In the Old Testament, there were promises to those who kept the law. If they tried their hardest to do right and good, they were rewarded with health and wealth. This is why Job's friends thought that surely he had done something wrong; God didn't punish people who were living the way He told them to live.
This thinking was so prevalent that when Jesus spoke parables about the rich being evil, it blew their minds!
Luke 12:16-21- And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Jesus kept trying to tell them that the rules were fixing to change. God was moving from works to faith. And He tried to lay this out in the next few verses.
Luke 12:22-31- And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Even Christians today who don't study their Bibles get this wrong. God never promised you that you would live a life of ease. If you are living as a true Christian, you will be hated by the world.
John 16:33- These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
We are to lay up treasure in heaven! Our lives are to be lived spreading the gospel, walking by faith, and growing in grace by studying the Scriptures. But that doesn't make a nice sermon that brings in tithing people!
I John 2:15- Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
The story of Lazarus was one that really messes up people's idea of living right. It even disturbed people in Christ's time. The rich guy went to hell! He had all the tell-tale signs of God's blessings in their eyes, and yet he wasn't right with God. Lazarus went to paradise (Abraham's Bosom) and yet he was sick and poor. It didn't make sense to them. It doesn't make sense to modern Christianity.
We are to cry out to God in faith, and wait on Him to answer. This waiting is not passing time twiddling our thumbs. This waiting is like a server at a restaurant- busy doing what we know the Lord wants us to do. Jesus wants us to be consistent as well as faithful. He wants us to be determined in every area of our christian life.
Luke 18:1-8-And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Don't give up. Don't faint. Why? Because God doesn't always answer in the time and manner that we think He should. But don't worry, because He is listening and working. You just have to have faith that when the time is right, He will come through.
We don't see the hearts of others. We can't look through the veil of time and see when each little thing will click into place in just the right way to answer multiple prayers. But God can. We just have to persevere with a good attitude. After all, that's what faith is- believing God will do what He said He would do when He knows it's the right time to do it!
