{"id":44958,"date":"2020-11-03T22:51:17","date_gmt":"2020-11-03T19:51:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=44958"},"modified":"2025-05-08T23:40:20","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T20:40:20","slug":"do-not-pray-prayers-that-lack-faith-and-never-blaspheme-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2020\/11\/03\/do-not-pray-prayers-that-lack-faith-and-never-blaspheme-god\/","title":{"rendered":"DO NOT PRAY PRAYERS THAT LACK FAITH\u2014AND NEVER BLASPHEME GOD"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Luke 23:42\u201343 (ESV)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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“And <\/span>he <\/span>said, \u2018<\/span>Jesus, <\/span>remember <\/span>me <\/span>when <\/span>you <\/span>come <\/span>into <\/span>your <\/span>kingdom.\u2019 <\/span>And <\/span>he <\/span>said <\/span>to <\/span>him, \u2018<\/span>Truly, <\/span>I <\/span>say <\/span>to <\/span>you, <\/span>today <\/span>you <\/span>will <\/span>be <\/span>with <\/span>me <\/span>in <\/span>Paradise.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Blessed <\/span>be <\/span>the <\/span>name <\/span>of <\/span>our <\/span>Lord <\/span>and <\/span>Savior <\/span>Jesus <\/span>Christ. <\/span>Welcome <\/span>to <\/span>this <\/span>time <\/span>of <\/span>Bible <\/span>study.<\/span><\/p>\n

As <\/span>we <\/span>know <\/span>from <\/span>Scripture, <\/span>Jesus <\/span>was <\/span>not <\/span>crucified <\/span>alone <\/span>at <\/span>Golgotha. <\/span>Two <\/span>criminals <\/span>were <\/span>crucified <\/span>alongside <\/span>Him\u2014<\/span>one <\/span>on <\/span>His <\/span>left, <\/span>the <\/span>other <\/span>on <\/span>His <\/span>right. <\/span>Their <\/span>presence <\/span>beside <\/span>Jesus <\/span>reveals <\/span>something <\/span>profound: <\/span>that <\/span>even <\/span>in <\/span>His <\/span>suffering, <\/span>Christ <\/span>was <\/span>among <\/span>sinners, <\/span>identifying <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>brokenness <\/span>of <\/span>humanity.<\/span><\/p>\n

What <\/span>shocked <\/span>many <\/span>observers, <\/span>then <\/span>and <\/span>now, <\/span>was <\/span>the <\/span>idea <\/span>that <\/span>someone <\/span>claiming <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>the <\/span>Savior <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>world <\/span>would <\/span>Himself <\/span>be <\/span>hanging <\/span>on <\/span>a <\/span>cross, <\/span>enduring <\/span>shame <\/span>and <\/span>agony. <\/span>To <\/span>the <\/span>natural <\/span>mind, <\/span>it <\/span>seemed <\/span>contradictory <\/span>and <\/span>confusing. <\/span>And <\/span>indeed, <\/span>each <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>two <\/span>criminals <\/span>had <\/span>something <\/span>to <\/span>say <\/span>to <\/span>Jesus.<\/span><\/p>\n

THE <\/span>FIRST <\/span>CRIMINAL: <\/span>PRIDEFUL <\/span>AND <\/span>MOCKING<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Luke <\/span>23:<\/span>39 (<\/span>KJV)<\/span><\/strong>
\u201c<\/span>And <\/span>one <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>malefactors <\/span>which <\/span>were <\/span>hanged <\/span>railed <\/span>on <\/span>him, <\/span>saying, \u2018<\/span>If <\/span>thou <\/span>be <\/span>Christ, <\/span>save <\/span>thyself <\/span>and <\/span>us.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The <\/span>first <\/span>criminal <\/span>mocked <\/span>Jesus. <\/span>His <\/span>words\u2014\u201c<\/span>If <\/span>you <\/span>are <\/span>the <\/span>Christ\u2026\u201d\u2014<\/span>were <\/span>not <\/span>a <\/span>humble <\/span>plea <\/span>but <\/span>a <\/span>taunt. <\/span>That <\/span>very <\/span>phrase <\/span>was <\/span>a <\/span>form <\/span>of <\/span>blasphemy. <\/span>He <\/span>doubted <\/span>and <\/span>dishonored <\/span>Christ, <\/span>demanding <\/span>a <\/span>miracle <\/span>not <\/span>out <\/span>of <\/span>faith, <\/span>but <\/span>out <\/span>of <\/span>arrogance.<\/span><\/p>\n

This <\/span>mirrors <\/span>many <\/span>people <\/span>today <\/span>who <\/span>are <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>depths <\/span>of <\/span>hardship <\/span>and <\/span>suffering <\/span>but <\/span>confront <\/span>God <\/span>with <\/span>blame <\/span>rather <\/span>than <\/span>humility. <\/span>They <\/span>say <\/span>things <\/span>like:<\/span><\/p>\n