Mark 7:6, "He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me."
This is the biblical definition of a hypocrite, "someone whose words and heart (actions) don't agree." A hypocrite may act the part of a Christian or he may talk like Christ, but he won't do both. When both confession and action from the heart are consistent with God's Word, there is salvation (Rom. 10:9-10).
The word "hypocrite" comes from the Greek word "hupokrites," meaning "the playing of a part on the stage; an actor." It was a custom for Greek and Roman actors to use large masks, when acting, to disguise their true identity. Hence, hypocrisy became "the feigning of beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; insecurity" (American Heritage Dictionary).
The dictionary defines "dissimulate" as "to disguise under a feigned appearance." The Greek word means "without hypocrisy, unfeigned." It has become customary in our society to conceal our real feelings behind a hypocritical mask. Although we should be tactful and not purposely say things to offend people, there is a time and a place for speaking the truth, even if it isn't popular.
In Leviticus 19:17, the Lord said, "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him." This verse is saying that if we fail to rebuke our brother when we see sin approaching, then we hate him. Many people have concealed their true feelings about evil under the pretense of, "I just love them too much to hurt their feelings." The truth is, they just love themselves too much to run the risk of being rejected. That's hypocrisy. Motives - not actions - are usually what makes a person a hypocrite. Let God's love be your motivation today and everyday.
FREE FROM THE CURSE :
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. – Galatians 3:13
You know the story. Satan came to Adam's wife in the form of a serpent and deceived her into disobeying God. Adam, although he was not deceived, followed suit.
When Satan came into the Garden that day, he didn't have any power at all. He had to come in like a sneak, not even talking to Adam directly but talking to his wife.
Now Adam was standing there, and he should have kicked him out right then. But he didn't. Instead, he set aside the command God had given him and did what Satan told him to do instead...and when he did that, he made Satan his lord.
In bowing his knee to Satan, Adam gave Satan the authority that God had given man. He made Satan the illegitimate ruler of the earth. Immediately things changed. Through one man's trespass, death passed to all men (Rom. 5:12).
The earth and everything in it was suddenly cursed.
"Okay," you say, "are we to live under this curse for the rest of our lives? Wasn't there anything God could do?"
He could and He did! He sent Jesus. Through Jesus, He set us free from the curse (Gal. 3:13).
The moment you made Jesus Christ Lord of your life, you were delivered from the lordship of Satan. You were redeemed from the curse. I didn't say the curse wasn't out there anymore. It is! You can see it all around you. But now you have a choice. You have authority over it in the Name of Jesus, so you can stand against it.
God's done everything that love can do. He sent Jesus to redeem you from the curse. The rest is up to you. Now you must appropriate what has already been done for you.
“For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers…” (1 Peter 3:12).
When you are in right standing with God, you have a right to get your prayers answered. Come to God with your requests according to His Word, in the name of Jesus, and He is faithful to grant them
PRAYER POWER :
Luke 11:1 - "And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples'."
When you consider that Jesus was the greatest miracle worker who ever walked the earth and the greatest preacher who ever lived, it is amazing that His disciples asked Him to teach them to pray. Why didn't they ask Him to teach them how to work these miracles or how to preach and amaze the people with their doctrine?
It's because Jesus' prayer life was even more powerful than His miracles or His doctrine. Indeed, it was His union with the Father that gave Him His power to work miracles and His authority to speak as no man had ever spoken before. Jesus said repeatedly that it was His Father who was doing the miracles through Him and that His doctrine was not His own but the Father's.
The same holds true today. Jesus said in John 15:5 that without Him, we can do nothing. There are many things that we should do in addition to prayer, but there is nothing that we can effectively do without prayer. Prayer is one of the main ways of abiding in Him (John 15:7). Therefore, our request should be like these disciples' — "Lord, teach us to pray."
We should come expecting to receive answers to prayer. The Father is ready and willing to answer our prayers. Just ask and you shall receive
The Gospel Saves In Every Situation
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes… Romans 1:16
Each time you hear the gospel of Christ, you are hearing God’s good news for you. And the Bible tells us that the gospel of Christ — the good news that God wants all men to hear — is the very power of God for your salvation, not just from hell, but also from illnesses, financial lack, harm, a failing marriage — every aspect of your life that needs saving!
You may say, “Pastor, I’ve heard the gospel of Christ, but it seems like I am one of those whom the power of God has missed.” My friend, when you hear the gospel of Christ, do you really believe it? You cannot just understand it in your mind. You must know and believe the good news in your heart, and then you will see that it is the power of God for your salvation.
But what is the good news that God wants you to know in your heart, which will release the power and salvation of God into your situation?
“For in it [the good news] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith…” (Romans 1:17) The good news is that you are the righteousness of God in Christ, which you receive from faith to faith.
This means that this righteousness comes because you have faith in His blood, not your good behavior, to make you righteous. It is from faith to faith, not faith to works, or works to works.
The good news is not preached to show you what is wrong with you. It is preached to show you what is right with you because of Jesus’ work at Calvary, in spite of what is wrong with you!
There is nothing left for you to do to earn God’s blessings for your life. You only need to hear and believe the all-encompassing saving power of the gospel of Christ to heal you of diseases, preserve you from danger, prosper your finances and bring well-being to your family.
The world may say that the good news is too good to be true. But for those of us who are the righteousness of God in Christ, the good news is so good because it is indeed true!
Thought For The Day
Hearing and believing the good news will release the power of God into your situation.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY :
“By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life.” (Psalm, 42:8}
Dear Lord God, I praise You. I honor You. Let the rain of this morning fall upon me with abundances from the heavenly barn. Fill my cup with overflow blessings and nourish my life profusely. I give thanks to God for another blessed day for the love of God keeps me warm at heart. The Lord; my God is with me and His right hand sustains me in all my ways and guides me to walk on the righteous path that leads me to reach the great reward in heaven ultimately. Great is Your faithfulness O God!
Gratefully, in Jesus’ holy name. Amen !!!
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