INTRODUCTION

When speaking to "newborn babes" in Christ, Peter admonished them to lay aside all hypocrisies. It is a natural battle that every babe in Christ must face. A new believer might have a strong desire to please the one who led him to the Lord. He might do things in hopes that his spiritual mentor will take notice. He might begin to see problems in others while not realizing the same problems exist in his own life. He might work hard to obey the strictest of commands while missing the overall desire the Lord has to work in his life. Early on, he must work to lay aside hypocrisy. Until he does, he will never grow into the mature believer the Lord wants him to be.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) God wants us to examine our hearts (1 Corinthians 11:28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
  See All...a; 2 Corinthians 13:5Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
  See All...a; Psalm 139:23-24 [23] Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: [24] And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
  See All...). When we have sin in our hearts and don't confess it, but see everyone else's faults, that is hypocrisy (Luke 6:41-42 [41] And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? [42] Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.
  See All...).
• If hypocrisy is a battle faced by "newborn babes," what does it suggest when you battle with hypocrisy? Should you be facing the battles of a newborn babe, or should you be beyond those?
• Has the Lord used the scripture to show you that hypocrisy exists in your life? Does this offend you? Are you willing to lay aside your hypocrisy and grow in the Lord?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask God to help you repent of your hypocrisy.
• Ask the Lord to help you grow into a mature believer.

HYMN

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