LaVrai.COM - The Truth - Luke 18: Perseverance, Piety, Faith, Riches And Spiritual Sight

The LORD drew me to Luke 18 recently and I’ve been meditating on it a bit, so these are my thoughts, and your feedback would be appreciated.

Luke 18:1-43 (NKJV)

Perseverance

1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, 2 saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ 4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’”

6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

As Christians, we believe that the LORD will do what HE says HE will do. Nevertheless, sometimes we face challenges and obstacles that just seem so intimidating and painful. We say we’re going to keep praying and just wait on GOD. Sometimes, it seems like GOD is taking forever to answer our prayers and to get us out of the lion’s den. Some of us may start questioning GOD and some of us may even try to step out in the flesh to resolve these situations… which I would guess usually ends in disaster. If the wicked know how to do what’s good, of course the ONE who is the Holiest and most Righteous will do perfectly in our lives (Read how HE comes directly to our sides in Joshua 5:13-15). The Psalmist says ‘Wait on the LORD and be of good courage, And HE will strengthen your heart.’ And Paul writes ‘All things work together for the good of those who love GOD.’ But do we really believe that and will we hold out to the end? When the Son of Man comes, will HE really find us faithful?

Warning Against Self-Righteousness

9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 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. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 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!’ 14 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.”

When we fall on our knees before the LORD our GOD in prayer, do we remember why we even have breath, and why we didn’t die in our sleep? Because of GOD’s grace. The LORD chose and called us and makes us acceptable in HIS sight. So the biggest difference between the saved and the unsaved is that it pleased the LORD to save us. HE says, ‘Yet Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated.’ Before the great Exodus, didn’t the LORD our GOD punish ALL of the Egyptians and kept ALL of the Hebrews and even their possessions from harm? Do you think ALL of the Egyptians were like Pharaoh? Probably not, but it pleased the LORD to make a difference between Pharaoh’s people and HIS own people (as read in Exodus 8:22-23). So let us not get self-righteous and think we have some upper hand on the unsaved. Let us remember that we are able to call our LORD and GOD Abba because it pleased HIM to make a difference between us and those who will join Satan in the lake of fire.

Child-Like Faith

15 Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 17 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

What is child-like faith? I guess those of us who are parents can readily answer this… since you know full well how your children believe every word you say. They trust that you will protect them and take care of them and give them every good thing. So, too, should it be with Christians and our Heavenly FATHER. Do we trust the LORD our GOD? Do we believe HIM and believe in HIM? Do we know that when we get weary on the Walk that HE will always hoist us up and carry us in HIS arms? Do we know that when we can’t tell our left from our right that HE takes us by the hand and leads us where we should go? Do we know that in absolutely anything we face we can always run to him, and that HE wants to carry our burdens for us?

True Riches

18 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” 22 So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 23 But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

24 And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?” 27 But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” 28 Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed You.” 29 So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

If you went before the LORD in prayer and HE told you to sell all that you have and donate the money to certain charities… would you rise up and do it… or would you pray on it a little more? Would you wait a day or so? Would you give it some more time…because maybe you didn’t interpret HIS words correctly? We’re only human, right? Sure, but as Christians we’re called to walk in Spirit and not by the flesh. The LORD Jesus Christ tells us we are to deny ourselves daily and take up our cross and follow HIM. What is our cross? As Christians, we have been saved and set-apart for GOD. GOD has made a difference between us and the unsaved, so we are to walk in holiness — giving up anyone and anything that would keep us from serving HIM faithfully.

People can keep us from serving GOD. Our parents, our children and our very dearest friends can all become stumbling blocks when it comes to serving the LORD our GOD. Look at the disciples — they walked away from family and home to follow Jesus. Look at Abraham, who was willing to sacrifice his own son… because HE believed GOD would keep HIS promise. Do we believe we will live in Eternal Peace and Joy with our LORD and SAVIOR Jesus Christ? Do we believe it well enough to walk away from the crutches and people and things of comfort that we lean on, to lean on the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY and HIM alone? What in our lives do we have as place-holders for the comfort and joy of the LORD?

Do we really have to choose between hanging out with our friends and spending time with the LORD in prayer and reading? When you’re watching your favorite TV program or checking something out online and the LORD calls you to come before HIM… do you wait and wait and wait until the show’s over or you’re finished doing whatever you are doing online? I speak this from personal experience. The LORD often calls me when I’m in ‘the middle of something’ … but what could be more important than going before the LORD? How many of us are willing to literally drop what we are doing, drop our friends, walk away from family and familiar possessions to turn ourselves fully to the LORD? And once we’ve started the Walk, mind you, we had better not look back (think of Lot’s wife, whose name we don’t even know… but we know her downfall for sure).

And what could possibly be worth more than Eternal Life with the ONE who created us and saved us?

Spiritual Blindness And Spiritual Sight

31 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. 32 For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. 33 They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” 34 But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.

35 Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging. 36 And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant. 37 So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. 38 And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, 41 saying, “What do you want Me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.” 42 Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

As I look at verses 31-34, I wonder what was so complicated or hard to understand about what Jesus told HIS disciples. HE said it in a language they obviously understood. And none of them were deaf or hard of hearing I assume, so why was this saying ‘hidden from them?’ Have you ever opened your Holy Bible and read a passage and it felt like you were reading it for the very first time… although you must have gone through those verses dozens of times? Have you ever wondered why those who follow after seducing spirits seeking signs and wonders just can’t get those Holy Bible passages that strictly warn against such things? Why does it seem that sometimes we just can’t get it or that it’s ‘hidden’ from us?

This takes me back to why it appears some rabbis and interpreters of the Old Testament can’t figure out that the Messianic prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus of Nazareth. Albeit, some folks just deny what they do understand to be true, but for many of us these truths are just ‘hidden’ and appear in ‘parables’ because it’s just not for us to know…as yet.

And oftentimes, for the Holy Scriptures to really be opened up to us, we have to have faith. To the unsaved the scriptures of the Bible appear to be nonsense and fairytales. To the saved, oh boy, reading the Holy Scriptures is like learning at the LORD’s feet, for the Words do indeed come alive through HIM. As the blind man exemplifies — there is only one kind of sight that truly counts… spiritual sight. If we don’t have discernment and walk in the Spirit, we can get run over and ransacked by the Devil real quick and easy. This man had never met Jesus and had only heard about him. But when Jesus asked him what he wanted from HIM, he didn’t hesitate and expressed with his mouth the cause of his faith — that there was no doubt in his mind that Jesus is Whom HE says HE IS.

The LORD said it was the man’s faith that made him well. But we can’t receive restoration of our most precious sight until we believe in the LORD Jesus Christ. Until then, we wil continue to stumble around in the dark.

***

And a sidebar for my Judaism people. In Isaiah 6:8-13 it reads: “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ 10 “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.” 11 Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered: “Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant” …13 But yet a tenth will be in it … So the holy seed shall be its stump.” The LORD is talking about the Hebrews, not the ‘nations,’ i.e, the Gentiles. And to this day the people of the land of Israel have yet to be healed, as they still live in perpetual war with those who seek to destroy them… which means to this day, Israel/Jacob does not see nor hear nor understand with his heart. (If you think it’s OK to go around burning Bibles… which indeed holds up and fulfills the Torah, Nevi’im and Kethuvim, then you don’t really see; If you think it’s OK to go around physically attacking people because they proselytize, then you don’t really understand who is your neighbor).

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