Jesus teaches His disciples to pray with the Lord's Prayer. God is good and willing to give good gifts to His children, so ask with persistence.
Jesus is fighting and plundering Satan. Evil spirits can come back with a vengeance after a superficial victory.
Jesus is greater than Jonah or Solomon, so He isn't going to hide or mute His message. He rebukes the Pharisees for focusing on externals while leaving their hearts defiled and wicked, focusing on minor points of the law while neglecting the main points of love and justice. This results in pride (verse 43) and irrelevance (44). The scribes/lawyers are also to blame for loading the people with many obligations they don't think they have to keep themselves, and for killing the prophets while paying lip service to them with memorials.
Application
Our attitude toward God when we pray is critical. Do we trust that He is a kind heavenly Father?
In your fight against the evil one, stand guard with vigilance. Don't presume one victory ensures all victories in the future.
Jesus is greater than any other biblical figure, so pay attention when He speaks and heed His rebukes.
No comments:
Post a Comment