Vital Supplement for Spiritual Vitality s1

Vital Supplement for Spiritual Vitality: In this edition regarding prayer we are presented with the wonderful exhortation by Jesus Christ to be humble in prayer.

LUKE 18:10-14

Please open your Bible to Luke 18:10-14. Begin your study by comparing the prayers between the two men who went to the Temple to pray: a Pharisee and a tax collector. What do you notice?

Have you ever evaluated what your prayers reveal about your heart to our God and King? Some of our prayers, like the arrogant Pharisee, are rooted in such selfishness. Well, one might say, “Pastor that may be true, but at least the arrogant person prayed!” But my response to that statement is verse 14 whereby Jesus says something that we may not too often consider when we ourselves pray to the God of the universe:

“I tell you, this man [tax collector] went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

The disposition you take to God in prayer reveals more than what you might have considered in the past: your heart—really understanding who you are in view of who God is. The Pharisee sought to establish his significance upon his separation from “sinners.” However, the tax collector had the correct insight in prayer in that he knew who he was in light of who God is: “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!” Does this type of realization shape how we approach God?

From this passage we are able to glean three truths we should consider when we pray. First, prayer should be conducted from a position of genuine humility. God already knows our heart. In fact, there is nothing outside of His knowledge, presence, or power. Therefore, go to Him as you are. Second, prayer requires grace orientation. We need to realize who we are in view of who God is. He is holy, sovereign, and the God Almighty. We are “dust” made in His image to give honor to Him by His recreation in us, that is, by indwelling Himself in us He gave us a new identity, a new capacity to worship Him. Even with the Pharisees’ fasting twice a week and tithing everything he earned, he still had no standing before God. And third, arrogance and other un-confessed sins negate the effectiveness of our prayers. Once more, the Pharisees’ prayers were not effectual even with his fasting and tithing. Thus, it is vitally important to examine ourselves to determine where we stand in our fellowship with the Lord when we approach Him in prayer. Let’s always approach our God and King with an humble heart. But in conclusion let me add…I wonder if, and how quickly the tax collector became a Pharisee. Don’t be legalistic either. No. 12