Pastor Ralph Posted April 22, 2023 Report Share Posted April 22, 2023 Q52. (Luke 11:5-10; 18:1-8) What is the similarity between Jesus' Parables of the Friend at Midnight and the Unjust Judge? What does this persistence look like in your life? What will persistence in prayer do to develop you as a disciple? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haar Posted November 2, 2023 Report Share Posted November 2, 2023 A52. The similarity in both cases, - Jesus’s Parables of the Friend at Midnight and the Unjust Judge, - is persistence in seeking for what was needed by each person in the two cases. I have not been persistent when looking for solution to a need. In this study, I am being reminded to learn to persist and keep on seeking and asking both from God and from men, until the answer comes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zanele Tlhakanelo Posted November 2, 2023 Report Share Posted November 2, 2023 The similarity between Jesus' Parables of the Friend at Midnight and the Unjust Judge is that they teach us about being persistent and never to give up. The friend had to knock even though he knew that it was late and maybe anticipated that his friend might not open for him but he kept on knocking until the door was opened and he got what he wanted. The widow did the same. She approached the judge publicly and that put pressure on him until her request was granted. We need to continue knocking because at times the door may be closed but not locked. In my life, I do not easily give up. I am hopeful that one day God will hear my prayers as I pray for my family and colleagues to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. I am not pushy but my actions and words will make them understand that I serve the Living God and I believe that they will also come to the knowledge that the God I serve is faithful. Persistent prayer will help me not to lose my faith even if things are not going the way I want at the moment. I believe that persistence goes hand in glove with patience, therefore not being easily discouraged will yield positive results. As a disciple I must have a "stubborn faith" and not be moved by petty things. I believe that I need to continue holding on to the true Gospel and understand that whatever I do for the Lord is not in vain whether people hear me or not, I will continue preaching the Gospel and God will do the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niyonka16 Posted November 2, 2023 Report Share Posted November 2, 2023 Q52. Parable of the Friend at Midnight (Luke 11:5-10); Parable of the Unjust Judge (Luke 18:1-8) What is the similarity between Jesus’ Parables of the Friend at Midnight and the Unjust Judge? ANSWER: Similarity between the two Parables, is that we need to be persistent in prayer if we expect to receive our requests. Jesus used the parable of the Unjust Judge to emphasize that His disciples ought always to pray and not lose heart and that God will bring about justice for His chosen ones. The spiritual principle(s) the parable of the Friends at Midnight teaches is, God wants us to persevere in prayer. Persevering prayer demonstrates our faith in the Lord. What does this persistence look like in your life? ANSWER: Persistence refers to how long you are able and willing to stick to a task, even when it is challenging. Some individuals are willing to keep working at something, even when they run into roadblocks along the way. Other people may be more willing to drop a task that is difficult and move on to something else. People who are persistent have an upper hand in life because they don't give up. They will try harder and focus longer until they achieve their goals. Persistence is similar to resilience because both skills require someone to continue working hard despite being faced with challenges. Persistence will take you far in life. What will persistence in prayer do to develop you as a disciple? ANSWER: Persistence finds answers to prayer, brings forth fruit, fulfills God’s plan, and wins every battle. But, there is a price to pay, there is pain involved, there are things to lose; but there are also greater things to gain and a greater joy more satisfying than all. In order to obtain the crown, we must be persist. Persistent prayer takes you to the place where God can do a great work for you and shows your commitment to Him. In other words, persistent prayer manifests one's faith in God, which gives God glory. Persistence brings answers to prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeraldG Posted November 3, 2023 Report Share Posted November 3, 2023 Here both of the parables, the friend at midnight, and the unjust judge, both show us that persistence, and not giving up will give us victory. My persistence in crying out to the Lord gives me the strength and the ability to keep going day after day pursuing my walk with Christ, and ministering to others. Persistence in prayer will make you stronger as a disciple, and help you grow in Christ so that you can reach others for Christ Jesus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-c Posted November 3, 2023 Report Share Posted November 3, 2023 Q52. (Luke 11:5-10; 18:1-8) What is the similarity between Jesus' Parables of the Friend at Midnight and the Unjust Judge? What does this persistence look like in your life? What will persistence in prayer do to develop you as a disciple? The persistence of the friend and the widow. As I consider it right now it doesn’t look very good. I have a number of longstanding prayers but my consistency in verbally expressing them to God is not good. It’s like I’m expecting Him to read my mind or get it by osmosis. Good lesson for me to be diligent and consistent in praying for those people and situations that have haven’t changed yet, over time. Great parable on consistent prayer! It will bring you into a closer relationship/walk with the Lord. It will deepen you love relationship with Him and grow you as a disciple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robomom3 Posted November 3, 2023 Report Share Posted November 3, 2023 Q52. (Luke 11:5-10; 18:1-8) What is the similarity between Jesus' Parables of the Friend at Midnight and the Unjust Judge? Both were moved into action by the persistence of the requester. What does this persistence look like in your life? I have been praying for my adult children to return to God and make Jesus Lord of their lives for years. I will not give up. I know God will reach them and break down the walls they have built around the kingdom of this world. They once loved Him in their youth and I know those seeds are still there waiting to sprout back into life. I will pray for them until the day I go home to meet Jesus. What will persistence in prayer do to develop you as a disciple? It increases my faith. Especially when I journal my prayers... sometimes we forget what we prayed fervently for years ago until we go back and read our requests to God and then recognize the answers we see in the lives of those we prayed for. If I built alters to remind me of answered prayers as they did in the Old Testament, I would have an entire yard filled with rocks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krissi Posted November 4, 2023 Report Share Posted November 4, 2023 It's very difficult to know when we should keep on battling through prayer -- "prevailing prayer" -- and when God is simply saying, "NO." God is not obligated to answer our prayers in the affirmative, even prayers that are good, just and according to His word. He sometimes says "NO." Either in this study or another one, I can't recall, Pastor Ralph mentioned the martyrdom of Polycarp, an old man, in his 80s, who refused to renounce God. After Polycarp prayed to survive, he was burned alive at the stake. I can't tell you how much this bothers me. Where was God? Why didn't He answer this faithful man's prayer by rescuing him? If God did not answer Polycarp's prayer, why should I trust Him to answer mine? Polycarp's faith eclipses mine, after all. Both of these parables have "happy" endings. The rude and demanding friend gets his bread -- the socially insensitive widow gets justice from the judge. In both these parables, an individual flouted social norms to get what he/she wanted. In both, an individual was persistent, demanding and willing to be mocked. Perhaps one of the messages of these parables is to be willing to go against etiquette and propriety when pursuing what we think is God's will? I have been praying, persistently, for many years for "X" and many months for "Y", which is taking place in a circumstance that's very threatening to me. I fear God's answer will be "No." I no longer confidently pray for things that are good and biblical because there are too many examples of Christian martyrs and other disappointed Christians who have prayed for the salvation of their loved ones, only to have them die unsaved. My own father is dying now as an atheist. His parents and many people have prayed for him over the years, yet he refuses to believe. Yes, there's free will but I do not know if God will answer these prayers in the next few weeks before he dies. I can only hope. The fact is that persistence IS NOT always rewarded. There's no guarantee that persistence "pays." We cannot expect Him to overrule the situation/circumstance/freewill to answer our prayer, though we can hope He looks down on us with mercy. Pastor Ralph asks what persistence in prayer has developed in me as His disciple: a sense of humility, dread, and a feeling that God is so wholly other that I'll never understand His ways. It has not developed in me a feeling of childlike hope and trust. I have seen Him answer some prayers almost miraculously, and now marvel that He answered this particular prayer but not others. I've even seen Him answer prayer about circumstances that were far more threatening to me than I understood -- He saved me from a danger I didn't perceive. So, God has chosen to be good to me in the past. But, like Polycarp, I don't think I understand Him enough to feel confident that when I'm praying for good things (not to be burned alive, for example) He will answer that prayer with a "YES, good and faithful servant ... I see ... I understand ... I love ... I'm merciful ... and I give." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debra Grant Posted November 6, 2023 Report Share Posted November 6, 2023 Q52. (Luke 11:5-10; 18:1-8) What is the similarity between Jesus' Parables of the Friend at Midnight and the Unjust Judge? What does this persistence look like in your life? What will persistence in prayer do to develop you as a disciple? 1. Both were persist and received their request. The friend and the widow is an example of continuing to go for what they want and not giving up. 2. I believe it looks good. I am persistent to keep serving God and asking him for my needs. I will not give up because I know that he will answer in his timing which is good.. 3. It will teach me to be patient and have more faith that God will answer my request. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanks Posted November 7, 2023 Report Share Posted November 7, 2023 Q52. (Luke 11:5-10; 18:1-8) What is the similarity between Jesus' Parables of the Friend at Midnight and the Unjust Judge? What does this persistence look like in your life? What will persistence in prayer do to develop you as a disciple? The similarity of these two parables is the lesson of persevering and never giving up. Approaching our Lord in prayer boldly even shamelessly bold, fully believing that He will answer. I believe we have to keep on asking; to keep on seeking; and to keep on knocking. God always gives us what we ask or He gives us something better. A ‘no’ answer means that He knows what is better for us. Two verses again, come to mind: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15). Living in close fellowship and obedience to Jesus Christ, and our reading and study of His Word will help us to live according to His will, and consequently it is highly likely we will ask according to His will. As I persist in prayer I grow spiritually, drawing closer to my Heavenly Father; my faith and trust increases – I live by faith; and it keeps my prayer continually before Him, believing He will answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Wolf Posted November 8, 2023 Report Share Posted November 8, 2023 Q52. (Luke 11:5-10; 18:1-8) What is the similarity between Jesus' Parables of the Friend at Midnight and the Unjust Judge? What does this persistence look like in your life? What will persistence in prayer do to develop you as a disciple? The similarity between the two parables is Persistence. In my own life I am reminded to keep praying!!! and not give up. I immediately thought of my dear friends in another country fighting for their lives and freedom. I want them to never give up praying for God's intervention, and I do not want to stop praying with them either. We have a very wayward son. I never want to stop praying for him as well. May he choose Jesus above all in his life. Persistent prayer develops me as a disciple because Jesus told these parables to SHOW US that we should pray and never give up. This is His teaching; I will obey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George L Posted November 8, 2023 Report Share Posted November 8, 2023 Q52. (Luke 11:5-10; 18:1-8) What is the similarity between Jesus' Parables of the Friend at Midnight and the Unjust Judge? Persistance in the face of delayed answer. What does this persistence look like in your life? Learning to continue to pray believing I heard right what to pray and stay with it even If I do not see or hear of an answer. What will persistence in prayer do to develop you as a disciple? The latest revelation was about my care of overseas ministries in unchristian dominated lands. My I want to go fix that maintenance man repair it urge. “Your prayers can out run your stamina every day of your life. You prayers can arrive before you would ever start your travel.” Message recieve Holy Spirit. There is more satisfaction now in my secret place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmela Posted November 13, 2023 Report Share Posted November 13, 2023 Q52. (Luke 11:5-10; 18:1-8) What is the similarity between Jesus' Parables of the Friend at Midnight and the Unjust Judge? What does this persistence look like in your life? What will persistence in prayer do to develop you as a disciple? They were both persistent requests. In both it seemed like the request would not be answered. Because of persistence both were answered. The friend would sooner ask for bread from another friend, than from a neighbor. If it was not for the strange hour, this request is quite reasonable. Being at midnight makes it strange and almost prepares the requester beforehand to in fact be persistent. The widow would also ask no one else for justice. The Unjust judge was the most logical person to go to. She knew beforehand that a request by her would not find favour. She prepared herself for persistence. Both won in the end. Lord Jesus You have seen the hearts of each and every one of the individuals on this Bible Study group. You know our requests. Be it parents longing for their children to come to You, be it requests for parents to turn to You. Be it friends praying for friends. I pray specially for Krissi and for her dad. Please dear Lord may he truly turn to You and may she and her loved ones find peace in the knowledge that You do have the situation in Your Hands. May she not give up. Thank You Jesus. I ask this all in Your Name. Amen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolaas A.P. Mostert Posted November 21, 2023 Report Share Posted November 21, 2023 Q52. (Luke 11:5-10; 18:1-8) What is the similarity between Jesus' Parables of the Friend at Midnight and the Unjust Judge? They are both self-centered, think only off themself. What does this persistence look like in your life? Persistence is the only way in my life to break through. To persist strengthen your faith. What will persistence in prayer do to develop you as a disciple? To become more like JESUS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zibuyile Posted December 8, 2023 Report Share Posted December 8, 2023 Q.52 They are similar in that both speaks about perseverance in seeking Persistence is that I don't get tired until I get what I want Persistant in prayer builds my faith , to always trusting God that in due time it will come to pass if I do not lose heart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Jerry Posted January 4 Report Share Posted January 4 The similarity between Jesus’ Parables of the Friend at Midnight and the Unjust Judge is the persistence of the person making the request. This persistence looks like us going to God and asking Him for something in Jesus’ name and continue to ask for it until we get an answer. Persistence in prayer develops us to always turn to God with our problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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