Topic: DON’T PRAY LIKE THE PHARISEE  [Church of God Mission International] Above Only Daily Devotional 3 April  2023

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ABOVE ONLY DEVOTIONAL

MONDAY APRIL 3RD, 2023

DON’T PRAY LIKE THE PHARISEE

Luke 18:10-12 (GNB)
“Once there were two men who went up to the Temple to pray: one was a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood apart by himself and prayed, ‘I thank you, God, that I am not greedy, dishonest, or an adulterer, like everybody else. I thank you that I am not like that tax collector over there. I fast two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all my income.’

What is the faith and power of your prayers based on? Is it based on your works and your achievements for God? Or is it based on Christ alone? In our study on, ‘Yeast and Doctrines’ about a week ago, we saw that the teaching of the Pharisees was centered on putting faith in our abilities in order to be saved or to experience God’s power and blessings, instead of putting our faith in Jesus. It is no wonder that the Pharisee in our text above, was praying the way he was. This also goes to show that the type of messages we hear can affect the way we pray.

The Pharisee in our text above was coming to God in his righteousness and he was also comparing himself with others and feeling he was better and as such, deserved God’s blessings more than others. Before God, our righteousness is like filthy rags (Isa.64:6) and comparing ourselves with others is not wise (2Cor.10:12).

We pray to God based on the righteousness of God that we have received through our faith in Christ, (Rom.3:22, 2Cor.5:21). This is what the Gospel of Christ reveals to us, (Rom.1:16-17). The only reason God hears our prayers and manifests His power and blessings in our lives is because of Jesus. It is only because of Jesus that we can come boldly to God’s throne of grace to obtain His mercy and grace, (Heb.4:14-16).

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I come to you with my faith totally resting on Jesus and all His works for me. I receive your grace right now

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