GPS for the week of October 19th, 2025
“God, Be Merciful To Me, A Sinner”
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Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector
“to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and
regarded others with contempt.”
“But the gospel doesn’t need a coalition devoted to
keeping the wrong people out. It needs a family of sinners, saved
by grace, committed to tearing down the walls, throwing open the
doors, and shouting, ‘Welcome! There’s bread and wine. Come
eat with us and talk.’ This isn’t a kingdom for the worthy, it’s a
kingdom for the hungry (Rachel Held Evans).” Joy awaits us as
we gather humbly in the grace of our Lord!
Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of your powerful grace and
love. Amen.
Monday 10.20 “You shall know that I am in the midst of
Israel.”
Joel 2:23-32
“O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in the Lord your God; for
he has given the early rain for your vindication, he has poured
down for you abundant rain, the early and the later rain, as before.
The threshing floors shall be full of grain, the vats shall overflow
with wine and oil. I will repay you for the years that the swarming
locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my
great army, which I sent against you. You shall eat in plenty and
be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has
dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be
put to shame. You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and
that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other. And my
people shall never again be put to shame.” Let us rejoice in our
Lord’s goodness.
Tuesday 10.21 “I will pour out my spirit.”
Joel 2:23-32
“Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and
your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and
female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. I will show
portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and
columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the
moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord
comes. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall
be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those
who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall
be those whom the Lord calls.” The Lord will pour out his spirit on
everyone!
Wednesday 10.22 “O you who answer prayer.”
Psalm 65
“Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion; and to you shall vows be
performed, O you who answer prayer! To you all flesh shall come.
When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us, you forgive our
transgressions. Happy are those whom you choose and bring
near to live in your courts. We shall be satisfied with the
goodness of your house, your holy temple. By awesome deeds
you answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation; you are
the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. By
your strength you established the mountains; you are girded with
might. You silence the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their
waves, the tumult of the peoples.” We praise our Lord who hears
the prayers of all people!
Thursday 10.23 “The river of God is full of water.”
Psalm 65
“Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs;
you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for
joy. You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river
of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so
you have prepared it. You water its furrows abundantly, settling
its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. You
crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with
richness. The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird
themselves with joy, the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,
the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing
together for joy.” The river of God’s love is for everyone!
Friday 10.24 “So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.”
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
“As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the
time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I
have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is
reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but
also to all who have longed for his appearing… At my first
defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it
not be counted against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave
me strength, so that through me the message might be fully
proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued
from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil
attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory
forever and ever. Amen.” The joy of the Lord sustained Paul
through pain and suffering.
Saturday 10.25 “For all who exalt themselves will be
humbled.”
Luke 18:9-14
“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that
they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: ‘Two
men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a
tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying
thus, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves,
rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a
week; I give a tenth of all my income.” But the tax collector,
standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was
beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”
I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the
other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who
humble themselves will be exalted.’” We must humbly join this tax
collector who knew his desperate need for God’s forgiveness and
love.