WE SHOULD ALWAYS PRAY AND NOT GIVE UP

Proclamation:

“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 … 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.  ‘… yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice …’ And The Lord said, ‘… will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? ... I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly. …’”  Luke 18:1-8 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, as recorded by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter Luke records the words which Jesus spoke to His disciples.  He told them two parables regarding prayer, the parable of the persistent widow and the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector.  His first point was that they should always pray and not give up praying for what they want. (Luke 18:1-8)  His second point was that they should be humble even when they pray. (Luke 18:9-14)  A certain rich ruler interrupted Him and asked what he must do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus answered him and he went away sad. (Matthew 19:22 and Mark 10:22)  Then Jesus said to His disciples that it is hard for someone rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. (Luke 18:23-24)  After this Jesus predicts His death a third time (Luke 18:31-34) and then He gives sight to a blind beggar. (Luke 18:35-42)

Application:

The parable of the persistent widow reminds me of an old saying, “Pray until something happens.”  The point here is that we should pray for what we want and that we should pray often.  The Bible encourages us to pray continuously. (Luke 18:1 and 1 Thessalonians 5:17)  If we believe in Him and keep His word in our heart, we will get what we ask for. (John 15:7)  Whatever we ask for, in the name of Jesus, will be done if it glorifies God. (John 14:13)

THE LORD GOD IS OUR SAVIOR OUR HELP AND OUR PROTECTOR

Proclamation:

“Lord, You are The God who saves me; day and night I cry out to You.  May my prayer come before You; turn Your ear to my cry.”  Psalm 88:1-2 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written by the sons of Korah under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The sons of Korah were descendants of Levi, the grandfather of Moses.  They were the musicians in the temple at Jerusalem who were to sing and/or play this song.  The psalmist is in trouble and is crying out to The Lord to help him. (Psalm 88:3-5)  He knows that The Lord God has saved him in the past and he is praying for Him to save him now. 

Application:

To pray day and night suggests not just praying twice each day but continual prayer, or to pray without ceasing as we are encouraged to do. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)  That is to say that we ought to pray frequently.  For example, when we wake up, when we get up, as we get dressed, before we eat, before we drive to work or where ever, when we arrive safely at our destination, before we speak, before we perform any task, when we have completed a task, before we drive home, when we arrive home safely, when we enter our home and find all is well, before we eat, before we speak to our loved ones, and before we go to bed, any time is a good time to pray.  If you only pray when you are in trouble, then you are really in trouble.  There is a time and place for public, corporate prayer, but there are also times for private personal prayer when we want The Lord to hear and answer us. (Psalm 88:2, and 9, and 13)  He has saved us in the past, and we know that He can help us now and in the future.