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Published on 1 Comment on Matthew 11:28-30 Weary Are We?

Today's post was written by Ann Mainse.
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Confessions of a Weary Soul

Don’t you love it when God proves that He definitely has your number? Over the last few days, I’ve been feeling tired… worn out. Not just physically, but mentally, emotionally. If I’m to be totally honest (not a new thing, I promise!), I think sometimes I grow weary in well-doing. I know the verse in Galatians 6:9 that tells me not to, but sometimes I can’t help it. Have you ever been there? Maybe you’re there now. You’re doing all the right things, with all of your might… and you’re tired. Drained. It’s like you’re running on a treadmill (very good for you) and your energy level is depleting fast (not so good). You know you’re getting close to the end of your reserve, but the treadmill isn’t slowing down. What do you do? Well, if you’re me, you read what God has put right in front of you (like I said, He has my number). Have a look at where I found myself reading today…

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. ~ Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)

Learn to live freely and lightly. You’re smiling, aren’t you? I know I am (I think HE is too). Why is it so easy to get caught up in doing for God and forget that He’d much rather we focus on being with Him? Learning from Him. Living in Him. Why is it so hard to remember that we’re not called to observe a religion but to enjoy a relationship? We just need to come.

Oh, we know that our life is in God's hands. Jesus has our heart. God's Spirit is our fuel. But, sometimes life gets so busy that we forget to top up the tank… to stay plugged into our Source. We forget to listen to His voice. Life gets busy. And busy is not always good.

One of my favourite authors, Jill Briscoe, put it beautifully in her book, The Deep Place Where Nobody Goes: Conversations With God on the Steps of My Soul. Let’s join her for a moment on the steps…

I ran to the Deep Place where nobody goes, and found Him waiting there.
“Where have you been?” He asked me.
“I’ve been in the shallow place where everyone lives,” I replied. I knew He knew. He just wanted me to admit I’d been too busy being busy.
“I’m running out…” I began.
“Of course,” He said. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”
He sat down on the steps of my soul and smiled at me. Angels sang; a shaft of light chased away the shadows and brightened my daily day. I smiled back.
“I’m such a fool…”
“Shhh,” He said, putting His finger on my lips.
He touched my hurried heart. Startled, it took a deep breath and skidded to a near stop. My spirit nestled into nearness in the Deep Place where nobody goes.
My soul spoke, then: He answered with words beyond music. Where on Earth had I been?

Good question (for all of us). How long has it been since we’ve sat quietly with Him? Allowed Him to speak into the deepest place in us? No iPhone. No daytimer. No meals, or laundry or wonderfully needy children. Just Jesus and you.

Where have you been? He asks. The invitation is clear. Your loving Source is near. Hear Him say it again.

Come to Me…
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You can see more blog posts from Ann Mainse at crossroads360.com/blog. Crossroads360.com is a multi-channel service providing entertaining, informative and transformative content. In addition to blogs, there are episodes of past television shows as well as exclusive web content. Their channels include KidsSpace, God Stories, Music, Explore Faith, Nostalgia, Everyday Life and News.

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Published on 6 Comments on Philippians 3:12-14 Don’t Look Back

My father used to coach track and field, specifically running. For many years he coached a girls’ cross country team. Unlike the 100 metre dash where participants finish milliseconds apart from each other, long distance and cross country runners usually don’t have someone running right beside them. So the only way to see if someone is closing in on you is to turn your head and look behind you. This will cost you precious time, may cost you a personal best and may cost you victory. Any good coach will tell you to run your own race and don’t look back.

The Apostle Paul gave that same advice to the people of Philippi, (Philippians 3:12-14) and it applies to us as well. Paul had been regarded as a Christian leader for about 30 years when he wrote this letter, and he encouraged people to follow his example. (Philippians 3:17) But he also wanted to make it clear that he did not believe that he had reached the top level of spiritual maturity. He was still running the race too. He was still striving toward the goal that he outlined in Philippians 3:10-11. The word translated goal (Philippians 3:14) is actually a goal mark, the finish line. The analogy of running a race was a common metaphor in Paul’s writings, (I Corinthians 9:24-27, II Timothy 2:5, II Timothy 4:7) and he uses it again here. His audience would have been very familiar with the Greek games which we now know as the Olympics, and so they would have understood his imagery.

When Paul says that he is forgetting the things that are behind, (Philippians 3:13) he does not mean that he literally cannot remember. Unless some health reason affects our cognitive function, we cannot force ourselves to not remember, though sometimes that ability would be highly desirable. What Paul means is that he won’t let his past failures or successes influence him. Sometimes we dwell on our failures and replay in our minds what we should have done differently, even though the damage has already been done. Sometimes we think about our successes and believe that we have already attained our goal. That reminds me of a different race, the one between the tortoise and the hare. The hare was so confident of his ability to outrun the tortoise that he stopped and took a nap. The tortoise toddled right past him. We should not assume that the last success we had is enough. Instead, like Paul, we should focus on the future and continue striving to be more like Christ.

Serious runners are devoted to their sport; they train, they follow a healthy diet, and they focus on what it takes to do their best. Paul encourages us to have the same devotion, discipline and determination. We will face obstacles. Like the cross country runner we will encounter hills and valleys and a few potholes along the way. We must do our best to get through them with God’s grace. Keep running the race. Don’t compare yourself with others. Set your standards based on what God desires from you, and don’t look back.

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These days, babies’ names seem to be chosen for their uniqueness. If it isn’t a unique name, the parents will very likely find a new way to spell it. I suspect that this causes no end of trouble for the children themselves, but it does seem to be a trend. There are still some parents I know who choose names for their meanings, and that was what the ancient Hebrews did. Names represented the character of a person. Very often, although not always, people grew up to match the characteristics of the name they were given at birth. So when Moses asked God what His name was in Exodus 3:13, the answer wasn’t just a collection of sounds to use to get God’s attention. The name God gave Himself represented His character.

Let’s take a moment to look at the context for this conversation. Generations before, Jacob, also known as Israel, had moved his family to Egypt during a famine so that Joseph, who was in charge of the food supply, could take care of them. Both Joseph and the Pharaoh who had been benevolent to them eventually died. The Israelites were still living in Egypt and working as slaves for the Egyptians, but God heard their cries of desperation. (Exodus 2:23-24) God had not forgotten the covenant that He had made with Abraham, and it was time to bring the Israelites back to the land they had been promised.

Meanwhile, Moses was out taking care of a flock of sheep, when he noticed a bush burning. He looked at the bush and noticed that it was not being consumed by the fire. Because he was paying attention, God spoke to Moses, and introduced himself as the one who had made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And God told Moses that He wanted Moses to go and deliver the Israelites from their captivity in Egypt. (Exodus 3:1-10)

The first thing Moses thought was: who am I? What authority do I have to go and accomplish such a feat? (Exodus 3:11) Interesting, isn’t it, how he looked at his own capabilities, and wondered how he would manage? Don’t we do the same thing? So Moses questioned God, and God assured Moses that He would surely be with him. (Exodus 3:12) Moses was still uncertain, so he questioned God again. This time he asked God, “When the Israelites ask me who sent me, what should I tell them?” (Exodus 3:13) In other words, what name shall I call you? Understand that this wasn’t the first time that the Israelites had referred to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by a name. It’s just that Moses needed reassurance, and he wanted to speak with authority when he told the Israelites to leave all they had ever known and follow him out of Egypt.

The English translation of God’s answer to Moses is, “I AM that I AM. Tell them that I AM has sent you.” (Exodus 3:14) The verb, I AM, in the original language, is in the imperfect tense. That means that it is not only in the present, but continuing into the future. In English, if you said, “I am singing”, which is in the imperfect tense, it would mean that you are singing right now and you are continuing to sing. So God is stating His existence, and indicating that it will continue. He emphasizes it by saying that this is His name forever and will continue to be His name to the last generation. (Exodus 3:15)

The name God gives Moses indicates that He is self-existent—not dependent on anyone else for His existence and therefore all-powerful—and eternal. Moses didn’t need to worry about having to depend only on his own capabilities, and he didn’t need to doubt that God would be there for Him. It was all in His name. We can have the same confidence. We haven’t reached the last generation yet, and God is still all-powerful, eternal, and there for us.

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Today's post was written by Rusty Wright.
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“What’s the ‘S’ stand for?” Lois Lane asks Superman in the new movie. “It’s not an ‘S’,” responds the Man of Steel. “On my world, it means ‘hope’.”

A symbol of hope for humanity: That’s how Man of Steel portrays the legendary hero.

There’s plenty of action and drama: General Zod, a villain from Krypton, warns Superman, “Surrender within 24 hours, or watch this world suffer the consequences” and appeals to earthlings to turn him in. The explosive action and special effects were so fast-paced in places that I found myself wishing it would slow down so I could take a breath.

There’s also light romance: Journalist Lois Lane (Amy Adams) and Superman/Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) kindle some sparks as she seeks to unlock his past.

Higher Purpose

But beyond the escapism, at its core the classic Superman story is about good vs. evil. This movie highlights sense of purpose: Young Clark’s adoptive earth father Jonathan (Kevin Costner) encourages his quest for identity: “You were sent here for a reason.”

Cooper Timberline as Clark Kent, age 9 (Clay Enos, photo)

There’s nobility and inspiration: Jor-El (Russell Crowe), predicts of his biological son Kal-El (Superman), whom he sends to earth from Krypton, “You will give the people of Earth an ideal to strive towards. They’ll race behind you. They will stumble. They will fall. But in time, they will join you…. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders.”

There’s no Jimmy Olsen, no Kryptonite, but there is Daily Planet editor-in-chief Perry White (Laurence Fishburne). And there’s a motif that might surprise you.

Misinterpreting the Story?

When I first heard talk of biblical parallels in the Superman story, I thought that overzealous Christians were reading their biases into the popular tales. Then I looked deeper; they were right. Superman Returns (2006) clearly displayed biblical themes. Man of Steel is full of them.

CNN asked composer Hans Zimmer if there were any similarities between his two recent projects – Man of Steel and History Channel miniseries The Bible – “since both involve a savior figure (Jesus, Kal-el) sent by his father to Earth.”

“Yes,” Zimmer laughed. “Once you see Superman, you’ll see how close you are…. Both stories are passions…about a struggle to do the right thing.”

Multiple Parallels

Jor-El views Superman as Earth’s savior: “You can save her [Lois]…you can save all of them.”

Public-rejection concerns accompany both figures. Kal-El’s biological mother worries, “He’ll be an outcast. They’ll kill him.“ “How?” replies Jor-El. “He’ll be a god to them.”

The adult Clark recalls, “My [adoptive] father believed that if the world found out who I really was, they’d reject me. He was convinced that the world wasn’t ready.”

Jesus, of course, got a mixed reception. His close friend recalled, “He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” (John 1:11-13)

Life Insights

As for Superman’s public reception…well, I don’t want to spoil this movie for you. One could make a game of seeing how many biblical parallels you can find. (I’ve only mentioned a few here.) And you might want to consider some life insights from what you’ll find there, too.

Man of Steel is a fun film, simple in plot but deep in theme as it taps profound human desires for self-identity, purpose and hope. “Hope” is especially timely in our world filled with nuclear rogues, homeland terrorists, devastating disease, and financial uncertainty.

But in real life, absent some trustworthy basis for lasting hope, are we all just whistling in the dark?

Paul, a first-Century General Zod (of sorts) who became Jesus’ follower, wrote: “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope….” (Romans 15:13)

Got hope?

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Film is “rated PG-13 [USA] for intense sequences of sci-fi violence, action and destruction, and for some language.”

Man of Steel opens June 14, 2013 in USA, Canada and UK. Worldwide Release Dates throughout June.
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Rusty Wright is an author and lecturer who has spoken on six continents. He holds Bachelor of Science (psychology) and Master of Theology degrees from Duke and Oxford universities, respectively. www.rustywright.com

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Do you have a dream? Something you really want to do? A plan? A course of action to follow that will lead you to a better life? Perhaps you don’t. Perhaps you are just taking one day at a time, working, trying to make ends meet. I know of people who have been given a terminal diagnosis by their doctors. They aren’t doing much planning for the future; they are just living each day to the fullest and being thankful for every moment. Some people use Proverbs 29:18, which in the King James Version reads, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…”, to suggest that if you don’t have a dream, a plan for the future, your life is worthless, or at least not meeting its potential. If you’re not the type to plan ahead, this might be quite discouraging.

Here’s the good news. That is not what this verse means. Other versions, including the New King James, more clearly translate the Hebrew word “hazon” as revelation. The NET Bible and the English Standard Version clarify it by specifying that it is a prophetic vision. In other words, where there is no guidance from God, transmitted through someone on the Earth, the people… well, “perish” isn’t the best translation there either. Most versions now say “cast off restraint”, but what it generally means is to live in chaos. They are living without structure. There are other verses in Proverbs 29 that say very similar things. (e.g. Proverbs 29:2, 6, 8, 11, 16) The overriding theme is that there is much more benefit when we live according to God’s mandates than according to our own selfish desires.

There is some debate among Bible scholars as to whether the “law” in the second half of the verse, refers to the written law only, the Torah, or whether it includes prophetic revelation. As I see it, either way, following God’s principles is required. We have so much more revelation than the people did when this proverb was written. We have Jesus and His teachings to guide us as well. Having the revelation is not enough. Following the revelation is what will bring blessing and help us to avoid chaos.

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The fight between good and evil—it is a common theme in books and movies, especially older movies, but there is no question that it is also a part of our daily life on this Earth. I Peter 5:8 warns us to be sober and alert. The devil is looking for someone to devour, to win over to his side, so we must be constantly aware and work to avoid being ensnared by him. Ephesians 4:27 instructs us not to give the devil a foothold, an opportunity. How can we do that? The whole message of Ephesians 4 is that we need to be transformed from our old selves to our new selves through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Ephesians 4:1-3, Paul encourages us to live with humility, gentleness, patience and love in order to maintain peace and unity in the Spirit. In Ephesians 4:22-24 we are instructed to put our old ways behind us and to start living as the person who was created in God’s image, striving to be like Him by knowing His truth. One specific way to do this is to follow the guidance given in Ephesians 4:26: Be angry and do not sin.

Anger is an emotion, a gift given by God, and it is impossible to avoid becoming angry. Sin, however, is an act of the will or a lack of self-control. We choose how we will act when we are angry, either consciously or by failing to exercise self-discipline. Some Bible scholars state that because the verb in the original language is in the imperative form, we are commanded to be angry, and they discuss the value of righteous anger. God gets angry at sin, and so should we. Of course, God is sinless and we are not, so we are in much bigger danger of doing the wrong thing with our anger. Other scholars say that yes, it is the imperative form, but it is a permissive imperative. In other words, go ahead and be angry if you must, but be careful what you do with it. Whichever interpretation you believe to be true, the rest of the sentence is clear: do not sin. Make sure that you are controlling your emotions rather than allowing your emotions to control you.

The second half of Ephesians 4:26 should be taken symbolically rather than literally. It doesn’t mean that if you get angry in the morning you have a longer time to fume and stew than someone who didn’t get angry until later in the day. It means that you should resolve the disputes between you as soon as possible, and you should do it in the light of day. Darkness symbolizes deceit while daylight symbolizes truth. Work out your differences with pure motives. Forgive each other as we talked about last week. If we can control our anger and keep from sinning in the midst of this intense emotion, we will succeed in keeping unity and peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and we will not give Satan a chance.

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Published on 1 Comment on Matthew 6:14-15 Forgiveness Is Between You and God

Last week, when we were talking about the model prayer that Jesus gave His disciples, I made quick mention of Matthew 6:14-15. I think these two verses warrant a little further discussion. As I said last week, Jesus has already paid the price for our sins, and His gift of forgiveness is freely available to us; all we have to do is accept it. Our request for daily forgiveness helps us to be aware of our own sins, and helps to keep us in a right relationship with God—one where we depend on His love and grace.

Matthew 6:14-15 says that God will not forgive our sins unless we forgive others. We must be careful not to interpret this in a way that will contradict other passages of scripture. Romans 3:24 tells us that we are all justified by God’s grace through the redemption that has been provided by the death of Jesus. Ephesians 2:8-9 says that we are saved by grace through faith. It is a gift from God, and not something that we can earn. Therefore Matthew 6:14-15 cannot be referring to the matter of salvation. If you have accepted Christ’s salvation, however, and you want to be His follower, you should be willing to forgive others. Of course, our human nature is a factor, and it isn’t always easy. I know there have been many times that I have prayed something like, “Lord, I really want to forgive, because I know it is the right thing to do, but my heart isn’t quite in it yet. Please help me.”

We must also remember that forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation. Dr. Grant Mullen, author of Emotionally Free explains. “Forgiveness involves just you and God. Reconciliation requires another person. So, just because you forgive doesn’t mean you’re reconciled or that you have to reconcile. Some people are just too dangerous to reconcile with. You just have to forgive and be separate.” Let us hope that that is not true of our fellow followers of Christ. God would like us all to be one family, His family, characterized by love for each other, but since we live in a fallen world, that isn’t always possible. We cannot always determine how others will act toward us, but we can control how we act towards them. If we want to do it God’s way, that will be with love and forgiveness.

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Published on 3 Comments on Matthew 6:9-14 The Model Prayer

After Jesus counsels His disciples not to make a big show of their prayers (Matthew 6:5-6) and not to babble on endlessly without actually saying anything new, (Matthew 6:7-8) He gave them an example to follow. Most of us know this example as “The Lord’s Prayer”, but it would be more accurately called “The Disciples’ Prayer” or “The Model Prayer”. It was not something that Jesus would have prayed, not completely anyway, since He had no need to ask forgiveness, and He didn’t seem too concerned about being able to find food. (Matthew 16:5-12) The prayer is an example for us to follow, so that our focus is in the right place—on God, and not only on ourselves.

Let’s take a closer look. (Matthew 6:9-13)

  • First notice that the pronouns are in the first person plural form—our, us, we—indicating that this is a model for all of us to follow.
  • The prayer starts by acknowledging God as our Father. (Matthew 6:9) The term that is used was much more intimate than the Jews would have commonly used before Jesus came. It establishes a loving relationship, but by adding “in heaven” it also acknowledges God’s sovereignty and majesty.
  • After addressing God, the prayer gives honour to Him. (Matthew 6:9) “Honour” is the very word used in the NET version; most other versions use the word “hallowed”, which has been carried over since the time of King James. “Hallowed” means honoured as holy, revered or respected.
  • Then the prayer welcomes God’s kingdom to reign on earth, so that His will would be done. In this way, we acknowledge that His ways are better than our ways, and we will put our trust in Him. (Matthew 6:10)
  • We are halfway through this model prayer before we get to any petitions to meet our own needs. But God is willing to listen to our requests, and Jesus invites us to make them. Notice though, that asking for our daily bread (Matthew 6:11) focuses on our short term needs rather than on long-term provisions and desires that would tend to give us a false security in worldly possessions.
  • The word “debts” (Matthew 6:12) refers to our sins against God. Yes, Jesus has already paid the price for our sins, and we accept the gift of forgiveness at the time of salvation, but to continue to ask forgiveness keeps us in a right relationship with God. It is understood that we will have already forgiven those who have sinned against us, before we ask God’s forgiveness of ours. The reason why is clarified in Matthew 6:14-15.
  • We know that God does not tempt us, (James 1:13) but He knows that Satan will. Matthew 6:13 is a request for protection from the evil one. God has promised that He will provide a way out when we face trials. (I Corinthians 10:13) It would be wise for us to ask God to help us see it.
  • The closing of the prayer, “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” is only included in a few versions. It is almost certainly not a part of the original text of Matthew, but one shouldn’t worry about including it in a worshipful repetition of the prayer. To seek to give God the power and the glory is a worthy goal.

Considering that only two verses before this passage, Jesus told His disciples not to use vain repetitions (Matthew 6:7-8), I am sure that Jesus did not intend for us to thoughtlessly recite this model prayer by rote. Not discounting the value of repeating it as an act of thoughtful worship, I believe Jesus wanted us to use this prayer as a pattern. Follow the principles it teaches by example, but use your own words. Express your own heart. Jesus wants our worship of God our Father to be sincere, not forced. Put Him first, attempt through your life to bring Him glory, and feel confident that you can also bring Him your requests. As a holy God, He is worthy of our worship. As a loving Father, He wants to be our provider. This prayer shows us that He is both.

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Published on 1 Comment on Matthew 6:7-8 Leave The Babbling To The Brooks

Do you ever wonder if your prayers are too short? If you don’t pray enough? Do you especially wonder that when you are asked to pray out loud? Do you try to add some extra words, or particular words, so you sound more righteous or more devoted? Last week we talked about praying in solitude, but also that God is not against public prayer. There are times when it is necessary and beneficial. But the good motives we need for praying in solitude should not change when we are called on to pray in public. We should still be focused on God, and not on how good we sound to our audience. We should think of God as our audience even if many others can hear us.

The verses immediately following last week’s passage (Matthew 6:7-8) tell us not to babble repetitiously. Some have taken this to mean that we should only pray for something once, but that would contradict other scripture such as the parable of the persistent widow. (Luke 18:1-8) Others wonder why we should pray at all. Doesn’t God know everything we need before we need it? Yes, but it is important to understand the purpose of prayer. Prayer gives God permission to act in our lives. Choosing to follow God is a matter of our free will; He will not force Himself on us. By praying, we acknowledge that He is all-powerful and that we are placing our trust in Him, rather than depending on our own strength. God does not mind if we do that more than once. I Thessalonians 5:17 suggests that we should do it constantly.

So what does Jesus mean when he tells His disciples, and by extension us, not to babble repetitiously? I think that the word to focus on here is “babble” rather than “repetitiously”. Babble is onomatopoeic. Onomatiopoeia is the use of words that sound like what they mean. Babble is repetitive sounds that are incomprehensible; they have very little, if any, meaning. The King James Version says, “use not vain repetitions”. Purposeful repetitions are a different matter. Repetitions that focus on God, His glory and power, rather than whether we sound righteous and devoted, will not be objectionable. God invites us to come boldly when we need grace or mercy. (Hebrews 4:16) Speak to Him honestly and forthrightly, and do not be afraid to do so often.

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Published on 1 Comment on Matthew 6:5-6 Stardom or Storeroom?

Do you “say grace”? Ask the blessing? Give thanks for your food before you eat? Do you do it when you go out to eat in restaurants? What is your reason for doing so? Do you feel pressured by the people with whom you are dining? Do you feel like you are denying Christ if you do not pray before you eat in a public place? Even if the server is waiting to set down your plate while your bowed head is in the way? In Matthew 6:5, Jesus warns His disciples not to be like the hypocrites who like to make a big show of their prayers.

In Matthew 6:6, He tells them that they should pray in a private place. The King James Version uses the term closet, and there are still people who talk about praying in their prayer closet. The word in the original language referred to a room that was separated or partitioned off from the living quarters. The people who were listening to Jesus would have probably thought storeroom. Some people today make themselves a prayer closet that is set aside for that purpose only, which may actually defeat the purpose of Jesus’ instruction if others know where it is and when you are in it. The point is to pray when it is just you and God involved in the conversation. Christ went to a mountain, (Mark 6:46) to the wilderness, (Luke 5:16) as well as to a quiet place in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36) when He wanted to speak to His Father. The reason He recommends this solitude is so that you won’t be distracted by others, you won’t be trying to impress others, and you won’t be inhibited about talking to God frankly and honestly. If you take the time to talk to God as your Father, rather than as a performance for other church folk, or unchurched folk, your prayers will be more sincere.

That is not to say that God is against public prayer. Other passages in the New Testament clearly show that it was accepted practice in the gatherings of Christ’s followers. (Acts 2:42, Acts 12:12, Acts 13:3, Acts 14:23, Acts 20:36) Christ Himself gave thanks for food in front of thousands of people. (John 6:11) What concerned Jesus in Matthew 6:5-6 was the condition of His disciples’ hearts. He didn’t want them to be influenced by the religious leaders whose actions may seem pious, but whose motives were less pure. Because they were the teachers of the law, the ones who were supposed to have the answers, people were apt to trust them and follow them, but their hearts were focused on the wrong things. That can just as easily happen today. I used to teach in a Christian school where the rules and dress code were strict. The students spent so much time pushing the rules to the very limit, that they completely missed the point of them. So much time was spent focusing on the external that the internal was neglected. God wants us to spend time with Him alone, so that we can know Him and learn to depend on Him, and so that we can become holy from the inside out.