Bible League: Living His Word Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart...— Luke 18:1 NKJV Don't lose heart! As amply indicated in the Bible, this command applies to the Christian life in general. For example, the Apostle Paul says: "But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good" (2 Thessalonians 3:13). Even if things look bad on the outside, we should not lose heart: "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day" (2 Corinthians 4:16). Especially when it comes to the ministries we've been given, we should not lose heart: "Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart" (2 Corinthians 4:1). And if we don't lose heart, we will be rewarded: "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart" (Galatians 6:9). Always pray! Since the command to not lose heart applies to the Christian life in general, it applies to prayer in particular. That is, if we're not supposed to lose heart in general, then we're not supposed to lose heart in prayer. Indeed, as our verse for today says, we should pray always. What does this mean? It means we should have, for example, regular prayer times. It also means we should pray every time things go wrong and problems arise. And it means we should always maintain a spirit of prayer, we should always be ready to pray when necessary. Perhaps most importantly, it means we should keep praying for what we've been praying for even when our prayers are not answered as soon as we would like. The command "Don't lose heart" and the command "Always pray" are not just anybody's commands. They're Jesus' commands. Jesus doesn't want us to lose heart. Jesus want us to always pray. That's why He gave us the parable mentioned in our verse for today—the Parable of the Persistent Widow (Luke 18:2-8). The widow kept asking for justice before a judge who did not fear God or man. Because of her persistence, however, he finally gave in and helped her. Jesus' point is if even unrighteous judges come through for persistent people, then how much more will our Heavenly Father come through for persistent people? Today, then, don't lose heart! Always pray! Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJeremiah 23, 24 Jeremiah 23 -- I will restore to David a righteous Branch; False Prophets NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Jeremiah 24 -- Two Baskets of Figs; Captives Will Return NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 2 Timothy 2 2 Timothy 2 -- Timothy Exhorted to be Strong, Persevering and Unashamed NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.Insight Do you sometimes feel as though you aren't making progress in your spiritual life? When God starts a project, he completes it! As with the Philippians, God will help you grow in grace until he has completed his work in your life. Challenge When you are discouraged, remember that God won't give up on you. He promises to finish the work he has begun. When you feel incomplete, unfinished, or distressed by your shortcomings, remember God's promise and provision. Don't let your present condition rob you of the joy of knowing Christ or keep you from growing closer to him. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Songs 5:11 His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.Comparisons all fail to set forth the Lord Jesus, but the spouse uses the best within her reach. By the head of Jesus we may understand his deity, "for the head of Christ is God" and then the ingot of purest gold is the best conceivable metaphor, but all too poor to describe one so precious, so pure, so dear, so glorious. Jesus is not a grain of gold, but a vast globe of it, a priceless mass of treasure such as earth and heaven cannot excel. The creatures are mere iron and clay, they all shall perish like wood, hay, and stubble, but the ever living Head of the creation of God shall shine on forever and ever. In him is no mixture, nor smallest taint of alloy. He is forever infinitely holy and altogether divine. The bushy locks depict his manly vigor. There is nothing effeminate in our Beloved. He is the manliest of men. Bold as a lion, laborious as an ox, swift as an eagle. Every conceivable and inconceivable beauty is to be found in him, though once he was despised and rejected of men. "His head the finest gold; With secret sweet perfume, His curled locks hang all as black As any raven's plume." The glory of his head is not shorn away, he is eternally crowned with peerless majesty. The black hair indicates youthful freshness, for Jesus has the dew of his youth upon him. Others grow languid with age, but he is forever a Priest as was Melchizedek; others come and go, but he abides as God upon his throne, world without end. We will behold him tonight and adore him. Angels are gazing upon him--his redeemed must not turn away their eyes from him. Where else is there such a Beloved? O for an hour's fellowship with him! Away, ye intruding cares! Jesus draws me, and I run after him. Daily Light on the Daily Path Luke 10:19 "Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.1 Peter 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. James 4:7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Ephesians 6:11-16 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. • For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. • Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. • Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, • and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; • in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Micah 7:8 Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will rise; Though I dwell in darkness, the LORD is a light for me. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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