Today’s Podcast
Today’s Devotional
Today’s background scripture comes from Luke 18.
I’ve told you I enjoy hearing from you in prayer. I like to hear your praise. I like your petitions also. I don’t have any problem with your cries of misunderstanding or doubt. I understand you even get angry at Me sometimes and hearing that in your prayer is okay, too. What I don’t like is a pretense of prayer like the Pharisee in the story Jesus told.
The description of the Pharisee’s prayer is quite accurate. ‘[He] prays this prayer in honor of himself.’ I paid no attention. The prayer wasn’t for Me, it was for others to hear. The Pharisee thought himself better than others. In reality, he fell far short of what I expect. Paul understood when he said, “We (that is all mankind) are all sinners and come short of the glory of God.” No one meets My standards. The law just points out how far away you are from Me without My help.
The Pharisee thought he could make it on his own. He thought living by his rules and giving money to the temple sufficed My standards of holiness. Only one man lived by My standards – Jesus, the God-Man. Me, wrapped in flesh. No one else comes close. All have sinned. Comparing himself to the tax-collector only showed Me how little he knows of My kingdom, My mercy, and My grace.
Take your lessons on prayer from the tax-collector. A repentant, contrite heart goes so much farther with Me than the boasting of those man might call righteous. If you want to compare, compare yourself to Me. That’s what the Isaiah did. He knew he would die when he glimpse My holiness. That’s what Moses did and his face glowed after meeting Me in the covenant tent. That’s what the tax-collector did and called himself a sinner, not worthy to lift his head from the floor.
I listen to your prayers to Me. You can tell Me anything. But remember to prayer to Me, not to yourself as the Pharisee did. Prayers to yourself, don’t go anywhere but to your head.
Today’s Scripture
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Luke 18:1-17
Set – Genesis 45; Luke 18
Go! – Genesis 44-46; Luke 18
Luke 18:1-17
1He [Jesus] told them a parable, urging them to keep praying and never grow discouraged. The parable went like this:Jesus: 2 There was a judge living in a certain city. He showed no respect for God or humanity. 3 In that same city there was a widow. Again and again she kept coming to him seeking justice: “Clear my name from my adversary’s false accusations!” 4 He paid no attention to her request for a while, but then he said to himself, “I don’t care about what God thinks of me, much less what any mere human thinks. 5 But this widow is driving me crazy. She’s never going to quit coming to see me unless I hear her case and provide her legal protection.”
6 Did you catch what this self-assured judge said? 7 If he can be moved to act justly, won’t God bring justice for His chosen people when they cry to Him day and night? Will He be slow to bring them justice? 8 Mark My words: God will intervene fast with vindication. But here’s the question: when the Son of Man comes, will He find anyone who still has faith?
9 He told another parable—this one addressed to people who were confident in their self-righteousness and looked down on other people with disgust.
Jesus: 10 Imagine two men walking up a road, going to the temple to pray. One of them is a Pharisee and the other is a despised tax collector. 11 Once inside the temple, the Pharisee stands up and prays this prayer in honor of himself: “God, how I thank You that I am not on the same level as other people—crooks, cheaters, the sexually immoral—like this tax collector over here. 12 Just look at me! I fast not once but twice a week, and I faithfully pay my tithes on every penny of income.” 13 Over in the corner, the tax collector begins to pray, but he won’t even lift his eyes to heaven. He pounds on his chest in sorrow and says, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”
14 Now imagine these two men walking back down the road to their homes. Listen, it’s the tax collector who walks home clean before God, and not the Pharisee, because whoever lifts himself up will be put down and whoever takes a humble place will be lifted up.
15 Some people brought infants to Jesus, hoping He would touch them in blessing. The disciples rebuked them for doing so, 16 but Jesus called to the people.
Jesus: Let the little children come to Me. Never hinder them! Don’t you realize—the kingdom of God belongs to those who are like children? 17 You can depend on this: if you don’t receive the Kingdom as a child would, you won’t enter it at all.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Music by the Booth Brothers from Room for More, “Faithful One” ©2008.
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