Tag: Bondage

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That Changes Everything

MAY 21

MATTHEW 6:5_Verily, I say unto you, they have their reward.

Jesus says if you live life the world’s way, you will have the world’s rewards.

The prayers of the hypocrites do not go unrewarded.

Perhaps they get the best seats in the synagogues.

Perhaps they receive high positions of administration.

Whatever their rewards, a very sad fact remains: the prayers of a self-glorifying hypocrite can never help the seeker find the Savior. 

The hypocrite loses God’s reward. Nothing in life is worth that: no praise, no financial gain, no high position, no fame. The praise, money, position, fame, could be a way God chooses to reward you openly. They also could be how the world rewards you.

Jesus makes clear what the problem is with the hypocrites’ public prayers: to be seen of men. That changes everything. These are not prayers of communication between the potter and the clay. These are prayers of self-glory. They communicate, “What a good and pious person I am, everyone should be like me.”

Read this one more time: the world rewards with bondage, God rewards with freedom.   

PRAYER

Holy Jesus, Teach me how to pray in private and in public. Teach me to know the difference. Place in my heart the desire to receive Your rewards, not the world’s. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen. 

Christ’s rewards give freedom—I want that!

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It Is They

MAY 10

MATTHEW 6:2_Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

Hypocrites.

If anyone makes the Bible and the Christian faith look bad, it is they.

If anyone can make a righteous act look unrighteous, it is they.

If anyone can make what should be an act of love turn into ego, it is they.

If anyone can tip the scales so judgment outweighs mercy, it is they.

If anyone can take a lie and cleverly disguise it as the truth, it is they. 

Is it any wonder Jesus accepted the thieves, murderers, and morally impure over the religious hypocrites?

The former came to Jesus broken, bleeding captives seeking forgiveness and love. They came with a repentant heart—covered His feet with their tears.

The latter came self-assured and confident of their lack of need for help. They came with an arrogant heart—saw themselves good.

Hypocrites love to sound the trumpet before their good deeds. They desire to bring glory to themselves

They make sure they receive praise, and that the whole world knows!

PRAYER

Dear Jesus, Only You are worthy to receive glory, and honor, and blessing, forever and ever. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ alone is worthy of the world’s glory—I praise Him!  

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The Wrong Light

 MAY 7

MATTHEW 6:1_to be seen of them…

Take heed (pay attention) to one simple word: seen. Your righteousness can be seen just like your light. Your light draws and guides to truth and freedom.

There is another way to use light: to attract attention to you. This clarifies the not doing your righteousness before men.

If your purpose for righteousness is to receive praise—you missed the mark. Showing acts of mercy, charitable giving, giving more than receiving, should all be done to bring glory to God. Any honor belongs to the One who taught you to live in righteousness. 

The purpose of being light is not to shine on you, but on Jesus, the Light of the World! 

You can’t save anyone—even yourself. You can’t bring anyone out of darkness. The light that shines from acts of righteousness reflects Jesus’ light. He saves. He brings out of darkness. He possesses the power to transform lives, break bondages, heal broken hearts, and when in His will, to heal diseased bodies. 

If your light doesn’t reflect Jesus’ light—it’s the wrong light. 

PRAYER

Loving Jesus, Please help me not to let my light shine on me, but on You. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                      

Christ wants me to shine for Him—I will!

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The Great Healer

APRIL 18

MATTHEW 5:40_And if any man will sue thee at law, and take away thy coat…

If there will ever be any kind of goodwill toward man in this life, it will come from Jesus’ crazy teachings about not fighting back. The reason? God’s power is released into your life when you have faith. Faith in the strength of God’s love to fight your enemies for you. Jesus taught not to seek revenge, and not to slap back.

Check this one out:  

Someone sues you. You are in the right. You tried, but were not able to settle out of court. The case goes against you—strongly against you. In other words, you lost all your savings! Now you have big money problems.

This is not easy to take, even if you were in the wrong. If you were in the right, it is heart wrenching. This can result in something worse than your money problems—the bondage of bitterness. 

Bitterness, unforgiveness, and grudge-holding, bind. Bitterness bondage chokes your spirit, contaminates your salt, and puts out your light.   

The money problems place a painful curb on your life. The bitterness places a curb on your heart, and its ability to love.  

Jesus becomes The Great Healer. He offers a radical cure.

PRAYER

Great Healer, I need Your help so I am not bitter when I am treated wrongly. I need Your wisdom to know how to respond. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                             

Christ’s love holds no grudges—He will teach me!

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The Empty-Hearted

 APRIL 2

MATTHEW 5:30_for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Proverbs is a book of wisdom. It has a great deal to say about sexual sins. Jesus knew every word of Scripture. He understood sexual bondage.

Jesus understood sexual bondage truly is hell on earth. Proverbs 5:5 (KJV), “Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.”

He understood Proverbs 6:26 (KJV) “For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread…”—this bondage can take you from wealth to poverty.

Jesus understood Proverbs 7:22-23 (KJV), “Suddenly he follows her as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as one in fetters to the discipline of a fool, until an arrow pierces through his liver; as a bird hastens to the snare, so he does not know that it will cost him his life” (read verses 7-27 to get the full warning).

This bondage is not for disciples who pay attention to the Bible’s wisdom. It is not for those who apply Bible truths to their lifestyle. 

Sexual bondage captures the empty-hearted who believe they are immune to the consequences of their decisions. Jesus understood that once passion is aroused to the point of no return, the course of destruction begins and grows until its victim is consumed.

Only someone who loves you would give such graphics.

To stick in your brain.

To cause your heart to throw a red flag and cry Foul!

  PRAYER

Lord Jesus, Please save me from bondage—I want to live free! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ wants me to know wisdom—He will teach me!