REMOVE THE LOG, PLEASE: OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 23RD JULY 2018

MEMORISE:

Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Romans 2:21

READ: Matthew 7:1-5

1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

MESSAGE:

Today, we will be reflecting on the subject of hypocrisy. In general terms, hypocrisy is the habit of pretending to be what one is not. Hypocrites especially pretend to be morally upright but in reality, they are morally bankrupt. Jesus Christ identified the Pharisees as perfect examples of hypocrites, and He exposes some interesting characteristics they possess. Let us consider some of these traits, so that we can guard ourselves against them. 

Simply put, hypocrites are blind to their own faults (Matthew 7:5), they are ignorant of the current move of God (Luke 12:56), they do not know what is important to God (Luke 13:15-16) and they obsess over the traditions of men (Mark 7:8). Furthermore, they lack knowledge of God’s true expectations of His people (Matthew 23:14-15), and love to make public display of their moral and religious standing, (Matthew 6:2). 

Hypocrites view themselves as the only godly, virtuous and spiritual people around. Consequently, they are highly judgmental of other people’s mistakes and short comings in public, whereas they themselves may even be guilty of worse sins in secret. A careful consideration of these characteristics may reveal one or two that may be evident in your life. I pray that God will destroy every root of hypocrisy in your life today in Jesus’ Name.

Jesus often called the Pharisees hypocrites because of the conflict between their external actions and their internal state (Matthew 23:27-28). In order not to end up like them, we must thoroughly check ourselves often. Do you seldom preach to yourself as a Christian? Do you find yourself practicing what you preach against? Are you blind to your own faults? Do you have the habit of crucifying others when they fall into error? Are you judgmental of other people’s mistakes? 

Is your internal state consistent with your external works? Are you in anyway hypocritical in thought or action? May the Lord shine His light into our hearts and deliver His Church from hypocrisy in Jesus’ Name. Jesus compared hypocrites to whitewashed tombs and to dishes that are clean on the outside but dirty on the inside (Matthew 23:25-28). It’s such a scary thing to be viewed as neat and clean outside while the internal space that matters most is in despicable condition. 

This illustration also speaks to Christians who are deemed to be mature, and yet are secretly involved in shameful things. If you are in such a situation, it is time to remove the log from your eyes and straighten out your life. Your efforts to do away with hypocrisy will receive God’s approval in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please help me to be honest with myself henceforth in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezra 7-8, Matthew 6:16-34

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 15: NEARER MY GOD TO THEE.

Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness comes over me, my rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!

There let me see the sight, an open Heaven;
All that Thou sendest me, in mercy given;
Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!

Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!