Prayer 101 - #23 1 of 2 No Snakes or Scorpions

“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!” Luke 11:11-13

These are the final 3 verses in this teaching passage (v. 1-13) on prayer. There are 2 prayer lessons here worthy of contemplation. The first is to approach God in prayer as your loving, caring Father; and the second is to ask your loving Father for the Holy Spirit. Let’s focus on the first lesson.

The context for this passage is that Jesus was responding to a disciple’s request to teach them to pray. Jesus asked them how they answer their son when he asks them for bread. Of course, they would always answer by giving their son bread not something that would harm or kill them. If a disciple, who is tainted with evil, can answer their son’s request in a good way, you can bet that your Father in heaven is going to do a far superior job in answering our requests. (As a side note, isn’t it impressive that Jesus taught about prayer with an illustration that is just as relevant and understandable 2,000 years later by anyone in any culture of the world. Try yourself to come up with a better illustration of how our loving Father answers the requests of his children.)

Jesus made it clear in his classroom on prayer that we need to develop the mindset from the outset that we are approaching our Father in heaven. The model prayer (v.2-4) begins with “Father in heaven”. The teaching passage on prayer ends with an illustration showing our Father in heaven’s supremacy over any father on earth when it comes to answering his child’s request. You can approach God as creator with the mindset that nothing is too difficult for him. You can approach him as Lord and King with the mindset that everything in the universe is ultimately subject to his will. But only when you approach him with the mindset of your Father in heaven do you know the tender and passionate love he has for you and his attentiveness to your requests.

The Leading of God in Acts

Note: This is not a comprehensive presentation regarding the leading of God. It is simply a compilation of observations and conclusions regarding the leading of God in the book of Acts.

1. The leading of God may involve:
1. Waiting for indefinite periods of time.

The apostles are told to wait in Jerusalem until they receive the Holy Spirit. They are not told how long they will have to wait. 1:4-8

Paul at the time of his conversion near Damascus was not told how long to wait in Damascus. For 3 days he waited while blind and not eating or drinking. 9:9

2. Human wisdom and decision making.

The selection of a replacement apostle for Judas was done through a human crafted screening process. The final selection was made through casting lots. 1:15-26

The Scripture merely says toward the end of Paul’s 3^rd missionary journey that he decided to go to Jerusalem. 19:21

3. Scriptures taken out of context.

Peter cites a Psalm as the basis of selecting an apostle to replace Judas. The Psalm he quotes is Ps 109:8 in which David is reciting the curses of his enemies against himself (Psalm 109:6-19). 1:15-26 (i.e. v.20)

4. A group.

The apostles as a group were told by an angel to preach at the temple. 5:17-21

The leaders of the church in Syrian Antioch were told to set aside Paul and Barnabas for the work God had for them. 13:1-3

5. The appearance of insanity.

The apostles are told by an angel to preach at the temple immediately after being jailed for preaching at the temple. The ones who jailed the apostles were the ones who had turned Jesus over to the Romans to be killed. 5:17-21

Paul is compelled by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem where hardship and persecution awaits him. 20:22-23;21:4; 21:10-14

6. Pain.

The apostles were re-arrested and flogged for preaching again at the temple. 5:17-21

Paul and Silas go to Philippi in Macedonia as a result of a vision Paul had. There in Macedonia they were severely flogged and beaten with rods and thrown into the inner chamber of the jail and put in stocks. 16:9-10

7. Unanswered questions.

The angel told Philip to go to a road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza. The angel did not specify where on the road he should go. 8:26-40

Paul, during his Damascus road conversion, was instructed to go into Damascus but was not told where in Damascus to go. 9:1-9

Cornelius, the Roman centurion, is told to send for the apostle Peter but is not told why to do this. 10:1-8

The leaders of the church in Syrian Antioch are told to set apart Paul and Barnabas for the work God has for them but the work was not defined. 13:1-3

Paul has a vision of a man in Macedonia begging for help. The vision does not instruct Paul to go there and does not specify which town in Macedonia to go to. 16:9-10

8. The appearance of being illogical.

Outstanding believers in Jerusalem were closer to the Ethiopian Eunuch who was in and south of Jerusalem than Philip who was north of Jerusalem. However, Philip was the one sent to the Eunuch to tell him about Messiah Jesus. 8:26-40

Philip was likely in Caesarea when Peter is told to go there to minister to Cornelius, the centurion. 10:1-23; 8:40 and 21:8

9. Multiple modes.

An angel of the Lord gave the initial instructions to Philip where to go. The Holy Spirit gave the final instructions to Philip of where to go. 8:26-40

Peter had a vision of unclean animals. The vision was followed by instructions by the Spirit. 10:9-23

10. Precise instructions.

Ananias is told precisely which house to go to in order to speak to Paul. 9:11

Paul is told to keep speaking in Corinth and that he would not be harmed. 18:9-11

11. Indirect and implied.

In a vision, Ananias is told of Saul’s dream in which he (Ananias) places his hands on Saul and heals his blindness. The implication is that Ananias should go and fulfill Saul’s dream. 9:12

12. Two or more people in two or more separate locations in concert (timing) for a single purpose.

Ananias and Paul were led of God independently and at about the same time in order to interact with each other according to the will of God. 9:1-16

Cornelius and Peter were led of God independently and at about the same time in order to interact with each other according to the will of God. 10:1-23

13. A riddle.

Peter is given a 3-fold vision of unclean animals being lowered from heaven and being told to eat them. He was puzzled by the vision but shortly afterward understood it to be in reference to Gentiles being declared clean by God. 10:9-23

14. Prevention of going a certain direction.

Paul and his companions are prevented from preaching the gospel in Asia and Bithynia. 16:6-7

15. A concept rather than technical accuracy.

Paul concludes from a vision of a man begging for help in Macedonia that they should go there. But their first ministry was to a group of women in Philippi. There is no evidence that Paul is in pursuit of finding the man that was in the vision. 16:9-10; 12-13

16. A personal aspect.

Paul is told in a vision to keep speaking in Corinth and he will not be harmed. 18:9-11

17. Believers with contradictory understandings.

Paul was compelled by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem but believers along the journey to Jerusalem urged Paul by the Spirit not to go. 20:22-23;21:4; 21:10-14

18. A generality without specifics.

The Lord appears to Paul after being arrested in Jerusalem that he will testify of Him in Rome. No specifics are given. 23:11

19. Reinforcement along the way.

Paul was told that he would testify of Jesus in Rome (23:11). However, the ship that he is being transported on is caught in a storm and it appears that they will die on the sea. In this context an angel speaks to Paul in the storm and says that he will stand trial before Caesar and everyone’s life on the ship will be spared. 27:21-26

20. Circumstances that we have no control over.

The ship transporting Paul to Rome is caught in a severe storm for many days and is blown along for hundred’s of miles until it shipwrecks on the island of Malta. Malta is a tiny island in a wide expanse of sea at the southern tip of Italy…the perfect stopping place for turning northward to go to Rome. The people of Malta were friendly and receptive to the gospel. 28:1-10

2. God may lead us using:
1. A face-to-face encounter with Messiah Jesus. (1:4-8; 9:1-9; 23:11)
2. Scriptures (1:15-26)
3. A person’s wisdom (1:15-26)
4. Lots (1:15-26)
5. An angel of the Lord (5:17-21; 8:26-40; 10:1-8; 27:21-26)
6. The Holy Spirit (8:26-40; 10:9-23; 13:1-3; 16:6; 16:7; 19:21; 20:22-23;21:4; 21:10-14)
7. A vision (9:10-16; 10:1-8; 10:9-23; 16:9-10; 18:9-11)
8. A combination of a vision and an angel or the Lord or a person (9:10-16; 10:1-8; 16:9-10; 18:9-11)
9. Uncontrollable circumstances (28:1)

3. The one(s) being led of God is (are):
1. Devoted as disciples of Jesus. (1:4-8; 9:10-16 and 22:12; 10:9-23; 13:1-3)
2. Devoted to prayer. (1:15-26; 10:1-8)
3. Bold witnesses actively on the move for God to the point of being in danger. (5:17-21; 8:26-40; 10:9-23; 16:6, 7; 16:9-10; 18:9-11)
4. May be totally out of step with God. (9:1-9)
5. Gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly. (10:1-8)
6. Worshipping and fasting as a group. (13:1-3)

4. When God leads us to do something that is illogical, involves pain, or the appearance of foolishness, He will generally use a mode that is explicit and supernatural.

5. The one being led in Acts is generally a fully devoted follower of Messiah Jesus who is on the move in service to Him. The saying “God will not steer a parked car” is generally true in Acts.

6. The leading of God in Acts is generally associated (directly or indirectly) with the spread of the gospel.

Romans 8:18-27 Dealing with Imperfection

“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” Rom 8:22-23

I’m a big football fan…Arizona Cardinal fan to be exact. For many years they’ve had an uncanny way of making many games over weak opponents, cliffhangers. The Lord has heard plenty of groans from me when the Cardinals have collapsed with a significant lead to barely win a game. Case in point was the recent win over the Green Bay Packers that was won by the Cardinals in overtime. They had a 17 point lead early in the game, the Packers surged ahead of them and they barely squeaked out a victory.

OK, enough football – what does this have to do with today’s passage. Today’s passage looks to the future in a very positive way. But it talks about the present using the word “groaning”. We as believers are groaning, creation itself is groaning and even the Holy Spirit is groaning. Groaning is a result of present imperfections, disappointment in unfulfilled expectations, and from the Holy Spirit’s viewpoint sharing in our disappointment. I groan over a football game when a good team makes mistakes that gets them defeated…when the team does not live up to who they are. Groaning is knowing all the good things that have transpired since being justified by faith and yet experiencing flaws and imperfections.

When reading through Romans 6, 7 and 8, I am impressed with my flaws and failures in light of who I would expect to be based on the teaching. Paul, probably recognized that a believer could have very frustrating expectations of perfection after reading about the changes that have transpired in the one who has been justified. Here he acknowledges that perfection is future. Even our adoption as sons is not fully realized and perfected until the future. Though our expectations in the present are somewhat tempered by the fallen world we are part of, our expectations and hope in the future are for perfection.

Thank you Lord for your understanding and mercy and for the future that we as believers look forward to! Thank you that there is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”!!!!

Romans 8:5-17 The Holy Spirit

“You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” Rom 8:9

As we are perched on this summit chapter (ch.8) in Romans, let’s take a moment and gaze down on the path that has brought us here, after all that is part of the “summit” experience.

1:1-15 Introduction
1:16-17 Theme: Righteousness from God (NIV Study Bible)
1:18-3:20 Sin and Judgment
3:21-5:21 Justification and Its Benefits
6:1 – 8:5 Personal Conduct

Intimated in the discussion of personal conduct (6:1-8:5) and what it means to be a Christian is the idea of transformation. God gave us the Holy Spirit who is the law in life form. When I say “law” here, think of the 10 commandments. The Holy Spirit is the 10 commandments full of life. Romans 8 talks of having the Spirit of Christ. Read the gospels and see the excellent life of the One we love. He was the 10 commandments alive and visible. The Spirit of Him indwells us and the evidence of His life is visible. People will see you living the 10 commandments from the heart not out of fear and slavery but in “life and peace” (v.6).

The Holy Spirit works in our mind and the transformation begins inward and works its way outward. “…the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;…” (v.6) The Holy Spirit empowers you to obey your new master and to not obey your old master, sin. (v.13)

The benefits of the Holy Spirit go beyond transformation to creating a Father-son relationship with God. By this Spirit, we are now children of God. The Spirit has made it our nature to call God, Daddy! Do you suppose we’re in line for a nice inheritance? I should say so! I’m getting dizzy…I think the altitude is getting to me!