“So what makes you think God won’t step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help?” ~Jesus

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Faith, Jesus, Jesus Sayings, Luke 18, Persistence, Prayer

Jesus challenges me. I don’t need more faith. I need persistent faith.

• I must be persistent in my prayer and never quit. My faith must be persistent. If I believed yesterday, I must believe today.
• I must be confident God will step in. I may not know when but it will happen.
• God will stick up for me. God is in a good mood.

Here is the story Jesus told.

Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit.

He said, “There was once a judge in some city who never gave God a thought and cared nothing for people. A widow in that city kept after him: ‘My rights are being violated. Protect me!’

“He never gave her the time of day. But after this went on and on he said to himself, ‘I care nothing what God thinks, even less what people think. But because this widow won’t quit badgering me, I’d better do something and see that she gets justice—otherwise I’m going to end up beaten black-and-blue by her pounding.’”

Then the Master said, “Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? So what makes you think God won’t step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won’t he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?”

Source: Luke 18:1-6

“If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face.” ~Jesus

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Humility, Jesus, Jesus Sayings, Luke 18, Religious, Sin

Humility

“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable”

I am sure those who had been with Jesus for a while had a hint of what was about to come. Jesus knew how to nail the real issues. Jesus knows that there is a such a thing as false confidence. It is not about what we do that gets us right with God. We need to come to Him with the awareness deep in our soul that there is nothing we have done to receive His gift of an absolutely pure relationship with God. We have missed the mark but Jesus didn’t. And those who are relying on good deeds will look down on others. Double whammy here.

Being religious is of no advantage. Looking down at others is useless. There is only one way to God. Jesus challenges us to see the way.

God is very good. Jesus came with good news. His gift to us that allows us to be friends with God is overwhelming.

Here is the rest of the story:

He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: “Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: ‘Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.’

“Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, ‘God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.’”

Jesus commented, “This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face, but if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.”

People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they shooed them off. Jesus called them back. “Let these children alone. Don’t get between them and me. These children are the kingdom’s pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.”

Luke 18:9-17

We are on our way to Jerusalem with Jesus

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God's Goal, Jerusalem, Jesus, Listen, Luke 18, Resurrection

Jesus destiny was in Jerusalem. God’s goal for Him would come to pass there. He would die and be raised from the dead by the amazing power of the Holy Spirit. But notice how this was framed. He took the 12 aside and clearly said “We”. Jerusalem just wasn’t for Jesus.

The good news of the new agreement God has with us is that we have died and been raised to a new life in Him. Oh my goodness. We went to Jerusalem with Jesus. We have shared in his death and resurrection. We have the power of the Holy Spirit, that raised Him from the dead, in us.

God’s goal for us is to live a resurrected life with Jesus.

Then Jesus took the Twelve off to the side and said, “Listen carefully. We’re on our way up to Jerusalem.” Luke 18:31

May I see how I am a new human being in Him.

May I know that the old me was crucified with Him and the new me was raised up in Him.