Be impudent! Ask. It's not because you are his friend, it is because you won't leave him alone until he helps you. Another translation says because of the friend's "importunity" he will rise. Persistence in asking. For God's sake ask! Be persistent. He's telling us to ask. Get it?

Luke 11:5-9

And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves,

for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;

Renee Shupe
photos

and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’?

I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.

And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Bible Gateway link

One of my favorite verses in the bible! It deserves KJV. Naomi was a loving, faithful soul. I never knew my mother-in-law, but I feel this way about her son, my dear husband.

Ruth 1:16-17

And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge:
thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

Bible Gateway Link (King James Version)

When things are complicated we need the wisdom of the ages. It's reassuring. The spark of God in all of us recognizes truth and wisdom whenever they appear.

Proverbs 15:1-3

Brad Boydston photos

Brad Boydston
photos

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

Bible Gateway link

Marriage! The woman is barren, yet she doesn't question. She immediately goes to find her husband, Manoah. The first thing he does is ask God for help. Our world would be better if every marriage worked this way. Let's give our men a chance to be the spiritual head of the household.

Judges 13:6-12

Then the woman came and told her husband, “A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. I did not ask him where he was from, and he did not tell me his name,

but he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and

bear a son. So then drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’”

Then Manoah prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us and teach us what we are to do with the child who will be born.”

And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field. But Manoah her husband was not with her.

So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, “Behold, the man who came to me the other day has appeared to me.”

And Manoah arose and went after his wife and came to the man and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to this woman?” And he said, “I am.”

And Manoah said, “Now when your words come true, what is to be the child's manner of life, and what is his mission?”

Bible Gateway link to story of Samson's birth

We are moving today and tomorrow after 23 years in the same place. I offer to God a sacrifice of Thanksgiving. Hallelujah!!!!

Psalm 50:14-15

Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High,

and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

Bible Gateway Link

As humans we are so fixated on wealth. Aren't we blessed that Christ ransomed his life for us? IT DOES SUFFICE! Sometimes life may be the pits, but for those of us who believe, we are promised eternity with God.

Psalm 49:5-12

Why should I fear in times of trouble,when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,

those who trust in their wealth and boast of the

abundance of their riches? 

Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life,

for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice,

that he should live on forever and never see the pit.

For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others.

Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names.

Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.

Bible Gateway link

Many of the heroes in the Old Testament tested God. And He tested them. We have no need to test God, He has already answered with Christ.

Judges 6:36-40

Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said,

behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece

alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.”

And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water.

Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger

burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only,

and on all the ground let there be dew.”

And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.

Bible Gateway link

He is the vine, we are the branches. There is time. Produce fruit. We are made for this and pruning is part of the process. See: (John 15:5-11)

Luke 13:6-9

He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.

 

 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’

But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 

And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’”

Bible Gateway link

The recurring theme: God keeps His promises. We fail because we have a choice. God has no choice, He is ever faithful. It is who He is. Choose to obey, it works out better.

Joshua 23:14-16

“Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed.

Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all the good things have come upon you which the Lord your God promised you, so the Lord will bring upon you all harmful things, until He has destroyed you from this good land which the Lord your God has given you.

When you have transgressed the covenant of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed down to them, then the anger of the Lord will burn against you, and you shall perish quickly from the good land which He has given you.”

Bible Gateway link (NKJV)

Another promise God keeps. Trust this. And as my friend Jerry says, even if you don't think you are doing well, the Holy Spirit will give your listeners a supernatural gift of hearing.

Luke 12:11-12

“Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities,

do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say.

For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Bible Gateway link

There He is again with his sword! Fierce and humble.

Psalm 45:2-5

You are fairer than the sons of men;
Grace is poured upon Your lips;
Therefore God has blessed You forever.
Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One,
With Your glory and Your majesty.

And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of  truth, humility, and righteousness;
And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things.

Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies;
The peoples fall under You.

Bible Gateway link

Don't worship the creation. Worship the Creator. Listen. Do what He says.

Luke 11:27-28

As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him,

“Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!”

But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

Bible Gateway link

Choose the one necessary thing that will not be taken away from you.

Luke 10:38-42

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.

Jason Campbell photo

And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.

But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things
but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Bible Gateway link

I always enjoy coming upon Jesus in the Old Testament. He kind of holds things together, doesn't he?

Joshua 5:13-15

When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?”

And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?”

And the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Bible Gateway link

At times it seems the longing will kill us. We just can't find Him. "Where is your God?" He is there. He is always there. Suffering scours the soul.

Psalm 42:1-3

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long,“Where is your God?”

Bible Gateway link

Rahab is one of many prostitutes the bible has made famous. She knew one thing more important than all others: God is God, and it led her to salvation.

Joshua 2:9-13

and (Rahab) said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.

For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction.

And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.

Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a sure sign

that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.”

Bible Gateway link

Think what you could do if you really believed this? Believe it, he keeps his promises.

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Bible Gateway link

Be encouraged. "It is not too hard for you, neither is it far off." Encourage others.

Deuteronomy 30:11-16

“For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off.

It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’

Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’  

 Tammy Havlick

But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil.

If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.

Bible Gateway link

Just when I think I'm getting it something like this comes up. I'm trying to be grateful, I'm trying to resist evil. And now I have to be merciful too! This is why God is God and I'm not.

Luke 6:35-36

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Bible Gateway link