September 26th, 2024
Thursday, September 26th
Hearts that Honor God
By: Anna Williams
Imagine you are leaning over the side of a boat. You stretch your arms out as far as you can to reach someone who has fallen into shark infested waters. The sharks are circling around them and just before their hand reaches your own, you recoil from their reach because your shirt sleeve gets wet. Then, still without aiding them, you lecture them on proper boat safety and the most effective practices for avoiding accidental falls like this.
If that person survives the ordeal, what’s the likelihood of them going boating with you again? Will you have likely gained or lost their respect?
So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony.” Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’” -Mark 7:5-7 (NLT)
Jesus was upset with the religious people of his day for placing tradition and “that’s how we’ve always done it” above all else. He saw that they had focused so much on their methods of worship that they lost sight of the purpose of worship.
He reminded us that our focus should be to love God with all our heart, soul and mind; and to love our neighbor as ourselves. (Matthew 22:36–40) When we encounter someone in need of rescue, we should pray for guidance on method and then extend a loving hand to pull them out so they can be introduced to a relationship with Jesus.
Hearts that Honor God
By: Anna Williams
Imagine you are leaning over the side of a boat. You stretch your arms out as far as you can to reach someone who has fallen into shark infested waters. The sharks are circling around them and just before their hand reaches your own, you recoil from their reach because your shirt sleeve gets wet. Then, still without aiding them, you lecture them on proper boat safety and the most effective practices for avoiding accidental falls like this.
If that person survives the ordeal, what’s the likelihood of them going boating with you again? Will you have likely gained or lost their respect?
So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony.” Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’” -Mark 7:5-7 (NLT)
Jesus was upset with the religious people of his day for placing tradition and “that’s how we’ve always done it” above all else. He saw that they had focused so much on their methods of worship that they lost sight of the purpose of worship.
He reminded us that our focus should be to love God with all our heart, soul and mind; and to love our neighbor as ourselves. (Matthew 22:36–40) When we encounter someone in need of rescue, we should pray for guidance on method and then extend a loving hand to pull them out so they can be introduced to a relationship with Jesus.
Recent
Archive
2024
January
New Year, Fresh StartA Good Plan for the New YearCall on MeHope Has a NameHolidays in Rear ViewHolinessHow to Have our Mind TransformedNew Year, New YouA Pattern of RenewalVictory in JesusFear Knot? Fear Not.Seek the LORDBetterWhere to Place your TrustRadical GraceGenerosity God's WayThe Poor and NeedyThe Open Hand ConceptA Need that Burdens your HeartHow's Your Heart?Who Are You?Testing in the Wilderness
February
CallingDon't HideWhere You AreJust the Two of UsInvesting in the Kingdom of GodThe Golden RuleAgainst the GrainUnexplainable JoyThe Power of God's WordFollow MeThe God of the ImpossibleOut on a LimbWe All Face ItTrue JusticeGatherGood SoilDon't Put God in a BoxBe BraveCulture CheckFeed His Sheep. Love His People.Jesus Revealed
March
Jesus in His GloryNot QuantityHow Much God Loves ChildrenWhere Two or Three are GatheredLike Little ChildrenFocusAmazing GraceBeing Confronted By JesusKingdom FruitWedding AttireCome with a Hungry HeartLive and Lead Like HimTough LoveBe on your GuardKeep WatchTalentsSlow DownBeing Led by the SpiritKingdom WatchThey Are Us. We Are Them.Jesus Gave His All For UsHe is Risen, Indeed
April
The Most Important Question Ever AskedExchanging Death for a Better LifeThe Space BetweenHe's got the KeysI want to know HimJoy of the LordNeverthelessFullness of JoyFavorites"Try it, you'll like it."He Created MeHe Chose to Die for MeGod's Love for UsAn Eternal LoveNothing will SeparateThe Salt ShakerThe Word Brings HopeMeditate on God's WordA Well Lit PathEverything Wears OutEnjoy itModeration found in Contentment
Categories
Tags
no tags
No Comments