Jesus said, "When you pray do not be like the Hypocrites" - Who are the hypocrites and how can we guard against being like them?
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Doing Acts of Righteousness
Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. – Matthew 6:1-2 Jesus wasn’t calling them hypocrites because they gave to the poor, but because of the manner in which they gave. Too much of what the Pharisees and other religious leaders did was to impress and influence the common people. It could be that they didn’t feel righteous so to compensate they continually tried to prove their righteousness. It seems that in every group of believers there is that one person who, in his heart of hearts, does not feel accepted so he often tries to prove his righteousness by volunteering for every job in the church and giving to every cause. His works of righteousness are good and worthy works, but his motivation is not faith based; it is approval based. The situation with the Pharisees was a bit more severe than that. They actually did not have benevolence in their heart which is shown by the way they extract everything they can from the poor requiring them to live by the law as they interpreted it. Jesus called them hypocrites, actors, showmen. The good works they did was to demonstrate their righteousness and establish their authority as religious leaders – it was not done to benefit the needy. Jesus was certainly not wanting to discourage us from giving gifts to the poor, but he is calling us to a righteousness which exceeds that of the Pharisees. He is calling us to respond to the needs of others with compassion, not with piety. Yes, there are rewards for having compassion for those in need, but the focus is not to be on the blessing but the opportunity to serve another who has a need. Jesus is again speaking to the condition of our heart and asking if we truly love the world as he loves the world. Prayer: Lord, grant me a compassionate heart. In Jesus name, amen. Message: Jesus was certainly not wanting to discourage us from giving gifts to the poor, but he is calling us to a righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees. He is calling us to respond to the needs of others with compassion, not with piety. Affirmation: I am committed to sharing my life with others because I am constrained by the love of God. I give of all my resources; my time, talent and finances. Reflection: Can you think of some of the reasons people do things to appear religious or spiritual? It would be good to examine your own life to see what motivates you to give of yourself to others.
Turn the Other Cheek
Among the hard sayings of Jesus is this one, "Turn the other cheek." How are we to do that without allowing ourselves to be abused by others? We will talk about that in this devotion.
Turn The Other Cheek
Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. – Matthew 5:29-42 There is a truth hidden in this passage that when understood and practiced will turn any person into a peacemaker. See if you can detect this divine principle in this devotion. People in the western world spend massive amounts of time, energy and money to combat evil and the result is that prisons house more inmates and communities have not been made safer. Why is that? Are we perpetuating violence rather than stopping violence? Take 12 people and line them up. Instruct the first to slap the second, the second to slap the third, etc. through the entire line. If that continues you will have 12 angry people who are probably busy slapping each other. But let's say that the first person slaps the second and the second slaps the third. The third looks at the second and says, “This has got to stop and it stops with me. I will not strike number four.” The violence has ended. I know that is simplistic but it is at least a beginning. Suppose we change the way we think about the aggressor. Suppose that instead of responding with appropriate retaliation we respond with, “What can I do to make things easier for you?” Jesus said, “If someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.” What would compel a person who has just received an injustice to be more generous than was asked of him? In Jesus day a Roman soldier could require a local citizen to carry his gear, but only for a mile. What would happen if the citizen said, “Sir, I would be willing to carry your gear for another mile?” Have you figured out the principle? God employed this principle when he gave us Jesus. “For God so loved the world that he gave…” Think about how you can love and give. Prayer: Father, help me to love others as you have loved me. Amen. Message: Suppose we change the way we think about the aggressor. Suppose that instead of responding with appropriate retaliation we respond with, “What can I do to make things easier for you?” Affirmation: Rather than think of how I can retaliate against an aggressor I consider how I can help relieve the cause of his aggression. Reflection: God knew what would happen to Jesus when he came to earth preaching the kingdom and Jesus knew his destiny. That fact gives meaning to his teaching about turning the cheek and going the extra mile. So how do we do that? The same way he did: "For God so loved the world that he gave..." Think about it.
Disrespect is a Form of Murder
You have heard that it was said… “Do not murder”… But I say… Anyone who says to his brother, “Raca,” is answerable to the Sanhedrin. – Matthew 5:22 We have all seen the time when we were in heated argument with another person and in the passion of the moment we attacked that persons character.
The word translated “raca” here literally means one who is empty, worthless and has no value.
I remember a time when I overheard a conversation the person I considered my best friend was having with another friend.
One of the great challenges in disagreements is to be able to separate the issue from the individual.
It requires effort, but it is much better to use words that bind friendships together than it is to use words that destroy relationships. Message: It is not a sin to become angry or upset with someone, but it is a sin if we don’t deal with our anger in an appropriate manner. If my anger toward you drives me to insulting you, then I am limiting the effect that I can have with you and that you can have with me. Prayer: Father, forgive me for ever disrespecting another person because of a disagreement and help me to use words of peace. In Jesus name, amen. Affirmation: I have purposed to deal with anger in an appropriate manner in order that my life will have a positive effect on those around me. Reflection: One of the great challenges in disagreements is to be able to separate the issue from the individual. I can passionately disagree with you without placing judgment on you and condemning you for your position on the issue. Practice thinking of ways to separate the issue from the individual. To get your complimentary copy of the devotional titled Sermon on the Mount Volume One JUST CLICK HERE
Unresolved Anger is Deadly
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, “Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:” But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. – Matthew 5:21-22 (KJV) As we learn about righteousness which exceeds that of the Pharisees we have to look to the cause behind our deeds, or at least the cause that is behind what we would do if the law didn’t prohibit it. Most of us have known that person who seemed to be seething with anger and was just waiting for a chance to boil over onto someone.
We must realize that anger is not evil, but unresolved anger leads to evil intent.
Unresolved anger is the issue here.
If we do carry a seething anger against another person or persons we are guilty of a grave sin and in need of forgiveness.
Paul addresses this issue in Ephesians 4:26-27, “In your anger do not sin; Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”
Prayer: Lord, grant me the grace to resist carrying anger toward others. Help me to resolve any anger issues daily. In Jesus name, amen. Message: Anger unresolved leads to bitterness and bitterness leads to death, either physical or emotional. If we do carry a seething anger against another person or group we are guilty of a grave sin and in need of forgiveness. Affirmation: When I am angry, I settle the issue quickly so a seed of bitterness is not formed in my spirit. Reflection: Anger is not sin, but unresolved anger can lead to sin. Anger comes from being hurt or offended by another person. Who has offended you? Do you still carry a bruise in your spirit over a past offence? Give some careful thought to that question and if you are carrying an offense against someone, get it resolved quickly. To get your complimentary copy of the devotional titled Sermon on the Mount Volume One JUST CLICK HERE
You Have Heard… But I Say…
You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.” But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. – Matthew 5:21-22 Immediately after telling his followers that their righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees Jesus begins to explain what he meant.
The Pharisees were good men who were trying to live out a faith that was impossible to live.
Again Jesus is showing that there is a distinction between religion and kingdom life.
The only way our righteousness can exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees is to undergo heart surgery.
The world has said, “Thou shalt not,” but Jesus has said, “Even that is not enough; you must rid your heart of all malice.”
Affirmation: I am able to keep a pure heart only by the working of Holy Spirit in me. It is the grace of God that gives me the opportunity to have a pure heart. Prayer: Lord, grant me the grace to keep my heart free of religion and submitted to you. Help me to have a clean and pure heart. Grant me your righteousness. In Jesus name, amen. To get your complimentary copy of the devotional titled Sermon on the Mount Volume One JUST CLICK HERE
Kingdom Rules Written On Our Heart
I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. – Ezekiel 36:25-27 In this prophecy the prophet Ezekiel reveals the secret to the success of the kingdom of God.
The issue is that the people called by God to follow him had become defiled.
We’ve all heard the axiom, “You can take a pig out of the pig pen but you can’t take the pig pen out of the pig.”
God gives the purpose of the kingdom in a nutshell in this prophecy.
Repentance releases reconciliation with God through faith in Jesus the Christ of Redemption and gives us a new heart.
Affirmation: I have repented and have been reconciled to God and renewed in the Holy Spirit. I am also being reconciled to God each time I sin by continuing in repentance and I am being renewed daily. Prayer: I can see your purpose is to restore people to your glory. Grant me the grace and the will to participate in that purpose. Amen. To get your complimentary copy of the devotional titled Sermon on the Mount Volume One JUST CLICK HERE
Were the Pharisees Really Righteous?
I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 5:20 If I had been listening to Jesus say that I would probably have given up on the spot. The Pharisees were so holy I could never hope to be that holy, much less to be more righteous than they are. How could this be? The answer is not on the way they looked on the outside, or on the righteous acts they performed. The answer is what was in their heart. The rest of this chapter in Matthew deals with attitudes of the heart as Jesus explains what he meant by righteousness that surpasses the righteousness of the Pharisees. It wouldn’t be fair to accuse the Pharisees of being insincere in their attempt to be righteous. In fact, over the centuries they had developed many volumes of writings that defined the law so keenly that it was a standard no man could live up to. The Pharisees, through asceticism and rigid discipline had come close, but they had also become cynical, judgmental and calloused against any feeling for others. They stood on street corners saying prayers, paid tithe on the herbs from their gardens, and at the same time were merciless to the widows and the needy. They had the law in their head but hardness in their heart. Ezekiel calls their heart, “A heart of stone” (Ezekiel 36:26). The solution was not in understanding the law better but it was to have a heart transplant. Ezekiel says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will... give you a heart of flesh.” The only way to be more righteous than the Pharisees was to move religion from the head to the heart. When our heart is changed by the grace of God we then, by the new nature living in us, live a righteousness that surpasses the righteousness of the Pharisees. Prayer: Father, grant me the grace of a pure heart, a new heart. Let my heart be set on pleasing you. I don't want to just appear righteous to others I want to be righteous through faith in. Christ In Jesus name. Message: The only way to be more righteous than the Pharisees was to move religion from the head to the heart. When our heart is changed by the grace of God we then, by the new nature living in us, live a righteousness that surpasses that of the Pharisees. Affirmation: Legalism does not make us righteous. Our righteousness comes through having our heart changed and being given a new Spirit. Reflection: Do you understand how the righteousness of believers exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees? What is it that makes the difference between Pharisaical righteousness and the righteousness which comes by the grace of God? The Returning King Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. – John 14:1-3 The hope of believers since the beginning of the faith has been the eternal home which awaits the faithful. However, the disciples did not understand that when Jesus spoke the words John records in our verse today. Even at this time, shortly before his crucifixion, the disciples were looking for a literal earthly kingdom to be established with them as the 12 leaders, just as there were 12 tribes of Israel. After seeing the miracles, and hearing the teachings of Jesus, the disciples still didn’t get it. In fact, when Jesus was taken to be judged they ran and hid. Peter denied him then disappeared. They gathered in a room questioning what they would do now that their venture was over. Finally, after the resurrection, Jesus revealed himself to them. Their faith began to grow, and then he was being taken from them again. They watched as he ascended to heaven and an angel appeared to them and told them, “This same Jesus, who was taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). They realized what Jesus meant when he said, “I go to prepare a place for you.” They knew then that there would be a time that the king would return. Now they must go to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father. When the Holy Spirit came upon them, bringing with him the kingdom anointing, the disciples realized that now the kingdom was theirs to build until he returns. Our hope is in his return, his hope is in our faithfulness to kingdom anointing and purpose. God, through our faith in Christ, has given us a hope and we have this hope as an anchor for our souls - Hebrews 6:19 Prayer: Lord, grant me faith to continue serving you in the hope of that eternal home. In Jesus name. Amen. Message: When the Holy Spirit came upon them, bringing with him the kingdom anointing, the disciples realized that now the kingdom was theirs to build until he returns. Our hope is in his return, his hope is in our faithfulness to kingdom anointing and purpose. Affirmation: Jesus is returning and I am patiently awaiting his arrival. I am committed to working until he comes. Reflection: Is it possible that the return of Christ is in two stages? First, he returns as Holy Spirit to indwell believers and second he returns to bring his followers into the eternal kingdom. Get the whole book, an entire month of devotions just by clicking the link below. 
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” – Matthew 3:16-17
Jesus had a moment in time when His anointing became manifest and every person who chooses to follow him whole heartedly will have their own encounter with Holy Spirit anointing.
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AuthorPaul Smith: Husband, Grandfather, father, writer, preacher, pastor, servant of God... and hopefully thought of as a Christian. Take A Knee In Prayer Challenge
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