The Bible is the users manual to get us through life and it’s full of tools that we must use if we are going to be over-comers. Revelation 2 and 3 tells that’s our goal in life. Every reward goes ‘to he that overcomes’.
100 years ago in 1923 Calvin Coolidge became the 30th president of the United States. There’s not much of historical significance to remember about his administration but he left a personal quote behind that has changed thousands of lives for the better.
Maybe you’ve head it. Let me read it to you.
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On!’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”
Sometimes life is tough. Maybe you are going through a tough time right now.
Remember the Billy Ocean song? ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
There’s always a choice…give up or keep going. What will you do?
The old president said Persistence and Determination alone are omnipotent.
Jesus dealt with persistence In Luke chapter 18 first in the parable of the widow and the unjust judge and then we saw through what happened with the blind beggar by the roadside just how it works in practice.
And between those two stories He dealt with determination head on…
In Luke 18:31-33Jesus took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”
Accomplished just doesn’t seem to be the right word does it? But Jesus knew that it was the right word, and He knew that the words of the prophets had to be accomplished in what was about to happen to Him.
The journey to Jerusalem had begun back in Luke 9 verse 51 which says Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,
I’m sure there were many times that Jesus would have preferred an easier option. None more so that in the garden of Gethsemane where He sweat blood as He prayed, but we all know what he said there.
Not my will but yours be done.
So much of our praying is about our will, we want the Lord to do it our way, its what makes us comfortable, it’s what makes our life easier, eases our suffering.
And much of the time that’s what God wants too, but what he wants more than anything else if to get us into heaven, and getting us ready for heaven sometimes means trials and testings and suffering here.
Paul told the Romans. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Romans 8:17
He set His face to go.
When we can set our face to go God’s way no matter what it takes, when we can truly say and mean, “Your will not mine be done”, I believe we will see the revival we all think we want.
so Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem. Three and a half years of ministry were coming to a climax and it was going to mean pain and anguish and unimaginable suffering.
But He was on His way anyway.
And even knowing what was coming, His kindness, His goodness, His care for those that were lost was still uppermost in His mind. There were souls to be gathered in. The blind beggar at the roadside received his sight. and all the people when they saw it gave praise to God.
That was something they would never forget. How many would be telling the story to their grandchildren in the years that followed.
“We all told that worthless blind beggar to be quiet but he shouted out and Jesus stopped, He stood still and commanded some of us to bring the blind man to him. And then He healed him. He could see as well as me.’
If you call out to Jesus, from the depths of your heart, He will stop, and listen, and He will answer.
If you are in trouble today, take your eyes off your problems and cry out to Jesus. He may not do it your way but if your happy for His will to be done you might find He knew best all along.
He knows best but if you want His best there is one thing required of you. Keep going. Don’t give up. Pray without ceasing.
Remember, the parable of the widow and the unjust judge: Jesus told it for one reason. Luke 18:1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.