Reminder for Tomorrow

Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees.

I had been troubled by many things I was seeing and hearing about church.  In my prayer time, God had me re-read Matthew 23 and 24 which really put things in perspective.  I found that a Scribe is someone who copies others’ work and preserves it.  A Pharisee is a member of an ancient Jewish sect, distinguished by strict observance of the traditional and written law, and commonly held to the pretense of superior sanctity.  Does that sound familiar?  Jesus came down on them hard in these chapters, I liken it to operating in the letter of the law and not the Spirit.  They were impressed with themselves and enjoyed being treated special.  He told them not to call anyone father because there is only one, nor teacher as Christ is our Teacher and no one else.  And the greatest among you will be your servant.  He called them hypocrites because they pretended to have virtues that they did not possess.  He accused them of taking money from people who could not afford to give and making long pretentious prayers and even lead converts into false teachings.  He said they make a big deal of tithing while neglecting the higher matters of justice, mercy, and faith.  He called them blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel, in other words, stop trying to clean the outside of the vessel and work on the inside.  Even so, he said, you outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy.  I say stop playing church and be Church!!!!  Recently I have listened to preachers stand in the pulpit and read other people’s work for their sermon.  I have longed to find a Spirit-filled church that was Spirit lead and not man lead.

Does any of this sound familiar?  I contend we are being led away from the Gospel by the enemy.  I am amazed at what I hear from Christian friends who obviously have not spent any time in the Word to learn the truth.  I heard someone say this week that we must be emptied of the world to be filled with the Word.  Pray to be filled with the Spirit of God as you are the new Temple and dwelling place of The Almighty!

We had planned our 5th Tuesday get together for tonight but the storms thought otherwise so we have moved the party to tomorrow so I will fast with you until the hamburgers and hotdogs are ready.  God bless you, Jim