How much more...

DAILY BYTE

I do not have the blessing of being a father. My wife Kena and I have been married for six years and we have not yet been blessed with children. However, I do have the blessing of enjoying a good relationship with both my mother and father. They have been God’s loving instruments of blessing in my life. Those of you who are parents know what it is like to have a child ask for something from you, and all of us who were once children know what it is like to ask for something from our parents or caregivers.

When Jesus walked this earth, he taught us to ask our heavenly Father, who is good, for the Holy Spirit. He said that if we who are evil, know how to give good things to our children, than surely our heavenly Father would give us the Holy Spirit if we asked him. If a child asks us for a piece of bread, none of us give that child a scorpion or a snake. If we, who are evil, my sisters and brothers in Christ, are willing to give good things to children, how much more will our heavenly Father give us, his children, if we simply ask?

Asking is such a simple thing. Jesus told us that if we would only ask, we would receive, that if we simply knocked on the door it would be opened. The Holy Spirit is available to you and me today. The Holy Spirits gives us the power to lead lives that glorify God. There are obvious things in our lives that do not glorify God. These are patterns of behavior, attitudes, and habits that both hurt us and those who are around us. If these patterns of behavior dominate our lives, it becomes very difficult for us to testify of God’s love to others. The Holy Spirit is available to us to help us overcome these patterns of behavior. If you and I simply ask our heavenly Father for his Holy Spirit to empower us to overcome in our daily battles, our burden will be lighter. All we must do is simply ask. Ask for more of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Ask for the Holy Spirit to empower us to lead lives that glorify God, and thus be able to effectively witness of God’s love to those around us.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Father, we praise you for we are able to come to you confidently in prayer. Your son Jesus thought us to ask you for the Holy Spirit. We recognize that we have missed the mark. We recognize that there is sin in our lives and pray for your forgiveness. We thank you for your redeeming work through Jesus Christ that allows us to be forgiven. Now we pray for more of your Holy Spirit in our lives. Let your Holy Spirit guide us to lead lives that glorify your name. Let your Holy Spirit empower us to witness of your profound love to those around us. Amen.

FOCUS TEXT

Luke 11:9-13

“So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”