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He replied, 
"Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:  'These people
honor me
with their lips,
but their hearts
are far from me.'"
Mark 7:6 NIV
Jesus doesn't get grumpy about much, but he certainly does here.
Hypocrites who teach about God but for their own gain, make their own rules more important.
Jesus quotes from Isaiah 29 which is all about God's judgement, and Jesus is not being subtle at all...he's saying "I'm judging you now on this because I am God"
Jesus is really grumpy at them.
For me, the words "honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me" jumps off the page. 
Jesus was after their hearts then, and He's after our hearts today...the whole story of the Bible is about that.
What's the opposite of a heart far from God?
One that is close.
Our heavenly Father's arms are open wide to welcome us close, to hold us close, to walk with Him.
Arms of acceptance
Arms of forgiveness
Arms of grace
Arms that were stretched wide on a Roman cross.
So that we can fellowship, walk with, be close to, Him.
#wordsofJesus
#gospelofmark
#dearlyloved
#childrenofGod

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