"When I pray, Lord please give me clarity and a Spirit of discernment. Above all, God I ask that You protect me from embracing or exhibiting "Pharisee" characteristics and behavior. "
The Pharisees in the Bible were members of a religious group or party who frequently clashed with Jesus Christ over his interpretation of the Law. The name "Pharisee" means "separated one." Use oh me, Lord, in a manner that effectively ministers to your children in such a way that never leads them astray or fails to leave them better off than they were before we crossed paths.
"Jesus Condemns the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law of Moses. 23 Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law are experts in the Law of Moses. 3 So obey everything they teach you, but don’t do as they do. After all, they say one thing and do something else. Matthew 23: 1-3.
In the Book of Matthew, chapter 23, Jesus teaches us that just because somebody knows the Bible doesn't mean that they know him? To make sure that the people understood this Jesus did more than quote Scripture, He bluntly, and unapologetically described the very essence of a Pharisee so that his children would not only know what they were up against but also how to change course. Jesus recognized that the people had been detoured.
Most adults can attest to being detoured in life at some point, and probably more than once. Some detours are more dangerous, harmful, and self-destructive than others. Whether it's drug addiction, gambling, cheating, greed, false-pride or having a spirit of deception; getting detoured is inevitable.
If a person is detoured on the road of life he or she stands to lose sources of wealth that money can't buy. One source is spiritual wealth, which encompasses joy, peace of mind, healthy lifestyle, and a spirit of contentedness. So, as you can see the price that one eventually pays in response to being detoured in life is rarely worth the prize. For this reason, it behooves us to hide the Word of God in our hearts and always pay attention to the spiritual compass inside of us better known as the conscious. In most cases, "if it doesn't feel right, it's not right."
Modern-day Pharisees can be found in all walks of life. The false prophet, the self-proclaimed evangelist who does no real evangelist work. And then there is the slew of preachers who've called upon themselves to preach rather than waiting on God to make that call. "Could it be in this case that they knew with all their heart that God wouldn't be calling?
Additionally, the Father explained why Pharisees couldn't be trusted even though they knew the Law of Moses. There are times when Scripture should provoke Christians to back up God's Word with action, either in word or deed. To be acceptable in God's sight, we must put in the necessary work! Truth led to Jesus being rejected in his own hometown, but rejection didn't stop him from telling it!" We can be kind, bold, effective and loving at the same time when God is the center of our life.
28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. 30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way." Luke 4: 28.
If Jesus was rejected in his own hometown simply because He dared to speak Truth, then certainly we should expect no less. Saying only what people want to hear does them a grave injustice. Christians are natural teachers. They are compassionate, and always willing to go the extra mile if it means keeping another from going astray.
