The Word for wisdom:
Proverbs 21:1-2 (MSG)
1 Good leadership is a channel of water controlled by God; he directs it to whatever ends he chooses. 2 We justify our actions by appearances; God examines our motives.
The Word for inspiration:
Psalm 145:18-19 (MSG)
18 God's there, listening for all who pray, for all who pray and mean it. 19 He does what's best for those who fear him— hears them call out, and saves them.
The Word for encouragement:
Luke 18:13 (HCSB)
"But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, 'God, turn Your wrath from me—a sinner!'
My observation:
Today we continue our examination of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. Today's focal verse is the prayer of the tax collector.
For the purpose of comparison, let us look back at the prayer of the Pharisee. This is the prayer that the Pharisee prayed.
Luke 18:11-12 (HCSB)
11 The Pharisee took his stand and was praying like this: 'God, I thank You that I'm not like other people—greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.'
Notice the humility and the contrition of the tax collector, and the self-assurance of the Pharisee. The tax collector was so remorseful for his sins that he would not even raise his eyes to heaven.
However, he had room in his heart for God. Unlike the Pharisee whose heart was so full of self-righteousness that he did not have any room in his heart for God.
The big idea in this parable is that those who trust in themselves and their righteousness already have their reward. They get what they can accomplish. However, those who trust in God, and his righteousness, get what God can accomplish. Our problems may be big in our eyes, but when we, by faith, put our problems in God's hands, everything is small in his hands.
My prayer:
God our Father, I praise you because you sit in a high and holy place, and I thank you because you stoop low to live with the oppressed and lowly of spirit.
Father, I ask you to revive our hearts, and renew us and energize us with your Spirit. Father, I pray that you would empty our hearts of self, and fill us with more of thee. In Jesus name, Amen.
Psalm 79:9 (HCSB)
God of our salvation, help us— for the glory of Your name. Deliver us and atone for our sins, because of Your name.
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A man's steps are established by the Lord, and He takes pleasure in his way.
Psalm 103:14 (HCSB)
For He knows what we are made of, remembering that we are dust.
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