Christian Art | Jesus Teaches How To Pray | King James Audio BIble
Luke 11: 5-13 – Week 27 Ordinary Time, Thursday (King James Audio Bible KJV, Spoken Word)
5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Jesus teaches us to know the effectiveness of prayer through what might seem an unusual comparison, or parable. The suggestion is that a person asking his friend for bread will be given that bread not because of friendship, but because of his insistence and persistency in knocking and asking for the bread. This might seem to us an unusual way of considering God’s response to our prayers.
The truth is that God expects our prayer, and wants us to pray with great energy and persistency. It is through prayer that God’s gifts come to us. God is not remote or detached; he is our Father who loves us. We are asked through prayer to reflect just how much God loves us.
Saint John Vianney taught: ‘Do you see the effectiveness of prayer when it is done properly? Are you not convinced like me that, if we do not obtain what we ask God for, it is because we are not praying with faith, with a heart pure enough, with enough confidence, or that we are not persevering in prayer the way we should? God has never refused nor will ever refuse anything to those who ask for His graces in the way they should. Prayer is the great recourse available to us to get out of sin, to persevere in grace, to move God’s heart and to draw upon us all kinds of blessing from Heaven, whether for the soul or to meet our temporal needs’
The Holy Spirit is God’s best gift to us. Christ promised the Spirit to his disciples, and the Spirit descended upon them at Pentecost, giving them joy and freedom to proclaim the good news of Jesus.
Saint Josemaria Escriva writes: ‘The profound reality which we see in the texts of Holy Scripture is not a remembrance from the past, from some golden age of the Church which has since been buried in history. Despite the weaknesses and the sins of every one of us, it is the reality of today’s Church and the Church in all times. “I will pray to the Father,” our Lord told His disciples, “and He will give you another Counsellor to be with you for ever.” Jesus has kept His promise. He has risen from the dead and, in union with the eternal Father, He sends us the Holy Spirit to sanctify us and to give us life.’
Concluding Prayer | Love Revealed By Jesus Christ
Lord, in answer to our prayer,
give us patience in suffering hardships
after the example of your Only-begotten Son,
who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Through Christ our Lord.
King James Audio Bible | Endnotes
Jesus Teaches How To Pray
In Luke 11: 5-13, Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray. The passage is full of depth and detail, offering insight into the nature of prayer and how to approach God.
The passage begins with Jesus telling a parable about a man who goes to his friend’s house at midnight asking for three loaves of bread. The friend initially refuses, but after persistent asking, he eventually gives in and gives the man what he needs. Jesus uses this story to emphasize the importance of persistence in prayer. Jesus says: ‘And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Luke 11: 9-10)
Jesus then goes on to explain that God is a loving and generous Father who desires to give good gifts to his children. Jesus says: ‘If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?’ (Luke 11: 13)
This passage offers several important insights into the nature of prayer. Firstly, it emphasizes the importance of persistence in prayer. We should not give up easily, but continue to ask, seek, and knock until we receive what we need. Secondly, it highlights the fact that God is a loving and generous Father who desires to give good gifts to His children. We can approach God with confidence, knowing that He will listen to our prayers and provide for our needs. Finally, it points to the importance of the Holy Spirit in our prayer lives. We need the guidance and empowerment of the Spirit to pray effectively and receive what we ask for.
Psalm 49 is a psalm of balance, expressing an engagement with life’s realities while maintaining a perspective beyond the material. The psalm examines pursuit of prosperity and calls for humility in recognizing ultimate limitations of material wealth. The psalm invites solace in redemption offered by the Divine, affirming such vanity of riches and that worth transcends wealth – money [ … ]
In the Bible, a miracle is an event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore attributed to a divine agency. Miracles are often seen as a sign of the intervention of God in the affairs of human beings. In the Old Testament, the most famous miracles are the Ten Plagues of Egypt, in which God punished the Pharaoh for refusing to release the Israelites from slavery, and the parting of the Red Sea, in which God allowed the Israelites to escape from the pursuing Egyptians by opening a path through the sea. In the New Testament, the miracles of Jesus are a central part of his ministry and are seen as evidence of his divinity. These include healings, such as the restoration of sight to the blind and the raising of the dead, and acts of nature, such as turning water into wine and walking on water. Is There A Theological Significance To Jesus’ Miracles? In the Christian tradition, the miracles performed by Jesus are seen as a manifestation of his divinity and as proof of his authority to teach and heal. Many of these miracles are described in the Gospels of the New Testament, which are the primary source of information about the life and teachings of Jesus. The purpose of the miracles, according to the Gospels, was to demonstrate Jesus’ power over natural forces and to show that he had the authority to forgive sins and offer salvation to those who believed in him. Why Did Jesus Ask To Keep His Miracles Secret? ‘Tell No One Of This.’ In the Gospels, there are a few instances where Jesus tells people not to tell others about what he has done for them. For example, in the Gospel of Matthew, after Jesus healed a man who was possessed by demons, he told the man, ‘See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a proof to them’ (Matthew 8:4). In this case, it seems that Jesus was concerned that the man’s testimony might not be believed or might be misunderstood, and so he asked him to keep the experience to himself for the time being. It is difficult to say for sure why Jesus might have asked someone to keep quiet about a miracle without knowing the specific context in which the request was made. However, some possible reasons that come to mind include: To avoid drawing unnecessary attention to himself. In the Gospels, Jesus often tries to avoid drawing too much attention to himself, especially from the authorities who are hostile to him. Asking someone to keep quiet about a miracle might be one way of avoiding unwanted attention and allowing Jesus to continue his ministry without interference. To allow the person who was healed to experience the transformation for themselves. In some cases, the person who was healed might have been skeptical or unsure of what had happened to them. Asking them to keep quiet about the miracle might have given them time to reflect on the experience and come to their own understanding of it without being influenced by others. To test the person’s faith. In some cases, Jesus might have asked someone to keep quiet about a miracle as a test of their faith. If they were truly grateful for what Jesus had done for them, they would be willing to follow his instructions and trust that he had a good reason for asking them to keep quiet. These are just a few possible reasons why Jesus might have asked someone to keep quiet about a miracle. It is important to remember that the Gospels are ancient texts and that we must be careful not to impose our own interpretations on them without considering the historical and cultural context in which they were written. To avoid creating conflict or division. In the Gospels, Jesus often encounters people who are skeptical or hostile to his teachings, and he sometimes tries to avoid confrontations with them. Asking someone to keep quiet about a miracle might be one way of avoiding a confrontation or a heated debate that could disrupt his ministry. To avoid being misunderstood or misrepresented. In some cases, the person who was healed might not have understood the full significance of what Jesus had done for them, and they might have tried to explain it in a way that distorted or misrepresented the truth. Asking them to keep quiet might have given Jesus time to explain things to them more fully and help them to understand the true meaning of the miracle. To avoid becoming a spectacle. In the Gospels, there are many instances where people are amazed by the miracles that Jesus performs, and they often try to make him into a kind of celebrity or showman. Asking someone to keep quiet about a miracle might have been one way of avoiding this kind of attention and keeping the focus on the message that Jesus was trying to convey. What Is The Significance Of Miracle Of The Wedding At Cana? In the Christian tradition, the wedding at Cana is significant because it is the first of the miracles performed by Jesus that is recorded in the Gospels of the New Testament. This event is described in the Gospel of John, where it is said that Jesus, along with his mother Mary and his disciples, attended a wedding in the town of Cana. At the wedding, the host ran out of wine, and Mary asked Jesus to help. In response, Jesus turned water into wine, which is seen as a miraculous act that demonstrated his power and authority. In the Gospel of John, after Mary asks Jesus to help with the wine at the wedding in Cana, he replies, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4). This statement is often seen as indicating that Jesus was aware […]
Christian Art | Life Of Jesus In The Gospels | King James Audio Bible KJV The Gospel Of Saint John 14: 1-7 | King James Audio Bible YouTube: Connection With The Life Of Jesus In The Gospels | King James Audio Bible The Gospels are not just a collection of stories or teachings, but a window into the life of Jesus. By reading and reflecting on the Gospels, we gain a deeper understanding of who Jesus was and what he came to do. As we read the Gospels, we see that Jesus was a man of great compassion and love. Jesus showed mercy to the outcasts and the marginalized, and he offered healing and hope to those who were in need. He also taught with authority, challenging the religious leaders of his day and offering a new way of living based on love and service. But the Gospels are not just a history lesson. They are also an invitation for us to enter into a relationship with Jesus. By reading and meditating on the Gospels, we can come to know Jesus more personally and deeply. We can learn from his example and seek to follow in his footsteps. So we may be encouraged to read the Gospels, perhaps starting with the Gospel of Mark or the Gospel of John, as we read paying attention to how Jesus interacted with others and how he responded to different situations. We may ask ourselves what you can learn from his words and actions, and how we can apply them to our own lives. And as we read, we can allow ourselves to be drawn into a closer relationship with Jesus. There truly is an historical Jesus. May the Gospels be a source of guidance, inspiration, and transformation for us all. How Much In The Gospels Is Historical, And How Much Is Myth, Legend, Trope, Figurative Thinking? It is difficult to say with certainty how much of the Gospels is historical in the modern sense of the word and how much is myth, legend, trope, or figurative thinking. The Gospels were written some years after the events they describe, and they were written from the perspective of the early Christian community. This means that the Gospels may contain a mix of historical facts and interpretation, as well as elements of myth, legend, and figurative thinking. That being said, scholars believe that the Gospels contain a good deal of historical information. For example, the Gospels describe specific places and events, such as the places where Jesus preached and the events of his trial and Crucifixion. These details suggest that the writers of the Gospels had access to historical information and intended to provide an accurate account of what happened. On the other hand, the Gospels also contain elements that are not seen by all as historical, howsoever this goes to the root of the faith, such as the miracles performed by Jesus and the accounts of his resurrection. Some see these as legends or myths that were added to the Gospels to help convey the message of the early Christian community. The question of how much of the Gospels is historical and how much is myth, legend, or figurative thinking is complex. What is important is that we approach the Gospels with an open mind and a willingness to engage with the stories and teachings they contain. We are in the Gospels in conversation with God – and with the many people who have had such faith and conversations – as with the historical Jesus. Why Do The Gospels Say Were People Afraid Of Jesus? There are several reasons why people may have been afraid of Jesus, according to the Gospels. One reason is that Jesus was a powerful and charismatic figure who challenged the religious and political authorities of his time. He spoke out against corruption and injustice, and he called on people to repent and turn to God. This type of behaviour was seen as threatening by those in positions of power, and they may have been afraid of losing their influence or authority. Another reason is that Jesus performed many miracles, such as healing the sick and casting out demons. These miracles were seen as evidence of his divine power, and they may have made people afraid of him. Some people may have been afraid of being healed or possessed by Jesus, while others may have been afraid of what would happen if they did not believe in him. Finally, some people may have been afraid of Jesus because of the prophecies and expectations of the coming of a messiah. The Jews of Jesus’ time were looking for a saviour who would deliver them from oppression and establish a kingdom of God on earth. When Jesus arrived on the scene, he may have been seen as a threat to the status quo, and some people may have been afraid of what he might do. Might The Fear Be Related To The Fear Of God – The Injunction To Fear God? Yes, it is possible that the fear of Jesus mentioned in the Gospels may be related to the fear of God. In the Old Testament, the fear of God is often used to describe a deep reverence and awe for God, as well as a sense of humility and obedience in the face of his greatness. This fear of God is seen as a positive and necessary quality for a faithful believer, and it is often linked to the idea of fearing God’s punishment or judgement. In the New Testament, the fear of God is also mentioned, but it is often portrayed in a more positive light. For example, in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells his followers not to be afraid of those who can only kill the body, but to fear God, who can destroy both body and soul (Luke 12:4-5). This suggests that the fear of God is not just about punishment, but about a deep respect for […]
Search Jesus Here | Try Holy Land Jerusalem Pilgrimage :