Devotional Day 11 for Thursday 3/11

New Testament Reading: Luke 11
Old Testament Reading: Jonah 1

Feel like you don't know how to pray?  Frustrated by the seeming ineffectiveness of your prayers?  The disciples in Luke 11 saw something in Jesus' prayer life that they wanted.  They asked him to teach them how to pray (vs. 1).  Following Jesus' instructions on how to pray has significantly helped my prayer life. Let's take a brief look.

Luke 11:2-4

Father  We have a good Father in heaven who longs to give us good gifts (vs. 11-13).  An encouraging thought as we come to pray.  God is our Father, a good father.

Hallowed be your name.  Our Father is God.  He is holy.  He deserves all worship.  We begin by praising him for who he is.  Our posture is one of worship.  Let us delay for a few moments all petition.  Instead, let us "hallow"  his name.  I have found that when I do this I am greatly built up in my Spirit.  It is good to linger here.

Your kingdom come.  As we worship, it will become apparent as we consider our own lives and the world around us that his name is not being worshiped in many areas.  We pray for his kingdom to come.  His healing, salvation, and deliverance to come in our lives and among the lives of those around us.  May Jesus' kingdom come.  May people see him for who he truly is.

Give us each day our daily bread.  God cares about your daily needs.  I ask him to provide for my family.  Grant healing for those close to me that I know our sick.  Our Father wants us to make our requests known.  He knows what we need and responds when we ask (vs. 10).

And forgive us our sins.  We have a daily need to be forgiven of our sins.  We are very aware of God's Spirit within us helping us grow into Christ's image.  We are righteous in Christ as he lives and reigns in our hearts.  We have been forgiven of all our sins.  We have been made saints, no longer sinners.  Yet, we are aware that sadly we at times succumb to the temptations of our flesh.  When, we do we can come again to the cross of Jesus and receive forgiveness from our loving Father.

For we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.  As we realize the freedom and joy that comes from knowing our sins our forgiven, it should free us to forgive those that have hurt, offended, and sinned against us.  In prayer, I release and bless those who have pained me.  Oh the joy and freedom that brings!

And lead us not into temptation.  As I finish my time of prayer, I ask for two more things.  First, I pray that God would keep me from temptation in sin.  I am aware this life is a constant battle. I want to be part of seeing his kingdom come not distracted by the passing pleasures and temptations of this world.  After all, I am a saint not a sinner!  I don't want sin to have any place in my life.

How much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (vs. 13)  Second, I ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  Luke reveals to us that of all the good gifts our Father could give us the greatest, most useful, and primary gift is the fill of the Holy Spirit.  It is through the submersion and immersion of the Spirit's presence that we can head out into the world full of faith, joy, and boldness.  The Holy Spirit is with us wherever we go.  He is working through us to see the kingdom come!