Bill Sizemore

“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 5:20 (ESV)

If you attend a church, more than likely, you have been told that church is full of hypocrites. Church people have even agreed and said we are all hypocritical to some extent. When you think of a hypocrite, you might think of “one that says one thing and does another.” And although this may be true, the heart of a hypocrite is a little more complicated.

An actor or a pretender was called a hypocrite. It was not a negative word but a clarifier of the role someone was playing. Hypocrites are sometimes falsely accused of being liars, deceivers, and manipulators. Make no mistake. There are liars, deceivers, and manipulators in the church. But that’s not a hypocrite in most churches. 

“Hypocrisy is the overcompensation of a sinful heart through good deeds.”

-Bill Sizemore

The heart attitude of a hypocrite is to “Fake it ’til you make it.” They desire to live righteous before the Lord, but their heart hasn’t caught up to their will. There is an internal struggle to do good and be right, but deep down, the battle is raging. Many Christians feel stuck in the “Fake it ’till you make it” syndrome with no guidance on how to change it. 

As Jesus taught the disciples in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), He set an expectation of righteousness that exceeded the hypocrisy of his day. Let me offer a working definition of righteousness. 

“Righteousness is the people of God taking on the heart of God to accomplish the will of God.”

Moving from hypocrisy to righteousness requires a transplant of God’s heart into the heart of God’s people. Then the actions of the person are genuine and sincere and not hypocritial. 

Jesus gave three examples of hypocrisy in this passage: charity, prayer, and fasting. All of which were done to be seen and rewarded by people and not God. Righteousness doesn’t need the show because God ‘sees in secret and rewards them openly.’

I want to give you three steps you can take to move from a “fake it ’til you make it” mentality to a heart of righteousness before the Lord.  

Transformational Steps from Hypocrisy to Righteousness. 

1. Check the condition and love of your heart toward God.

“And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

Matthew 22:37 ESV

A genuine love for God is essential for a heart of righteousness. Holding back pieces of your heart from God will cause the inconsistency we call hypocrisy. No one is perfect, but we do have the ability to love God with our whole heart. Honesty is the first step to righteousness.

“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;”

Matthew 15:8

Questions to ask yourself:

• Am I taking on the heart of God through my relationship with God?
• How is my love for God expressed through my sacrifice for others?

2. Seek the approval of God more than the approval of men. 

God sees the motives of the heart behind our actions. He knows the why behind the what. Therefore, we must strive to please God and not men. 

Ask yourself these questions as you decern your own heart:

• If no one is around, will I still worship you?
• Why am I doing these religious acts? 
• Is it to get closer to God or closer to people?

3. Build an intimate relationship with God from your heart and not your religious actions. 

The gospel (good news) of Jesus and the Kingdom of God does not promote a religion of God but a relationship with God. The more you cultivate your relationship with God, the more you will take on his heart and characteristics. God is a real person that desires to have a relationship with you through His Word, prayer, and His people. The more God reveals to you about himself, the more you can take on His heart and mind. 

Questions to ask yourself: 

• Do I want the rewards of men more than I want the rewards of God? 
• Do I desire an intimate love relationship with God that is real and personal?

You don’t have to “fake it ’till you make it.” God can transform your heart if you are willing to let him in. 

This blog was derived from the Sermon entitled “Secret Rewards” by Bill Sizemore. If you would like to watch the message in its entirety Click Here.

“Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Matthew 5:1–12, ESV

For years Christians have taught the Beatitudes as a list of character traits that will bring blessing into your life if you perform them. And although that may be true, I believe Jesus is emphasizing a much stronger point in this passage. 

Jesus has just begun His earthly ministry by healing the sick and casting out demons (Matthew 4:23-25) and had gotten pretty popular. There is now a huge crowd following him as well as some disciples. 

Jesus separates himself from this big crowd and goes up the mountain. The crowd is not what he wants and not what is going to change the status quo. He is looking for people that will be resolved to share the gospel even when times get tough. 

“Imagine how the crowd’s attention was riveted on Jesus when He uttered His first word: “Blessed.” (The Latin word for blessed is beatus, and from this comes the word beatitude.) This was a powerful word to those who heard Jesus that day. To them, it meant “divine joy and perfect happiness.” The word was not used for humans; it described the kind of joy experienced only by the gods or the dead. “Blessed” implied an inner satisfaction and sufficiency that did not depend on outward circumstances for happiness.”

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 21). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

“To recieve the “beatus” blessings you must be a warrior for the kingdom.” @pastorsizemore | billsizemore.blog

Tweet

Jesus lists out nine characteristics needed to bring His kingdom’s influence here on Earth. Those that are willing to answer this call would receive a divine blessing for their sacrifice. So it is today! The “beatus” blessing is still offered to those that will answer the call to build God’s Kingdom influence here on Earth. 

9 Characteristics of Kingdom Warriors

1. Humble (care more for others than yourself)
2. Willing to suffer loss (committed)
3. Meek (power under self-control)
4. Spiritually Motivated (caring more for spiritual things than physical things)
5. Merciful (loving your enemies)
6. Kingdom-focused (mindset on heavenly things)
7. Gospel-Centered (bring peace to situations through the gospel)
8. Righteous (living set apart unto God)
9. Resilient (able to withstand the slander and lies of the wicked). 

Now, we get a clear picture of what Jesus was asking of his disciples. These concepts will be expanded throughout the rest of His ministry as he illustrates the sacrifice through the cross.  After looking through the list above, take a few minutes and answer the questions below. 

This blog was dirived from the Sermon entitled The Blessed Struggle by Bill Sizemore. If you would like to watch the message in its entirety Click Here.

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”

James 1:12-15, ESV

Trials and temptations are all around us every day. We feel them when we wake up and are bombarded by them until we go to bed. For most Christians, they are a daily battle that they don’t plan on winning. But what if there were a way to prepare for your temptations and meet them head-on?

3 Ways to Prepare for Your Temptations.

Prepare through Prayer and Fasting.

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.”

Matthew 4:1-2, ESV

Prayer and fasting is a lost art among most Jesus followers today. Fasting is more than the denial of physical things like food but a focus of your mind on spiritual matters. Jesus spent 40 days focusing his heart and soul on God and the things of God.

We can do the same thing in a practical sense by starting our day with prayer and meditation, focusing on our relationship with God. There might even be times when intense trials are coming that fasting is appropriate to build your spiritual strength.

Stand on the Word of God

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:13–15, ESV)

In each of the temptations, Christ used scripture to combat the lie of the trail. He didn’t try to trick or outsmart the temptation. Instead, he was ready to answer with the truth of God’s Word. They only way to be equipped with the Word of God is to learn the Word of God. You can’t cheat off of someone else’s understanding of the scripture. Either you know it in your heart, or you don’t. The only way to combat temptation is with the truth. Once you identify the lie, you can apply the truth.

Draw Close to God through the Trial

“And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘ You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.”

Matthew 4:9-11

When temptations come, people tend to run because they are not prepared to face them. The whole reason for the trail is to draw you away from God in fear or pride. Jesus drew closer to God with each trial until the devil had to flee the presence of God. The more secure you are in your relationship with God, the more He will be a safe place for you to run. There God will protect you from evil and refresh your soul.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

James 4:7-8, ESV

Preparation through prayer and fasting, scripture, and the presence of God will cause you to be victorious over your trials and temptations. Don’t fear them; be ready for them.

Tweet

This blog was derived from the message entitled, “Passing the Test.” You can watch the sermon in its entirety by visiting http://www.reliant.church/sermons.

If this blog has blessed you in some way, please leave a comment for Pastor Bill below.

 Over my 30 years of ministry, I have learned an elementary truth. People spend their resources on whatever they want to. We are all limited in our time, talent, and treasure.   Therefore, it is essential that we make wise decisions on how we spend it.

There are three things to consider when deciding how to spend your resources of time, talent, and treasure. 

1. What will it cost?
2. What is the return of the investment? 
3. Are you willing to endure the cost of producing the return?

What will it cost?

Everything we do in life has a cost attached to it. Cost is not only a “yes” to something, but it’s also a “no” to something else. Wisdom knows when to say “yes”, and when to say “no”. If you are not wise, things will end up costing you more than you ever imagined and steal the resources you needed for something else.

In order the make these “yes” and “no” calls, it’s crucial to establish priorities for life. Everyone lives with a set of priorities, whether clearly defined or not. 

When someone goes through the discipleship path at Reliant, the mentor guides them through the process of setting kingdom priorities to maximize the return on their investment of time, talent, and treasure. Prioritizing allows them to say “yes” to kingdom things and “no” to other things. 

Cost is essential in the decision-making process, but it should not be the focus of your final decision.  

What is the return on investment?

Every cost will yield a return. Resources are not the goal, but a tool to be used to bring about some return for your investment. This return might be in the form of love, security, sustenance, joy, knowledge, or pleasure, etc. We do this every time we buy goods and services. If we don’t feel the product is worth the investment, we continue shopping until we “find a good deal.” 

It’s essential to apply this same principle to the resources of time and talent (i.e., effort) that we have with our treasure. Time is much more valuable than money, yet we don’t take the time to spend it wisely. 

For example, if a father chooses to spend all his time at work to gather more resources for his kids while missing out on the life of his kids, has he spent his time wisely? Now obviously, there is a balance to be drawn, but that is the point I’m trying to make. 

Are you willing to endure the cost of producing the return? 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1–2, ESV)

Some might wonder why Jesus, God incarnate, would ever endure the pain and suffering of the cross. From this verse, it is clear He did it “for the joy that was set before him.” The joy of Christ is the salvation of humanity. He was willing to endure the cost of producing the return.

“Your willingness to endure the cost will determine your joy of investment.”

Tweet

Most things in life, both spiritual and physical, come with a high cost of endurance. Can you push through the pain to achieve the gain? Endurance is what separates people of success, and people of failure. Some have the endurance to push through, and some give up before they reach their return on investment.  

Failure is investing with no return.  Resources are simply waisted.

If it is worth it, then push through! There is joy on the other side. If it’s not worth it, say “no” so you can say “yes” to something better. 

This topic is an excerpt from Pastor Bill’s sermon entitled “Is it Worth It?”, given at Reliant Church on November 17, 2019. Click here to watch the sermon in its entirety.

Your comments are welcomed below.

“In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”

Colossians 2:11-14, ESV

As a new believer comes out of the world, Jesus does something amazing of cutting away all the sin of your flesh and setting you free.  

When we understand our spiritual connection to circumcision, we find the impressive work of Christ in taking all of our sins in the flesh and nailing it to the cross. Thus, setting us free from sin to live in the Spirit.

Both in the Old and New Testament, we have examples of circumcision about the heart more than the flesh. 

“Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.” (Deuteronomy 10:16, ESV)

“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.” (Acts 7:51, ESV)

Anytime a man was circumcised, there was a three day period of recovery before he could function again. It is a time of healing and restoration that must take place for the person to whole again. So it is in spiritual circumcision. There is a process that God takes you through so that your heart can be whole again, and you ready to face the battles of life. 

A wounded soldier is a liability on the battlefield of life. 

If you don’t heal from the wounds of the past, you will not be ready to fight in the strength of the Lord. You must allow the gospel to heal the wounds of your heart from the things of this world.

Here are 3 steps that will help you to heal your heart from the past. 

1) Receive the forgiveness of God.

When God forgives, you must forgive yourself. Don’t keep yourself in condemnation with Jesus has set you free from it. When a person is unwilling to forgive themselves, the guilt causes fear and shame in the life of the believer. If Jesus is going to go through the work of circumcising you through the cross, why would you hang on to that nasty flesh? 

2) Renew your mind with the ways of God.

If you think the same way, you will do the same things. Let the Word of God change your perspective on yourself and the world you live it. The Bible will fill your life with purpose and meaning as has never had been before. 

3) Renounce the flesh and live in the circumcision.  

Once you are thinking godly, your actions will follow. Too many people try and change their actions before they reconcile their past. This is the reason many believers can’t find victory over their past, even though Jesus has set them free. 

Strength in the Spirit only comes after the healing of the heart. If you have a broken heart, take time to heal before jumping back into the battle of life. You will be more equipped to handle it, and you will be an asset to those around you. 

If you were encouraged through this post or need clarification on any of the topics, please leave a comment below.

For more encouraging messages vision reliant.church/sermons.

10 “And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, 11 and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, 12 then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

Deuteronomy 6:10–12(ESV)

As a young boy growing up in church, I remember singing an old hymn “count your blessing name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.” There are so many times in the scriptures God calls us to remember his mighty works lest we forget the power of our God. 

When the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea, and the Jordan river, a marker was placed to remind them of God’s mighty salvation and serve as a memorial for the next generation. This remembrance of God’s power to deliver would play an essential role in the battles they still had to face in the Promise Land. 

It is so easy to forget God in the good times. It’s easy to forget that without God’s blessing we would never have gotten this far; without His power and strength, we would still be wandering around in the wilderness with no ability crossover into the Promise Land. 

Three ways to remember God’s mighty hand

Keep a journal of God’s blessings and provision in your life. 

Take a moment and recount the amazing things God has done in your life that have brought you this far. Write down some blessings and praises, so you don’t forget. 

Make a habit of praising the Lord each morning as you start your day.  

“Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!”

Psalm 150:1-2 (ESV)

Live in expectation of God’s mighty deeds. 

As you remember all the mighty things God has done, it will give you courage for the things God is about to do. Let God’s past be the predictor for your future. God has brought you this far because he has great things in store for you.  

I have written this blog as a continuation of the message “Crossing Your Jordan”  Click here to watch the sermon in its entirety. 

If this blog has blessed you in some way, please leave me a comment below, so that I can be encouraged with you. 

“Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” And Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people. The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.” And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.”

Joshua 3:5-9 ESV

If you’re the adventurous type uncharted territory can be very exciting. I love going to new placed and trying new things. If you’re not adventurous uncharted territory can be the scariest thing in the world. There are no answers in uncharted territory. You must trust in something; your instincts, your intuition, or the Lord.

As Joshua prepared Israel for her journey into the Promised Land, he gave them four commands that we can use today.

First: Put the Lord in the front. (Covered in Part 1)

Second: Prepare yourself through Consecration.

Consecration is a big word for “all in!” You must set your heart and mind on the journey trusting the Lord knows what he’s doing and where he is going. The Lord is doing wonders around you. If you’re not consecrated to the mission, you will miss the blessing because of your fear.

To Consecrate yourself to God, find out what’s keeping you from Him and remove it. It sounds simple, but it’s not. You must search the deepest parts of your soul to find the hidden things that keep you from God.

Third: Follow the Instructions.

You can conquer anything as long as you have a clear word from the Lord. You don’t need to know what lies ahead. Be assured of what the Lord said. When God sets your course stay on course. Don’t turn to the left or the right (Joshua 1:7).

When you are in uncharted territory, the instruction might save your life. You don’t know the dangers and pitfalls that lie ahead. Draw close to the Lord and let Him guide your path.

“Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” God has given us clear instructions in His Word and through His Holy Spirit. Too many people have gotten hurt because they wouldn’t follow directions.

God is about to do wonders in your midst. Things you could never imagine or accomplish on your own. Follow clean and close to Him, and He will guide you every step of the way.

If you would like to know more on this subject, watch the full message entitled “Uncharted Territory” by clicking here.

If this blog has encouraged you in some way, please subscribe and leave your comments below.

“At the end of three days, the officers went through the camp and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.”

Joshua 3:2-4 (ESV)

As God prepared the children of Israel to enter the promised land, He knew they had “not passed this way before.” They had been wandering around in the desert with their parents for the past 40 years. It was time to leave the old ways behind and begin something new.

At times, you might feel God moving you from something old to something new. A change of scenery or a change of life. But how you navigate this uncharted territory could be the difference in success and failure.

In Joshua chapter three, Joshua gives Israel 4 steps to prepare for this new adventure of uncharted territory. We can apply these same four steps as we venture into uncharted territory.

Step 1: Put God in Front.

Too many believers try and anticipate the next move that God wants to make instead of watching to see where God is going. You are commanded to follow and not guess where God is going. God has given everyone two guides to follow: the Word of God, and the Spirit of God.

The Word of God is the instructional road map of life.

It will guide you through the twists and turns.

It will steer you away from the pitfalls of life.

It can only help you if you read it. (Try reading the book of James.)

The Spirit of God is your guide through the maze of life. When a person puts his or her faith and trust in Jesus, God gifts them with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This Spirit of God become your internal compass to guide you through life.

The Spirit guides you into all truth. You have a defense against the lies of the world.

The Spirit brings peace that passes all understanding, revealing to you that you are on the right path.

The Spirit leads you with power and might to produce God’s will in your life.

You must choose to follow the guides God has placed in your life. There is no reason to navigate blindly through life. The more you understand the road map of the Bible, the more you will recognize the guidance of the Spirit in your life. Set aside time each day to put God out in front by reading the road map and listening to the Spirit.

To be continued…

If you would like to know on this subject, watch the full message entitled “Uncharted Territory” by clicking here.

If this blog has encouraged you in some way, please subscribe and leave your comments below.

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

Ephesians 1:7-10, ESV

Have you ever stop to think how God defines you? We define ourselves in all kinds of ways, some good some not so good. But God always defines us from his point of view. He defines us by his mercy, grace, forgiveness, and love all brought about by his Son Jesus Christ. He no longer views of as sinner but as saints; joint heirs with Jesus and apart of the household of God.

Here are 3 Things that Define You.

Don’t be defined by your past but God’s present.

As a child of God you are no longer defined by your past. You have become a part of God’s family, and thus a part of past, present, and future. You’re not writing your own story but have been written in to God’s story. God’s redemption story.

In God’s redemption story all the sins of the past are washed away through the power of the cross. Your current situation is a part of God’s never ending story ending in everlasting hope. God has wrapped up your entire life from beginning to eternity in his redemption story.

Don’t be defined by fear but by faith.

Knowing that your living in God’s story allows you to put your faith in something bigger than you. It’s no longer a matter of you coming through, but God seeing you through. You can trust in God because he has told you the end of the story.

Don’t be defined as a coward but by courage.

God’s desire for you is not to cower to this world, but to be strong and courageous. You display courage when your faith turns to action. Pushing through because you’re confident in the Lord’s plan and power.
Courageous people save other people. Stand firm in your faith knowing that God has written you into His story.

If you enjoyed this blog, please subscribe. If you would like to hear more on this topic, watch Pastor Bill’s message entitled, “What Defines You?” Click Here. Please comment below if you were encouraged in some way today.