The Prayer that is Persistent

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:1-8).

Jesus followed up His discourse about the imminence of His return to initiate the days of the Son of Man on earth, the establishment of God’s millennial Kingdom, with an exhortation about justice and prayer. With a parable, He warned His disciples that true justice was not to be found in an earth-bound “unrighteous judge”.  He also exhorted them to pray like a tenacious “widow… who kept coming”. Do you ever feel like no one listens to or understands you? Where do you go when you have been unjustly hurt or offended? Is your faith nurtured and growing by an increasing awareness of and connection to the presence of Jesus through prayer? Today Jesus helps us to learn and practice the prayer that is persistent.

The prayer that is persistent is established in Faith. “Will not God give justice to His elect?” Persistent prayer resists the world and responds to the persistent goodness and pursuit of God toward His elect. As diligent disciples experience the rejection and wrath of this rebellious and resistant world, we are often tempted to seek justice from people and institutions of the world. But in the search for true justice our faith in the only holy and righteous judge grows stronger… “Mankind will say, ‘Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth’” (Psalm 58:11), and we discover, experience, and reflect the perfect and lasting justice of God to a very needy world… “For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever” (Psalm 37:28).

The prayer that is persistent is exercised often. "Always to pray" means living life in His presence… “Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!” (Psalm 105:4). "Not lose heart" means protecting our heart by withdrawing from life's distractions to devote our heart to Christ in a regular sacred place of meeting… “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23). Unceasing prayer is one sure way to keep our hearts in the center of God’s will… “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

The prayer that is persistent is evidence of salvation. Awareness of our desperate need to "cry to Him day and night" is clear confirmation that we are not of this world, that there has been a change in our heart wrought by the grace of God. The Lord does not require our unrelenting cries in order to act in response to our need... “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:8). It is we who need a deep, growing awareness of our desperate reliance upon Him to keep our focus above and beyond the limits of this temporal world... “We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). Such Holy Spirit inspired desperation compels us to live and walk differently in the midst of a fallen and corrupt world... “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Those who learn to live and walk in maturing and persistent faith will experience the amazing blessing of being an affirmative answer to our precious Savior's compelling question... "will He (I) find faith on the earth?"

As we grow up into Christ, we become a prominent reflection of faith to a faithless world as we pray…

The Prayer that is Persistent.

The Life that is Imminent

On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left.” And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather” (Luke 17:31-37).

What do you think it will be like when Jesus returns? The Spirit inspired Paul to describe the glorious moment like this… “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). On a personal level, what do you think your life will be like when He returns? What will He catch you doing at that amazing moment? After He described the imminence of His return Jesus used three illustrations to compel His disciples to be expecting and prepared for that moment every day. With these and many other words, Jesus exhorts disciples in every day of every age to look forward to and to live the life that is imminent.

Determined disciples are preoccupied with heavenly things. Jesus described the position of many disciples as being “on the housetop” or living over and above the control of material things. As the days of His return approach there will be much temptation to gather and cling to worldly possessions as the culture and economy of the rebellious world threaten the prosperity of Christians. As the adversary increases his pressure on us to renounce the faith by threatening to take away our material possessions, Jesus’s exhortation is echoed in the Holy Spirit inspired words of the Apostle John… “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). Evidence of maturing faith is an increasing love for God that replaces our love for things of the world and prepares us to run from this world and into His arms upon Christ’s imminent return.

Diligent disciples are persistent in sharing the gospel. Jesus described the position of others as “the one who is in the field”. His carefully chosen words remind us of His exhortation to pray for and be fully engaged in the work of sharing the gospel among the lost people of this world… “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Luke 10:2). Disciples that seek and seize every opportunity to proclaim His gospel in word and deed are naturally and spiritually sensitive to Christ’s presence in every moment of the day and therefore will be more aware of His approaching, imminent return in glory.

Discerning disciples are prepared to leave at any moment. Jesus described the imminence of His return by saying people will be going about their daily business, sleeping, waking, or working when suddenly… “One will be taken and the other left”. His words remind us that despite the false claims of many in every age… “Concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36). Although no one knows the exact moment of His return, Jesus would soon exhort His disciples to live differently from the unbelieving world that surrounds us… “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth” (Luke 21:34-35). The Spirit of Truth inspired Peter to echo this instruction… “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God” (2 Peter 3:11-12). Discerning disciples live not for today but in eager excitement and anticipation of the imminent day of Christ’s glorious return.

As we grow up into Christ, we are set apart from the distractions of the temporal world as we live…

The Life that is Imminent.

The Days that are Imminent

“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all—so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed” (Luke 17:26-30).

Jesus identified the establishment of God’s kingdom rule on earth here as… “the days of the Son of Man”. He did not reveal the day and the hour of His return to judge sin and establish His millennial rule here on the earth… “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36). But in today’s text, Jesus described the approach of His return by drawing comparisons to two familiar historical events where God intervened and delivered true believers from impending judgment. He wanted them and us to know that because of the deteriorating condition of fallen mankind His disciples should live as if His return is always imminent (def.: Literally, shooting over; hence, hanging over; impending; threatening; near; appearing as if about to fall on; used of evils; as imminent danger; imminent judgments, evils or death – from Noah Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828). Christ used this powerful history lesson to prepare the first disciples, and to exhort diligent disciples in every age to recognize the signs of their times and to live and work every day in the light of the days that are imminent.

Christ’s return is imminent because fallen mankind is always concerned with earthly care. In the very shadow of Noah’s preoccupation with building the ark, people were devoted to “eating and drinking“. Jesus warned disciples to resist the tendency of the heart to worry over temporal needs like food and clothing… “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all” (Matthew 6:31-32). When we make a priority of seeking His kingdom, Christ’s providence in our lives raises the world’s awareness of the imminence of His kingdom… “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

Christ’s return is imminent because fallen mankind is always captivated with earthly companionship. In the presence of the very real sign of impending judgment, the people of Noah’s day continued to be preoccupied with human relationships… “marrying and being given in marriage”. Earthly relationships are important, but they must not replace the deepest need in the human heart, the need for fellowship with God… “This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). When we make a priority of investing in our intimacy and fellowship with God, Christ’s presence overflows from our hearts, grabs the world’s attention, and increases their sensitivity to the imminence of His kingdom… “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37).

Christ’s return is imminent because fallen mankind is always consumed with earthly commission. In Lot’s day, right up through the warning of impending judgment by God’s angels, people continued… “buying and selling, planting and building”. They were driven to build and maintain their personal and precious but temporary worldly kingdoms. Jesus cautioned disciples to avoid the worldly treasure trap… “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). When we make a priority of pursuing kingdom treasure, our anticipation and excitement for blessings beyond today can redirect the world’s attention toward the imminence of His kingdom… “For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done” (Matthew 16:27).

As we grow up into Christ, living in anticipation of soon His return can make others more aware of…

The Days that are Imminent.

The Days that are Very Near

And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation” (Luke 17:22-25).

What are you living for? Do you really believe that what you believe is really true? Does your faith in Christ give you a vision beyond the demands and distractions of today? The difficulties and trials of today often cause us to look up and echo the words of John the Revelator… “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20). I believe the Lord wants us to live with the same kind of anticipation of the days of the Son of Man because they are truly the days that are very near.

The days of the Son of Man are desired by Christ’s disciples. Ever since His departure, believers have longed for Christ’s physical return to establish His earthly rule. As we mature in the faith we learn to live above the temptation and sin of today and more for that glorious day when the fruits of our pursuit of His righteousness are rewarded… “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8). Growing disciples share the gospel with greater urgency because we know His return draws nearer every day… “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God… manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus… which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me” (2 Timothy 1:8-12). Diligent disciples are exhorted to know and proclaim the truth of Christ’s gospel as we seek and sense the approach of the days that are of the Son of Man.

The days of the Son of Man are discerned by Christ’s truth Ever since His ascension men have tried to predict and use Christ’s return for diverse and perverse reasons. At the end time of the world, he will not descend from heaven obscurely or secretly, but with godlike glory and dwelling in the light which no one can approach… “The appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time… who dwells in unapproachable light” (1 Timothy 6:14-16). The angels promised that Christ’s return would be just like His ascension… “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). The Spirit inspired Luke to record Jesus’ promise that his coming will be like the lightning. Matthew was moved to record this discourse in much more detail but He was sure to include Jesus’s same description of His return… “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:27). Diligent disciples are encouraged to know and trust the truth of God’s Word so we will discern and not be deceived regarding the days that are of the Son of Man.

The days of the Son of Man are delayed by Christ’s suffering. Ever since He left to take His seat at the father’s side men have expected Christ’s return to establish God’s kingdom on earth to be imminent. Jesus tole the first disciples that He first had to suffer many things. He wanted them to know that he was about to abolish death by the death of his flesh, put away the sin of the world, destroy the ruler of this world, ascend to the Father and in due time appear to judge the world in righteousness. In the meantime, He wants His disciples to imitate His life of sacrificial service… “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45) as we live and pray… “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Diligent disciples are enjoined to share Christ’s suffering as a reflection of the nearness of the days that are of the Son of Man.

As we grow up into Christ, living for Him brings us and our world closer to…

The Days that are Very Near.

The Kingdom that is Very Near

Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you” (Luke 17:20-21).

The coming of the kingdom of God is so central to what true disciples believe that Jesus included it at the beginning of His model for prayer… “And he said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come’” (Luke 11:2). Diligent disciples live and labor in full anticipation and excitement of the coming of the kingdom of God. The reality of life in a world that is enjoying the benefits of submission to the rule of our Creator is wildly beyond our limited imagination… “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). The Holy Spirit has inspired glorious glimpses of the kingdom to come… “I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away’” (Revelation 21:3-4). Perhaps in the midst of today’s temporal trials you’ve asked the same question… “When the kingdom of God would come”. I pray you’re encouraged and excited by the powerful truth revealed in Christ’s answer to the Pharisees, that the glorious kingdom of God is closer than you think because it is the kingdom that is very near!

The kingdom of God is revealed when desperate disciples depend on God’s supernatural power. Our trials are God’s opportunity to break into the natural world with the demonstration of His supernatural power. Trials should bring maturing disciples to the end of ourselves, refocus our faith on Christ, and trust Him to act. Jesus promised the kingdom of God comes with supernatural healing… “Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you’” (Luke 10:9). Jesus promised the kingdom of God comes with supernatural deliverance… “If it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Luke 11:20). Jesus promises the glory of the kingdom of God comes whenever His disciples turn to Him in time of need… “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).

The kingdom of God is revealed when diligent disciples declare God’s prophetic Word. Jesus was consistent and urgent in His message about the coming kingdom of God… “The people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, ‘I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose’” (Luke 4:42-43). His miracles drew great crowds to hear His preaching about the coming kingdom… “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (Matthew 4:17). He exhorted His disciples to be diligent and to imitate in words and deeds His prophetic kingdom message even in the face of certain rejection… “Whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless, know this, that the kingdom of God has come near’” (Luke 10:10-11).

The kingdom of God is revealed when devoted disciples demonstrate childlike faith. Jesus understands fallen human nature. He knows the spiritual reality of the kingdom of God is foolishness to the heart and mind of natural man… “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Jesus used children to illustrate the gracious gift of faith that enables and empowers devoted disciples to receive and discern the kingdom of God in the midst of this fallen world… “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it” (Luke 18:17).

As we grow up into Christ, and our faith matures, we become more expectant and aware of…

The Kingdom that is Very Near.

The Mercy that Promotes Thanksgiving

On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well” (Luke 17:11-19).

Leprosy is a terrible disease. Beyond the crippling and painful physical symptoms there is the hopelessness and isolation of this incurable and infectious disease. It made its victims outcasts from the community and even estranged them from corporate worship. Leprosy alienated its victims from others and drove them so far from God it’s understandable that many of them gave up on life. But here were ten of them that had heard the good news about Jesus. Perhaps they had been stirred by His own words as He appropriated the prophets’ identification of the Christ to Himself… “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19). Ten were delivered from a crippling skin disease, but just one was delivered from spiritual blindness, and like the one thankful leper, once alienated from God, sinners who imitate his rightly placed faith in Christ find the mercy that promotes thanksgiving.

Christ’s love was applied. Ten hurting, rejected lepers found a ray of hope. They did not ask directly for healing, but for mercy. Their request for mercy revealed an attitude of unworthiness produced by years of suffering. Jesus knew their hearts. He knew only one would get the message behind the miracle today, but still He responded to the request of all ten lepers, because that’s what loving mercy does… “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

God’s law was accomplished. Instead of dramatically declaring them healed, Jesus commanded the lepers to… “Go and show yourselves to the priests” His command fulfilled the law and meant journeying toward the temple where they were required to show their healing to the priests and to offer sacrifices for their cleansing… “This shall be the law of the leprous person for the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest” (Leviticus 14:2). This journey was a great step of faith because it would begin before the lepers had any evidence of their miracle. In the same way we are saved when our spiritual blindness is healed by God’s grace and our sin is revealed to us by God’s law and we respond by faith seeking the mercy of Jesus Christ… “So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24).

Christ’s lordship was affirmed. Like the nine blind lepers who hurried off to the temple, many believe salvation comes through self-righteous work like obedience to God’s law. But Christ fulfilled the law for us by meeting its righteous requirement of atonement for sin on our behalf… “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Like the thankful leper who saw and praised Jesus Christ as the One responsible for His deliverance, all who come in faith to Christ for mercy and forgiveness find true salvation… “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Christ confirms Himself as the only God and Savior to those who like the thankful leper have faith in Him… “To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1).

As we grow up into Christ, our thankfulness and assurance grows because we have experienced…

The Mercy that Promotes Thanksgiving.