Greetings everyone and welcome to today's edition of Learn and Grow With Jesus EVERYDAY.
Today's Topic: Shameless Persistence
Date: Sunday, January 17, 2021
Bible Reading: Luke 11:5-8 NKJV
And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. Luke 11:5-8 NKJV
Discussion Question: What has your reputation, pride and ego cost you?
Have you ever imagined what life and the world would be like without electric power, light bulbs, recorded music, cinematography and cell phones? You and I have the privilege of using and enjoying all of the above, thanks to the shameless persistence of one man, Mr. Thomas Edison. One of the things you probably did on waking up this morning was either to turn on your light bulb so you can see or you grabbed your phone and powered it on to check one thing or the other.

Can you imagine how dark our world would have been without Mr. Edison's electric light bulb invention? In the face of relentless failures and ridicule from practically everyone, Mr. Edison never gave up. He confronted every resistance and reluctance with more persistence until every failure, resistance and reluctance bowed in honor of his dogged shamelessness, persistence and resolve. Did you know that Thomas Edison's teachers once said he was "too stupid to learn anything"? Did you know he was fired from his first two jobs for being "non-productive"? Did you know that as an inventor, Mr. Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb? When a reporter asked, "How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?" Edison replied, "I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps."

Did you know that Abraham Lincoln, one of the best, most successful and greatest presidents of the United States, was a failure as a businessman? As a lawyer in Springfield, he was too impractical and temperamental to be a success. He turned to politics and was defeated in his first try for the legislature, again defeated in his first attempt to be nominated for congress, defeated in his application to be commissioner of the General Land Office, defeated in the senatorial election of 1854, defeated in his efforts for the vice-presidency in 1856, and defeated in the senatorial election of 1858. At about that time, he wrote in a letter to a friend, "I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on the earth."

When would you reckon that failure is the prerequisite for success? You may have made mistakes along the way and you may have exercised your right to fail here and there, yes, that’s very ok, because there are benefits in failure. Failure strips away the inessential so you can have a better perspective and focus on what really matters. And if you don't give up, failure eventually bows in honor of shameless persistence.
Every successful person has a story salinaded with numerous streaks of failure before they eventually succeeded. There is a price for success in life and in prayer and that is Shameless Persistence. Many of us could have been much better off today only if we had persisted just one more time. Isn't it amazing how many people give up at the brink of their biggest breakthrough? Isn't it perplexing how many people would not humble themselves and ask for help, and watch the opportunity of a lifetime pass them by? Would you rather not dare to ask, knock, or seek one more time than die in silence and pride?
Jesus is teaching us here today that shameless persistence is both a law and principle for success - a principle very effective in tearing down strongholds of resistance and reluctance. Patience and long-suffering are keys to receiving from both God and men. What have you been ashamed to ask someone for? Why did you stop that petition you were bringing before God? Why did you give up on that project?
Have you ever reasoned that we are the answer to our own prayers? The answer to everyone's prayer, somehow, rests with his fellow man. And until you make contact with that someone, your prayer will seem to go unanswered. Why? Because God never does anything in a vacuum. God uses you and I to lift up and bless one another. God uses humanity to bless humanity. We all are extensions of God outstretched arms to reach one another and put His love, compassion and mercy into action for the benefit of another to the glory of God.
Shameless Persistence is key to overcoming resistance and reluctance.
The bible says, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land". II Chronicles 7:14 NKJV
And "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know". Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV
Remember that in spite of your imperfections and personal failures, God still calls you His masterpiece. Go back to Him in prayer and He will receive you. Ask for help and assistance when you need it from whomever and don't take no for an answer. There is something we call professional persistence at work. It is when they say no to you, but you keep coming back with the same request with patience and diplomacy until your request is approved.
Don't give up on your vision. Don't give up on your goals. Don't give up on your set objectives no matter the obstacles in your way. See those obstacles as the audience that would eventually applaud you to your inevitable success. Now go and get it. It is well within your reach.
Stay uplifted in Christ always and live cheerfully everyday.
Leader Chinedu Nicholas Obodo for EXOLOM Fellowship
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