***Being the "Real" Thing***

[SoldOut4Christ]

Today's Prayer
Dear God, Today I want to ask for Your protection and blessing upon Christian leaders around the world. Please give wisdom and guidance, and surround them with guardian angels. I pray for pastors, missionaries, and other church leaders; for Christian heads of governments; for teachers and parents; for social and relief workers; for every kind of leader that is out there doing Your work, Your will, Your ministry. I lift them up to You, for their tasks are difficult. Block Satan's attempts to harm them or sidetrack them. Help them stay focused on the tasks and the missions to which You have called them. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Being the Real Thing
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman
12-17-2008

"For the devious are an abomination to the LORD; But He is intimate with the upright" (Prov 3:32 NASU).

Years ago Coca-Cola had an advertising slogan that said, "It's the real thing." The world is desperately looking for the real thing. We live in a day when technology can make us believe something that isn't, actually is. Animation in movies today is so advanced they can make you believe actors are achieving the most extraordinary feats. It is the ultimate deception.

There was one thing that caused Jesus to get angry about more than anything else. It was when religious people did things inconsistent with what they taught. Hypocrisy is a form of deception designed to make you believe something isn't reality. Being devious is a form of deceit. God said you can't violate God's ways through deceit and hypocrisy and expect to have an intimate relationship with God.

"You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: "'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men'" (Matt 15:7-9).

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean (Matt 23:25-26).

Believers in the workplace have an opportunity to demonstrate to the world the real thing. The apostle Paul prayed that our faith "may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed" (1 Peter 1:7-8).

Ask God to make you a follower of Jesus who is genuine in all you say and do. As you do you will discover your intimacy with the Lord will also grow and others will see you as the real thing.