23 Then Jesus said to THE CROWDS AND TO HIS DISCIPLES: 2 ‘The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. BUT DO NOT DO WHAT THEY DO, FOR THEY DO NOT PRACTISE WHAT THEY PREACH. Matthew 23
Jesus spoke to the masses AND to His own disciples about the ‘Flaws of Failings’ of the Religious establishment in Israel in His day. He addressed in the strongest terms where the religious hierarchy were wrong and how they were enticing others along the wrong paths. I believe that many decent people with good hearts are liable to be drawn away from THE FREEDOM OF THE KINGDOM AND INTO RELIGIOUS BONDAGE. We often here today about celebrities who have joined this or that religion, trying to add credibility to the false.
4 But the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some in the church will turn away from Christ and become eager followers of teachers with devil-inspired ideas. (Doctrines taught by demons) 2 These teachers will tell lies with straight faces and do it so often that their consciences won’t even bother them. 1 Timothy 4, The Living Bible
So the enemy has planted people within the Church whom he will use to deliberately lead others astray. Jesus warned the crowds and His disciples to be wary of such. This is a time when we must be very cautious about accepting things at ‘FACE VALUE’ and not asking for God’s validation on what’s before us. I had an incidence recently where the Lord told Anne, ‘My feet were being derailed!’ The enemy can and will use even people we know to draw us away from God’s path for our own lives.
The greatest deception in the day we live in has come through mainstream media. We have become a society of news consumers and the enemy has used this to great effect to manipulate people’s minds, including many believers. Much of society and the Church have been drawn away from the Lord and from TRUTH. It’s a sad fact that so many today are actually opposing God’s rescue plans for mankind at this time and even calling them wicked.
Matthew 23 recounts what Jesus called the ‘Seven Woes’, seven judgments that were going to fall upon those who were harming the people, God’s people. We have entered a season when God’s judgment is coming upon the wicked, but we must be careful not to side against God in these matters. Christians are often told we must be compassionate, which is true as God forgives us much, but Jesus didn’t overlook corruption in His day and a holy God cannot tolerate it now. The phrase, ‘Judgement onto Justice’ is coming to pass now and we mustn’t interfere with it, no matter the consequences. Ask the Lord for His perspective on what’s happening and be prepared to wait until He speaks.
May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.