PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we often ask that Your Will be done in our lives and not our own; but we forget about our own part in that. To adhere to Your Will. To let go of what is comfortable, to let go of what is sinful, to step out in faith, to step out trusting You every step of the way. We forget to get quiet and still, for however long it may take to just hear from You. We forget to search Your Word, for the Word is You, it is living and has all we need to lead us into the right direction. We forget to pray, not only to bring request but to just honor You. To please You with the Words from our mouths. To pray in the Spirit, so that You can speak to You and work everything out. Forgive us Father. Correct us Father. Speak to us Father. Let Your voice be the most clear voice we hear today and every day. When we get off track and fall ever so slightly into old patterns that we need to shake. I thank You in advance for putting us in situations that knock us back onto the right track... Your track. Thank You for the many purposes that we will serve on this earth. Let us see the purpose in each day that we live and not only search for some BIG purpose that seems so unreachable that it keeps us stuck in the same place we were in a week, month, year(s) ago. Thank You for growth Father. For moving us into different stages and on new levels according to You. You are an awesome God. Thank You for our healthy bodies, here on this earth to serve Your purposes. Thank You for bringing people into our lives not only to bring God into their lives, but to remind ourselves of who You are in our own lives. Thank You for being the only God we can turn to and receive answers, love, support, forgiveness-You're too real. My Father! Hallelujah. In Jesus' name, Amen
SEVEN WOES:
emphasis on verses 1-7
1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 "The teacher of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3 So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
5 Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries (boxes containing Scripture verses, worn on forehead and arm) wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted in the marketplace and to have men call them 'Rabbi.'
Before we go into detail of the Seven Woes, let's talk about people. My favorite thing to say is that "People are interesting." They are. They are a trip sometimes, funny the next time, demeaning another time, selfish that time, a joy to be around most of the time (hopefully), and sometimes horrible to be around. We'll never get each other. We shouldn't even try. But God gets us. And He is the one we need to turn to when we just don't get "them" (family, friends, strangers, customers, clients, bosses,--you name it) LOL.
The Pharisees' traditions and their interpretations and applications of the laws had become as important to them as God's law itself. Their laws were not all bad—some were beneficial. Problems arose when the religious leaders (1) held that man-made rules were equal to God's laws, (2) told the people to obey these rules but did not do so themselves, or (3) obeyed the rules, not to honor God , but to make themselves look good. Usually Jesus did not condemn what the Pharisees taught but what they were-hypocrites. Jesus again exposed the hypocritical attitudes of the religious leaders. They knew the Scripture but did not live by them. They didn't care about being holy--just looking holy in order to receive peoples' admiration and praise. Today, like the Pharisees, many people say they know the Bible but do not let it change their lives. They say they follow Jesus, but they don't live by His standards of love. Even today, someone told me that a Cardinal was speaking at a Wedding Anniversary party about how we don't necessarily need to believe everything the Bible says, but believing in God and His Spirit is paramount. The Cardinal! Who gave him that? How can we learn about God, if we do not learn His Word? God instructs us to read his Word to know Him. If you don't believe it, if you don't even read it -- how do you know if it's God, You, or the Enemy whispering in that ear of yours. Come on now! We must make sure that our actions match our beliefs. Our beliefs don't come from the air, they come from God's Word and living in relationship with Him.
More about people tomorrow... :-)
OLD SCHOOL QUESTION: DO YOU PRACTICE WHAT YOU CLAIM TO BELIEVE?
(SOME OF US DON'T PREACH LOL)
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