Pastor Prince

What is a hypocrite and how do you avoid being one? In Matthew 6:5ff, Jesus called his followers to not be like the hypocrites who put their piety on public display.   The word "hypocrite" comes from the theater.  In Jesus' time, when actors performed in plays, they wore masks.  "Hypocrite" means "to speak behind a mask."   What a great image for putting on show of being something you're not! Some say Christ followers are especially prone to hypocrisy because their standard is so high: Jesus Christ! There's some truth to that.  But a hypocrite isn't a person who aims high and falls short.  A hypocrite is one who aims high, falls short, but says he hit the target! How do we avoid hypocrisy?  First, by refusing to put on an outward show of our spirituality.  Second, by being honest about our failings with our fellow Christ followers and others. Throw away your mask and be real!   The Lord and others will b...

I heard a teacher say once that we should only ask God for something once.  We should ask him once and trust him for the result.   But Jesus said something different.  It's something you can see in Greek, but not in English.  Greek has a verbal tense that implies continual action.  Matthew 7:7 is in that tense.  Jesus said, " Keep on asking and you shall receive, keep on seeking and you will find, keep on knocking and the door will be opened." So Jesus encouraged persistent prayer.   But about what?  We don't have to go to the Greek to find that.  In Matthew 7:12, he said, "So in everything, do to others what you want for them to do for you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."   Our asking, seeking, and knocking isn't about material goodies for ourselves.  It's about the power of the Holy Spirit to do others what we would want them to do for us.   Our persistent prayer should be that God wi...