DRESSED UP, BUT MESSED UP!

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.” Matthew 23:25

Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees that they looked righteous on the outside, but on the inside they were filled with hypocrisy (insincerity, double standards), and iniquity (sin, evil and injustice). In other words, ‘you are dressed up, but you are messed up!’ It’s time to look within. Jesus says if we cleanse the inside first, then the outside can be clean also. It doesn’t matter how holy you look; how neat you dress; how handsome you are or how pretty your face…If you are messed up on the inside, it does not matter if you are dressed up on the outside.

Sunday morning; you put on your nice outfit with your new hairstyle, or fresh hair cut; you smell good, and you walk with grace. You paint a smile on your face, and begin your typical, usual, fake greetings. “Praise God! Good morning!…I’m blessed! I’m so glad to be in God’s house!”

You sing in the choir, usher at the door, you are a deacon, preacher, pastor or maybe a Sunday school teacher….You serve, shout and sing while in the ‘building.’ Now it is over; the mask comes off, the smile turns upside down; instead of shouting praises, you are shouting at your spouse, or at your children. Instead of thanking God, you are asking Him, ‘why am I going through such turmoil?’ Instead of studying the Word, you at home having impure thoughts, watching unclean shows, listening to filthy songs; you are hanging out with the ungodly, not because you are witnessing to them, but because you fit in with them.

You are dressed up on the outside, and messed up on the inside. You can’t continue to ignore your habits, hang-ups and hurts. You can’t keep hiding your thoughts, secret sin and feelings of failure. It’s time to stop the ‘show.’ it’s time to start cleaning house, on the inside. Begin to seek God for healing, deliverance, peace, strength, a clean heart and a renewed Spirit.

Stop trying to impress people and let’s get real…the church is filled with ‘dressed up, messed up’ people! And if no one starts to acknowledge it, a lot of people will go to church, die and go to hell!

Because God looks at the heart….We need a cleansing; ON THE INSIDE!

“Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” James 4:8