PASTOR RYAN LADEN – DEVOTIONALS
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What is your greatest need from the Lord God Almighty today? What request are you ready and willing to lay boldly at the feet of Jesus Christ? As we have heard several times in our study of the model prayer given in Luke 11:1-4, we know that the Lord wants us to bring our needs to him in times of real, personal prayer. So what need are you ready to bring today?
In our study of God’s desires concerning our life of faith and our choice to be bold and honest in prayer, we have come to an examination of one of Jesus’ teaching concerning one of the ways he will act in accordance with our needs.
Context
After Jesus’ teaching on how to pray (Luke 11:1-4), the Lord went on to illustrate the attitude that we ought to have as we approach the Lord. Jesus told a story about a man who boldly asked his neighbor for food to give to a visiting friend (not an emergency). The point Jesus made was that the neighbor would meet the request, not because the one asking was a friend or neighbor (not because he was good), but because the man had the boldness to ask, seek, and knock (Luke 11:9-10)
After this, Jesus gave the following teaching:
11 “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 NIV11)
Point
Jesus is not being cute here, he is making a powerful point worthy of our attention. The question Jesus asks in verse 13 gets to the heart of what we need to hear, “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!”
If we, though affected by sin at every level, are capable of using wisdom, love, and generosity when seeking to do right by our families, then surely the Holy and Righteous One knows what is best for those who come to him by faith.
- · Do you believe that the Lord knows what you actually need?
- · Do you believe that God loves you enough to give you the right answer to your requests?
<Or>
· Do you believe that you know more about what is needed to accomplish the will of God in and through your life and the lives of those around you?
· Are you standing in judgement of the Lord?
Tough
This is a tough set of questions. There are many needs in my life that I see as worthy of God’s intervention. I feel strongly that my prayer requests are for the good of God’s glory and the good of those that I am lifting up to the Lord. And yet, the Lord does not do what I ask.
Frustration
In those times, I can become frustrated with the Lord. I want to see good happen and it seems that the Lord allows more hardship and trial into the lives of those for which I pray. It is hard to reconcile my hopes and expectations with the Lord’s actions.
Surprise
Then there are times when the Lord moves in a miraculous way and it was nowhere on my radar of possible outcomes. I have witnessed the hand of God many times in life and most of them have come in a way that lies outside of my understanding. I love these surprise (to me) miracles but they do not erase my times of confusion concerning the needs I have prayed about.
Focus
I want us to focus on the last part of verse 13 one more time. Jesus closed this teaching on prayer by saying, “how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
What is Jesus saying here?
He is telling us that when we come to him by faith, boldly asking the Lord to intervene and meet our needs, that the Heavenly Father will act in wisdom. The Father will meet those needs through the work of his own ever-present Spirit.
It would seem that the Lord wants us to see that he is at work in all of our circumstances, but not in the ways that we might imagine. The Lord answers our prayers through the work of the holy Spirit.
Through the Spirit we receive what we need from God.
Sometimes what the Spirit provides is a reversal of the laws of physics and tangible miracles are seen and experienced.
Sometimes the Spirit of God moves in us to teach us or to give us a godly set of perspectives.
Sometimes the Spirit lays challenges at our feet so that we can experience the joy of submission to his plan and so that others can witness the heart of a true child of God during challenging times.
Sometimes the Holy Spirit simply draws near to us and provides us with comfort and peace.
Joy
There are innumerable paths that the Holy Spirit can lead us down as we submit our will to God’s will and acknowledge the superiority of his kingdom. We need to listen to the plain truth being taught to us by Jesus Christ.
God is at work in and through the movement and leadership of the Holy Spirt. If we are willing to hear this truth and shift our expectations from receiving a gift to being filled with the gift of God’s presence, then we will discover the joy of knowing and walking with Jesus Christ today.
Mediate
As you go through your day, consider the teaching of Jesus found below:
25 “I have spoken these things to you while I remain with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit —the Father will send Him in My name—will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you. 27 “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.
(John 14:25-27 Holman Christian Standard Bible)
In Christ,
Ryan Laden
PASTOR RYAN LADEN
Works at MTN. CHURCH
Former Senior pastor at Warnbro Community Church
Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
Studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
Studied at Baylor University
Studied at Texas Tech University
Went to Castle Hills First Baptist
Copyright © 2024 Ryan Laden – All Rights Reserved.
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