OPEN HEAVENS-BEWARE OF HYPOCRITES

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

BEWARE OF HYPOCRITES

20^TH , APRIL 2022

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 8-10

READ: Luke 7:36-40

36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. 

37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 

38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. 

39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.”

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MEMORISE:

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.” - Proverbs 23:7

THE MESSAGE:

In the Bible reading for today, a Pharisee invited Jesus to his house to eat. It would be correct to conclude that this Pharisee was a firm believer in Jesus as the true Son of God, but that was not true. Of all the people in the house that day, it was this Pharisee – the host, who thought in his heart that Jesus was not a true prophet when the woman with the alabaster box washed His feet. This shows that the Pharisee was not really a firm believer in Jesus in the first place, yet he acted like one. To make matters worse, after the Pharisee had concluded in his heart that Jesus was not really sent of God, Jesus called him and he responded, “Master”. What a hypocrite! On the outside, he called Jesus Master, but on the inside, he said, “This man is not a man of God”.

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I am certain that you have one or two people like this Pharisee around you. I pray that the Almighty God will reveal them to you, in Jesus’ name. Thank God Jesus was very discerning, He knew straightaway what the Pharisee was thinking. Many people have become victims of their enemies because they thought they were their friends. May that not be your portion, in Jesus’ name. Be careful of the people who call themselves your friends. It doesn’t matter how nice they seem to you, not every victory is celebrated publicly, because the celebration could fuel their hatred for you even more and lead to them planning an attack against you. If you don’t believe me, ask Joseph. Joseph was always quick to tell his brothers his great dreams. He thought that since they were his brothers, then they would be happy for him, but he was wrong.

Yes, it is important that you share testimonies about God’s goodness to you but you must seek divine wisdom to know what to share and when to share it as not everyone will be happy for you. You must also always keep certain secrets to yourself, especially when other people’s knowledge of those secrets can greatly affect your life and destiny.

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Samson thought Delilah was his friend. She seemed to genuinely be in love with him, and he felt relaxed around her. He told her the secret of his power and this led to his destruction as she revealed it to his enemies (Judges 16:18-21). Some of the people who profess great love for you may actually be friends with your enemies; don’t share your secrets with them!

ACTION POINT

Not everyone who calls you friend is really your friend.

DO HAVE A BLESSED DAY

©2022 OPEN HEAVENS IS a daily devotional by PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE (General Overseer, THE REDEEMED CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF GOD )