Key Thought

Today's Prayer

Father, through your Holy Spirit, please inspire me to faithful endurance no matter what circumstances, evil people, or Satan may bring my way. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

Then Jesus taught the followers that they should always pray and never lose hope. Jesus used this story to teach them: "Once there was a judge in a town. He did not care about God. The judge also did not care what people thought about him. In that same town there was a woman. Her husband was dead. The woman came many times to this judge and said, 'There is a man that is doing bad things to me. Give me my rights!' But the judge did not want to help the woman. After a long time, the judge thought to himself, 'I don't care about God. And I don't care about what people think. But this woman is bothering me. If I give her what she wants, then she will leave me alone. But if I don't give her what she wants, she will bother me until I am sick!'" The Lord (Jesus) said, "Listen! {There is meaning} in what the bad judge said. God's people shout to him night and day. God will always give his people what is right. God will not be slow to answer his people. I tell you, God will help his people quickly! But when the Son of Man comes again, will he find people on earth who believe in him?"

Related Scripture Readings

"Write this to the angel of the church in Smyrna: "The One who is the First and the Last is saying these things {to you}. He is the One who died and came to life again. I know your troubles, and I know that you are poor. But really you are rich! I know the bad things that some people say {about you}. Those people say they are Jews. But they are not true Jews. They are a synagogue (group) that belongs to Satan (the devil). Don't be afraid of the things that will happen to you. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison. He will do this to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But be faithful, even if you have to die. If you continue faithful, then I will give you the crown of life. "Every person that hears these things should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. The person that wins the victory will not be hurt by the second death.

The Spirit that we received is not a spirit that makes us slaves again and causes us to fear. The Spirit that we have makes us God's chosen children. And with that Spirit we say, "Abba, Father." And the Spirit himself joins with our spirits to say we are God's children. If we are God's children, then we will get the blessings God has for his people. We will get these things from God. God will give us all that he has given Christ. But we must suffer like Christ suffered. Then we will be able to share his glory. We have sufferings now. But the sufferings we have now are nothing compared to the great glory that will be given to us.

The apostles left the meeting. The apostles were happy because they were given the honor of suffering dishonor (shame) for the name {of Jesus}.