"Call to me and I will answer you, and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. " Jeremiah 33:3

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

"...But when the Son of Man returns, how many will He find on the earth who have faith?" Luke 18:8 NLT

Over and over in scripture we are told to persevere, not to give up (Ephesians 6:18), wait on the Lord Isaiah (40:31), pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), we are to join fellow believers in their struggles by praying for them (Romans 15:30). We are to be fervent in our prayers (Acts 12:5), pray with our minds and in the Holy Spirit (Jude vs 20), to be sober and vigilant for the purpose of prayer (1 Peter 4:7), and all the more as we see "The Day" approaching.

Well, we are over 2000 years closer to "The Day of the Lord" than when these words were first penned. So in reality this question from today's title scripture Luke 18:8 is to the believers living right now today on earth; this question is to you and to me!

Is there faith on the earth? If Jesus came today would He find faith in the body of Christ? Would He find faith in my heart, in my life? In your heart? Or have our hearts grown lukewarm towards the things of God, have our hearts grown lukewarm to God Himself?

Ask yourself what priority does faith, prayer, reading God's Word, and a daily quiet time with Him have in your life? Be honest. If the importance of these things is not number one in our lives then we are in spiritual danger like the church in Laodicea. "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth." Revelation 3:15-16.

Am I lukewarm in my faith, do I still get fearful and anxious? Am I lukewarm in my approach to Bible reading, do I daily read the scriptures, do I open the Bible expecting to hear from God? Am I lukewarm in prayer, are my prayers fervent, do I persevere, do I intercede for others or are my prayers all about me and mine? Do I expect God to hear my prayers and answer, do I understand God has reasons for delays? Am I lukewarm in my love for Him, do I obey His commands in the Word of God, do I confess Him before others, do I have a heart full of praise and thanksgiving?

As long as we have breath in our lungs it isn't too late to repent of our lukewarmness and to be forgiven and cleansed from all unrighteousness, 1 John 1:9. We can ask God to fill us with His Holy Spirit and to set fire to our "smouldering wicks" Isaiah 42:2. Fervently ask for a hunger and thirst for His Word and He will give it to you. Pray without ceasing for an undivided heart full of love for Him and then wait for the answer, it will surely come.

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