Everybody, what is going on? You know what time it is. You're listening to join the Journey podcast with your host, Emma, daughter.

Hi, Journey friends. It's Jenna here for one last time with you. It's been an absolute joy to get to sit in Luke chapter 16 through 18 with you over the past couple of days.

My heart has been deeply encouraged and challenged

as we have looked at some difficult passages. My prayer for us has been that as we read God's

word, we would know and love him more. With that being said, we have one last chapter to talk about

together, and that's Luke 18. To recap, Jesus has

been speaking in parables, which are stories to communicate a truth. The main point of these parables

is to show us how to live in the kingdom of God versus the kingdom of man. Jesus, the king,

has come, and now we get to live in light of that truth.

In Luke 18, we are going to see that believers of Jesus are marked by a humble and contrite heart.

Psalm 51, verse 17, says, the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken spirit and contrite heart, oh God, you will not despise.

I do want to take a minute to define terms.

Humility is not thinking little of yourself, but rather it's thinking rightly of yourself. I am a sinner who has

been saved by grace, but I am also a saint. I have nothing to boast in other than the finished

work of Christ on my behalf. This mindset produces true humility. With this backdrop in mind, let's dive in.

Disciples of Christ don't grow discouraged, but rather they persevere in prayer.

I love the parable of the persistent widow because she isn't asked to bring anything to the table.

Instead, she calls on the one who can do

something about her situation. If you're like me, then you're prone to manipulation and control

long before you are prone to prayer. Jesus wants his disciples to embody a humility that pushes

them to their knees because he's the only one who can

heal and restore and bring justice. As you and I live in the already but not yet, awaiting the

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