cor 12:3-6).
Reality in Christ:
The reality in Christ is simple, if you say Jesus is Lord, the Holy Spirit is with you. Does that mean you have arrived and no longer need to worry about growing spiritually? Absolutely not and the Spirit will warn you if you think you can trick God or yourself—please listen carefully. Paul taught those who are trying to use “religion” to gain some worldly advantage will not be successful. “God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” (Gal 6:7-8)
Remember you are a new creation, God is calling you from your hiding place, His Christ is your teacher and His Holy Spirit will help you accomplish God’s purpose.
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