Luke 18
Parable of importance of continual prayer verse 1- 5
And HE spoke a parable to them to this end
that men ought ALWAYS TO PRAY
and not to faint – saying
There was in a city a judge – which feared not God
neither regarded man
and there was a widow in that city
And she came to him – saying
Avenge me of mine adversary
And he would not for a while
BUT afterward he said within himself
Though I fear not God – nor regard man
YET because this widow troubles me – I will avenge her
LEST by her CONTINUAL coming she weary me
Jesus gives lesson from parable verse 6- 8
And the Lord said
Hear what the unjust judge says
and shall not God avenge HIS OWN elect
which cry day and night unto HIM
though HE bear long with them?
I tell you that HE will avenge them speedily
Nevertheless – when the Son of man comes
shall HE find faith on the earth?
Parable of Pharisee and tax collector verse 9- 13
And HE spoke this parable to certain which trusted in themselves
that they were righteous – and despised others
Two men went up into the temple to PRAY
the one a Pharisee – and the other a publican
The Pharisee stood and PRAYED thus with himself
God – I thank YOU – that I am not as other men are
extortioners – unjust adulterers
or even as this publican
I FAST twice in the week – I give tithes of all that I possess
The publican standing afar off
would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven
BUT smote upon his breast – saying
God be merciful to me a sinner
Lesson from parable verse 14
I tell you
this man went down to his house justified rather than the other
FOR everyone that exalts himself shall be abased
and he that humbles himself shall be exalted
Jesus blesses children verse 15- 17
And they brought to HIM also infants – that HE would touch them
BUT when HIS disciples saw it – they rebuked them
BUT Jesus called them unto HIM – and said
Suffer little children to come to ME – and forbid them not
FOR of such is the kingdom of God
Verily I say to you
Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God
as a little child shall in no wise enter therein
Rich young ruler verse 18- 21
And a certain ruler asked HIM saying
Good Master – what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
And Jesus said to him
Why call you ME good? none is good – save one – that is God
You know the commandments
Do not commit adultery – kill – steal – bear false witness
Honor your father and your mother
And he said
All these have I kept from my youth up
Jesus gives rich young ruler a choice verse 22- 27
Now when Jesus heard these things – HE said unto him
Yet lack you one thing
sell all that you hast – and distribute to the poor
and you shall have treasure in heaven
and come – FOLLOW ME
And when he heard this – he was very sorrowful
FOR he was very rich
And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful – HE said
How hardly shall they that have riches
enter into the kingdom of God
FOR it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye
than for a rich man to enter
into the kingdom of God
And they that heard it said
Who then can be saved?
And HE said
The things which are impossible with men
are possible with God
Peter asks regarding eternal plan for disciples verse 28- 30
Then Peter said – Lo – we have left all – and followed YOU
and HE said to them – Verily I say to you
There is no man that has left house – parents – brethren
wife – children for the kingdom of God’s sake
who shall not receive manifold more in this present time
and in the world to come life everlasting
Jesus predicts HIS death verse 31- 34
Then HE took to HIM the twelve – and said to them
BEHOLD – we go up to Jerusalem
and all things that are written by the prophets
concerning the Son of man
shall be accomplished
FOR HE shall be delivered to the Gentiles
and shall be mocked
and spitefully entreated – and spit on
and they shall scourge HIM – and put HIM to death
and the third day HE shall rise again
And they understood none of these things
and this saying was hid from them
neither knew they the things which were spoken
Healing of blind man verse 35- 43
And it came to pass – that as HE was come nigh unto Jericho
a certain blind man sat by the way side begging
and hearing the multitude pass by
he asked what it meant
And they told HIM that Jesus of Nazareth passed by
and he cried saying – Jesus – YOU son of David
have mercy on me
And they which went before rebuked him
that he should hold his peace
BUT he cried so much the more
YOU Son of David – have mercy on me
And Jesus stood – and commanded him to be brought unto HIM
and when he was come near – HE asked him – saying
What will you that I shall do to you?
And he said
Lord – that I may receive my sight
And Jesus said to him
Receive your sight – your faith has saved you
And immediately he received his sight – and followed HIM
Glorifying God – and all the people when they saw it
gave praise to God
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 And he spoke a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. (1573 “faint” [ekkakeo] means be weary, to be utterly spiritless, to be wearied out, exhausted, become discouraged, give up, lose heart, tired of, or lose enthusiasm)
DEVOTION: A few years ago, we as a ministry were praying for a good outcome to our application for tax exemption to be reinstated. It was a long process and at times it seems never ending but the LORD is in control and HE wanted us to continue to ask HIM for guidance and direction. HE answered our prayer regarding this issue.
Each of us has something going on in our life that we have been praying for a long time. It has been years and we wonder if it will never be answered the way we would like.
Some people are praying for the salvation of a member of their family. Some are praying for a marriage that honors the LORD. Some are praying for their church to be the Biblical church that it should be. Some are praying for employment that will support the family.
We are presently praying about a move from my mother-in-law’s house to a new apartment. There are many expenses that go along with a move from one place to another. It will require us to have a stove, washer and dryer and a shed built besides the transferring of utilities and other expenses. The LORD is in control but it seems overwhelming at times. We will also need hands on the ground to help us move as I am not able to do a lot of things because of the cancer. Please pray with us regarding this move and all the expenses that will have to be met by the end of this month as closing on the house is July 5th.
Here in this passage a widow is praying for a judge to give her a good ruling regarding an issue that he can only settle. The judge in the parable doesn’t fear God but is weary of the woman continually coming to him for a good judgment. He gives in because of her continual coming.
Jesus states that God the Father will avenge his own elect because of HIS love for HIS children. Jesus says we are to continue to pray for HIS dealing with those who are outside the kingdom. They lie about us. They do everything in their power to hurt us. We are not to avenge ourselves but leave it all in the hands of the LORD.
We are to never give up on prayer. We are never to be discouraged because the answer doesn’t come in our time period. We are never to lose our enthusiasm in service to the LORD.
CHALLENGE: Always remember that discouragement comes from the enemy of our faith. The LORD may chasten and correct us but it is done in love, not to discourage us but to encourage us to come closer.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. (2433 “merciful” [hilikomai] means to become propitious, be placated or appeased, be gracious, to expiate or conciliate to one’s self)
DEVOTION: Jesus is illustrating the importance of prayer. HE encourages HIS followers not to stop praying.
The first illustration was one with a judge and a widow. The widow wanted the judge to rule in her favor. She kept asking the judge to look at her case. The judge decides that even though he doesn’t care about God, he was troubled with her continual coming. Jesus says that God the Father will avenge HIS elect as they continually cry out to HIM in prayer.
The second illustration was two men coming into the temple to pray. The two are a Pharisee and a publican. Remember a publican was a tax collector. The Pharisee trusted in himself and despised other. He also thought he was more righteous than others around him. He bragged to God in his prayer that he didn’t sin like others, fasted twice a week and tithed all that he possessed. The publican would not even look up into heaven but asked the LORD to be merciful to him a sinner. Jesus tells his disciples that the publican will go down to his house justified in the sight of God. The Pharisee who had exalted himself was going to be abased.
Now at the end of the chapter we find a blind man crying out to the LORD for healing. The people tell him to stop. However, he continues until he has the attention of the LORD. Jesus asks him what he wants. Strange but true. What did HE think the blind man wanted? HE knew. HE wanted the blind man to ask HIM for healing. He did. The LORD healed him. He was persistent.
The LORD was teaching the disciples that persistence was necessary in those who followed HIM. All these illustrations were used to encourage the disciples to pray for help from the LORD.
We should enter into our prayer closet daily to pray. Once we enter our prayer closet we should pray with a proper attitude. Jesus is demonstrating two attitudes. The first person, who is a Pharisee, came with the attitude that he was better than other people. He came thinking that God owed him something because he was so good. He came with a holier-than-thou attitude toward his fellow prayer.
The LORD told his disciples that God would not answer his prayer. The second person came with a humble attitude. He would not lift up his eyes to heaven because he didn’t think he was worthy to even look toward the place called heaven. He didn’t think he deserved forgiveness for his sins. He knew he was a sinner.
When we come to pray do we: know that we are a sinner; know that we have to come with an humble attitude; know that we don’t deserve an answer except on the basis of the blood of Christ? If we come with the wrong attitude- God will not hear us.
The one who comes with the right attitude will be heard. Jesus told a parable earlier in the chapter to tell us to also to come often to the LORD with our requests. Are we coming as often as we should into the presence of the LORD? If not, start now. AMEN!
CHALLENGE: Do we honor the LORD with our prayers? Are we persistent in our prayers? Do we give up too soon?
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: 27 And HE said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. (1415 “possible” [dunatos] means able, might, strong, could, capable of happening or existing, or implication of power or ability to alter or control circumstances)
DEVOTION: Myths that were believed by the common people during the time of Christ were involved in the disciple’s question. There was the myth that those who were sick at birth were sick because of the sins of the parents. Those who well are well because their parents were good followers of the LORD. Another myth was that those who are rich are rich because God is blessing them because they are good. Those who are poor are that way because they or their parents were evil.
The disciples needed to be taught the facts that their false beliefs regarding people were just that- false beliefs.
Jesus was in the ministry of spreading truth. The truth was that rich people were not rich because they were good. God showers HIS blessings on the rich and the poor. Also, the sick are not sick because of the sins of the parents or their sins. Both might be a case of God’s special blessings on HIS people but the myths are wrong.
All people have an opportunity for salvation whether from a rich family or poor family or a healthy family or a sickly family. God can do the impossible. HE is doing it now and will continue to do it in the future.
CHALLENGE: We need to keep our belief system Biblical. Keep your eyes on Jesus.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought to HIM: and when he was come near, HE asked him, :41 Saying, What will you that I shall do to you? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. (2753 “commanded” [keleuo] means order, to give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority, urge, to set in motion, or to speak with strength)
DEVOTION: Now what would you think if you walked up to a blind man with the power to heal. Would you ask the same question that Jesus asked or another question? It would seem to be simple but it isn’t.
Many people have different ideas from us. They think different than us. This blind man could have been more concerned with personal comfort over receiving his sight. He could have wanted to have another family member healed. He could have just wanted to be a believer?
This account had Jesus state that the man’s faith had save him. Jesus knew the heart of the man. Jesus even knew what he wanted but HE wanted the man to state his own need.
We have needs that we would like the LORD to take care of in our life. HE wants us to come to HIM in prayer and state what we want. We might not state our greatest need and HE might not answer until we ask for our greatest need.
Too often we can be sidelined with needs that are not as important. We can be busy asking the LORD for a lesser need instead of our greatest need.
CHALLENGE: The Bible and the Holy Spirit will show us our greatest need if we are willing to learn and listen.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Pharisees fasted twice a week verse 12
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Pharisee tithes all he has verse 12
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Prayer – men ought always to do verse 1
Elect cry to the Father verse 7
Pharisee and publican in temple praying verse 10- 14
Prayer for mercy verse 13
Prayer admitting being a sinner verse 13
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Temple verse 10
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Commandments verse 20
Written in prophets verse 31
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God verse 7, 43
Bear long with HIS people verse 7
Avenge verse 8
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Parable of widow and judge verse 1- 8
Lord verse 6, 41
Son of man verse 8, 31
Parable regarding trusting in self verse 9- 14
Jesus verse 16, 19, 22, 24, 31, 37, 42
Good Master verse 18
Treatment of Jesus stated verse 31-33
Rise on third day verse 33
Healing of blind man verse 35- 43
Jesus of Nazareth verse 37
Son of David verse 38, 39
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
God verse 2, 4, 11, 13, 19, 27
Kingdom of God verse 16, 17, 24, 25, 29
God can do impossible verse 27
Blind man glorified God verse 43
People praised God verse 43
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Judge verse 2
Widow verse 3, 5
Publican verse 10, 11, 13
Infants verse 15
Poor verse 22
Impossible for men to save self verse 27
Parents verse 29
Brothers verse 29
Wife verse 29
Children verse 29
Gentiles verse 32
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Fainting instead of praying verse 1
Fear not God verse 2, 4
Not care about others verse 2, 4
Unjust verse 6, 11
Pharisees trust in themselves verse 9
Pharisees despised others verse 9
Pride verse 11
Extortioners verse 11
Adulterers verse 11
Sinner verse 13
Exalting self verse 14
Rebuking children verse 16
Claiming to keep commandments verse 21
Trust in riches verse 23
Mock Jesus verse 32
Spitefully entreat Jesus verse 32
Spit on Jesus verse 32
Scourge Jesus verse 33
Put Jesus to death verse 33
Rebuking blind man verse 39
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Prayer verse 1, 7, 11-14
Elect verse 7
Faith verse 8, 42
Mercy verse 13, 38, 39
Justified verse 14
Humility verse 14
Exalted verse 14
Inherit verse 18
Follow Christ verse 22
Saved verse 26, 42
Leave all verse 28
Glorify God verse 43
Praise verse 43
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Pharisee verse 10- 12
Jerusalem verse 31
Jericho verse 35
Church (New Testament people of God)
Disciples verse 15
Peter verse 28
Twelve verse 31
Disciples didn’t understand Jesus verse 34
Last Things (Future Events)
Heaven verse 13
Eternal life verse 18
Treasure in heaven verse 22
World to come verse 30
Life everlasting verse 30
Rise on third day verse 33
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DONATIONS:
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QUOTES regarding passage
1 This parable must be interpreted with reference to the eschatological theme in chapter 17, as v. 8b makes clear. The story is not intended to apply to prayer in general, as though one needed to pester God for every need until he reluctantly responds. The theme is that of the vindication of God’s misunderstood and suffering people, as v. 7 states. God’s people in OT days needed to “wait” on God as he worked out justice with apparent slowness. “Do not … let my enemies triumph over me. No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame” (Ps 25:2–3). In the final days the martyrs wait for vindication (Rev 6:9–11). Ultimately delay is ended and the “mystery” of God completed (Rev 10:6–7). Meanwhile we wrestle with the problem of evil and with issues of theodicy. Under these circumstances we should “always pray and not give up (Leifeld, W. L. (1984). Luke. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, p. 999). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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Praying contrasted with fainting (v. 1). If we don’t pray, we will faint; it’s as simple as that! The word faint describes a believer who loses heart and gets so discouraged that he or she wants to quit. I can recall two occasions when I have fainted physically, and it is the most helpless feeling I have ever experienced. I felt myself “going,” but I couldn’t seem to do a thing about it!
There is a connection between what our Lord said in Luke 18:1 and His statement in Luke 17:37. If society is like a rotting corpse, then the “atmosphere” in which we live is being slowly polluted, and this is bound to affect our spiritual lives. But when we pray, we draw on the “pure air” of heaven, and this keeps us from fainting.
But what does it mean “always to pray” or to “pray without ceasing”? (1 Thes. 5:17) It certainly doesn’t mean that we should constantly be repeating prayers, because Jesus warned against that kind of praying (Matt. 6:5–15). Rather, it means to make prayer as natural to us as our regular breathing. Unless we are sick or smothering, we rarely think about our breathing; we just do it. Likewise with prayer—it should be the natural habit of our lives, the “atmosphere” in which we constantly live.
Prayer is much more than the words of our lips; it is the desires of our hearts, and our hearts are constantly “desiring” before Him, even if we never speak a word. So, to “pray without ceasing” means to have such holy desires in our hearts, in the will of God that we are constantly in loving communion with the Father, petitioning Him for His blessing.
Take your choice: do you want to pray—or faint? (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 248). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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18:1 all times … pray. A common theme in Paul’s epistles (see Introduction: Interpretive Challenges). Cf. Ro 1:9; 12:12; Eph 6:18; 1Th 5:17; 2Th 1:11. not to lose heart. I.e., in light of the afflictions and hardships of life, and the evidence of approaching judgment (described in the preceding discourse). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Lk 18:1). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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18:1–8. Jesus told the Parable of the Unjust Judge to teach persistence in prayer: that they, His disciples, should always pray and not give up. Verses 2–5 contain the parable itself. A widow continued to go before an unjust judge to plead for justice in her case. He continually refused to “hear” her case, but finally he decided to give her justice so that she would not wear him out with her complaining. Jesus interpreted the parable (vv. 6–8), pointing out that if the unjust judge would give justice, then imagine how God (the just Judge) will see that they get justice, and quickly. Jesus’ question, When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth? was not spoken out of ignorance. Nor was He questioning whether all believers would be gone when He returns. Instead, He asked the question to spur the disciples on to faithfulness in prayer, to encourage them to keep on in their praying. This is another good lesson from a bad example (cf. 16:1–13). (Martin, J. A. (1985). Luke. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, pp. 249–250). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books)
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FROM MY READING:
Treasures from the Greek New Testament by Kenneth S. Wuest
We see that prejudice of the Jews against their fellow-countryman who had absorbed Greek culture and who read the Old Testament in the Greek Septuagint version rather than in their native Hebrew, manifested in the early church (Acts 6), where those responsible for the poor were neglecting the widows of men who were pure-blooded Jews, yet who had imbibed Greek culture, and therefore were called Grecians (6:1). (p. 53)
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Old Testament WORDS for Today by Warren W. Wiersbe
The very trials God named in the covenant were what he sent to the land, but the people did not get the message. Instead of worshiping the lord as he had commanded, they began to worship the dead idols of the other nations, and there was nothing for the Lord to do but to chasten them. (p. 184-5)
It’s been my experience that God always deals with me whenever I disobey him, and won’t listen. But I’m glad he does, because his chastening hand is proof of his loving heart and evidence that I am truly a child of God (Heb. 12:3-11). God doesn’t spank the neighbor’s children, which is why lost sinners seem to “get away with things.” (p. 185)
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Make Your Calling Sure
“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” (2 Peter 1:10)
Although the calling of God is solely by His grace apart from works (2 Timothy 1:9), and although “the gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Romans 11:29), it is quite possible for a person to believe mistakenly that he has been called, and so Peter urges each professing Christian to make sure of his calling.
In the first place, one who is truly called will love God (Romans 8:28), and such love should not be superficial but with the whole heart and soul and mind (Matthew 22:37). One who is called should “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love” (Ephesians 4:1-2). If our lives fail such tests, we should at least “examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves” (2 Corinthians 13:5).
God’s call is not only unto salvation, of course, but to a particular service for His glory. Some like Paul were “called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1). Many in Paul’s day were actually called to be slaves: “Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayst be made free, use it rather. For he that is called to the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant. . . . Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God” (1 Corinthians 7:20-22, 24).
Even the apostle Paul, however, could still say (and so should we), “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). We need, first of all, to make our “calling and election sure.”
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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1 Timothy 6
The quest for godliness motivates us to “fight the good fight” of faith while we live on earth.
INSIGHT
If any of us could have three wishes, most of us would include wealth as one of those wishes. Everything else being equal, we would rather be rich than poor. Yet that very desire is a snare – so much so that Paul urges Timothy to flee the love of money and “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness” (v. 11). And he adds: “I urge you . . . that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing” (vv. 13-14). If we have wealth, we are to use it compassionately. If we do not have wealth, we are to be content. (Quiet Walk)
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THE INVISIBILITY OF GOD
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:12
Why does God say, “No man hath seen God at any time”? Why does John suddenly introduce this idea of the invisibility of God?
John does not say that we cannot love God except through loving our brethren; that is not his argument. Nor does he say that we can only love God by means of loving our brethren. Rather, he tells us that we are to love God—that we can love God and that we should love Him.
It seems to me that John is here introducing a new theme, a new idea, into his great discussion of the question of loving the brethren. And this new theme I would describe as the theme of assurance of salvation; it is the whole question of our knowledge of God and of the way in which we can know God. In other words, I am suggesting that John here is linking up with that with which he left off at the end of verse 8. Let me reconstruct it to you in this way: “Beloved,” he says, “let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love….No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us” (verses 7-8, 12).
“So,” says John in effect, “it is important that you love the brethren from the standpoint of your own assurance of salvation and from the standpoint of your fellowship with God.” John is more like a poet than a logician. Although he tends to arrive at his position in circles instead of straight lines, though there is something of the mystic in his thinking, nevertheless there is firm logic at the back of it; there is a definite line of reason.
A Thought to Ponder: It is important that you love the brethren from the standpoint of your own assurance of salvation.
(From The Love of God, pp. 76-79, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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A dispensational responsibility means involvement for those who respond to the principles of the administration. The same responsibility means judgment for those who reject its principles. (p. 65)
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It is not suggested, nor should it be inferred, that these early church fathers were dispensationalists in the later sense of the word. But it is true that some of them enunciated principles that later developed into dispensationalism, and it may be rightly said that they held to primitive or early dispensational-like concepts. (p. 74)
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Even in the first prophetic conference in this country in 1878, dispensationalism scarcely figured in the messages and discussions. That conference and those that followed were not convened because of a desire to promote dispensational truth. They grew as a protest to the rapid takeover of existing denominations by modernism and the social gospel. The teaching not only opposed modernism but also postmillennialism, annihilationism, and perfectionism.(p. 84)
(Dispensationalism by Charles C. Ryrie)
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DAILY HOPE
Today’s Scripture
Numbers 33-34
“Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” George Santayana is known for saying many catchy phrases to express his skepticism and view of life and society. History does have similarities and cycles that appear to repeat themselves but always with a slight twist!
Israel is on the cusp of entering the land of promise which the Lord had stated they would inhabit. They had been to the entrance of the land once before and because of unbelief and rebellion they were turned away and made to wander in the wilderness! Moses recounts the history of the journey and key points that occurred while travelling to the land God had promised Israel. A trip that should have taken two weeks continued for 40 years!
History does not repeat itself in this instance. Instead, the Lord gave Moses’ instructions for conquering the land (33:50-56). They would occupy the land but a stern warning was given to Israel if they failed to drive out the inhabitants. If Israel allowed the former occupants to remain in the land, these people would become pricks in Israel’s eyes and thorns in her side (33:55).
Further instruction was given in regard to boundaries and how they were to be established in the land once it was conquered. While the locations of the boundaries are not always easily identified, a general outline can be established from the Mediterranean Sea eastward to the Sea of Galilee and down the Jordan River to the Dead Sea. Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh had acquired the land east of the Jordan River. Joshua and Eleazar were to be the leaders that divided the land between the tribes and designated what each tribe received. Each tribe was to appoint a leader to represent them in this process of appropriation.
Mark Twain stated, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” Like the nation of Israel, we can often sin, repent, and follow afresh the Lord’s teaching. The problem arises when we learn enough to not commit the same infraction but do one that is similar. May we learn to flee the appearance of sin and not walk close to the line of temptation (1 Timothy 6:11).
In Expectant Hope, Pastor Miller
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