evotion 41
The first principle of reformation is transparency and trust. Most of us enjoy being around honest people and do not appreciate pretentious people. The worldwide economic crash reflects dishonesty and mistrust at the highest levels, which has led to international instability. Hypocrisy leads to mistrust which destroys relationships and societies. Jesus hates hypocrisy particularly when it prevents people from knowing God. In Luke 16 Jesus exposed the Pharisees hypocrisy by saying, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own? Vs14 “Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.” But Jesus said to the Pharisees, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”
God knows our hearts, and the Pharisees’ devotion to money not to God was obvious to Jesus. God’s passion and aim is to save those who respond to Him, to preserve their lives and to restore them (Luke 15). The Pharisees were not eager to know God or be known by God. Jesus exposed the Pharisees true intentions as lovers of money not God. They had not been faithful to God, nor had they been faithful to do what God had given them to do, so they could not be trusted with the true riches, the message of the kingdom of God.
Jesus went on to say, “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.” Wherever Jesus went people were eager to hear His teaching and receive healing from Him. The tragic irony was, that the Pharisees and scribes, who had been entrusted with God’s law, were unwilling to receive the kingdom of God!
PRAYER OF FAITH: Father thank you that you know my heart. Today I let go of my self justification, and lay hold of You. I join with those who are “pressing into your kingdom”. Please show me any misplaced devotion in my heart to anything that distracts me from You Father. I love You, I worship You and honor You. Hallelujah! Amen.
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