“Two men went to the Temple to pray.

One was a Pharisee,

and the other was a despised tax collector.

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer:

‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—

cheaters, sinners, adulterers.

I’m certainly not like that tax collector!

I fast twice a week,

and I give you a tenth of my income.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance

and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed.

Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow,

saying,

‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’

I tell you, this sinner, 

not the Pharisee,

returned home justified before God.

For those who exalt themselves will be humbled,

and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Luke 18:9-14

One day Jesus told his disciples

a story to show that they should always pray

and never give up.

“There was a judge in a certain city,”

he said,

“who neither feared God nor cared about people.

A widow of that city came to him repeatedly,

saying,

‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’

The judge ignored her for a while,

but finally he said to himself,

‘I don’t fear God or care about people,

but this woman is driving me crazy.

I’m going to see that she gets justice,

because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”

Then the Lord said,

“Learn a lesson from this unjust judge.

…don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people

who cry out to him day and night?

…But when the Son of Man returns,

how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

Luke 18:1-8

(Staircase in Hotel Bretagne, Athens, Greece)

Then he said to his disciples,

“The time is coming

when you will long to see the day

when the Son of Man returns,

but you won’t see it.

People will tell you, 

‘Look, there is the Son of Man,’

or ‘Here he is,’

but don’t go out and follow them.

For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky

from one end to the other,

so it will be on the day when the Son of Man comes.

…it will be like it was in Noah’s day.

And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot.

…it will be ‘business as usual’ right up to the day

when the Son of Man is revealed.”

Luke 17:22-24, 26, 28, 30

(Steps to Mars Hill where Paul preached in Athens, Greece)

Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,
    may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
    as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need,
    and forgive us our sins,
    as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation,
    but rescue us from the evil one.

Matthew 6:9-13

Accept other believers who are weak in faith, 

and don’t argue with them

about what they think is right or wrong. 

Romans 14:1

He is the God who made the world

and everything in it. 

Since he is the Lord of heaven and earth,

he doesn’t live in manmade temples,

and human hands can’t serve his needs—

for he has no needs.

He himself gives life and breath to everything,

and he satisfies every need.

Acts 17:24-25

“From eternity to eternity I am God.

No one can snatch anyone out of my hand.

No one can undo what I have done.

I am the LORD, your Holy One,

Israel’s Creator and King.

I am the LORD, who opened a way

through the waters,

making a dry path through the sea.”

Isaiah 43:13,15-16

Then he said to his disciples,

“The time is coming when you will long to see the day

when the Son of Man returns,

but you won’t see it.

People will tell you,

‘Look, there is the son of Man,’

or

‘Here he is,’

but don’t go out and follow them.

For as the lightning flashes

and lights up the sky from one end to the other,

so it will be on the day

when the Son of Man comes.”

Luke 17:22-24

“No one can serve two masters.

For you will hate one and love the other;

you will be devoted to one and despise the other.

You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”

The Pharisees,

who dearly loved their money,

heard all this and scoffed at him.

Then he said to them,

“You like to appear righteous in public,

but God knows your hearts.

What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.”

Luke 16:13-15

“So he returned home to his father.

And while he was still a long way off,

his father saw him coming.

Filled with love and compassion,

he ran to his son,

embraced him,

and kissed him.”

Luke 15:20