Hallelujah, praise the living God for another day to pray for you all and be used by Him. The thought this morning is Hypocrisy.  For the conversation, I suggest we adopt the following definition: the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform.  This is a heavy word and I am not sure any life (outside of Jesus) was lived void of hypocrisy.  However, I think the gap that exists between what we say we believe and how we are living it out (or failing to) is creating a lot of mental health issues and anxiety in our world.  Being a walking contradiction is a lot of extra baggage to carry around.  This gives the illusion of superiority to a non-believer because they can hang their hat on the fact that their walk is more closely aligned with their talk.  But think about it, what is more difficult?  To believe in one thing without having the will power or discipline to carry it out or to change your talk track to fit the life you are living?  I am not sure hypocrisy should get the attention it does in the debate over beliefs, but we should strive to live a life void of it.

John 13:35 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

³⁵ By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Heavenly Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, through and by Your Son Jesus Your servant prays.  Bless You and Praise You above anything else.  Know our hearts and shine light on the darkness, be our strength.  Help us to walk out our faith in confidence, remove our fears and be our Good Shepherd.  Lord of Hosts, fill our hearts to overflowing so our love will cast out the fear and blot our hypocrisy.  Guide our words and actions towards Your will and use us today in perfectly clear ways that would show men our love is real and true.  In Jesus’ Name, amen.