QT 17/03/2024 Sunday Read Luke 18. Persevering Persistent Prayers. 坚持不懈的恒久祷告.

There would be times when our patience is tested over when the kingdom of God would arrive in its full grandeur, if at all. The parable of the persistent widow teaches us NOT to give up but to continue with prayerful faith (Luke 18:1-8).

Luke 18:9-14 hints to us that how we pray to God shows how we see ourselves before God. Both persons went up to the temple and prayed; the Pharisee prayed about himself not needing God's mercy whereas the tax collector prayed for himself in need of God's mercy.

"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 18:14). Watch how we pray to God for it shows how we see ourselves before Him.

Luke 18:15-17 reminds us of the simplicity yet importance of child-like faith in God when coming into His kingdom. It is not so much "What must I do to inherit eternal life" (Luke 18:18), or keeping the commandments "from my youth" (Luke 18:21), but whether there is genuine faith in God. The inability to let go of wealth as a priority over God indicated that the ruler's relationship with God was problematic.

The failure to downgrade wealth and upgrade God in priority revealed that the ruler only engages in religious pep-talk and "wayang". In contrast, a heart that cried out to Jesus for mercy was to be applauded (Luke 18:35-43). How are you doing today in your spiritual walk with God?

星期日 2024年3月17日 今日读经：路加福音18章. 坚持不懈的恒久祷告.
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Luk/18/

有些时候我们的耐心会被考验，尤其是当我们不知道神的国度什么时候会以荣美的姿态降临。那坚持不放弃的寡妇教导我们不要灰心放弃而是持续不断地以信心祷告(路18:1-18)。

路加18:9-14暗示着，从我们如何向神祷告就可看出我们在神面前是如何看待自己。两个人都到圣殿去祷告；那法利赛人也为自己不需要神的怜悯而那税吏则为自己需要神的怜悯而祷告。

“因为高抬自己的，必要降卑；自己谦卑的，必要升高”(路18:14)。留意自己如何向神祷告，因为这显示了我们在祂面前是如何看待自己的。

路加18:15-17提醒我们要进入神的天国，像孩子般的信心是何等地重要。并不是“我当作什么，才可以承受永生？”(路18:18)，或在戒命上“这一切我从小都遵守了”(路18:21)，而是你在神里面可否有真信心。那长官不肯放弃财富在他生命的首位，不让神居首位，表示那长官与神的关系已出问题。

长官无法降低自己的财富并优先升级神，显示了统治者只会说宗教性的鼓励话语和很会做戏。相反的，一颗向耶稣呼求怜悯的心是值得赞扬的(路18：35-43)。今天的你，在与神的属灵关系中，是怎样的？