January 18th - Gen 44-46; Luke 18

Scripture: Luke 18:9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 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. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

18:13 "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.'

18:14 "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."

Observations: In this story, and those immediately following it we see a pattern of conditions for entering into heaven. Each stresses human inability. What I believe to be the biggest difference between Christianity and other religions is that we do not have a works righteousness system - we cannot work our way into heaven. This sets us apart from Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Mormonism and many other false religions. We simply do not have what it takes to get into heaven. We fall short, we have all sinned and earned God's wrath. Thankfully we have a loving God who sent his Son Jesus Christ to die as a substitute to atone for our sinfulness.

Application: I need continual reminders that God uses me in spite of me, not because of me. I need to learn to be more gracious to others who fall short as well. I am not their judge, but I can help them (and myself) to take steps in the right direction. In Christ we are new creations (2 Cor 5:17) but we are not perfect creations. I will be more gracious today, and I will try to reserve judgment to avoid going down the path of pride like the Pharisee.

Prayer: God it is my prayer that my humility grows. I lift up to you my desire to be more gracious and less judging. I thank you for your sacrifice on my behalf. I acknowledge that through no effort of my own that I am destined for heaven. I thank you and praise you for knowing I cannot do this on my own, and I pray this conviction never leaves me. You are God, you are glorious, and I love you. Amen.