Good Morning! 2010.06.14 - Luke 18:1-2 - Pray! Don't Faint

 

Good Morning!

 

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought

 

always to pray, and not to faint;  Saying, There was in a city a

 

judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:  (Luke 18:1-2)

 

Once or twice in 55 years I have thought about letting someone else do the preaching thing. Jeremiah felt that way and said:

 

Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.  (Jeremiah 9:2)

 

He continued: Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.  (Jeremiah 20:9)

 

A self-pity party can't last long. It's too expensive. Everyone sooner or later is faced with fainting. Life becomes overwhelming and like Elijah, "I think I'll just lay down under the Juniper tree and pout.

 

But he himself (Elijah without his servant) went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.  (1Kings 19:4)

 

Ever been there? Well then, Luke 18:1 is just the verse for you. From experience I will tell you another verse that will put some iron in your resolve: This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.  (Psalm 34:6-7)

 

Either that is true or God is a liar. Discouragement is one of the Devil's best tools. If you get tired;  lose a lot of sleep, live off of junk food, drink a lot of sugar water, etc. the Devil is going to knock on your door and tell you to just quit. Let somebody else do it. And you will say: "Thank you Mister Devil! That's a real good idea. I think I'll just do that. Quit. Throw in the towel."

 

Not so fast, Devil!

 

Now then, Mr. Christian! Get on your knees and stay there until you pray through. There is such a thing as praying.  You won't do that until you are in such a hard place that you think this is the only thing you can do. That's OK. God proves Himself to a lot of people who are in a parched desert.

 

Is that where you are now? Have you tried praying until you get an answer?  Think about what Jesus put Himself out on a limb to tell you in our verse for today. Someone has said that believing prayer is leaving your burden with the Lord and grabbing a hoe. Memorize Luke 18: 1 and have a good day.Ω

 

This article can also be viewed at www.bibleliving.blogspot.com

 

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