Matthew 15:7-9 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:'These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from
Me.And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the
commandments of men.' "
Matthew 16:6 Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the
Sadducees."
Take heed. Beware. Strong words of warning. We might think at first that we are to take heed/beware of the Phariseees and Sadducees. True. But, we should all the more beware of their leaven.
The effect of their leaven was worship in vain. I'd call it an unreal or ineffective connection or relationship with the Lord.
So, for us - anything that keeps us from a "heart" relationship with the Lord is leaven. As Pastor Dale said, "Leaven spreads unseen until the whole loaf is changed. It takes very little leaven to do that."
There is much leaven in our world today. We must take heed of it. We must beware of it. Hypocrites concern themselves with the outward impression. God is interested in the inward. So, is Satan. If he can permeate the inward, the outward will reflect that. Take heed. Beware. Leaven was designed to permeate the inside, so as to affect the outside. Is there leaven in your life that you are viewing as small and not really a threat to your relationship with the Lord? Take heed. Jesus' warning came from a heart of love, concern, and an acute awareness of the effectiveness of a "little" leaven.
A little leaven leavens the whole lump. Galatians 5:9
We live in a world that is -literally- dying to see true faith in action. It starts in our home, in our church, in our work and wherever God has placed us. Lord, we ask for an outpouring of Your Holy Spirit so we may let our Light shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify You ( Matthew 5:16)
ReplyDeleteana
There are specific areas in my life where God has been really refining me. Yesterday, through the message, He reminded and challenged me. In these areas my leaven is complacency. If I allow a little complacency then my whole loaf is spoiled. I’m not saying I always hear and obey the Holy Spirit. Certainly not. But in these specific areas where He is working on me, if I slide or ignore one prompting from the Holy Spirit then I go along with the flesh and allow a "little" leaven. I willingly sin and thereby risk having an ineffective relationship with my Lord. If my relationship is ineffective then my worship will be dull and wrote and then I risk being a hypocrite!
ReplyDeleteOh, Lord help me to vigilant. To have ears that are tuned to You and Your every request of me. Never seeking to be comfortable but rather wholly dependent on You. All glory and honor are Yours.
If I where to stop praying for others and just focus on myself and my own needs then yes I would say Hypocrite would fits. Not to thank the Lord for everything He has done and is still doing, would make me a hypocrite, not trusting Him when He is saying to do things for Him. I know that I could find a lot of areas that would make a hypocrite, but there are many more that the Lord has done and is doing in this sinner's life that show me that I am on track with Him, and by Him only. Rudy
ReplyDeleteI was touched by the Lord's deep concern for me: am I more concerned with the inner, or outer man? My Father doesn't want me to be one who goes through the motions while keeping my heart apart from His. Pastor Dale said that 'Jesus followers are worried about lasting changes in the heart.' This is a good time to compare MY outside walk, with the one in my heart. To make sure my focus is on an ongoing heart work. Pastor reminded me that Jesus saved His harshest words for the insincere, not the struggling. He knows my frame - His question for me: Is your heart hungry for MORE? He will gently lead me to a deeper understanding of His love for me, and how to live that not only inwardly, but outwardly.
ReplyDelete