BE REAL
"People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
1Sa 16:7 NLT
BE REAL
Jesus was rough on the Pharisees: "People look at you and think you are saints, but beneath...you are total frauds" (Mt 23:28 MSG). They put on a good front but were devoid of grace, mercy, and compassion. And Jesus called them on it! Because we live in an appearance-focused society, Jesus warns us about the dangers that come from dwelling on the outer life at the cost of developing the inner life. So, how do you keep that from happening? (1) Follow Jesus' example. He spent His life ministering to the hurting, the forgotten, the lost, and lonely. (2) Keep in mind that you're a Christian, you will still struggle in certain areas, and don't try to act like you "have it all together." (3) Ask God to reveal behavior patterns that are appearance oriented instead of heart oriented. (4) Surround yourself with transparent people who encourage you to be real and correct you when you need it. Marybeth Whalen writes: "The painters painted the wall leading downstairs...A week later I discovered, while the wall had been repainted, the habits hadn't changed. The kids were still dragging their dirty hands behind them, making what was white and clean grey, and dirty. Like that wall, if I'm not careful I can cover up what's there...wear the Christian tee shirt, carry my Bible, smile like everything's great, and talk a good game about my walk with the Lord. But deep inside the ugly habits are waiting to be revealed the moment life gets messy. I can become a modern-day Pharisee who focuses on the whitewash and ignores the dirty stuff underneath." So, be real.
This Message Was Taken From: Daily Devotional - A Word For You Today.
1Sa 16:7 NLT
BE REAL
Jesus was rough on the Pharisees: "People look at you and think you are saints, but beneath...you are total frauds" (Mt 23:28 MSG). They put on a good front but were devoid of grace, mercy, and compassion. And Jesus called them on it! Because we live in an appearance-focused society, Jesus warns us about the dangers that come from dwelling on the outer life at the cost of developing the inner life. So, how do you keep that from happening? (1) Follow Jesus' example. He spent His life ministering to the hurting, the forgotten, the lost, and lonely. (2) Keep in mind that you're a Christian, you will still struggle in certain areas, and don't try to act like you "have it all together." (3) Ask God to reveal behavior patterns that are appearance oriented instead of heart oriented. (4) Surround yourself with transparent people who encourage you to be real and correct you when you need it. Marybeth Whalen writes: "The painters painted the wall leading downstairs...A week later I discovered, while the wall had been repainted, the habits hadn't changed. The kids were still dragging their dirty hands behind them, making what was white and clean grey, and dirty. Like that wall, if I'm not careful I can cover up what's there...wear the Christian tee shirt, carry my Bible, smile like everything's great, and talk a good game about my walk with the Lord. But deep inside the ugly habits are waiting to be revealed the moment life gets messy. I can become a modern-day Pharisee who focuses on the whitewash and ignores the dirty stuff underneath." So, be real.
This Message Was Taken From: Daily Devotional - A Word For You Today.
Recent
Archive
2026
January
MAKE PRAYER YOUR FIRST PRIORITYBIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (1)BIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (2)BIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (3)LIVING IN THE PROMISED LANDWHEN YOUR MATE STRUGGLES WITH INSECURITYKEEP PERSERVING AND REFUSE TO QUITSHOW YOUR APPRECIAITONCOUNT YOUR BLESSINGSTHE "DOWNSIDE" OF IMMORALITYHAVE YOU BEEN WRONGED? FORGIVE."KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON"BE SENSITIVE TO GOD'S PRESENCEA PRAYER FOR GOD-CONFIDENCELIVE FROM "GLORY TO GLORY"ABOUNDING GRACEPREVAILING PRAYERTHE FIRST BEATTITUDETHE SECOND BEATITUDETHE THIRD BEATITUDETHE FOURTH BEATITUDETHE FIFTH BEATITUDETHE SIXTH BEATITUDETHE SEVENTH BEATITUDETHE EIGHTH BEATITUDEBE CONTENTYOU ARE A STEWARDDEMONSTRATING GOD'S KINGDOM WHERE YOU LIVEAVOID COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERSHE'S LOOKING FOR LABORERSKNOWING AND ENJOYING YOUR INHERITANCE
February
HOW TO CONQUER YOUR JERICHO (1)HOW TO CONQUER YOUR JERICHO (2)HEALING FOR YOUR MINDHUMBLE YOURSELF, AND TRY TO MAKE IT RIGHTYOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCELIVE ON PURPOSE, FOR A PURPOSEHOW TO "RENEW" YOUR MINDFIGHT FOR YOUR MARRIAGETRUE REPENTANCE BRINGS RESTORATION"I HAVE SET THE LORD ALWAYS BEFORE ME"RESPONSIBILITY AND THE "ABILITY TO RESPOND"MEDIATE AND ASSIMILATECLICK THE SAVEBUTTONBE CONFIDENT OF GOD'S LOVE FOR YOUGOD FORGVES AND FORGETS (1)GOD FORGVES AND FORGETS (2)GOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (3)GOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (4)PRAYER IS YOUR CONNECTION TO GODHEALING FOR ANXIETYEXPERIENCING GOD'S PEACETHE CHALLENGES AND REWARDS OF LEADERSHIPSTAY TRUE TO THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORDLEARN TO LISTEN TO GODOVERCOMING ENVYRELY ON GOD, NOT YOURSELFPAID IN FULLTRY FOR RECONCILIATION
March
HAVING A SPIRIT-CONTROLLED TONGUE (1)HAVING A SPIRIT-CONTROLLED TONGUE (2)EMBRACE “THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD”CONFIDANTS, CONSTITUENTS, COMRADESIT CAME TO PASS — NOT STAYLIVE FOR A CAUSE GREaTER THAN YOURSELFFREE FROM GUILT AND CONDEMNATIONPRAYER IS YOUR CONNECTION TO GODJUST PLAY YOUR PARTYOU ARE AN AGENT OF RECONCILIATIONLEARN TO LISTEN TO GODWHEN YOU LONG FOR COMPANIONSHIPTHE WHOLE WORLD MUST HEAR GOD’S WORDWILL YOU HEAR CHRIST, OR THE CRISIS?LIVE LIKE YOU BELIEVE IT (1)LIVE LIKE YOU BELIEVE IT (2)THE WAY UP IS DOWNTHE WORST FAILURE….IS FAILURE TO TRYARE YOU WASHING YOUR NETS?“OVERNIGHT SUCCESS” USUALLY TAKES MANY YEARSYOU HAVE FULL FORGIVENESSKNOW WHO YOU AREHE’S THE GOD OF NEW BEGINNINGSGOD IS “AT WORK IN YOU”OVERCOMING WORKAHOLISMTHE TOUCH OF HIS HANDCHRIST CAN SATISFY YOUR SOULTRY FASTINGGOD’S WORKING IN YOU, WITH YOU, AND THROUGH YOUASK GOD FOR A DREAMTODAY GOD IS “WITH YOU”
Categories
no categories