Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story…
The Lord Jesus defines hypocrisy as those who like to publicly display their prayer life to others. Prayer has always been meant to be a private matter, but as I have said for many years, hypocrites will pray publicly on TVs, on the radio, and even on the internet. Why is this? It’s because they are hypocrites, just as the Lord taught.
Matthew 6:5-6 (KJB) And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Private conversations with God do not require an audience, after all when something is secret, it is not known or meant to be known by others. Can you imagine sitting down in a restaurant with your wife and speaking quietly about private matters together, but then she stands up, pulls out a megaphone and then continues the conversation so everybody can hear what’s being said between the two of you? Sounds ridiculous doesn’t it? More than likely a husband would get pretty ticked off at that type of behavior.
There is a huge difference between public and private, and it’s the difference between religion and hypocrisy. When something is private it’s not meant to be shared or heard by others. Any relationship that we have with the Lord in prayer doesn’t require an audience, but many self-righteous people who are caught up in false Christianity do this every single day. It’s not because they love Jesus, it’s because they love to be seen as religious, which is no different than many of the religious leaders 2,000 years ago that Jesus rebuked. They actually possess the same qualities today, which is the outward evidence that they really don’t love Christ from the heart.
Matthew 15:7-8 (KJB) Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Isaiah 29:13 (KJB) Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
Even the Lord Jesus would separate himself and go out into the mountains to pray privately, but now you see people doing it emotionally and even wildly for the cameras. It has always amazed me how people change from such immoral and disobedient people into an extremely religious person once they have an audience in front of them. You know the type, the ones that see a camera on them, so they immediately pull out some money and give it to a poor person on the sidewalk. It’s not because they loved the poor man, it’s because they love to appear as a religious and righteous person. They are like an actor in a movie who plays a certain part for the cameras, but in private, they are a completely different person. Currently, a lot of these same people are dressed up in religious robes, which were never commanded anywhere in the New Testament. The Pharisees have simply been revived in the form of false Christianity, because they are exactly the same types of people.
Matthew 23:5-6 (KJB) But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
Many years ago, I saw a very popular magazine sitting on a counter somewhere, and on the front cover was an admired religious figure who was bowed over with clasped hands. What a complete hypocrite! What kind of follower of Christ Jesus would allow that type of setup shot, but these are the same kinds of frauds that we are surrounded by in this world today.
Matthew 23:14 (KJB) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
Preaching God’s Word is supposed to be done publicly, but prayer is a completely different matter. Praying privately is a command of the Lord, and those who get involved with the public display of these activities do not love Christ Jesus no matter how much they claim to. This is because our obedience toward Him, is the proof of our love for Him.
John 14:21-24 (KJB) He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
Religious pride is deadly, because it is not motivated for a love for Jesus, but a love to be seen by others. They may appear like a sheep on the exterior, but deep down inside of their hearts they are a hypocritical fraud. The religious people love them and will exalt them into the heavens, but the truth is that they are a complete abomination in the sight of God, and will be thrust into hell.
Luke 16:15 (KJB) And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
Luke 6:26 (KJB) Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
Hypocrisy can come in many different forms, but you don’t have to look too far to find it, because you can see it prominently displayed on the internet, television, and magazines. Don’t be like unto them, because rather than praying in secret, they love to be seen by the public, as they lift up their hands and their voices to heaven, with all of their….
…….Prayers of Hypocrisy
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.♥️
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