👩‍🌾Just Ask🫵

Ask for Forgiveness, not for permission and please don’t put it off, do it now!

And forgive us our debts 

Over extended, overdrawn, there just is not enough in the account. The rent is due and the money, well it’s not there. Well why not? Christmas took more than was expected, they went up on the price of the gas that I heat my home with. Got any more reasons or excuses? I sure we could come up with more if needed. My job requires me to work by appointments dates and times. I wish I could say I was there on time every time but no that’s not the case. Now when I arrive late I say “I’m sorry;” like that makes everything alright. Then I tell them why I’m late, like that makes it alright, it doesn’t. Then I say “if those excuses aren’t enough I can come up with some more.” Then I say “well the truth is I’m late and it’s my fault please forgive me.”

 This is the way we should pray “Lord forgive me it’s my fault. 

• It’s my fault I said what I said in a tone that I shouldn’t have. 
• Lord forgive me I should have never thought that. 
• Lord, I'm so sorry I didn’t do what you wanted me to. 

No matter what,  we must realize and understand that it is to our advantage to ask the Lord to forgive us our sins.  

• 1 John 1:8 (KJV) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
• 1 John 1:9 (KJV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say we have not sinned we are only deceiving ourselves. 

Question? Can we say we have never taken anything that wasn’t our? 

As I looked in my toolbox I noticed a wrench oh no that’s not mine my friend let me use it and I never returned it. I can’t return it. He died 2 years ago. Well you can’t really call that stealing I just forgot. That’s a good compromise,  you ask to borrow and never return and now you lie to yourself and say it’s not the same. Looks like a liar and a thief. 

What I’m saying is we all have sinned, we all have come short. God says just realize that you have and ask for forgiveness. 

On a day in April long ago a young man was in a Church service. On that Sunday morning he understood that he was a sinner and that Jesus had already paid his sin debt long ago. On that morning he came to an altar and asked God to forgive him of his sin. That young man said that he knew that God had forgiven him and the sin debt was paid in full. Then one day shortly after that a bad word came right out of his mouth. Oh my he thought why did I say that? Why do I feel so bad? I have been using words like that for years and never gave it a thought. After all that God has done for me I say that. That’s great, why would I say that? Well first of all it’s in the answer “Oh my he thought why did I say that? Why do I feel so bad?” Because of what God had done forgiven all my sin. God through the Holy Spirit which now lives within is teaching him. 

• John 14:17 (KJV) Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
• John 14:26 (KJV) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

When the Holy Spirit brings to your mind that what you just did is wrong we then should go to our Heavenly Father asking for forgiveness. 

• 1 John 1:9 (KJV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Just because we sinned, did wrong or bad doesn’t mean we aren’t in the family. 

👨🏻‍🍳Give us this day our daily bread🍞

True giving from the heart is an expression of love.

Cara Stein

Who is more concerned with your basic needs than your Father in Heaven. Wait just a minute, as kind  and giving as our Heavenly Father is, isn’t it a bit rude to say “Give Us” You see at my earthly fathers table we didn’t say give me but pass me please. Here we come to Our Heavenly Father and say GIVE ME. Our Heavenly Father is not some genie that jumps at our command. We first approach our Heavenly Father not by what we want but how great He is. 

• “Our Father” 

think about that for a moment. Back in the days of old many dads had many children. I know a man today in New Mexico that has 12 children. That’s a lot of children to take care of. That’s nothing, God’s children are without numbers.  

• Our Heavenly Father is in Heaven. 

That should assure us of a better place than where we are now. 

• Our Heavenly Father is of great respect. 

Holy is His Name. We should be excited that He is Holy for that makes Him not like us. We can not only respect Him but 

• Our Heavenly Father we can Trust Him.  

Titus 1:2 (KJV) In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; 

Hope “Confidence in a future event”

Now we can ask for ourselves as we pray boldly 

• Give Us

Hebrews 4:16 (KJV) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

So what do you need? Give us this day

• Our daily bread addresses the Present 

Not bread for tomorrow nor next week or next month but this day, Present.                

We are  urged to ask for the necessities of life “Give us this day our daily bread.”   

What would you say are some of your basic needs? We are all different and we all desire different things. Let me give us idea of some things we might ask for.

1. Confidence (analogy army of Saul or David))
2. Protection
3. Nourishment
4. Encouragement toward others
5. Kindness as we speak about & with others 

Luke 18:9 (KJV) And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

Psalms 37:3 (KJV) Trust in the LORD,(Confidence) and do good;(Kindness) so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Psalms 37:4 (KJV) Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Psalms 37:5 (KJV) Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 5:8 (KJV) But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. Our Heavenly Father will provide what His children need. How can He get His will done if He fails to provide?  How can we teach His way, His word if He doesn’t feed His children from the table of His Word.    

1 Chronicles 29:14 (KJV) But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. Everything comes from you Lord. We give you what you have already given to us, it's yours Lord. 

There is not anything that goes on in your life that God doesn’t know about. He knows we need nourishment.

• Something our Father gives us apple pie days. Oh those are great days but we can’t live on apple pie. 
• Some days are carrots and broccoli days. Those are dull days but without those veggies we won’t get the right nutrients. We learn more in the valleys of life than on the mountain tops.  
• Sometimes things are hard to swallow but we need strength. That's how we help each other. 

Give Us Our Daily Bread!  Who is the Us? In this life we may have many friends, those are people we live around. Then out of those friends some are close friends, those are those we spend more time with and share more of our personal life with. Then there are best friends and those are rare and many don’t have any. Oh we say you are my best friend. A best friend is one you can open up to tell them anything. Ask them to pray about your deepest problems, the sin that so easily troubles you. Hear them pray to our Heavenly Father and say your name as he asks God on your behalf to help you as he calls out your sin before God our Heavenly Father. Give us our daily needs.    

💥In A Flash Gone💨

Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God..    Corrie Ten Boom

We learn to know God’s Will by spending time in His presence.  

The key is “spending time” if you remember our last devotional (Thy will be done.) As we talked about the two mistakes one refusing to listen to their friends and letting their fears over take them.  These 2 now have walked all the way home with Jesus. The house is in sight and Jesus said it has been nice walking with you guys. Maybe we will see each other again, have a nice day. Those are my own words of what happened.

Luke 24:28 (KJV) And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.

Something happened at this point; now remember they don’t know this is Jesus.  

Luke 24:29 (KJV) But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.  

They said oh no it’s getting dark please come in and stay with us. Jesus is like you and I. He doesn’t go where He’s not invited. They may have thought He went in to spend some time with them, to talk, to sit, to relax, to enjoy their company, to spend the night. Little did they know that their eyes would be opened and their hearts filled with joy in their own home. 

They all sit at the table about to eat; here is where it gets interesting. 

Luke 24:30 (KJV) And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

Picture this in your mind, in all that walking did you   notice something strange? These 2 never ask this man who just showed up what his name was or where he was from. We know one by name but Jesus is referred to as a stranger. Luke 24:18 (KJV) And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?

They walked 9 or 10 miles with Him and talked with Him and knew nothing about Him. I’m afraid many today do the same. They try to live right but at the same time they don’t understand what right is. Ask them about Jesus and they know little about him. 

These two are about to find out who this stranger sitting at their table is. Here is a good lesson for all to learn. The more time you spend with Jesus, the more you know about Him. Most folks don’t spend enough time in their Bibles to know what it has to say. This unknown man takes charge. He prays, He breaks the bread and now He hands it to them. That’s when they saw and understood “And their eyes were opened, and they knew him” How could this be? Play it out yourself in your mind.  

Luke 24:31 (KJV) And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

When you invite Jesus in and spend quality time with you He will reveal Himself to you. Not only that, He will share with you 

• The riches of His word..
• The Riches of His Goodness
• The Riches of His Mercy
• The Riches of His Grace
• The Riches of His Kindness
• The Riches of His Glory

How did they explain Jesus to the others?

Luke 24:35 (KJV) And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. He was known when Jesus handed them the bread. That’s when their eyes were opened; they saw where the nail holes were and knew who He was. Then in a flash Jesus was gone. 

⚠️No Small Print📰

   “Matthew 6:10 (KJV) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Thy  will be done”

Faith is not hoping God can, it’s knowing He will.

Matthew 6:33 (KJV) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;

Matthew 6:10 (KJV) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

To pray  “Thy will be done” is to seek the heart of God.. Our will comes in second His will First..

Let’s take a look at two people on their way home on the morning of the Resurrection. I first have to ask myself this question. “How could they have  been so close to Christ and miss the point?” How do we do the same?

First mistake: 

These 2 fail to believe what their friends saw and said. Birds of a feather flock together. 

• Believers  hang around other believers. 
• Drinkers hang around with other drinks…... 
• discouraged people hang around discouraged
• Those who want to make wrong right the same

Want to know who you are? Who do you like or feel more comfortable hanging around with? When someone asks you to go to church do you feel comfortable? 

Luke 24:22 (KJV) Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;

Luke 24:24 (KJV) And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.

• What did the women say?  

Luke 24:3 (KJV) And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

He’s not there!  One way God speaks to you is through other believers.

Where would you find other believers? Church, Sunday School or maybe someone has a Bible study at their home.  

Around whom do you feel most comfortable being around?

 

 That’s why the enemy doesn’t want you in Church. These 2 were in a spiritual slump so they would rather be home than find out the real truth.  They didn’t want to be with other believers.  

Second Mistake:

Is that these 2 had listened to their fears rather than referring to the Scriptures; Or searching out the facts. The Lord calls them fools. Why did He do such a thing? Because after all they had seen and been a part of now on the greatest day in history they are sad and walking away.  

Luke 24:25 (KJV) Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

 Luke 24:26 (KJV) Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

Luke 24:27 (KJV) And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

• Through His prophets,  
• through His Word 
• He  revealed His will. He does the same today.

John 6:39 (KJV) And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.  Have you? Can you? Lose your salvation.

John 1:12 (KJV) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: How did you stop being a son?

John 1:13 (KJV) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

How did you become unborn?

2 Peter 3:9 (KJV) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  

• God is not an Indian giver? 
• Our birth is not based on my performance? 

The Scriptures tell us the Father’s will. God’s will for every person that has ever been born is  to spend eternity with Him in Heaven. So let us ask ourselves this question.  

• If you found a treasure map floating in an old bottle what would you do with it? The map was to a spot only 5 miles away. Would you take the time to search it out? 
• God has left us a treasure map called the Bible. It tells of a greater treasure than Ponce dé Leon so called found in Florida. 
• In this treasure map called the Bible, it will not only teach you of real life and how to get it. It also comes with a grantee. With NO small print.