--God is Calling Us to be Like Him~

--Beware of Hypocrisy ~~

~~"Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full hypocrisy and iniquity."
---(Matthew 23:28) --
-[Bible Reading / Matthew 23:23-39]

---In today's Bible reading, Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for overemphasizing outward appearance while overlooking inner qualities of the heart. The devil can trick us into doing the same thing, which is hypocrisy. Today's key verse reminds me of what I experience occasionally in everyday life. We burn wood in an outdoor furnace as a source of heat in winter. Every year I gather wood from fallen trees or trees I cut down. I enjoy cutting firewood! But sometimes after a tree falls, I find the center to be hollow. The tree looks fine on the outside, but alas, the center is rotted out.

Many religious people know how to say the right words and wear the right clothes. That is good, but it can be dangerous. We can dress up in our Sunday best, come to church on time participate in Sunday school discussions, and give a stirring testimony of our salvation experience. We can do a lot of good things, and possibly impress many people. But we may be hiding sin in our life and refusing to deal with it squarely. If so, we are like that hollow tree, righteous only on the outside and ungodly in the heart. God wants soundness from the inside to the outside!

Psalm 26:2 says, "Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart." It takes honesty and humility to pray this prayer, but it is an important part of being Godly through and through. Let us stop trying to impress people and sincerely serve our Lord Jesus who knows all about us. Nothing can be hidden from God's all-seeing eye!
Yes, God is calling us to be holy. We will never be perfect on this side of Heaven. We grow daily. We Press On, in Jesus Name! ~~

--BSW/JK
----"What If I Gave Everything"/ (lyrics) Casting Crowns //<https://youtu.be/tP27ySgbYLU>
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