Jesus taught by deduction: Learning by deduction …. How NOT to be! Read Matthew 23 and learn how NOT to be!
Matthew 23 records the most violent divine rebuke of what God hates. It’s the longest most detailed, thorough reprimand of religious hypocrisy in existence.
Matthew 23 is a divine clinic of Heaven’s distaste for external religiosity and not humble serving from a pure heart (Matthew 5:3, 8; 1 Timothy 1:5, etc.). And what do our hearts need to be cleaned of and established in?
In summation, what was the sin of the Pharisees, these most vile hypocrites lambasted by the Son more severely than any other? Let us observe that according to our LORD’s rebuke of them, their sins included self-righteousness, pride, and hypocrisy. God looks on the heart, the state or inward disposition of the man, not on his outward religious show (1 Samuel 16:7). God always works from the inside out.
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.” Matthew 23:23-26
21 CHARACTERISTICS OF HYPOCRITES:
(taken from a reference Bible)
Matthew 23
1. Demand respect as teachers – v2
2. Teach, but do not practice – v3
3. Demand service; not give it – v4
4. Seek praise of men – v5
5. Parade their religion – v5
6. Seek chief banquet places – v6
7. Seek chief places in church – v6
8. Glory in personal attention – v7
9. Glory in titles – v7
10. Rob men of truth and life – v13
11. Reject truth and life – v13
12. Take advantage of widows – v14
13. Exhibit l-o-n-g prayers – v14
14. Are zealous to win men to their sect, but not to God – v15
15. Root and ground converts in hypocrisy, not in God – v15
16. Profess to be the only guide in religion, but are blind to truth and practical Christianity – v16-22
17. Propagate those parts of religion from which they receive the most personal gain and honor – v16-22
18. Strain at gnats and swallow camels; stress minor details and omit the fundamentals of religion – v23-24
19. Glory in bodily cleanliness, but live in moral filth – v25-26
20. Exhibit outward religion and self-righteousness and ignore inward holiness in life and conduct – v2, 7-28
21. Pretend to be more righteous than their forefathers – v29-33
Anyone who reads Matthew 23 can see that Jesus Christ is the polar opposite of religionists who bind men with heavy burdens and overemphasize the externals while neglecting to get their internal (heart) right with God. And the same is true today among those pretending to represent Christ.
Jesus used the scathing phrase “blind guides” twice, both times speaking to, rebuking false religionists:
“Woe unto you, ye BLIND GUIDES, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!” Matthew 23:16
“Ye BLIND GUIDES, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.” Matthew 23:24
One sister noted:
“I know many ‘modestly’ dressed plain dowdy looking women who are EVIL at heart and are full of adultery, fornication, and the Jezebel spirit.”
Response:
Amen! Amen! The Bible tells us that “The LORD looketh on the HEART” and that all sins come from the unsanctified hearts of men. Memorize and study 1 Sam. 16:7 and Mark 7:20-23. Oh, and what did Jesus say of the religious posers of His day and how they cleaned the OUTSIDE of the cup but left the INSIDE filthy (Matt. 23). Some seek to impose their own measures on others, ever notice that? God always starts HIS work from the inside out.
“Rend your HEART and not your garments (outward)!” Joel 2:13
According to Jesus, both past and modern Pharisees always overemphasize the outward. We ourselves must beware of such.
The self-righteous pharisees refused to come to the LORD on HIS terms.
“For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” Romans 10:2-3
Let us be wise…. and not run from God’s call on our lives and all the blessings Jesus died to grant because of the people, the mere sinners, like ourselves, who have misrepresented the Savior. …. You have a choice: You can either be amidst the hypocrites here on earth, or you can go to hell with them….. Even Jesus had a traitor among His 12. God be praised for His authentic disciples and may He bless both you and I to be in that number. Jesus is coming.
Have We Ourselves become Pharisees?
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Abiding
The Good Shepherd and His True Sheep [podcast]

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant …” Hebrews 13:20
“To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.” John 10:3
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” John 10:27-29
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” 2 Timothy 3:1-13
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” Luke 9:23-25
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Apostasy
Eating the Fat, and Drinking the Sweet! [podcast]

Mourning Trumps Merriment in Christ’s Kingdom
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I’d like to walk in Your bless-ed joy, filling my life to overflowing, no matter what’s transpiring. LORD, I ask You to do Your deeper work in my heart, in my life. Please set apart my life to truly glorify You, being full of the fruits of Your righteousness. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Everyone desires the joy of the LORD, right? Yes, yet only those who are willing to devour His Word – to get it into their hearts and keep it flowing into their hearts, will experience that great joy of the LORD which is our strength! In context, the joy of the LORD is the strength of those who read it, hear it, embrace it, adhere to it, and keep it flowing into their mind and heart daily! (Nehemiah 8:8, 10)
“So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly (directly), and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. … 10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:8, 10
After they had feasted on God’s Word, the elders of Israel said to them: You are now full of the Word. Now “Go your way”, that is, go home and be blessed to “send portions” of the bounty of the LORD you’ve been filled with today to overflowing. “Freely ye have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8) Let your cup run over and bless others! Let your light shine into others, may your cup run over onto others, to bless them with the bountiful blessings of the LORD you have received.
We have to eat the fat and drink the sweet of the Word of God to be filled with the joy of the LORD which is our strength!
“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16
Nourishing the Body of Christ
“If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.” 1 Timothy 4:6
DO people know they can find the rich treasures of God’s Word when they walk into your life, when they visit your social media page? (Colossians 3:16) Will they be “nourished” by the milk and meat of God’s bless-ed Word when they are graced to be in your company?
“There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise.” Proverbs 21:20
Holy Father, we ask You in the name of Jesus to make us happy in Jesus as You’ve forgiven and freed us from our sin and so of all people on Your earth, only Your people can be truly happy in Thee dear LORD. Please bless each of Your beloved saints to be anointed for the death and burial of the self life and raised up in Your blessed resurrection grace and joy. In Jesus’ name let it be dear LORD.
“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” John 15:11
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Apostasy
Pride and False Prophets [podcast]

“And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” Matthew 24:11
What’s the difference between true and false servants of the LORD?
Jeremiah 23 is essential concerning recognizing the “MANY false prophets” which Jesus foretold would “deceive MANY” in this late hour before His return (Matthew 24:11).
True servants of the LORD stand in the counsel, the WORD of the LORD and not in the evil imaginations, dreams, or visions of their own wicked hearts.
Jeremiah 23
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.
17 They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.
18 For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?
19 Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.
20 The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.
21 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.”
ARE YOU in God’s Word daily or have you backslidden? It’s either one or the other.
True servants of the LORD, as was the case with Paul and Timothy, will get YOU into God’s Word for yourself…
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” 1 Peter 2:2
So both the LORD’s apostle Paul and the apostle Peter instructed believers to get into the Word of God for themselves – to “study” and to “desire” it. Any man pretending to represent Christ and not do this very thing repeatedly is a bona fide wolf in sheep’s clothing, a devil.
Imagine parents who continued to feed their infant and never taught that baby to pick up the spoon and feed themself…. so that child would perpetually be dependent upon someone else feeding them…. in the natural this is unheard of, yet it’s rampant in that which claims to be Christ’s “church.”
Read Jeremiah 23.
“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” James 4:6-10
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1
Pride vs Humility
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18) True humility before God first, then men, always wins – “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” (James 4:10)
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