Luke 18 verse 1 I want to read 8 verses and then we'll back up and talk
then He spoke a parable to them that men always ought to pray and not lose heart I want
to read that first verse again 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 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 less by her continually
coming she weary me though I met that lady then the Lord said hear what the
unjust judge said and shall not God avenge his own elect who cry out day and
night to him though he bears long with them and I tell you that he will avenge
them speedily nevertheless when the Son of Man comes will He really find faith
on the earth I know that this is a pretty well-known story and it ought to
be because it's one of the times the Lord talked to people about prayer if
you look at all the things the disciples could have asked Jesus to teach them the
only thing I remember was they asked him to teach them how to pray it has to be
the result of them watching him engage with the father and coming and capable
able to display heaven on earth is a term I use they break through in the
disease that disease we find him retreating if you will sending the
crowds away going up on a mountain to pray and when he came down there was
something upon him it wasn't that it wasn't there before but they must have
been able to visibly see something going on in through Jesus's life that would
cause them to ask Jesus please teach us this one thing this one thing
faith brings answers to prayer but enduring faith brings answers with character
faith brings answers to prayer but enduring faith brings answers with
character the Lord is interested in answering prayers but He's also
interested in what we're becoming if He ever delays an answer it's only so that
it might gain interest it's that it might gain interest and that we might
become the people capable of stewarding well the answer and not have the answer
destroy us in this parable that Jesus gives He starts with this statement men
always ought to pray and not lose heart and the next thing He does is He gives
this parable but what does He do in the parable I understand the point of the
parable is endurance in prayer persistence and prayer
I get that and that's the primary lesson I should say well that's the point of
the parable but the primary lesson I think is a bit different
Jesus says men ought to pray and not lose heart so here's His will here's the
challenge and how does He fix the challenge
He reveals a part of God's nature
He says what you know about an unjust judge if He would answer this woman how
much more will I as a loving Father who actually cares for you and the process
how much more what I not answer for you what is it so what does He do He causes
the people summoned to pray continuously to live more aware of the actual nature
of God let me put it this way the ability to endure in prayer is fueled by
our understanding of His nature