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I hope you are doing well and are in the best of health. I am doing very
well and just thankful for another day that God has given us. If you are
going through your days without being thankful, I encourage you to stop
right now and just thank God for this day. I have been thinking about the
word Persistence and how God honors and answers the prayers of those that
are persistent and continuous in their prayer life. I hope you will be
inspired and challenged by this message to stay persistent in your prayers
without wavering until the answer comes.
I learn and grow from so many things that happen through the daily lessons
of life. I don't think I've mentioned this before, but we have two cats in
our household. A boy named Cory who is almost seven and a girl named Girly
who is almost fourteen. They are both indoor cats, but once in awhile we
take them out on the patio to get some fresh air and a change of scenery.
Cory enjoys the outside whereas Girly absolutely hates it.
Lately for some reason Cory has started to meow or cry as I like to say it
by the patio doors because he wants to go outside. We thought it was cute
for a little while and would take him out for a few minutes every week.
Now, it is becoming an almost daily routine for him to meow by the patio
doors. It has become kind of a nuisance because he's been persistently
crying to go outside. We decided that enough was enough and just looked
at him and said no, but because he continues in his meowing hoping that we
will grant his request, out of love we do...
The point I want to make through this message is that persistence brings
forth positive results. There are two very good stories that Jesus tells
about persistence and I would like for you to read them.
The first is of a widow who went to a Judge in order to bring her justice.
Luke 18:1-8 The New Living Translation Bible
One day Jesus told His disciples a story to illustrate their need for
constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up. 2 "There
was a judge in a certain city," He said, "who was a godless man with great
contempt for everyone. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly,
appealing for justice against someone who had harmed her. 4 The judge
ignored her for a while, but eventually she wore him out. 'I fear neither
God nor man,' he said to himself, 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!'"
Then the Lord said, "Learn a lesson from this evil 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 plead with Him day and night? Will He
keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, He will grant justice to them quickly!
But when I, the Son of Man, return, how many will I find who have faith?"
The second is of a friend who had a late visitor and had nothing for him
to eat, so he went to his neighbor to ask for bread so that his visitor
might have something to eat.
Luke 11:5-10 The New Living Translation Bible
Then, teaching them more about prayer, He used this illustration: "Suppose
you went to a friend's house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves
of bread. You would say to him, 6 'A friend of mine has just arrived for a
visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.' 7 He would call out from his
bedroom, 'Don't bother me. The door is locked for the night, and we are
all in bed. I can't help you this time.' 8 But I tell you this-though he
won't do it as a friend, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up
and give you what you want so his reputation won't be damaged.
9 "And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask
for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door
will be opened. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks,
finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks."
The Lord Jesus is conveying through these two stories that we should be
constant and continuous in our requests unto the Lord. We shouldn't expect
our answer just because we pray for that need one time, but rather we are
pray fervently until the answer comes. The Bible says we are to ask in
faith without wavering. We can't expect God to answer when we pray one
minute and complain the next minute. Our faith and expectancy must be
sure and positive that God hears and will answer. Never allow pessimism
to keep you from receiving your answer from the Lord. Stay faithful and
continuous and surely your prayer will be answered. (James 1:6-8)
I encourage you to be persistent when you make your petition before the
Lord. We have a promise that if we ask anything according to God's will,
He hears us and will be faithful to answer as the scriptures declare in
1 John 5:14-15, "And this is the confidence that we have in Him that, if we
ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that
He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we
desired of Him."
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Psalm 103:1-5 "Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless
His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who
redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness
and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy
youth is renewed like the eagle's."
Isaiah 53:4-5 "Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows:
yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was
wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the
chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed."
Psalm 37:4-7 "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the
desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him;
and He shall bring it to pass. And He shall bring forth thy righteousness
as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait
patiently for Him…"
All scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today's Selected Poem: DO NOT FEAR
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem174.htm
Today's Selected Testimony: FATHER KNOWS BEST
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony109.htm
In Christ's Service,
Dwayne Savaya
Gods Work Ministry |
