Read the Bible in a Year This Evening Read Matthew 23:1--22 Do You Know a Pharisee? Do you know some people in the church who are like the Pharisees of old? The problem with encountering people like them is that they often do teach some truth, perhaps a lot of truth. Yet, their self-righteous ways and their unwillingness to follow all the teachings and commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ, makes it hard for us to listen to what they say and to live by what they teach. Knowing these things, Jesus spoke to the people, 2 The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do (Mat. 23:2, 3). Therefore, in observing and doing what Pharisee-like people tell us to do, when it comes from the word of God, we are not following them, but we are following our Master and Teacher, because He is the One who tells us to do these things. The secret is to separate in our minds the ways of the undesirable teachers from what truth they do teach. Pray to God to help you do this. Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100 http://www.plymouth-church.com/dons_corner2.html http://associate.com/groups/emaildevotionals/