Trusting?

Greetings...
Luke 18:9-16
9. Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10. "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11. "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, `God, I thank You that I am not like other men extortioners, unjust, erers, or even as this tax collector.
12. `I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'
13. "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, `God be merciful to me a sinner!'
14. "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.''
15. Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when His disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
16. But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

There are a few things the Spirit of God is opening my eyes to here. In verse 16 Jesus said, "for such is the Kingdom of God." I believe He didn't just refer to the phrase about little children, but even the preceding verses. For instance verse 9, "...who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, AND DESPISED OTHERS".

Have you ever thought about how the Body of Christ is so good at dividing itself up into little bitty pieces, rather than having "the same care for one another" (1 Cor. 12)? In the above instance, BOTH men went before the Lord to pray. A very spiritual thing to do, when it's done with the proper motive and attitude. The Pharisee isolates himself from others when he begins to thank God how he ISN'T like the others (including the man who is praying in the same room to the same God). The Pharisee failed to realize that God didn't give two hoots about all the Pharisee did; God was looking much deeper than that. The Pharisee said about 5 times the amount spoken by the tax collector, but the Lord declared the tax collector as the one leaving justified.

The Pharisee exalted HIMSELF as he recounted all HE had done. Yet there is no evidence of a trust relationship with God. "And without faith (trust) it is impossible to please Him (God)"
"See what I've done..."
"Look at how much I tithe..."
"I just cannot tolerate people who can't seem to get it right..."
"If everyone in the Kingdom was like me..."
"Don't touch me, I'm too clean to get dirty..."

Keeping track of how much time, treasure, or talent you give to the Lord isn't of any benefit to us at all. For one thing, by declaring that we have given 10% (or even 20) really says that we kept back 80-90%. The Kingdom of God doesn't operate because people tithe; no, the Kingdom of God is evident through those who aren't afraid to lay down their lives for Jesus and His Gospel. NEVER did Jesus teach about being a 10% disciple. Yet, we can be so proud when we compare ALL WE DO with ALL others don't do (in our sight). Jesus said, "Come, follow Me". It was His ALL He placed on the cross, not just 10%. And, unless it was His ALL, He would not have been trusting. Trust isn't trust if it is measured out; at least where trusting God is concerned. If I had to tell God all I've done and continually remind others just how valuable I am to the Kingdom, then there is evidently not much of a trust relationship - with God or His people.

On and on I could go. But did you notice that just as soon as Jesus got through telling the disciples about the Pharisee's lack of humility, the disciples wanted to keep children from coming to Jesus. The disciples were showing somewhat of the same kind of spirit...they were saying "Jesus doesn't have time for children; He is too busy with us. We are the inner circle, the very core group and sole owners of what God is doing in the earth. Children, tax collectors, heathen, they're all the same..."

The Kingdom of God is all about trusting in the Living God - completely. He IS OUR righteousness from the beginning, through out our walk, and at the end of our earthly life. There is NEVER a time to become proud of what we've accomplished or to feel like we're better than anyone else. Doing so only leads to cutting other people off and not having the same care for them. Please understand that sometimes people are so wrapped up in their own misery and failure that they become a Pharisee in reverse. "I've sinned like no one else..." or, "I've failed to show the power of God to my generation..." and still cut themselves off from the care of others.

Wouldn't it be just grand if we actually started acting like we really believe the Word of God in its entirety? "I am because of what He made me and I do what He enables me to do."

I'll close with 2 passages. One from Isaiah and the other from 1 Corinthians.
Isaiah 57:15
"For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."

1 Corinthians 6:9-11
"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor erers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God."

Think about it and may the Lord cause each of us to humble ourselves continually under His mighty hand...that He may have HIS WAY with us AND through us.

What's He saying to you?

Pastor Jan