June 18 Good Gifts

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus asks why we wouldn't give our children good things if we are capable of it. He emphasizes that our Father in heaven will give good things to those who ask Him. The reason many people struggle and few are saved is because we haven't asked God for help or to bring others to Him. We should pray for strength to be good witnesses. As Jesus gets near the end of His Sermon on the Mount, He asks us, What man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him? Matthew 7, 9. Jesus has also said, we have not because we ask not. I just returned from the hardware store where I took an old lock and asked them to re-key it. It was old and they probably don't make that brand anymore. Before I presented it to them, I said, guys, I'm praying God will perform a miracle through you today. Which led them to say, we will try. The reason so many are living defeated lives today and so few are being saved and baptized is that we have failed to ask the Lord to reach down into our situation and lead us out. We have failed to call our loved ones, friends and neighbors by name and ask Him to call them to Him. And we have failed to ask Him to strengthen us to be the witness that we should be so that others can see Him and us. Lord, help us and send us. This is Pastor Tim Hall of RedBetterWordsOfJesus.com