Bible Lesson: Conversations With Jesus: The Seriousness Of Prayer.

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Bible Lesson: Conversations With Jesus: The Seriousness Of Prayer.

Bible Text:

The Jews were instructed to have judges at the gates of every city, for the hearing of cases and for their giving judgment.

Deuteronomy 16:18 NLT

“Appoint judges and officials for yourselves from each of your tribes in all the towns The Lord your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly.

Exodus 23:6-9 NLT

6 “In a lawsuit, you must not deny justice to the poor.

7 “Be sure never to charge anyone falsely with evil. Never sentence an innocent or blameless person to death, for I never declare a guilty person to be innocent.

8 “Take no bribes, for a bribe makes you ignore something that you clearly see. A bribe makes even a righteous person twist The Truth.

9 “You must not oppress foreigners. You know what it’s like to be a foreigner, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.

Leviticus 19:15 NLT

Do not twist justice in legal matters by favoring the poor or being partial to the rich and powerful. Always judge people fairly.

Though Judges were to be Godly men, the Judge in this story by Jesus, was “a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: Luke 18:1 KJV.

Luke 18:1-8 KJV
1 And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7 And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?
8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?

Mankind lost under the stain of sin, has an unjust adversary.

I Peter 5:8 KJV
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Unlike the unjust judge, our God, longs to hear the cry of those who call upon Him, for help.
Acts 2:21 KJV
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of The Lord shall be saved.
II Peter 3:9 KJV
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
I Peter 5:7 KJV
Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.

Psalm 55:22 KJV

Cast thy burden upon The Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer (Permit) the righteous to be moved.

Our loving God, hears and answers prayer.

Psalm 37:4,5 KJV

4 Delight thyself also in The Lord: and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

5 Commit thy way unto The Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.

Mark 11:24 KJV

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

John 15:7 KJV

If ye abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Philippians 4:19 KJV

"...my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

I Thessalonians 5:17 KJV

Pray without ceasing.

The Pharisee, And The Publican:

Luke 18:10-14 KJV
9 And He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
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.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
This is the story of two men who went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a Publican.
Pharisee: Greek-Pharisaios (far-is-ah-yos): Exclusively religious, Jewish secretary.
(Abingdon/Strong)
They were not only keepers of the law, but keepers of the oral traditions of the law, which were numerous.
The were men of spiritual show full of self piety. Their righteousness, was based on keeping the “jot and tittle of the law.”
The Pharisee, boasted..

11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

Christ referred to Pharisee's as a brood of snakes...Matthew 3:7 KJV
But when He saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to His baptism, He said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
And again..
Matthew 15:8,9 KJV
8 This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoreth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me.
9 But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Matthew 6:1-5 KJV
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Read of the “Pride,” of Satan.
Satan
Pride:
Proverbs 16:18 KJV
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
I John 2:16,17 KJV
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
The Self-Righteous:
Proverbs 12:15 KJV
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. Proverbs 30:12 KJV
There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
II Corinthians 10:12 NLT
Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!
Job 9:20 KJV
If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

I John 1:8 KJV
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and The Truth is not in us.
Publican: Greek-Telones (tel-o-nace): A tax-farmer/ a collector of public revenue.
(Abingdon/Strong)
A tax collector, of Roman revenue, of whom many were dishonest.
Overcharging, with fraudulent claims, a tax collector considered the lowest of all trades.
Deuteronomy 25:13-16 NLT
13 “You must use accurate scales when you weigh out merchandise,
14 and you must use full and honest measures.
15 Yes, always use honest weights and measures, so that you may enjoy a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
16 All who cheat with dishonest weights and measures are detestable to the Lord your God.
Proverbs 21:6 NLT
Wealth created by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.
The Publican of Luke 18, came to the temple in humility, and confession.

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.
14 I (Jesus) tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Humility:
Proverbs 22:4 KJV
By humility and the fear of The LORD are riches, and honor, and life.
Isaiah 57:15 KJV
For thus saith The High And Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Matthew 18:4 KJV
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
James 4:10 KJV
Humble yourselves in the sight of The Lord, and He shall lift you up.
Matthew 11:28-30 KJV
28 Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.

Both the Pharisee, and the Publican went up to the temple to pray.
The Pharisee tried his best to “convince,” God, of how great he was, and what he accomplished was nothing.
Ephesians 2:8,9 KJV
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is The Gift Of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Titus 3:5 KJV
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done..."
Hebrews 10:6 KJV
In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
The prayer of the publican was heard.
He...
Bowed his head, as being unworthy to even raise it, to speak to God.
Begged Almighty God for His mercy,
Proclaimed himself a sinner.
Luke 18:14 KJV
I (Jesus) tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Philippians 2:5-11 KJV
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of A Servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as A Man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God The Father.

The story of the unjust judge, the Pharisee, and the publican, tell us, that, God hears prayer. The prayer of the humble, faithfully asking, and believing child of God.

Will God answer right away? God will respond in one of three ways.

1) Immediate Answer.

2) Answer – Yes- But Delayed.

3) No. Prayer Petition, Not According To His Word.

I John 5:14,15 KJV

14 And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that,

if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us:

15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask,

we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Prayer:

I Chronicles 16:11 KJV

Seek The Lord and His strength, seek His face continually.

II Chronicles 7:14 KJV

If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Proverbs 15:29 KJV

The Lord is far from the wicked: but He heareth the prayer of the righteous.

Philippians 4:6 NLT

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.

I Thessalonians 5:17 KJV

Pray without ceasing.