For Reading and Meditation:      Luke 11:1-13Samuel Shoemaker, the American Episcopalian preacher who was instrumental in forming Alcoholics Anonymous, pointed out that the whole principle of prayer depends on what kind of Being the Creator is. Listen to this statement made to a group of recovering alcoholics: "If He created the universe and gave everything a primeval push, and then retired beyond, where we cannot get in contact with Him, prayer is a vain effort. But if He be a personal God as Christians believe He is, then He will have a concern for the people He made and will want to involve Himself with them in all their affairs." We are not alone in this universe; a personal God stands behind all things, waiting, longing that we might enter into a relationship with Him. We said that one of the reasons why people desire an impersonal God is because that kind of God is easier to live with than one who is personal like themselves. It's rather nice to carry inside our hearts a subjective idea of a God of beauty, truth and goodness. That kind of God demands nothing of us. Better still a formless life-force surging through all of us, a vast power we can tap and use to our advantage. That kind of God is extremely easy to live with. But a God who approaches us at infinite speed - the Hunter, the King, the Lover, the Husband - that is quite another matter. But whether we believe it or not, that is the kind of God He is.Gracious and loving God, how thankful I am that You are not just a supernatural energy or a life-force, but a personal Being whom I can address as "Father." Your personality engages with my personality and we are one. In that my joy knows no bounds. Amen.<div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>Genesis 3:1-8</li><li>Exodus 33:14-17</li><li>Isaiah 43:2</li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>How did God present Himself as a personal Being?</li><li>What did He promise Moses?</li></ul></div></div>

Let a little light into your soul every day with this wonderful devotional from English pastor Selwyn Hughes.

Every Day Light with Selwyn Hughes

"When you pray, say: 'Father ' " (v. 2)

This is a very defective world. Everybody says so. We have here only the rudiments of things. There is beauty and there is blessing; but only in fragments. A great deal has been done to make man's condition agreeable; and a great deal left undone. There is health; but it does not endure. Strength; but it is evanescent. Rain in its season; but not invariable. Fruits; but they sometimes fail. Friends; but they are called away. Comforts; but we are liable to lose them. Wealth; but it takes wings. Objects of interest; but they lose their novelty. Incompleteness is the great characteristic of this world. There is no hope without disappointments; no acquisition without loss; no joy without interruption; no day without night. The consequence is, that we hear endless murmuring and complaining; much of it referring to God, who has given such scintillations of his goodness, only to make the general darkness more oppressive; such specimens of his power to bless, while he has left the world in such an unfinished condition, left such large unblessed gaps in life. " Ask, and it shall be given you," is the reply of God. " I have given you half; the other half is in my hand. You build a house, and one stone is wanting to complete it; you search everywhere, and are angry because you find it not. It is with me; I have kept it purposely, that your house may not be built without me. You build a ship -, but the rudder is not forthcoming. I have kept it, that you may ask and receive, and discover that the whole is my gift. You find a book, but there is a chapter wanting, without which all is unintelligible. One blessing I have kept back, that you might know who gave the rest, and seek him." But man prefers to blame God for the privation, rather than to seek God for its removal. Let man know, then, that he is responsible for what is defective in his condition. Ask in the right quarter, and it shall be given you. There is much asking. Men will ask of those, even, whom they despise. They spend their lives in asking; even the proudest, even an emperor, does so. But they are intensely loth to ask of God. Ask in the right way. If you were asking a man to give you a cup of water, you would ask in the way that would please him. Let God prescribe how we shall ask him. Ask for the most essential gifts first. Men on a wreck should ask for a sail, not for an embroidered garment. Ask for regulated tastes and desires. This one gift will cut oft' at once a thousand occasions of murmuring. Ask with importunity. Ask in faith.

A daily devotional written by a Baptist Missionary to India, Reverend George Bowen (1816-1888) over 150 years ago.

Bowen's Daily Meditations

"Ask, and it shall be given you." - Luke 11:9. 

Luke 11:1-13"One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When He finished, one of His disciples said to Him: Lord, teach us to pray ."Our passage opens with an illustration of unconscious influence. The disciples saw their Master praying apart from them and yet within their sight, and were so impressed by something in His manner, perhaps His earnestness and fervor - that they wished to learn how to pray as He did. We never can know what the silent influence of our acts may be upon those who see us. One gentle person in a home, unconsciously impresses and influences the whole household. One quiet, restful person makes others calmer and more quiet. One faithful, consistent life in a workshop, an office, or a school - is a perpetual gospel, touching all the other lives. By simply being good - we may start in many others desires to be good also.A young man, lodging once with a stranger at a country inn, where the two were put to sleep in the same room, by kneeling at his beside before retiring, touched the other's heart and became the means of his salvation and consecration to useful life and service. We never know how far the influence of our example may reach.We all need to make the same request the disciples made, "Lord, teach us to pray ." We do not know how to pray, and there is no one who can teach us so well as Jesus can. We will find many words of Christ on the subject of prayer, all of which it will be profitable for us to study. We do not know what things we are to ask for. We are shortsighted and are apt to plead for comfort and help in the present moment, not thinking of the years before us. We all need to pray and need to be taught how to pray. The passage we are now studying, is our Lord's answer to the request of His disciples to be taught how to pray.The opening word of the Lord's Prayer, "Father," is really a Golden Gate through which we must enter into the temple of prayer. "When you pray, say, Our Father ." We must seek to say it as a child would say it to a father. When we actually do this - we are ready to pray. God wants us always to come to Him - as little children. If we think of Him in this way as a Father, it puts us into right relations with Him. Ideal human fatherhood means a great deal, and yet in its imperfection and its sinfulness, it is only a dim reflection of the Divine Fatherhood. We can get many precious thoughts of God, however, through what we know of human fatherhood on the earth - his love, his faithfulness, his thoughtfulness, his patience, and his care. The name also suggests what our feeling and conduct toward God should be. If He is our Father - then we are His children, and we should never fail in the duty of children.The honoring of God's name comes first among the true objects of prayer. "Hallowed be Your name," we are taught to say, as we enter God's presence. He is holy, He is glorious. The name of God stands for God's character, for all that He is. We should give Him the first place in our hearts. We should be careful that in all our life we honor Him, doing nothing that will misinterpret God to others, or dishonor Him. No lesson more sorely needs to be learned in these days - than the lesson of reverence towards God. The irreverence of people today, is something appalling. In many of our churches and Sunday schools there is a painful lack of reverence in worship.To hallow is to make holy. We cannot add to the essential holiness of God - but we can make people see more of His holiness and have higher thoughts of Him. We can talk about His greatness and goodness and love. Then we can show a reflection of His glory in our own lives, so that all who see us - shall learn something of God from us. It was said of a noble minister, that everyone who knew him fell in love with Jesus Christ.<div class="center-it mtb10">The second petition is a prayer for the coming of God's kingdom. We can help to answer this prayer, first - by letting Christ be our King indeed, ruling our hearts and lives, over all our feelings, dispositions, thoughts, tempers, words, and acts. We can also help to set up Christ's kingdom in this world - by influencing others to accept Him as their King. We are advancing His kingdom when we get even one person to accept Christ as Lord and Master. We can do much also by seeking to overthrow evil - and establish that which is good. The kingdom of heaven is begun on earth. Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21). It must begin in our own hearts, and then extend its influence through us wherever we go.</div>The next petition is a prayer for the doing of God's will by us on earth - as it is done in heaven. The kingdom of heaven, is really the making of one place on earth - like heaven. If God is our Father, His children should live the heavenly life, wherever they are. A thoughtful boy wanted to know how we can get to heaven, since it is so far away. His mother said, "Heaven must come down to you; heaven must begin in your heart." Then it will not be hard to get to heaven. We must have heaven in us - before we can be ready to enter heaven.Many people think of this petition of the Lord's Prayer as always meaning something very hard, something painful. They change their tone as they say the words and speak, "May Your will be done," in a strained, sad voice, as if a friend were dying, or as if they were passing through some great trouble. But the will of God is to be done not merely in the acceptance of crushing sorrow - but also in the acts and duties of our common days. We are to do God's will on the playground, in our schools, in our homes, in our shops, and on our farms - wherever we are. God's will is the law of heaven, and if we would help to make this earth like heaven - we must learn to do His will, while we stay here. It should be a glad and joyous prayer.We are apt in prayer to think of our own earthy needs first. Many people never go to God, until they have some request to make, some help to ask. But in the Lord's Prayer the petition for daily bread does not come until the prayer is more than half finished. We are to pray first for the honoring of God's name, the coming of God's kingdom, the doing of God's will - and then we are to ask God to give us provision for our bodies.<div class="center-it mtb10">We have the same lesson taught in the Sermon on the Mount: "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:31-33).</div>The prayer teaches us to ask for our bread only day by day ; and then only enough for the day. Thus God fed Elijah for many months at the brook Cherith - but only day by day. Thus God sustained the Israelites also for forty years in the wilderness, morning by morning. We ask for "our" daily bread, thinking of others as well as ourselves. We are never to be selfish in our praying.The next petition is for the forgiveness of our sins. God is always glad to forgive us - but in His prayer there is linked a duty also. We are asking God to forgive us - AS we forgive others.The latest petition of the Lord's Prayer refers to temptation. God does not promise to lead us in ways in which we shall have no temptations. The prayer we are taught to make, is that we may not be allowed to rush needlessly into any danger. We need never fear temptation, if it comes in the way of God's leading, for then we shall always have God's protection. But we should never dare to put ourselves into any place of temptation unless we are sent of God. God's design in temptations which come to us - is never to lead us to sin - but to have us overcome and grow strong in resistance and victory. The divine thought in temptation, is that we may be proved and may grow stronger .The lesson of earnestness in prayer, is taught in the little parable of the friend coming at midnight. The good man within did not give his neighbor food because the neighbor was his friend - but because the man would not go away from the door until he got the bread he wanted. The lesson is importunity in prayer. God wants us to be earnest, not rebellious and willful - but always earnest and persistent in our praying. He is pleased when we want things very much - and when we believe in His willingness to give them to us.The Syrophoenician woman is an illustration of our Lord's teaching. She knew that Jesus could heal her daughter, and she simply would not be driven away, without the blessed gift. Many prayers fail to be answered, because the person praying gives up too soon. A little longer patience and continuance in prayer - would have brought the answer.The love of human fatherhood is used in the last verses of our lesson in assuring us that God is willing to give us blessings, even the best that He has to give. We certainly would not say that human fathers are kinder than the Heavenly Father. No true earthly father would mock his son by giving him a stone - when asked for bread. We may turn the words about a little - and say also that our Heavenly Father will withhold from us the stone which we unwittingly asked for, supposing it to be bread. God will not give us anything that will harm us, however persistently we may plead.The best of all gifts is the Holy Spirit. Not only is God willing to give us things we need in this world, things for our bodies, supply for our passing needs; He is willing also to give us the best things of His own love, even Himself, the Holy Spirit. All we have to do is ask - but the asking must be sincere. It must be earnest and importunate. If we get the richest of God's gifts, and yet do not get God Himself - we have missed the best!

A unique type of devotional from the writings of James Russell Miller, published between 1908 and 1913.

Devotional Hours Within the Bible

Luke 11:1-13

Jesus Teaching How to Pray

Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely upon his God. You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. § Seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. § But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ … For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. § If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. I am with you always. § I will never leave you nor forsake you. § Another Helper … dwells with you and will be in you.

Daily Light on the Daily Path or Daily Light is a Christian daily devotional scripture reading published by Bagster & Sons about 1875. It has been reprinted continually since then. It consists of brief groupings of scripture passages which speak to prominent Biblical themes—two themes (morning and evening) for each day of the year. It appends no commentary, but simply allows scripture to speak for itself.

Evening Daily Light

 Oh, that I knew where I might find Him. 

If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, “Give Me a drink,” you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water. § “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” … This He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive. “Try Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.” § If you … being evil, 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! § Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” § You did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

 He called its name En Hakkore [Spring of the Caller]. 

9 <woj>“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.</woj>

<woj>“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you;<cr>1</cr> seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.</woj>

Luke 11:9

 9 “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.

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

New International Version

 “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.

<woj>“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.</woj>

 “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.

Bible Verse of the Day

October 16, 1887

Luke 11:9 NIV

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