Day 192 "No additional gift of man will pay the price to enter heaven–it's already been done."

Day 192 Matthew 23:23-24 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!” If the leaders of the time were focusing on the paying of tithes, what would be wrong with that? We could use a few more people focusing on tithes, couldn't we? The danger here was not the paying of the tithes; it was the heart behind it. Think about it, the paying of tithes was a very public gesture, or rather it could be, if you so desired. The leaders wanted to be seen as great, generous, and righteous leaders; they wanted the oohs and ahhs of the people, and they wanted to be seen as powerful and great men. However, in doing so, they completely forgot about the most important thing, the people. The people’s needs were not the focus; the focus was not on maintaining a right relationship with God but rather on obeying (at least openly) the commands of the leaders and the Mosaic Law. It's like the guy who goes to church every time the doors are open, he pays his tithe, he sings the hymns, and he can even quote to you the books of the Bible. However, he is a harsh taskmaster, has no compassion, and is a terrible husband and father; there is little evidence of love within him. If you ask him, he would say, "Hey, I go to church, and I give a lot of money; I'm a “strong” Christian." Yet if you ask those who know him, they might say, "Well, he goes to church but that’s about all!" For him (in his mind), there is no issue; after all, he is being obedient and doing just what he was told to do; however, he has no clue of why Christ came and no clue as to why God has provided a way for him to be in fellowship. He has his fire insurance but it's not worth the paper it's written on, all because he doesn't understand the heart of God. I know a person who has no interest in going to church or believing in God, nor does she want anything to do with grace and mercy. She is bitter, angry, and headstrong, and every time you ask her about heaven, she says, "I'm getting in and no one is going to stop me." Some people just don't get it–works will not get us into heaven–"it is by grace that we are saved" and nothing else matters. How about you? Are you looking for a back door, trying to earn you way in, or are you confident in Christ and the need for a savior? Daily Prayer: Father, I pray that if I have become hardened as to the need for grace and mercy or if I have, in any way, neglected the need for salvation, You would forgive me. My desire, God, is to please You and serve You well all my days. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. "No additional gift of man will pay the price to enter heaven–it's already been done." Gene Burroughs, Pastor