“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.  So you too, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:27-28).

In this world, we are obsessed with how things look.  If it looks good on the outside, we are good with it.  The Lord is interested in who we are.  He has created us to be His children.  But something has gone quite wrong – we sin.  He has established the necessary provision to be made right again, from the inside out.  Do not be filled with lawlessness and hypocrisy, but come into the presence of the Lord and be saved.

Lord, You know that I am trapped in the games of this world.  Guide me, Jesus, so that I see the game for what it is.  Lead me up and out of the mess of this world’s thinking so that I may think clearly.  Help me to see things with the mind You have given me and lead me to understand things as they are and not as I wish them to be.  Let me not walk with dead bones, but live in the truth You have revealed.

Lord Jesus, You have come that we may have abundant life.  Lead me in the way of truth.  Guide my thinking to stand fully on what You declare to be right and true.  Help me to always see things as they are and to not see them as I want them to be.  From the inside out, help me to live the life You have given me and keep me from the wishful thinking life this world keeps selling.  Amen.

“You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may also become clean” (Matthew 23:26).

Inside out, not outside in.  So many focus upon doing things right rather than focusing upon being made righteous through the grace of our Savior.  It is really a matter of giving up control.  You and I are not and never will be in control of our own circumstances, let alone those around us.  The Lord is Lord of all.  Come into the salvation of Christ and be saved from the inside out.

Lord, it is simple and I see the truth of it.  There is so much pretentiousness in this world.  Everyone is posturing as if what we see is what matters.  Yet, I see quiet desperation as the way of the world presses in.  Lead me out of the insanity of this sinful world and into the quiet place of true salvation.  Guide me to understand and know Your goodness and mercy.  Keep me in all truth.

Lord Jesus, I know that I am a work in progress, but sometimes it seems as though I am not progressing well at all.  Let me be stripped even of this so that I look to You in, for, and through all things.  Guide me to understand that by Your grace and mercy alone do I have hope.  Lead me in that hope so that I live into the life to which You have called me.  Guide me in Your grace to be made whole from the inside out.  Amen.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence” (Matthew 23:25).

We all shall age and at the end of this life, be worn out.  The arrogance of youth will be replaced with  the wisdom of old age.  Who are you on the inside?  Every generation is filled with pretense, but the stages of life continue despite arrogant dreams.  Take from others and live for the self?  The Lord calls for us to have a new and clean heart.  The Lord gives us a renewed life that we may live into the life to which we have been called.

Why do you strive for what does not matter while not living in the truth which does matter?  Why indeed.  The illness of this world is deep, but deeper still is the grace of our Lord who will free us from the sickness that leads to death.  Take the new life that Christ gives and live into a true life.  It is who you are deep down, your character, that matters.  Pleasures are for a moment, but the life given by Christ is eternal.

Lord Jesus, You know the struggles of my heart.  Guide me into all goodness and mercy so that I live according to Your word.  Take away the hypocrisy that is in me and create one who is seeking after Your own heart, seeking for true love and justice.  Help me to follow You, Lord Jesus, so that I may be led by all that is true and right.  Keep me always, dear Savior, in the way of everlasting life.  Amen.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.  You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!” (Matthew 23:23-24)

The world distracts us with a little seasoning and we settle for less.  We are all in need of grace and mercy.  True justice is trusting the Lord who knows all things and brings all things to the place where the Law, which explains true balance, is lived.  We are distracted and have our pet ideas that we want to be practised.  Our cross is to die to these things in order to live life in the Lord.

Lord, there are so many conflicting messages that I have received over my lifetime.  People believe all kinds of things.  Guide me in the goodness You give to live life in the way You have designed it to be lived.  Lead me away from the hypocritical false things in order to live life seeking Your justice.  Help me to love and obey Your law, and to look on others with mercy and compassion.

Lord Jesus, You know the state of my heart.  You know where I am contrary to the Law.  Guide me through the pitfalls of this age to see things more clearly and humbly walk in the truth of Your word.  Teach me to have grace toward others and to live Your word of truth.  Through all things, help me to look to You for the true justice You will establish when this age is over.  Amen.

“Therefore, the one who swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it.  And the one who swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells in it.  And the one who swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it” (Matthew 23:20-22).

Keep looking up and seek the top level.  Do this for all things.  If you do not stop, you will come to the place where you see that all things are under the One who made them.  This world plays its games and stops short of the God of all creation.  You have been told and now you know.  We are to fear God above all things.  The world may play its games, but we should seek to be honest with the Lord in all we say and do.

Lord, I know the games of the world well.  Sometimes, I fall into the world’s traps without even realizing it.  Guide me through the maze of this world so that I may humbly walk knowing that I am always in Your presence.  Guide me, dear Lord, in order that I may now and always walk according to Your way.  Let me see the pitfalls that the world sets before me in order that I may continue walking with You.

Lord Jesus, You speak only what the Father has You speak.  You teach us to look to the Father for all things.  Guide me so that I may humbly walk knowing that You are always with me.  Lead me in the way of truth and help me to be honest with myself and others.  Lord, I know I will be humbled by this world.  Help me so that I know what will be beneficial to my character which You are preparing for the life to come.  Amen.

“And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the offering that is on it is obligated.’  You blind men, which is more important, the offering or the altar that sanctifies the offering?” (Matthew 23:18-19)

The One to whom you give the offering is more important.  In our faith, it is not the what, but the Whom that we seek.  We sinners know how to play games.  We crawl all over one another, but the Lord, who sees all, calls us to Himself.  Do not be as the wicked and the hypocrites.  Such foolishness is played out in every generation.  Be led to and by the One who has called you.

LORD, aid me to see through the games of this world.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to understand that You are calling me to Yourself.  Lead me in truth so that I may humbly follow Your lead.  Keep me in the truth You have revealed so that I walk knowing that I am always in Your presence.  The world may not believe it when I speak truth but help me to be willing to always speak it even if You are the only One who listens.

Lord Jesus, You have given me words to live by.  Keep me from falling back into the way of the world and help me so that I speak truth.  If another requires some kind of vow, remind me that I am always in Your presence, so lead me to speak truth.  You are above all things and You have called me into the eternal presence of the Father.  Lead me so that I live with this understanding at all times.  Amen.

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.’  You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold?” (Matthew 23:16-17)

This world values what it values.  Some things are seen as more important than others. The truth is that the Lord is above all things.  He tells us to speak the truth.  Either you will tell the truth or else you will not.  Why do you need to give an oath?  Does lying under the guise of a big oath make a difference?  Big or small, we are all called to be honest and fair.  Live the way the Lord intends.

Lord, I do get carried away by the games of this world.  I do think some things are more important than others.  Help me learn the simple way of seeking to be fair and honest in all my dealings and not seek a way to sneak around things.  Guide me out of the pit of the thinking of this world and into the light of the eternal truths You have revealed.  You are more important than everything else.

Lord Jesus, take away my blindness and foolishness.  You are above all things.  Help me to live this life You have given me with right priorities.  Take me out of this world’s thinking and into the light of the truths You have revealed once for all.  In You, Lord Jesus, I can learn how to live into the true life which is eternal.  Guide me, Lord, and help me to be led by You.  Teach me to become like You.  Amen.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves” (Matthew 23:15).

Hell is filled with the arrogant and proud.  Everyone in hell knows exactly what they are doing – although they actually know nothing – and are quick to tell others that they are perfect and if one wants to be perfect, then to be like them.  There is only One who is good, and that is the Father.  Christ has come as the model of the godly life.  Follow Him and not just all the rules that men make.

Lord, we are not to be lawless, but neither are we to live for the law.  Help me to live the life You have given me to live.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to humbly walk the way You know I need to walk and avoid the pitfalls of this age.  If You have me teach, let it be Your words that fall from my lips.  In and through all things, be the One who guides me all the days of my life.

Thank You Lord Jesus for giving us the words of life.  Help me through the dangers of this world in order that my soul would always remain in Your hands.  You know what I need.  Thank You for providing all that is needed.  You know where I am.  Thank You for navigating the way before me.  Lord, You are my Savior, and I need You to be my Leader.  Guide me into the narrow way of everlasting life.  Amen.

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter it yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in” (Matthew 23:14).

There are those who make rules and create barriers to the kingdom of God.  The Lord loves each one of us and wants us to enter into an eternal relationship with Him.  Beware the rule makers.  Mind you, we need boundaries, but we do not live for those boundaries.  If we live, then we live to the Lord.  This world is filled with hypocrites and those who believe themselves superior.  There is only One who is superior and that is the Lord God.

Lord, I continue to need the lessons which You teach me.  I still need to be guided by Your wisdom.  Keep me from being a doorkeeper and an impediment to others.  Help me to live the life of hope in the promises that You have given me.  Guide me in the eternal way of salvation so that I may grow into Your likeness.  You know where I am a hypocrite.  Take that out of me so that I may serve You with a pure heart.

Lord Jesus, none of us needs to prove ourselves to anyone other than You.  Help me to humbly submit to Your leadership and walk the path of faith that You have set before me.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to humbly go where You send me and do what You give me to do.  Help me to not be a hindrance to anyone, but instead be an encouragement for all to follow You, our Leader of grace and mercy.  Amen.

“And do not be called leaders; for only One is your Leader, that is, Christ.  But the greatest of you shall be your servant.  Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted” (Matthew 23:10-13).

Who is in front of you, showing you which way to go?  Yes, we have earthly leaders, but if Christ is not their leader, then all who follow are going the wrong way.  The way is narrow and only Jesus knows the way.  We all must follow the One who leads.  It is not a matter of position, but of posture.  Jesus leads.  That’s it.  We follow.  Yes, it is a life of follow the leader and Jesus is our leader.

Lord, this world suppresses the truth and tries to make things different than they are.  Help me to see things the way they are.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to humbly follow You wherever You lead.  Help me to understand that in You alone will I arrive at the place in which the hope You have planted in my heart and longs for will be satisfied.  Teach me how to serve as You would have me serve and let me be always willing to do what You give me to do.

Lord Jesus, continue to humble me. Take away from me the desire to be elevated, and instead, complete the process of making my heart a servant’s heart.  You are my leader and I am Your follower.  You are the author of my faith and I am the one who is being shaped by You.  Guide me, Lord Jesus, along the narrow path of salvation so that I may finish the race and meet You face to face with joy.  Amen.