No this isn't a Nike commercial. But it does have something to do with the race we run. There was an interesting parable recorded in Luke 18 about the widow who constantly badgered the unjust judge for what she needed. The parallel was obvious, but most readers of that story probably don't notice the brief comment Jesus made at the end of that parable. It easily could have been an instinctive knee-jerk reaction, spoken out loud.
"...when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?" The parable was primarily about how much our Father in heaven loves us and will care for us. But Jesus' afterthought belies something more subtly intertwined. Our persistent and consistent conversation (prayer) with our Best Friend on Whom we totally depend and lean on (faith). When He comes, let's be sure we're still engaging in conversation and depending on Him.
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.....I don't think so. But had you been a pharisee back in the Old Testament era, particularly in Jesus' day, that's just about the burden you'd face. The law by the time of Christ had developed into an enormous oral law, every particular detail having been hammered out. Eventually, by the 3rd century A.D. those details were put down in writing and are known today as the Mishnah and the Talmud.
So what's the point? Today we look into 1st Timothy to see what Paul had to say, and understanding his background helps us understand the incredible freedom and access we have to our Living Lord through prayer. Let's listen. We gave our hearts to Jesus, got involved with a local church, did and do all the things we believe we're supposed to do. And yet as time passes and the complications of life mount, we wake up one day and wonder why we're not feeling and experiencing God's love. Thank our Living Lord He gave us Paul who, more than any other writer of the New Testament, talked about God's love and how we can experience it.
In order to defeat the enemy in war, a critical and most basic strategy is establishing a beachhead. From there you're able to set up base and begin advancing, taking new territory.
When we "gave our hearts", as we say, to Jesus, the reality is that the Holy Spirit actually regenerated our dead spirits. The beachhead was taken. But how do we advance? Let's go deeper. |
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