Luke 11:3 - Prayer Tents



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Luke 11
The Message Help

Ask for What You Need

11One day he was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said, "Master, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples."G2532G1096G1722G846G1511G4336G1722G5100G5117G5613G3973G5100G846G3101G2036G4314G846G2962G1321G2248G4336G2531G2491G2532G1321G846G3101 2So he said, "When you pray, say, Father, Reveal who you are. Set the world right.G1161G2036G846G3752G4336G3004G2257G3962G3588G1722G3772G37G4675G3686G4675G932G2064G4675G2307G1096G5613G1722G3772G2532G1909G1093 3Keep us alive with three square meals.G1325G2254G2596G2250G2257G1967G740 4Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil."G2532G863G2254G2257G266G1063G846G2532G863G3956G3784G2254G2532G1533G2248G3361G1519G3986G235G4506G2248G575G4190 5Then he said, "Imagine what would happen if you went to a friend in the middle of the night and said, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread.G2532G2036G4314G846G5101G1537G5216G2192G5384G2532G4198G4314G846G3317G2532G2036G846G5384G5531G3427G5140G740 6An old friend traveling through just showed up, and I don't have a thing on hand.'G1894G5384G3450G1537G3598G3854G4314G3165G2532G2192G3756G3739G3908G846 7"The friend answers from his bed, 'Don't bother me. The door's locked; my children are all down for the night; I can't get up to give you anything.'G2548G2081G611G2036G2873G3930G3427G3361G2374G2808G2235G2808G2532G3450G3813G1526G3326G1700G1519G2845G3756G1410G450G1325G4671 8"But let me tell you, even if he won't get up because he's a friend, if you stand your ground, knocking and waking all the neighbors, he'll finally get up and get you whatever you need.G3004G5213G1499G1453G3756G1453G1325G846G1223G1511G846G5384G1065G1223G846G335G450G1325G846G3745G5535 9"Here's what I'm saying: Ask and you'll get; Seek and you'll find; Knock and the door will open.G2504G3004G5213G154G2532G1325G5213G2212G2532G2147G2925G2532G455G5213 10"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This is not a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in.G1063G3956G154G2983G2532G2212G2147G2532G2925G455 11If your little boy asks for a serving of fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate?G1161G5207G154G740G5216G3962G5101G1929G3361G846G3037G1499G2486G1929G473G2486G1929G3361G846G3789 12If your little girl asks for an egg, do you trick her with a spider?G2228G2532G1437G154G5609G3361G1929G846G4651 13As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing—you're at least decent to your own children. And don't you think the Father who conceived you in love will give the Holy Spirit when you ask him?"G1487G5210G3767G5225G4190G1492G1325G18G1390G5216G5043G4214G3123G1325G3772G3962G1537G1325G40G4151G154G846

No Neutral Ground

14Jesus delivered a man from a demon that had kept him speechless. The demon gone, the man started talking a blue streak, taking the crowd by complete surprise.G2532G2258G1544G1140G2532G846G2258G2974G1161G1096G1140G1831G2974G2980G2532G3793G2296 15But some from the crowd were cynical. "Black magic," they said. "Some devil trick he's pulled from his sleeve."G1161G5100G1537G846G2036G1544G1140G1722G954G758G1140 16Others were skeptical, waiting around for him to prove himself with a spectacular miracle.G1161G2087G3985G2212G3844G846G4592G1537G3772 17Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, "Any country in civil war for very long is wasted. A constantly squabbling family falls to pieces.G1161G846G1492G846G1270G2036G846G3956G932G1266G1909G1438G2049G2532G3624G1909G3624G4098 18If Satan cancels Satan, is there any Satan left? You accuse me of ganging up with the Devil, the prince of demons, to cast out demons,G1161G1499G4567G1499G1266G1909G1438G4459G2476G846G932G2476G3754G3004G3165G1544G1140G1722G954 19but if you're slinging devil mud at me, calling me a devil who kicks out devils, doesn't the same mud stick to your own exorcists?G1161G1487G1473G1722G954G1544G1140G1722G5101G1544G5216G5207G1544G1223G5124G846G2071G5216G2923 20But if it's God's finger I'm pointing that sends the demons on their way, then God's kingdom is here for sure.G1161G1487G1722G1147G2316G1544G1140G686G932G2316G5348G1909G5209 21"When a strong man, armed to the teeth, stands guard in his front yard, his property is safe and sound.G3752G2478G2528G5442G833G1438G846G5224G2076G1722G1515 22But what if a stronger man comes along with superior weapons? Then he's beaten at his own game, the arsenal that gave him such confidence hauled off, and his precious possessions plundered.G1161G1875G2478G846G1904G3528G846G142G846G3833G1909G3739G3982G2532G1239G846G4661 23"This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you're not on my side, you're the enemy; if you're not helping, you're making things worse.G5607G3361G3326G1700G2076G2596G1700G2532G4863G3361G3326G1700G4650 24"When a corrupting spirit is expelled from someone, it drifts along through the desert looking for an oasis, some unsuspecting soul it can bedevil. When it doesn't find anyone, it says, 'I'll go back to my old haunt.'G3752G169G4151G1831G575G444G1330G1223G504G5117G2212G372G2532G2147G3361G3004G5290G1519G3450G3624G3606G1831 25On return, it finds the person swept and dusted, but vacant.G2532G2064G2147G4563G2532G2885 26It then runs out and rounds up seven other spirits dirtier than itself and they all move in, whooping it up. That person ends up far worse than if he'd never gotten cleaned up in the first place."G5119G4198G2532G3880G2033G2087G4151G4191G1438G2532G1525G2730G1563G2532G2078G1565G444G1096G5501G4413 27While he was saying these things, some woman lifted her voice above the murmur of the crowd: "Blessed the womb that carried you, and the breasts at which you nursed!"G1161G1096G1722G846G3004G5023G5100G1135G1537G3793G1869G5456G2036G846G3107G2836G941G4571G2532G3149G3739G2337 28Jesus commented, "Even more blessed are those who hear God's Word and guard it with their lives!"G1161G846G2036G3304G3107G191G3056G2316G2532G5442G846

Keep Your Eyes Open

29As the crowd swelled, he took a fresh tack: "The mood of this age is all wrong. Everybody's looking for proof, but you're looking for the wrong kind. All you're looking for is something to titillate your curiosity, satisfy your lust for miracles. But the only proof you're going to get is the Jonah-proof given to the Ninevites, which looks like no proof at all.G1161G3793G1865G756G3004G3778G2076G4190G1074G1934G4592G2532G1325G3756G4592G1325G846G1508G4592G2495G4396 30What Jonah was to Nineveh, the Son of Man is to this age.G1063G2531G2495G1096G4592G3536G3779G2071G2532G5207G444G2071G5026G1074 31"On Judgment Day the Ninevites will stand up and give evidence that will condemn this generation, because when Jonah preached to them they changed their lives. A far greater preacher than Jonah is here, and you squabble about 'proofs.'G938G3558G1453G1722G2920G3326G435G5026G1074G2532G2632G846G3754G2064G1537G4009G1093G191G4678G4672G2532G2400G4119G4672G5602 32On Judgment Day the Queen of Sheba will come forward and bring evidence that condemns this generation, because she traveled from a far corner of the earth to listen to wise Solomon. Wisdom far greater than Solomon's is right in front of you, and you quibble over 'evidence.'G435G3535G450G1722G2920G3326G5026G1074G2532G2632G846G3754G3340G1519G2782G2495G2532G2400G4119G2495G5602 33"No one lights a lamp, then hides it in a drawer. It's put on a lamp stand so those entering the room have light to see where they're going.G1161G3762G681G3088G5087G1519G2926G3761G5259G3426G235G1909G3087G2443G3588G1531G991G5338 34Your eye is a lamp, lighting up your whole body. If you live wide-eyed in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar.G3088G4983G2076G3788G3767G1875G4675G3788G5600G573G4675G3650G4983G2532G2076G5460G1161G3752G5600G4190G4675G4983G2532G4652 35Keep your eyes open, your lamp burning, so you don't get musty and murky.G4648G3767G5457G3588G1722G4671G2076G3361G4655 36Keep your life as well-lighted as your best-lighted room."G1487G4675G3650G4983G3767G5460G2192G3361G5100G3313G4652G3650G2071G5460G5613G3752G796G3088G5461G4571G5461

Frauds!

37When he finished that talk, a Pharisee asked him to dinner. He entered his house and sat right down at the table.G1161G1722G2980G5100G5330G2065G846G3704G709G3844G846G1161G1525G377 38The Pharisee was shocked and somewhat offended when he saw that Jesus didn't wash up before the meal.G1161G5330G1492G2296G3754G907G3756G4412G907G4253G712 39But the Master said to him, "I know you Pharisees burnish the surface of your cups and plates so they sparkle in the sun, but I also know your insides are maggoty with greed and secret evil.G1161G2962G2036G4314G846G3568G2511G5210G5330G2511G1855G4221G2532G4094G1161G5216G2081G1073G724G2532G4189 40Stupid Pharisees! Didn't the One who made the outside also make the inside?G878G4160G3756G4160G3588G1855G4160G3588G2081G2532 41Turn both your pockets and your hearts inside out and give generously to the poor; then your lives will be clean, not just your dishes and your hands.G4133G1325G1654G1751G2532G2400G3956G2076G2513G5213 42"I've had it with you! You're hopeless, you Pharisees! Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but manage to find loopholes for getting around basic matters of justice and God's love. Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required.G235G3759G5213G5330G3754G586G2238G2532G4076G2532G3956G3001G2532G3928G2920G2532G26G2316G5023G1163G4160G3361G863G2548G863 43"You're hopeless, you Pharisees! Frauds! You love sitting at the head table at church dinners, love preening yourselves in the radiance of public flattery.G3759G5213G5330G3754G25G4410G1722G4864G2532G783G1722G58 44Frauds! You're just like unmarked graves: People walk over that nice, grassy surface, never suspecting the rot and corruption that is six feet under."G3759G5213G1122G2532G5330G5273G3754G2075G5613G3419G3588G82G2532G444G4043G1883G1492G3756G1492 45One of the religion scholars spoke up: "Teacher, do you realize that in saying these things you're insulting us?"G1161G611G5100G3544G3004G846G1320G5023G3004G5195G2248G2532 46He said, "Yes, and I can be even more explicit. You're hopeless, you religion scholars! You load people down with rules and regulations, nearly breaking their backs, but never lift even a finger to help.G1161G2036G3759G5213G2532G3544G3754G5412G444G5413G1419G2532G846G4379G3756G5413G1520G5216G1147 47"You're hopeless! You build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed.G3759G5213G3754G3618G3419G4396G1161G5216G3962G615G846 48The tombs you build are monuments to your murdering ancestors more than to the murdered prophets.G686G3140G2532G4909G2041G5216G3962G3754G846G3303G615G846G1161G5210G3618G846G3419 49That accounts for God's Wisdom saying, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, but they'll kill them and run them off.'G1223G5124G2532G2036G4678G2316G649G1519G846G4396G2532G652G2532G1537G846G615G2532G1559 50What it means is that every drop of righteous blood ever spilled from the time earth began until now,.G2443G129G3956G4396G3588G1632G575G2602G2889G1567G575G5026G1074 51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was struck down between altar and sanctuary, is on your heads. Yes, it's on the bill of this generation and this generation will pay.G575G129G6G2193G129G2197G3588G622G3342G2379G2532G3624G3483G3004G5213G1567G575G5026G1074 52"You're hopeless, you religion scholars! You took the key of knowledge, but instead of unlocking doors, you locked them. You won't go in yourself, and won't let anyone else in either."G3759G5213G3544G3754G142G2807G1108G1525G3756G1525G846G2532G1525G2967 53As soon as Jesus left the table, the religion scholars and Pharisees went into a rage. They went over and over everything he said,G1161G846G3004G5023G4314G846G1122G2532G5330G756G1758G1171G2532G653G846G653G4012G4119 54plotting how they could trap him in something from his own mouth.G1748G846G2532G2212G2340G5100G1537G846G4750G2443G2723G846


The Message (MSG). All Scripture quotations are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries. More details.
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