Luke 11:11-13

I love these verses of Scripture – they hold out such a promise for believers! If any of us have kids, we can certainly relate to the first part of this passage. What parent can’t relate to wanting what is best for their child? It is a natural tendency to want to give to our children what we deem best. Most parents are protective and desirous of granting good things to their offspring. If that is how we are, though we are evil, how much more will Abba Father give to those who ask! Familial love is not unusual although we are told in II Timothy that in the last days we will be woefully short of it:1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 2 Tim 3:1-5 (NIV)
“Without love” mentioned in verse three is actually without familial love and sadly, we have begun to see this in our own generation. No one in past generations would have ever suspected parents in the harming of their own children yet in our present generation, parents or family members are the first in suspect and unfortunately, oftentimes, rightly so. I suppose the “though you are evil” mentioned in verse thirteen above is a shoe that would fit our times. Contrast the giving of gifts by imperfect evil people to the giving of the perfect gift by the Father of heavenly lights. James tells us:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. James 1:17-18 (NIV)
The father of darkness – Satan, brings death; the Father of the heavenly lights brings salvation and life! Indeed every good act of giving comes from His hand. What I consider particularly interesting is what the good gift is! We find almost this exact same passage in Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount. Again, Jesus tells us: 9 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matt 7:9-11 (NIV) In the above verses the term “good gifts” is used in place of “the Holy Spirit” that is given in our verse for today. The Holy Spirit is the good gift. Indeed, it is the ultimate gift! Our greatest desire should be for more and more of the Holy Spirit’s filling of our “jars of clay”. Remember the manifestation of the Spirit in a life consists of the following:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Gal 5:22-23 (NIV)
Who wouldn’t want these in ever increasing measure for themselves or their offspring? It is to become more and more like Christ, as we exhibit His character to a lost and needy world. It is important to note that the fruit is not produced by the believer; the fruit is produced by the Holy Spirit’s power within the believer. The growth of this fruit comes through a vital union with Jesus – consisting of growing in the knowledge of His Word, hiding His word in our hearts, applying the truths we learn to our lives and prayer. The fruit of the Spirit, given to all at the onset of their faith in Christ, begins to take root and grow through this union. Jesus again tells us in John:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:5-8 (NIV)
We show ourselves to be Jesus’ disciples as we manifest the fruit of the Spirit. As believers in Christ we need to “grow up” in our prayers leaving childish ways behind us and praying as Christ would not only for the temporal things of life but even more importantly, for the eternal. As Paul prayed for those at the church in Ephesus, we would do well to echo his prayer:14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Eph 3:14-21 (NIV)