When His disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray, He answers by sharing three different points about prayer. Denise McKinney explores these points and how they impact the way we encounter Jesus and view God’s love for us.
When His disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray, He answers by sharing three different points about prayer. Denise McKinney explores these points and how they impact the way we encounter Jesus and view God’s love for us.
Shameless Persistence
Life with Jesus | Week 3
March 17, 2019 | Denise McKinney
Luke loves REVERSALS
Luke 11:1-13 NLT
Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Jesus said, “This is how you should pray:
“Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. Give us each day the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.”
Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”
This is how we should pray—
for what God wants.
Luke 11:2-4 MSG
Father, reveal who you are. Set the world right. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
When we keep praying for what God wants—
God gives us what we really need.
And when God gives us what we really need—
We find our way.