October 1 - Evening
"Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
He said:
“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice,so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming’ ” - Luke 18:1-5
He said:
“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice,so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming’ ” - Luke 18:1-5
Pray and Never, Ever Give Up!
In the midst of Jesus’ teaching concerning the difficult times the believer will face between Jesus’ first coming and second coming, a parable is given and explained to help encourage the disciples in the discipline of prayer. The parable is not presented in an exact image for image illustration but in rabbinic style of a qal wahomer argument or as a “lesser to greater” illustration. Parables that implement the “lesser to greater” style are used to help us come to the conclusion that if this principle is true in a lesser state, how much more true it is in a greater state.
Jesus wants to drive home the point that believers need to pray for what is right and never give up praying. In other words, one of the basic keys to successful prayer is persistence. Persistent prayer that is powerful and effective is far from meaningless, rote recital of words and formulas. Persistent prayer is repeated, consistent and committed. Jesus' promise is that our persistent prayers will be answered by our Father God, who is good!
In the parable that Jesus uses there is a powerful judge who did not care about people or their needs. The most powerless and vulnerable member in Jewish society in Jesus day was the widow. A widow had no education, no inheritance, no job, and no privileges. She was dependent on a merciful society to assist her in life. Jesus says this powerless widow goes to the powerful judge for assistance in a legal matter. But, of course, the widow has nothing to offer the judge in the form of payment or as a source of motivation to help her, so she is ignored.
But, the one thing the widow did have was time and she was persistent in approaching the judge. She constantly called his office. His email box repeatedly received “new mail” alerts from her. She would leave messages on sticky notes with the receptionist at the law office. Her persistence was so intense that the unjust judge came to the conclusion that life would be simpler and resources would be best used if his office would simply handle her case and end the barrage of phone calls, emails and sticky notes.
Jesus then asks you to compare the lesser, unjust judge with the greater, merciful, just judge:
“Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice quickly.” – Luke 18:6-8
The problem with our prayer life in this illustration is that we give up, we lose interest, we get distracted and our faith in the truth, mercy and justice of God fails. Instead, Jesus says stay in the Truth, pray and never, ever give up!
Kardia (Gr) - Heart (Eng) - this Greek word Kardia means literally the physical organ of the heart (recognizable English words are cardiac and cardiologist). In the Greek language Kardia began to be used figuratively as the seat of emotions and spirituality in the days of Homer around 700 BC. As time moved into the NT days Kardia began to be used to refer also to man's intellectual life which included his will and his ability to make decisions.
The problem is today the Western Christian reads "heart" (translated from Kardia) to refer merely to their emotional state or their mystical connection to the spiritual dimension. This lack of understanding has betrayed many believers who have followed their deceived Kardia into foolish and harmful traps of emotionalism and mystical deception.
The problem is today the Western Christian reads "heart" (translated from Kardia) to refer merely to their emotional state or their mystical connection to the spiritual dimension. This lack of understanding has betrayed many believers who have followed their deceived Kardia into foolish and harmful traps of emotionalism and mystical deception.
Do I pray? And, if I do pray do I lose interest and never repeat my request?
I will focus on the needs of myself and others with consistent, daily prayer and never give up.
I will focus on the needs of myself and others with consistent, daily prayer and never give up.
Bible Reading Descriptions Here
Personal
Best friend
Church
Be a light in the darkness
Nation
Government spending
World
Paraguay - evangelical growth has Word of Faith tendencies and needs balanced
Toni looks up at the south wall of Jerusalem (built in 1537 by the Ottoman Empire’s Sultan Suleiman the Great). The remains of a Herodian aqueduct from New Testament times is in front of Toni at the base of the Old City wall. The ancient aqueduct is filled in with centuries of rubble.
(click on image for larger size)
(click on image for larger size)
Someone to Quote
"The chief danger of the twentieth century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and Heaven without Hell."
- William Booth
Something to Ponder
Recent estimates of Nineveh's population during the 600’s BC has been set at 300,000 based on documents from that time period. With that number established, the population cited in the Bible (in Jonah 4:11) of 120,000 only 100 to 150 years earlier is very reasonable.
Here’s a Fact
An ancient water reservoir that held 66,000 gallons of water was uncovered in Jerusalem. This cistern served the Temple Mount and the city during the days of Solomon's Temple. It was uncovered in 2012.
(details)
(details)
Proverb
"A corrupt witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil."
Proverbs 19:28
Proverbs 19:28
Coach’s Corner
Instead of pointing out a problem, fix it. Instead of talking about the solution, do it.
John 17
New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Prays to Be Glorified
17 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Jesus Prays for All Believers
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Prays to Be Glorified
17 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Jesus Prays for All Believers
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
John 1:1-14
New International Version (NIV)
The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
New International Version (NIV)
The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.