11:1 While communicating with God (as Jesus always did) the disciples asked Him how they might do it too. This is a question even people today ask. There is a special study on prayer at the top of the message for further study, if desired.
11:2 You will find a few different translations of this prayer but the core message is the same:
Our Father in heaven, -- He is our creator, our Father
Hallowed be Your name. -- Hallowed means Holy.
Your kingdom come, -- We return to Him and He comes to us
Your will be done -- God's will, His plan, His purpose comes without delay or struggle
On Earth as it is in heaven -- He is with us while we are here, His will unfolds here.
11:3 Give us this day our daily bread -- think of bread "metaphorically" in this verse, we are asking God to provide us with His word, with our sustenance from Him to grow and flourish in humility and compassion.
11:4 And forgive us our sins -- we all have short-comings and mistakes to learn from.
As we forgive those who sin against us -- God returns to us the compassion we give to others.
And do not lead us into temptation -- away from the greed of the world.
But deliver us from evil -- teach us to be wise and strong against our adversaries!
This prayer guides us but realize this: God wants you to communicate with Him during all times and events of your life. He's invested in you. Pray knowing the above, that He is and be thankful for all that does but also talk to Him about anything...everything. Develop your faith, your relationship with Him... He's ears and arms are wide open. Talk to Him with sincerity, not with repetitious words that do not mean anything to you. The most important thing concerning prayer: you have to mean it. When you give Him your all, He gives it right back.
This prayer guides us but realize this: God wants you to communicate with Him during all times and events of your life. He's invested in you. Pray knowing the above, that He is and be thankful for all that does but also talk to Him about anything...everything. Develop your faith, your relationship with Him... He's ears and arms are wide open. Talk to Him with sincerity, not with repetitious words that do not mean anything to you. The most important thing concerning prayer: you have to mean it. When you give Him your all, He gives it right back.
11:5-6 This particular story is about a friend, but actually teaches us what kind of friend to be. So this person needs bread to share with his traveling guest.
11:7 Inside his own private thoughts, the friend will be a bit annoyed -- he has to get back out of bed, waking the family and disrupted the house's rest and sleep.
11:8 However, the man only thinks those things. What he actually does is rise out of bed and help the friend, so that he can help the guest.
God knows us well. We get lazy and overworked and tired and even grumpy but at the end of the day, the true, generous people will be the good friend and will go above and beyond to help another.
The second metaphor underneath this story: a person meets another person who is on a spiritual journey, but perhaps the person does not have the skill or knowledge to teach the guest or lead the guest... but, the person does all that they can to still help the person accomplish their mission.
11:9 Jesus solidifies the message above in this verse: when you search for God, you will find Him. Even if your first attempt is unsuccessful (reaching the house of the person who did not have the skill to help) God will lead you to the right source. Seek with your whole heart, all of the passion of your spirit and there He will be.
11:10 Everyone who asks receives, he who seeks finds and he who knocks is welcomed in through the door. God has room in his house and heart for everyone who wants to be there. God loves when His children seek to find Him and He always guides their way.
11:11 God will never trick your or short-change you. Just as a father would do for his child, he responds with kindness and completeness.
11:12 Precisely what you ask for is delivered to you -- but don't be wishy-washy. If you want to find God study His word, learn what He's about... implement His teaching into your life. You will find that every day you read and study with Him is a more beautiful, brighter, wiser day than one in which you do not. Keep Him with you 24/7.
11:13 Jesus is saying: if humans, fallible as they are, are capable of understanding their children's requests and fulfilling them, God (in His perfection) is so much more able!
11:14 Here is an example of how we can really translate the word "demon." Medicine and illness were not understood during this time. What people did not understand they called "demons." Jesus healed a person who was more unable to speak.
11:15 People, because they did not understand even what we understand now, that people are born with disabilities were astonished by Jesus' capabilities -- even now, understanding disability, it would be amazing to us to see someone capable of healing so easily, quickly and efficiently.
11:16 Some in the crowd were testing Jesus -- instead of learning and observing from His kind actions, they immediately assumed He was bad.
11:17-19 Jesus explains to them that someone who is doing good in the world cannot possibly be bad -- they would contradict their own beliefs. Again, here is some of the common sense people often lack (even and maybe especially today).
11:20 Jesus is a representation, a manifestation of all that God is. When any act represents God it is an act from Him. He's the creator, the inspiration of all compassion.
11:21-23 Those who are not with God (therefore do not live with compassion) are against God (because they destroy peace). There is no neutrality. You're either guarding the house or you're destroying it.
11:24 Sometimes people begin good and then turn selfish and mean...
11:25 ...Until they reach a point where they return to their home, their base and are cared for and cured there.
11:26 But that person should not take advantage of the help they received. They should not take their gain and use it to spread evil with their crew from before. God gives to us so that we can give to others... we should be grateful and productive at all times.
11:27 A woman, so in love with Jesus blessed the woman who brought Him to Earth -- but our humble Jesus does not want us to focus on revering Him...what He wants is this:
11:28 Hear the word of God and keep it! Blessings abound when we use God's word, keep it within us and then go out into the world with kind, faithful hearts.
11:29 Believing with faith is precious. Demanding a sign before giving your faith is unkind and cheap. Even you, as a friend or family member, want people to love you and trust you because of who you are... not because of what you can do. It is the same for God.
11:30 Like Jonah in the whale for 3 days (a study for another time) Jesus will be in the tomb for 3 days but will rise. That is the sign they shall receive: that God is eternal life, so far above the capabilities of humans' evil actions.
11:31-32 Jesus explains that lessons had been brought to people before their generation and those people learned and turned their hearts to kindness. Jesus explains that the people during that generation He was in... were not so kind and remained ignorant. Jonah was a great prophet but Jesus was even brighter yet people still rejected Him.
11:33 When you have a light (a wisdom, a kindness, time, effort) you share it with people. God's gifts are not meant to be kept from others... we are meant to give. We are meant to be a light in darkness. Let your faith flow through you, out into the world!
11:34 This is a metaphor: your perception defines your world. If you view the world with fairness, kindness, compassion... that behavior reflects in your mind and soul. But also leaving the metaphor, I've always found that you can tell a lot from a person's eyes. Make your gaze firm and focused and look people in the eye, it shows your authenticity.
11:35 Who you are affects the people and environment around you. Ensure that you are not bringing darkness to a world which needs so many lights.
11:36 Be a kind person and you will shine, inside and out. If you're observant, you will always be able to identify people who are lights on the inside and outside. Be a light yourself. You need to cultivate a clear and compassion perceiving eye.
11:37 A Pharisees (famous for being Jesus' adversary) asks to eat with Him. Jesus communicates with all people, no discrimination. Jesus is kind and open even to His enemies. Without delay, Jesus answers his request and sits with him.
11:38 Immediately the Pharisee points out the Jesus did not do the cultural tradition of washing before meals... we've seen just how busy Jesus is, but more importantly, Jesus foresaw this opportunity to teach the Pharisee (and us!)
11:39 Jesus points out the the Pharisees clean the outward appear up nicely but remain dirty and ugly inside. This is a metaphor for a type of person (who still exist in the world today): this is a person who is infatuated with rules rather than common sense. This is a person who is a hypocrite. This pharisee has a dirty soul -- unkind, greedy, controlling -- and yet he has the nerve to call Jesus (perfect and pure) out for disregarding one of the rules.
11:40 Do not be a hypocrite. Clean up your inside (your thoughts and observations) don't just "look" the part.
11:41 Who you are, truly, give it to the world and you will be clean... you will be your true self.
11:42 The Pharisees follow all of the rules and regulations they created for the people but inside they are empty of faith and love for God.
11:43 These types of church leaders are still around today -- be careful not to follow people who tell you they are holier than you. We are all equal in God's eyes. Romans 2:11. The Pharisees go around in fancy clothes and sit in hierarchical systems... all of that behavior is contradictory to God's entire message.
11:44 Evil people are eliminated from Earth, they are irrelevant. Their evil nature strips them of their eternal life because they have rejected it. They are no gone from existence that people do not even realize, notice or remember them.
11:45 They did not like what they were hearing -- too bad, tough love! Jesus teaches the truth and we must learn from it. When we are guilty of making these greedy mistakes, we have to work harder to be better.
11:46 These are leaders who work the people like slaves. These are people who are hypocrites, never lift a finger but expect the impossible from others below them. Jesus and God's word tears down evil systems and teaches innocent people to reject them.
11:47 Woe to all of the deceivers -- people who claim to be good but are actually destroying good people, even prophets. Woe to people who pretend the be kind but are ugly inside.
11:48 Their father, the evil, is not God -- their father is Satan, the qualities he represents.
11:49 Prophets have been killed since the beginning of time, Jesus wants them to acknowledge the fact that they continue to evil through generation after generation of working through greed and violence.
11:50-51 God takes account of all the prophets and innocent children who fall or struggle at the hands of the evil... and they will be held responsible for it.
11:52 Woe to the people who block, twist, hide the word of God. Not only did they reject the message but they also denied good people from reaching it -- this infuriates God.
11:53-54 Knowing they were guilty of everything Jesus accused them of, they sought to kill Him. They were arrogant, too self-centered to hear and admit the truth (a problem people have today!). They wanted to retain their control and wealth and Jesus was freeing people from their grasp... they were angry, stubborn and evil.
11:7 Inside his own private thoughts, the friend will be a bit annoyed -- he has to get back out of bed, waking the family and disrupted the house's rest and sleep.
11:8 However, the man only thinks those things. What he actually does is rise out of bed and help the friend, so that he can help the guest.
God knows us well. We get lazy and overworked and tired and even grumpy but at the end of the day, the true, generous people will be the good friend and will go above and beyond to help another.
The second metaphor underneath this story: a person meets another person who is on a spiritual journey, but perhaps the person does not have the skill or knowledge to teach the guest or lead the guest... but, the person does all that they can to still help the person accomplish their mission.
11:9 Jesus solidifies the message above in this verse: when you search for God, you will find Him. Even if your first attempt is unsuccessful (reaching the house of the person who did not have the skill to help) God will lead you to the right source. Seek with your whole heart, all of the passion of your spirit and there He will be.
11:10 Everyone who asks receives, he who seeks finds and he who knocks is welcomed in through the door. God has room in his house and heart for everyone who wants to be there. God loves when His children seek to find Him and He always guides their way.
11:11 God will never trick your or short-change you. Just as a father would do for his child, he responds with kindness and completeness.
11:12 Precisely what you ask for is delivered to you -- but don't be wishy-washy. If you want to find God study His word, learn what He's about... implement His teaching into your life. You will find that every day you read and study with Him is a more beautiful, brighter, wiser day than one in which you do not. Keep Him with you 24/7.
11:13 Jesus is saying: if humans, fallible as they are, are capable of understanding their children's requests and fulfilling them, God (in His perfection) is so much more able!
11:14 Here is an example of how we can really translate the word "demon." Medicine and illness were not understood during this time. What people did not understand they called "demons." Jesus healed a person who was more unable to speak.
11:15 People, because they did not understand even what we understand now, that people are born with disabilities were astonished by Jesus' capabilities -- even now, understanding disability, it would be amazing to us to see someone capable of healing so easily, quickly and efficiently.
11:16 Some in the crowd were testing Jesus -- instead of learning and observing from His kind actions, they immediately assumed He was bad.
11:17-19 Jesus explains to them that someone who is doing good in the world cannot possibly be bad -- they would contradict their own beliefs. Again, here is some of the common sense people often lack (even and maybe especially today).
11:20 Jesus is a representation, a manifestation of all that God is. When any act represents God it is an act from Him. He's the creator, the inspiration of all compassion.
11:21-23 Those who are not with God (therefore do not live with compassion) are against God (because they destroy peace). There is no neutrality. You're either guarding the house or you're destroying it.
11:24 Sometimes people begin good and then turn selfish and mean...
11:25 ...Until they reach a point where they return to their home, their base and are cared for and cured there.
11:26 But that person should not take advantage of the help they received. They should not take their gain and use it to spread evil with their crew from before. God gives to us so that we can give to others... we should be grateful and productive at all times.
11:27 A woman, so in love with Jesus blessed the woman who brought Him to Earth -- but our humble Jesus does not want us to focus on revering Him...what He wants is this:
11:28 Hear the word of God and keep it! Blessings abound when we use God's word, keep it within us and then go out into the world with kind, faithful hearts.
11:29 Believing with faith is precious. Demanding a sign before giving your faith is unkind and cheap. Even you, as a friend or family member, want people to love you and trust you because of who you are... not because of what you can do. It is the same for God.
11:30 Like Jonah in the whale for 3 days (a study for another time) Jesus will be in the tomb for 3 days but will rise. That is the sign they shall receive: that God is eternal life, so far above the capabilities of humans' evil actions.
11:31-32 Jesus explains that lessons had been brought to people before their generation and those people learned and turned their hearts to kindness. Jesus explains that the people during that generation He was in... were not so kind and remained ignorant. Jonah was a great prophet but Jesus was even brighter yet people still rejected Him.
11:33 When you have a light (a wisdom, a kindness, time, effort) you share it with people. God's gifts are not meant to be kept from others... we are meant to give. We are meant to be a light in darkness. Let your faith flow through you, out into the world!
11:34 This is a metaphor: your perception defines your world. If you view the world with fairness, kindness, compassion... that behavior reflects in your mind and soul. But also leaving the metaphor, I've always found that you can tell a lot from a person's eyes. Make your gaze firm and focused and look people in the eye, it shows your authenticity.
11:35 Who you are affects the people and environment around you. Ensure that you are not bringing darkness to a world which needs so many lights.
11:36 Be a kind person and you will shine, inside and out. If you're observant, you will always be able to identify people who are lights on the inside and outside. Be a light yourself. You need to cultivate a clear and compassion perceiving eye.
11:37 A Pharisees (famous for being Jesus' adversary) asks to eat with Him. Jesus communicates with all people, no discrimination. Jesus is kind and open even to His enemies. Without delay, Jesus answers his request and sits with him.
11:38 Immediately the Pharisee points out the Jesus did not do the cultural tradition of washing before meals... we've seen just how busy Jesus is, but more importantly, Jesus foresaw this opportunity to teach the Pharisee (and us!)
11:39 Jesus points out the the Pharisees clean the outward appear up nicely but remain dirty and ugly inside. This is a metaphor for a type of person (who still exist in the world today): this is a person who is infatuated with rules rather than common sense. This is a person who is a hypocrite. This pharisee has a dirty soul -- unkind, greedy, controlling -- and yet he has the nerve to call Jesus (perfect and pure) out for disregarding one of the rules.
11:40 Do not be a hypocrite. Clean up your inside (your thoughts and observations) don't just "look" the part.
11:41 Who you are, truly, give it to the world and you will be clean... you will be your true self.
11:42 The Pharisees follow all of the rules and regulations they created for the people but inside they are empty of faith and love for God.
11:43 These types of church leaders are still around today -- be careful not to follow people who tell you they are holier than you. We are all equal in God's eyes. Romans 2:11. The Pharisees go around in fancy clothes and sit in hierarchical systems... all of that behavior is contradictory to God's entire message.
11:44 Evil people are eliminated from Earth, they are irrelevant. Their evil nature strips them of their eternal life because they have rejected it. They are no gone from existence that people do not even realize, notice or remember them.
11:45 They did not like what they were hearing -- too bad, tough love! Jesus teaches the truth and we must learn from it. When we are guilty of making these greedy mistakes, we have to work harder to be better.
11:46 These are leaders who work the people like slaves. These are people who are hypocrites, never lift a finger but expect the impossible from others below them. Jesus and God's word tears down evil systems and teaches innocent people to reject them.
11:47 Woe to all of the deceivers -- people who claim to be good but are actually destroying good people, even prophets. Woe to people who pretend the be kind but are ugly inside.
11:48 Their father, the evil, is not God -- their father is Satan, the qualities he represents.
11:49 Prophets have been killed since the beginning of time, Jesus wants them to acknowledge the fact that they continue to evil through generation after generation of working through greed and violence.
11:50-51 God takes account of all the prophets and innocent children who fall or struggle at the hands of the evil... and they will be held responsible for it.
11:52 Woe to the people who block, twist, hide the word of God. Not only did they reject the message but they also denied good people from reaching it -- this infuriates God.
11:53-54 Knowing they were guilty of everything Jesus accused them of, they sought to kill Him. They were arrogant, too self-centered to hear and admit the truth (a problem people have today!). They wanted to retain their control and wealth and Jesus was freeing people from their grasp... they were angry, stubborn and evil.
