Thursday January 19th, 2023
Meditate on: Luke 18:1CP
« Jesus used this illustration with his disciples to show them that they need to pray all the time and never give up. »
Read: Luke 18:1-18NLT
1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.
2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people.
3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.
4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people,
5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”
6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge.
7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”
9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else:
10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector.
11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector!
12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.
14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
15 One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him.
16 Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.
17 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”
18 Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”
Understand
Persistence is a major mark that sets great achievers apart.
While most people give up on their dreams along the way, the persistent keeps going until all goals are accomplished.
Jesus Himself said the persistent always get what they want (Luke 18:1-9).
It is not enough to pray; do so until something happens.
When others get breakthroughs, before you feel frustrated or jealous, why not take time to know how long they have been trying before they became successful?
During one of the Holy Ghost Service at the Redemption Camp. I waved my hands as I stood on the altar. As I did, miracles started to happen. It is possible for some Pastors who saw that happen to wonder “Why can’t I also wave and have miracles happen?” but they may not know that before that day, I had been praying for the manifestation for about fifteen year- that miracles should happen just at the wave of my hands. John 16:24 says ask, that your joy may be full.
I prayed for fifteen years. That is persistence.
Don’t get tired of hitting hard spot with your drops of water.
You may just be at the edge of your breakthrough.
Sometimes, it may appear that nothing is happening yet despite the promises of God.
The truth however, is that a lot is actually happening on the inside and soon it will manifest in the open.
God’s method is:
« For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little » Isaiah 28:10.
God nurtures little things to greatness through a process.
Don’t despise your days of little beginnings (Zechariah 4:10); greatness is coming if you persist- in prayers, hard work, sowing seeds, working on your marriage, and in attaining that great height.
As long as you are sure you are working in God’s will, persist.
You will succeed because determined and focused people always get what they want.
Practice: Don’t give up, your breakthrough is around the corner.
Author: Pst E. A. Adeboye.
Edited by Naomie
Freely you received, freely you must give (Math 10:8) , kindly share this devotion, and the Lord will bless you for it ♥
