I have found over the years that there is such a fine line between doing good works for the right or wrong reasons! It all comes down to the motives of our own heart. We see in Luke 18, in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today, the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. Verses 10-14:
10 Two men went up into the temple [enclosure] to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee took his stand ostentatiously and began to pray thus before and with himself: God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men—extortioners (robbers), swindlers [unrighteous in heart and life], adulterers—or even like this tax collector here. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I gain. 13 But the tax collector, [merely] standing at a distance, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but kept striking his breast, saying, O God, be favorable (be gracious, be merciful) to me, the [especially wicked sinner that I am! 14 I tell you, this man went down to his home justified (forgiven and made upright and in right standing with God), rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.
The Pharisee was trying to impress God with his list of "good deeds" while the tax collector recognized that, on his own, he was not worthy of even being in the presence of God. I want to point out to very important Truths we see here. (I know that there are many more, but these are the focal point for today!) First of all, notice that the Pharisee stood and "began to pray thus before and with himself". He was not even praying to God, even though He SAID God. We CANNOT ever enter the presence of God in haughtiness, but only in humility! 1 John 5:14-15 tells us that, as born again believers, we can KNOW that our prayers are answered by getting God to hear us.
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. KJV
God ONLY hears prayers that are according to His will, which is His Word! So, this Pharisee, who came relying on his own merits, was not even heard by God! He ended up praying to himself! Isaiah 64:6:
6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. KJV
God is NOT impressed with our "self-worth"! He IS impressed when we agree with Him and realize that we are sinners who need a Savior, and then call on the Name of the Lord Jesus to be saved! NOW we are members of His very own family and have every right to come boldly into His presence, but never under our own merit! We come boldly before Him ONLY because of what JESUS has done in and for us! AMEN! The other Truth we need to see is that once we receive Jesus as our Lord and personal Savior, we are no longer unrighteous, but we are MADE righteous with HIS righteousness! (2 Corinthians 5:21). The boldness is that we HAVE the right to come boldly into His presence, never forgetting that HE gave us that right! Without Him, we are NOTHING! But, HALLELUJAH, we are NOT without Him! GLORY TO GOD! Here is Hillsong United with "Search My Heart":
Shalom in Him!
