"Woe to me" I cried. "I am ruined". Isaiah 6:5

My greatest fear when I serve God as a leader of the church is that I may fall and become a Pharisee.

I hate Pharisees and religious teachers that mentioned in the Bible, well most obvious reason is because they crucified Jesus. MMh... And as I went for the study of Matthew last year in BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) I found more reasons NOT to become like them.

(1) What Jesus says of them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance." Matthew 3:7

(2) "The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him.... " Matthew 16:1

(3) "Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you?" Matthew 12:38

(4) "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces." Matthew 23:13

(5) Lastly.... "As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw Jesus, they shouted, "Crucify! Crucify!" John 19:6

I am a person no greater than Pharisee, sometime I was as worst as them.

Being a leader and a teacher, many time unconsciously, I feel into the trap of being self-righteous, and I have hurt many of my youths and friends whom I dearly love. I found that it is very easy for us to fall into an attitude that say "I'm more holy than you.." Even though it is my duty to reconcile youths who had drawn far from God, to preach the message of repentance, but a cynical remark and a harsh rebuke is not it!! There is something that I missed while doing these,....I missed grace and a love-filled heart!!

I just do not know what to do, Lord?!

Past few weeks ago, pastor was preaching on Isaiah 6:1-9 in the Sunday Service. Believe it or not? God spoke to me through this passage and there were few incidents when I was in bookstore browsing through some books and I came about this same passage. IT WAS AMAZING, happened twice!! Well Pastor, need to preach it again in the staff morning devotion, with these double doze from pastor who will forget the message.


It says in Isaiah 6:5 - Woe to me, I cried. I am ruined! ....

Woe to me Lord, I am ruined. - Ruthie

My prayer is that I will teach like Jesus not the Pharisees...