That wouldn't be so bad.
Posted on 11/27/2025 9:25:12 PM PST by metmom
“But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him” (Matthew 12:14).
Sometimes neither the most persuasive arguments nor the most convincing deeds will change someone’s hard-hearted opposition. Such was the case for the Pharisees’ challenge to Jesus in considering the proper significance and use of the Sabbath. He had irrefutably connected the divine virtues of benevolence, kindness, mercy, goodness, and compassion with scriptural Sabbath observance. But the Phari-sees stubbornly rejected His exhortations and clung to their legalistic works and self-styled traditions. Not even God’s Word or the powerful demonstration by His Son would change their hard hearts.
Such legalism has always been an implacable enemy of grace. Even the law of Moses, with all its demands, reflected a strong measure of God’s grace in that it pointed men and women toward Christ as the only true hope of salvation. Paul says this about it: “Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith” (Gal. 3:24). If the very law of God has this more secondary role, how much less place does human tradition have in pleasing God?
Legalism and man-centered customs are also barriers to faithful, biblical sanctification after we are saved. The apostle again asked the Galatians, “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (3:3). We must make sure that we, too, can answer this question rightly, bearing in mind Paul’s later admonition to the Galatian believers: “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” (5:1).
Ask Yourself
What do you plan to do to any remaining vestiges of legalism in your heart?
And how do you intend to encourage others to do the same purifying work?
Studying God’s Word ping
I have prayed many times over the years that you might find and understand the above words. I wish nothing but the best for you in your continued quest to build and strengthen your relationship with God through Jesus.
🙏🙏🙏
I have absolutely nothing of my own to offer a holy God.
Without the blood of the lamb, I’m simply and utterly lost.
I don’t really have elegant and beautiful prayers like many seem to just speak with no prompting but I plead it daily with my lesser words.
I constantly hope I’m not “doing it wrong”.
He wants your heart.
And if you are being honest with Him, you'll have a more effective prayer life than those who pray spiritual sounding prayers.
I always found this verse encouraging when I felt the same way.
Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
I love that verse too and cling to it.
It just always amazes me when I meet people who want to pray for me and they have such effective and wonderful prayers.
Mine are sort of rambling messes.
I just talk to God like it’s a conversation.
He’s supposed to be with me • always• and • everywhere • so I just say what I’m thinking.
( I probably shouldn’t do it out loud in the supermarket so much lest they toss a net over me one night but whatever)
😁
😀😀😀😀😀
That wouldn't be so bad.
Oh Elsie.
😜
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