"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices-- mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law-- justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. (Matthew 23:23 NIV) A WARNING FROM JESUS

Mic 6:6 "With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" 8 He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (RSV)

You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. (Matthew 23:24 NIV)

You blind guides! You strain out a (GALMA)* but swallow a (GAMLA)*. (Matthew 23:24 NIV) * Aramaic

You blind guides! You strain out a (GALMA)* but swallow a (GAMLA)*. (Matthew 23:24 NIV) * Aramaic The little things in the eyes of God are often the most visible in the eyes of the world (Matt 6) Dress Giving Money Singing Assemblies What we do at the building in 3 hours a week

You blind guides! You strain out a (GALMA)* but swallow a (GAMLA)*. (Matthew 23:24 NIV) * Aramaic The weightier matters are often practiced in private Prayer in a closet Alms sent anomalously Being a servant to others when there is no recognition True Bible Study Faith, mercy, justice

You blind guides! You strain out a (GALMA)* but swallow a (GAMLA)*. (Matthew 23:24 NIV) * Aramaic The weightier matters are often practiced in private We are often gnat strainers when it comes to three hours on Sunday We swallow camels during the week

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices-- mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law-- justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. (Matthew 23:23 NIV) Does straining gnats have its place? Law required tithe of oil, grain, and herds

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices-- mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law-- justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. (Matthew 23:23 NIV) He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8 NIV)

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices-- mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law-- justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. (Matthew 23:23 NIV) Don’t be a stickler for details if it makes you blind to great principles

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices-- mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law-- justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. (Matthew 23:23 NIV) Don’t be a stickler for details if it causes you to fail to serve and exemplify Jesus in your life

Does straining gnats have its place? Law required tithe of oil, grain, and herds Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise-- why destroy yourself? Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool-- why die before your time? It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all extremes. (Ecclesiastes 7:16-18 NIV)

Examples of Pharisees Thought nothing of condemning an innocent man to death but would not enter Pilates judgment hall for fear of being defiled Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. (John 18:28 NIV)

Examples of Pharisees Their “gnat straining” made them treat “healing a person” as a violation of the Sabbath rest Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." (Matthew 12:10-12 NIV)

Examples of Pharisees Their “gnat straining” made them accuse the disciples of guilt when “they satisfied their hunger” on the Sabbath If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. (Matthew 12:7 NIV)

Believers have debated the proper day for assembly – Sabbath or Sunday? Which day is right for worshiping God? Is Sunday the only day to have the Lord’s Supper? Should Christians work on Sunday? Is the collection one of five acts of worship that must occur every week?

While all these questions may be areas of needed study … … They may be “gnat” questions While we strain over them – we neglect the weightier truth that Christianity was a daily religion – not a weekly religion. Most differences, debates, divisions among Christians occurs over what is done in 2-3 hours out of 168 hours in the week

While all these questions may be areas of needed study … … SUGGESTIONS: What we do together in those two to three hours needs to be kept simple – things all agree are right So that we can be built up and edified in order to concentrate on the weightier matters that occur in the other 165 hours

Have you heard of this expression? Sunday Clothes Everyday Clothes Some have a Sunday Religion Instead of an Everyday Religion &

Daily Religion Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:46-47 NIV)

Daily Religion involves: Daily Prayer – In Judaism incense was offered daily (Exodus 20:7-8 – The incense was symbolic of Prayer (Rev 5:8) And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (Revelation 5:8 NIV)

Daily Religion involves: Daily Prayer But I call to God, and the LORD saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. (Psalms 55:16-17 NIV) Give us each day our daily bread. (Luke 11:3 NIV)

Daily Religion involves: Daily Prayer Daily blessings means daily Appreciation The Ten Lepers Healed One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him-- and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? (Luke 17:15-17 NIV)

Daily Religion involves: Daily Prayer Daily Bible Study Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (Acts 17:11 NIV) Our Children are in school 35 hours a week They receive two hours a week Bible teaching at the building What are we doing as parents?

Daily Religion involves: Daily Prayer Daily Bible Study Daily Exhortation See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:12-13 NIV)

Daily Religion involves: Daily Prayer Daily Bible Study Daily Exhortation So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. (Acts 20:31 NIV)

Daily Religion involves: Daily Prayer Daily Bible Study Daily Exhortation Daily Service Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. (Acts 6:1 NASB)

Daily Religion involves: Daily Prayer Daily Bible Study Daily Exhortation Daily Service This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (James 1:27 NASB)

Daily Religion involves: Daily Prayer Daily Bible Study Daily Exhortation Daily Service This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (James 1:27 NASB) Each day I’ll do a golden deed, By helping those who are in Need

Daily Religion involves: Daily Prayer Daily Bible Study Daily Exhortation Daily Service Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? (2 Corinthians 11:28-29 NIV)

Daily Religion involves: Daily Prayer Daily Bible Study Daily Exhortation Daily Service Daily Cross Bearing And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. (Luke 9:23 NASB)

Daily Religion involves: Daily Prayer Daily Bible Study Daily Exhortation Daily Service Daily Cross Bearing "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. "He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it. (Matthew 10:38-39 NASB)

Daily Cross Bearing Involves Daily Surrender "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20 NASB)

Daily Cross Bearing Involves Daily Surrender Involves Daily Sacrifice I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2 NASB)

Daily Cross Bearing Involves Daily Surrender Involves Daily Sacrifice Involves Daily Suffering And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Timothy 3:12 NASB)

Daily Religion involves: Daily Prayer Daily Bible Study Daily Exhortation Daily Service Daily Cross Bearing Daily Evangelism

Daily Religion involves: Daily Evangelism Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. (Acts 5:42 NIV)

Daily Religion involves: Daily Prayer Daily Bible Study Daily Exhortation Daily Service Daily Cross Bearing Daily Evangelism Daily Results

Daily Religion involves: Daily Results And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47 NIV)

Daily Religion involves: Daily Results So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. (Acts 16:5 NIV)

One thing about our Religion that is not Daily Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. (Hebrews 10:11 NIV) Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. (Hebrews 7:27 NIV)

Do You have a Daily Religion