The modern definition of the word “hypocrite” refers to someone who says one thing but does another. For example, a person who tells others not to smoke – but is a chain smoker themselves. Jesus warned against hypocritical judging in Matthew 7:1-6, but the original meaning of the word hypocrite was “an actor under an assumed character.” This means that some people may seem to be living by God’s will, yet inwardly harbor traits that God despises. Jesus wants Christians to be GENUINE in their faith and NOT TO PRETEND to be someone they are not. He wants us to BEAR GOOD FRUIT from our actions, WITH PURE MOTIVES. 

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.

26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

~ Matthew 23:25-28

Holy God and Father: Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom? Who can fathom the depth of Your love? Unfortunately, hypocrites have given Your people a bad name over the years, and religious pretenders angered Jesus even in the first century. Please guide us in our efforts to please You, and may we look to Jesus as the perfect example of sincerity. Mold our character in His image! Please guide us also in correcting others with a pretender’s spirit. We need wisdom, conviction, and courage to do so correctly. Please help us in these things, and it is in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.  

In Hebrew, the term used for “sister” also refers to other close relatives. This means that Isaac’s deception was like his father Abraham’s (Genesis 12:10-20; 20:11-8). In those cases, what they didn’t say was more important than what they did say. Although the wives were related to their husbands, the most significant fact was that they were their wives. It is interesting to note that a pagan king of the Philistines once believed that it would be wrong if one of his men had taken Isaac’s wife. Despite not worshipping the true God, the Philistines had a moral code that deemed fornication a severe sin (In today’s world, fornication is widely accepted as a norm in the lives of most people, but it is certainly not acceptable to God, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Hebrews 13:4-6).

6 So Isaac dwelt in Gerar. 

7 And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, “She is my sister”; for he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” because he thought, “lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to behold.” 

8 Now it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked through a window, and saw, and there was Isaac, showing endearment to Rebekah his wife. 

9 Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Quite obviously she is your wife; so how could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die on account of her.’ ”

10 And Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might soon have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us.” 

11 So Abimelech charged all his people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”

~ Genesis 26:6-11

Holy God and Father in heaven, You are worthy to receive honor and praise. Thank You for Your grace, mercy, and peace. I am grateful for these examples described and desire to be an honest man who prioritizes integrity in all my dealings. Lord, sometimes I see non-Christians living lives of sin, and that is disheartening. But there are other times that I observe non-Christians doing good deeds, such as helping the poor, serving others, and comforting those in need. I can learn from those good examples in how I should be. Please grant me the courage to speak what is true; give me the courage to do what is right. May I take the initiative in doing well, no matter any potential outcome(s) that I perceive will be hurtful to me, personally. Help me to do all things for Your glory, while also benefiting my community. Thank You for hearing my prayers. Amen.  

According to the Bible, Esau was considered a profane man because he despised his birthright (Hebrews 12:16). The term “profane” refers to someone who doesn’t have a proper regard for important things. Later, when Jacob tricked their father into giving him the blessing that rightfully belonged to the firstborn, Esau was willing to accept the inheritance (Genesis 27). This shows that he didn’t take the matter seriously, prior (Genesis 25). Even though the birthright would have made Esau the head of the tribe and entitled him to a larger share of his father’s wealth, he treated it with little respect. Jacob didn’t act righteously either because he should have been willing to feed a hungry brother. Nevertheless, regarding the birthright itself, Jacob valued it much more than Esau did.

29 Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. 

30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom.

31 But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.”

32 And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?”

33 Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 

34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

~ Genesis 24:29-34

Holy God in heaven. I want to express gratitude for everything You have provided for my family, though I have not always shown my appreciation. Our world is full of distractions, and it is easy to be sidetracked by frivolous things. I, too, sometimes struggle with being slow to recognize and address important concerns. However, I understand that Your values, such as truth and righteousness, require careful consideration and discipline on my part. Therefore, I resolve to move forward with a clearer mind and a hardworking spirit. Please grant me the necessary wisdom to grow in properly regarding important things! Help me in this way, Father, to be more like You and Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

The story of Rebekah and Isaac is a fascinating one. After Sarah’s death, Abraham wanted to ensure that his son would marry someone who worshipped the one true God, Jehovah. To accomplish this, Abraham sent his servant to Nahor in Mesopotamia to find a bride among his relatives. After praying for guidance, the servant found Rebekah and received confirmation that she was the one chosen by God to marry Isaac. Rebekah was willing, and the beginnings of their marriage became a wonderful story of faith, adventure, and romance in Genesis chapter twenty-four.

1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.

2 So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh, 

3 and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; 

4 but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

5 And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?” 

6 But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there. 

7 The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.

~ Genesis 24:1-7

Our Father in heaven, there is no one like You. Thank You for all Your provisions, especially Jesus, who sacrificed His life for my sins. Holy God, I am certain that meeting my wife was a providential blessing from You. She is a faithful Christian and has brought many blessings to me, spiritually and physically. I thank You, God, for bringing Keri into my life, and pray that You will continue to bless our marriage and help it grow stronger. Furthermore, I pray for Your guidance and care for my three daughters. They are godly young women, and I understand that choosing the right partner will be one of the most important decisions of their lives. I pray that You will guide them and help them to make wise choices in choosing a husband. May they be directed by You in all things, and may they especially choose to marry the one You have approved for them. All of this I pray, for the betterment of our lives, spiritually. Amen.    

God was with Abram, guiding and blessing him, as Abram proved himself to be a faithful worshiper of God. However, Abram had his weaknesses, which were reflected in his lying to Pharaoh about Sarai. Despite his flaws, God bestowed grace upon Abram (Genesis 12:1-20). Abram’s wisdom was evident in his conflict resolution with Lot and their herdsmen. Additionally, Abram demonstrated his willingness and ability to fight for the safety of his nephew, after Lot was taken captive (Genesis 13:1-18). Furthermore, we see Abram’s strength of conviction in his refusal to accept goods as a reward from pagan neighbors, after he honored the priest Melchizedek (Genesis 14:1-24). Ultimately, Abram’s exemplary faith and character were the result of his trust in God.

4 So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 

5 Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. 

6 Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land.

7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

~ Genesis 12:4-7

Holy God in heaven. I want to be faithful to You in all things. May I worship You as a faithful man, and may You have mercy on me when I succumb to weaknesses. I do not want to continue making the same mistakes because of weakness, though. I want to take every opportunity to grow, and at times when conflicts arise, I want to be a stable force in bringing about peace, especially when it comes to family disputes. Enable me the strength to stand up for what is right, and even fight for the physical and spiritual well-being of my loved ones. Give me the courage of conviction to not only do what is right in honoring spiritual leaders but also refuse fellowship with those who reject Your ways. Increase our faith, and please let these things be, O God. 

After delivering His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus concluded by emphasizing the importance of putting His teaching into practice. Those who witnessed Jesus noted the authority with which He spoke. When the leper and the centurion approached Him, they appealed to His ability, willingness, and authority (Matthew 8:1-13). Jesus is both willing and able to provide for us, but He demands that we leave behind all worldly things and commit ourselves to Him! Even the winds and the sea obey Him (Matthew 8:14-17). The decision to willingly obey Him now is left to us, but there will come a day when all will indeed obey His words (Philippians 2:10-11). For example: In the country of the Gergesenes, there were demons who begged Jesus for mercy, but He cast them into swine, which then violently ran down the steep place into the sea and perished in the water (Matthew 8:28-34).

24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 

25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 

27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 

29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

~ Matthew 7:24-29

Holy God… You are too wonderful for comprehension, like nothing ever seen or heard. Father, not everyone recognizes the need for a Savior. Some do, yet are unwilling to make Jesus their Lord! I understand that for me to receive healing, Jesus must be willing; I also understand the need for His being the Master of my life. May I properly submit to You, and may I truly be willing to sacrifice my own will, even the comforts of this life, to serve You more appropriately. I see that the winds and waves are obedient to You more than I have been in my own life, and for that I am ashamed. There will come a day when every knee bows before Jesus. I want to willingly make Him my Master, now! Please help me to properly understand Your words in Scripture and give me the courage to live by every word that comes from Your mouth! Amen.

The promise in Genesis 3:15 is very important as it shows the beginning of God’s plan of redemption. Appearing to refer to the enmity between humans and serpents, its deeper meaning is the conflict between the seed of woman, who is Christ, and Satan. Through His death, Jesus Christ defeated the power of Satan (Hebrews 2:14-15). Though the forces of evil killed Jesus, it was in accordance with God’s plan and foresight. Death was temporary as Christ rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). On the day Eve sinned, Satan appeared victorious. However, the promise was that a descendant of Eve would one day triumph over Satan, a battle Eve had lost that day.

9 Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” 

10 So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”

12 Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.”

13 And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

14 So the Lord God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.

15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

~ Genesis 3:9-15

O God in heaven. I have disgraced myself due to the sins I have committed against You. There is no place where I can hide from You, as You know everything. I am confessing my wrongdoings and asking for Your mercy and grace. I am grateful for the people You have placed in my life and appreciate their companionship. That said, I want to be a good leader for my family and aim to do what is right despite my past mistakes. I am grateful that You’ve revealed Satan as a real threat to my fellowship with You; and that Your wisdom and foresight provide us with a chance for true redemption through Your Son. I pray that I may always be thankful for Jesus and look up to You with a grateful heart. Help me to see Christ more clearly in the prophecies of Scripture. And I pray that others will see Jesus in the way that I devote my life to You. Amen.

The image of God, and His likeness, both refer to the spiritual essence of God. God gave man a high level of intelligence, willpower, consciousness, and a soul – all of which distinguish man from other creatures. These characteristics also enable mankind the ability to worship God. However, people do not automatically resemble God in their lives and character. God has given us the POTENTIAL to be like Him, yet it is regrettable when people waste their gifts and live like animals.

24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. 

25 And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 

27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 

28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

29 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 

30 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. 

31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

~ Genesis 1:24-31

Holy God and Father in heaven, I am grateful to You for blessing me with life, and for giving me the ability to experience all the wonderful things this world has to offer. I pray that You grant me the wisdom and strength to be a good steward of the things You have entrusted to me. Many in this world have rejected the knowledge of You as our Creator, and as a result, they live their lives like mere beasts. I don’t want that for myself! I want to emulate You in every possible way and appreciate You teaching us of our origin. I promise to seek You with my whole heart and strive to acceptably worship You. Amen!

Standing up for truth and justice is crucial, no matter how challenging the circumstances may be. The saints who stood up against the immoral leaders of Rome serve as a powerful reminder that we should never be afraid to stand against oppressive forces. Rome had instituted emperor worship; their leaders endorsed gross immorality and imposed punitive repercussions on anyone who did not conform to their ways. They even resorted to economic discrimination to force submission, but many saints were not intimidated by the deceptions of those in power. These lessons are still relevant today when a government turns its power over to Satan to persecute God’s cause. Even if we are in the minority, we must always strive to do what is right. Ultimately, God has the power to overcome any evil in the world and bring justice to those who have been wronged.

2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. 

3 They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!

4 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been manifested.”

~ Revelation 15:2-4

Holy God in heaven, You are too marvelous for words. Thank you for the systems of government and the freedoms we enjoy in this country. We are fortunate to have access to food, clothing, and other comforts that many people in other parts of the world do not have. I pray that we can continue to live peaceful lives and that Your word may spread. However, I am aware that many of our leaders publicly endorse immoral behavior, and many of our neighbors do not know You. Our comfort has allowed us to let our guard down against spiritual dangers. I have also become too comfortable and want to focus on growing stronger in You. May Your people everywhere stand for what is right in Your eyes. We will all be accountable for how we conduct ourselves on this earth. Please guard and direct me towards You. Thank You for Your grace and mercy. I look forward to singing praises to You, with the redeemed, in eternity. Amen.