The coolest thing.....I got to church yesterday morning and Pastor Tom's message was from Luke 18:9-14.....The parable of the pharisee and the tax collector.
Luke 18:9-14 - To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Pastor reminded us over and over that the way down is up and the way up is down.....For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himeself will be exalted. It is important to remember that neither the place or posture of our prayer is as important as our attitude and heart in prayer. The world - man - may look at the outside and how we pray, but God measures things differently. He looks at the whole picture and checks our heart!
This was a good reminder for me because I need to remember that I shouldn't worry about praying in a group or in front of others. My prayers are to be offered to God and not to impress other people. Same thing with things the pharisee mentions - tithing and fasting. These things aren't wrong, we are commanded to do them. But are we like the pharisee and doing them so others think more highly of us or are we doing it all to the glory of God? Where is our heart and our attitude?
"Humility is to make a right estimate of oneself." — Charles H. Spurgeon
"Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right." — Ezra Taft Benson
A few other verses that I highlighted in today's reading.....
Luke 12:15 - The he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
Luke 13:24 - (Jesus responses after being asked are only a few people going to be saved?) "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to."
Luke 18:1 -.....should always pray and not give up.
Charlie crawled in my lap yesterday when I was reading and asked me to read to her. I did. Then she asked me why a lot of the writing was in red. I got to explain to her that those are words that Jesus spoke and then showed her a few passages where Jesus quoted Old Testament scripture. Very cool! I don't know that she really gets it at 2, but I love that she has so many questions.
I can't believe there are only 15 days of reading left. Head over to Mom's Toolbox and see how everyone else is doing in this challenge. Amy is going to do this again beginning July 1st, if you are interested. I also am planning on doing the reading again with a few friends, but at a slower pace, if that interests you let me know. It would be great to have a few more involved and reading God's Word.
Have a great week. God bless!
