"27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like "WHITEWASHED TOMBS", which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness.
28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."
JESUS came that we might have LIFE (John 10:10), and have LIFE more abundantly. However, living our lives to the standards of men is not living in freedom. "This world" attempts to do anything possible to substitute what it says is "okay" in our lives for the peace and joy of LIFE, but there is no replacing LIFE IN CHRIST! The 23rd chapter of Matthew is filled with JESUS saying "Woe to you", and yet some continue trying to live LIFE on their own terms! Woe, in my book, has always meant to PAUSE!
In our modern society, there are neighborhoods of literally hundreds of houses, costing a LOT of money, that are in reality "WHITEWASHED TOMBS", appearing beautiful on the outside but are full of dead people's bones! Mankind has gotten so infatuated with the standards set by "this world" that they "can't see" they are being hoodwinked by the enemy. It seems the more we have, the more we desire to have! A bigger bank account, a newer car, more comfortable "things", when our example, JESUS CHRIST, didn't even have a place lay HIS head (Matthew 8:20; Luke 9:58).
Most know how GOD has been dealing with me about slowing my life down and waiting on HIM. JESUS makes it abundantly clear TO ME by saying "woe to you" so many times (especially in this chapter) that the pace of "this world" may not be the pace HE operates on! Furthermore, the pace of "this world" cannot lead to having joy and peace, and LIFE more abundant! JESUS says in the scriptures above that they were "full of hypocrisy and lawlessness". They were so busy living at "this world's" pace (and status) that life more abundant had escaped their lives.
GOD is opening my eyes to see things in a rather deliberate fashion. My desire is not to have "WHITEWASHED TOMBS", but "life more abundantly"! FATHER IN HEAVEN, may YOU continue to reveal YOUR truths to me, and may my desire to have life more abundant grow. May "WHITEWASHED TOMBS" never be a part of my neighborhood of LIFE!
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