THE GOSPEL: Persistent, Sincere Prayers Get Answered!

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’” (Luke 18:1-5)

Jesus had taught about being persistent in our prayer lives previously. (Matthew 7:7-11; Luke 11:5-13; see THE GOSPEL: Don't Judge; Be An Example)  The KJV translation says ...that men out always to pray, and not to faint.  If any of us have ever exerted a lot of energy participating in a physical activity, we understand how tired we can get, to the point that we feel we're going to pass out; but because of our determination to accomplish our goal, we keep going until we finish.  That's the same attitude and determination we should have in our prayer lives.  Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:6-8) 

Notice the judge in the parable is not a believer of or in God, yet because this widow troubles him he will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary him. If an unbeliever will do that for someone he doesn't even know, how much more will God answer the prayers of us who believe in Him, through faith in His Son, Christ Jesus.  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth? “For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” [Habakkuk 2:3-4] But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. (Hebrews 10:37-39) If we are saved, we don't give up and we don't doubt God!  We may have questions, that God is more than willing to answer, if we continue to pray without ceasing,... (I Timothy 5:17)

We must remain faithful to the end, even if our lives on this earth end before Christ's return; knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.(II Peter 3:3-9)

Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ (Luke 18:9-12) Yet again, Jesus is using the religious leaders as an example of what not to do.  It's very sad but true that some people get so caught up in their religion they forget about God, an inconceivable hypocrisy.  It get's so bad that when they pray, they're not even praying to God; The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself...

And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:13-14) The Pharisee was a religious man who didn't know he was a sinner, but the tax collector was a sinner who knew he was a sinner.  God didn't hear the prayers of the religious hypocrite, but He heard and answered the prayers of the repentant sinner. 

God just wants us to come to Him as we are, with a sincere desire to change; And I said: “O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens.  (Ezra 9:6) God will always respond, “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18) For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. [Jeremiah 31:31-34]” (Hebrews 8:12) Thank You, God!