Trapped

Matthew 22: ¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. ¹⁶ They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. ¹⁷ Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

¹⁸ But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? ¹⁹ Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, ²⁰ and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

²¹ “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

²² When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.

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Hour upon hours I spent collecting my facts. I was finally going to catch this guy in his slippery ways. I was going to lay my trap that he could not get out. When I got in his boss’s office he was there. Their question was about something I was supposed to be doing, but had not time due to my collection of evidence. I was caught in yet another trap!

• When I try to trap people I get caught in the trap.
• When I try to bring someone down I am the one who falls.
• When I try to make someone look bad, I am the one who winds up looking terrible.

Time is precious, yet the Pharisees spent an enormous amount of it scheming against JESUS. I did the same. I should have been working instead of trying to gain vengeance that GOD owns. Laying traps for people is as slimy as the person I am trying to trap. GOD wants something different.

• GOD wants me to be the person of integrity so I don’t have to trap anyone.
• GOD wants me to state the truth without bending it so I will not fall into any trap.
• GOD wants me to stay focused on HIM so human traps will fall off of me.

Snares, traps and deceptions are not the way of the LORD. HE does not want me to play games like that rather HE wants me to be courageous enough to stand for the truth and tell the truth. By following JESUS’s example, I do not need to lay traps for anyone.

• Are you trying to trap someone?
• How much time do you spend brooding over “that” person?
• Can you remove the hatred from your heart by asking GOD to fill it up today?

I Better Mean What I Say

Psalm 101: ¹ I will sing of your love and justice;
    to you, Lord, I will sing praise.
² I will be careful to lead a blameless life—
    when will you come to me?

I will conduct the affairs of my house
    with a blameless heart.

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“You are sorry you got caught” the officer said to me in reply to my apology. Prior to being pulled over I quickly said “Oh GOD, Please, please, please don’t let me get a ticket!” The officer was right. I was not sorry for what I had done, but I sure was mad that I had to pay.

• There are times I don’t like justice.
• There are times I don’t want to sing praises because my heart is too hard.
• There are times I refuse to yield and end up with consequence rather than blessing.

One day as I was zipping down the road with a coworker, I was pulled over. After claiming my ticket, I sped off only to be pulled over a second time. Fortunately the second officer asked “Where are you going?” He knew the business we were visiting and let me go with a warning! “I better be careful” I said to myself.

• GOD has forgiven me for my sins but allows “crops” to grow where I sow seeds.
• GOD has forgiven me for my sins and wants me to plant seeds of life rather than death.
• GOD has forgiven me for my sins and HE desires that I enjoy HIS rules rather than getting mad at how HE works in my life.

Living sinless, or as the author says “blameless” is pretty difficult. I will inadvertently sin; BUT GOD wants me to stay away from sin anyway, not because HE will hit me in the head with a bat but because I love HIM. HE knows there is power in modeling my behavior after HIM. HE knows I should have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The more fruit I bear the more GOD blossoms in my life.

• Are you bearing fruit with your current behavior?
• Do you think GOD is after you in a bad way or a good way?
• Can you believe GOD loves you and wants you to delight in HIS way rather than pouting that you are not getting yours?
• Will you turn your anger into praise for GOD’s justice?