“The tax collector, however, stood far off and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!’” —Luke 18:13 Standing at a distance, refusing to life his eyes, and striking his breast as he pleads for mercy, the tax collector presents a …
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22010.278 We Come to God Only Through Jesus
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: extortionists, unrighteous people, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a …
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22010.277 Humility
“Jesus also told this parable to some who were confident that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else.” —Luke 18:9 Luke is setting the stage at the beginning of this story. The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector is a lesson in humility. Our position in prayer before our Holy God …
22010.276 God WILL Answer
“And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! Won’t God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long to help them? I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on …
22010.275 Pray … and Don’t Stop!
“Then Jesus told them a parable to show them they should always pray and not lose heart. He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. There was also a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, “Give me justice against my adversary.” …
22010.272 We Are God’s Servants
“Would any one of you say to your slave who comes in from the field after plowing or shepherding sheep, ‘Come at once and sit down for a meal?’ Won’t the master instead say to him, ‘Get my dinner ready, and make yourself ready to serve me while I eat and drink. Then you may …
22010.271 We Just Have to Celebrate!
“But the older son became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and appealed to him, but he answered his father, ‘Look! These many years I have worked like a slave for you, and I never disobeyed your commands. Yet you never gave me even a goat so that I could celebrate …
22010.270 Celebrating the Return of the Lost Son!
“So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way from home his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; he ran and hugged his son and kissed him. Then his son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I …
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22010.269 Coming To Our Senses
“But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food enough to spare, but here “I am dying from hunger! I will get up and go to my father and say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy …
22010.268 God Is Waiting!
“So he went and worked for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He was longing to eat the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.” —Luke 15:15–16 Have you ever been in a situation where “no one gave [you] anything”? …