Hello My Friend,
The Pharisees were the largest group of Jews and the most influential, their religion is centered around their obedience to the law, but not all of them were God’s laws, over the centuries they added to them. The Pharisees we set on catching Jesus breaking the law, this time they tried condemn Him for healing people on the Sabbath day.
“And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.” – Matthew 12:9-13.
God instituted the Sabbath day as a way for His people to have a day of rest from their normal labor to rest and worship with God. God knows that life gets busy when we are working, most Christian’s today have their Sabbath on the first day of the week rather than the seventh day as He instructed Israel because it was a Sunday when Jesus resurrected. Any day can be a Sabbath day, a day of rest to spend time with God and serve Him. Religious people try to throw you off by knowing a little bit of Scripture, but they do not tell you all of it so, you are left putting your trust in them to show you what they believe the truth to be. Jesus is Lord, and the Word made flesh, He is not going to tell us to do something that is against His Word. That is why it is so important to read the Bible for yourself and find a church that actually follows the doctrine of the Bible, not those made by man.
“Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.” – 1 Timothy 1:4,9-11.
While the people were praising Jesus, the Pharisees were trying to discredit Him, they even accused Him of doing the work of the devil. Jesus gave them all something to think about. “And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.” – Matthew 12:25-28,32.
What Jesus is saying here is that if He were of the devil He would be casting out everyone that was evil and opposed God and if He did that then there would be no one left, but God’s people. So, naturally Satan is not going to cast away those who believe as he does because there would be no one left to take away from God and he would be cast out. The Christian life is a constant battle between good and evil, but it is our faith and trust in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that gets us to the Kingdom of God, false religion will always oppose the Gospel.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” -1 Peter 5:8-10.
God gives us commands not to keep us from doing what we want to do or to deprive us of things, He gives them to protect us and keep us from suffering more than we have to. While many of the laws that were for the Jews are no longer a factor for us today, they are all a good reminder that everything we do needs to be done in a godly way, from the things we see, to the things we hear, to the things we put in our bodies, all things need to be done in a godly manner. People who change God’s laws do so because they are living wicked, immoral lives and can I tell you, those who change God’s laws are living more wicked lives than someone who rejects God. Jesus explains this further.
“When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” – Matthew 12:43-45,49,50.
It is only those whom believe in and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior that become family with Jesus and are a part of God’s Kingdom. “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” – 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
Today’s Prayer: God, I want to hide Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You. It is my Guiding Light to help me live by faith and triumph over Satan’s tactics to get me away from serving You. Help me forsake Satan’s temptations with Scripture just as Jesus did through the Pharisees. I may be weak, but Your Word is powerful to fight off the temptation to sin and to reassure me that You are with me even when others may forsake me. I can do this because I know that Christ, who lives in me gives me the strength to do so. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Today’s Prayer: God, I want to hide Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You. It is my Guiding Light to help me live by faith and triumph over Satan’s tactics to get me away from serving You. Help me forsake Satan’s temptations with Scripture just as Jesus did through the Pharisees. I may be weak, but Your Word is powerful to fight off the temptation to sin and to reassure me that You are with me even when others may forsake me. I can do this because I know that Christ, who lives in me gives me the strength to do so. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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