10/03/2026
🦅 GMCC DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: Saturday, 3rd October 2026
YEAR THEME: LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES — Ephesians 3:20
MONTH THEME: MAINTAINING AN EAGLE-EYE FOCUS
WEEK’S THEME: FOCUSING ON GOD, NOT ON PEOPLE
TEXT:
Matthew 6:1–6;
Matthew 23:27–28;
Galatians 1:10
TOPIC:
DON’T SERVE GOD FOR THE EYES OF MEN
“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them.” — Matthew 6:1 KJV
One of the greatest dangers in Christian service is doing the right thing for the wrong reason.
You can pray, give, preach, attend church, sing, serve and even make sacrifices—and yet your heart may be seeking human applause rather than God’s approval.
Jesus strongly confronted hypocrisy because hypocrisy focuses on appearance before people while neglecting the condition of the heart before God.
WHO IS A HYPOCRITE?
A hypocrite is someone who pretends to be what they are not, especially by displaying outward righteousness while their inward motives, character or conduct contradict what they publicly profess.
Jesus said:
“Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” — Matthew 23:28 KJV
Hypocrisy is not simply making a mistake. It is the deliberate gap between what you present publicly and what you genuinely live privately.
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EXAMPLE OF HYPOCRISY TENDENCIES IN THE BIBLE, PEOPLE WHO POSSESS THAT SPIRIT— AND THE EAGLE’S LESSON
PRAYING TO BE SEEN BY PEOPLE
Matthew 6:5–6
Jesus warned against praying merely to attract attention.
Eagle lesson: 🦅
An eagle does not fly to impress other birds. It rises because that is its nature and purpose.
Ask yourself:
“Would I still pray if nobody knew I prayed?”
Practice: Develop a secret place with God.
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GIVING TO RECEIVE HUMAN PRAISE
Matthew 6:1–4
Some people give, not because they love God or people, but because they want recognition.
Eagle lesson: 🦅
The eagle doesn’t advertise its flight. Its altitude speaks for itself.
Give because you love God—not because you need people to celebrate you.
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HONOURING GOD WITH YOUR LIPS BUT NOT YOUR HEART
Matthew 15:7–8; Isaiah 29:13
Jesus quoted Isaiah:
“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth… but their heart is far from me.”
Eagle lesson: 🦅
The eagle has sharp vision. It doesn’t live by appearances.
Maintain an eagle-eye focus on your heart condition, not merely your public image.
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JUDGING OTHERS WHILE IGNORING YOUR OWN WEAKNESS
Matthew 7:3–5
Jesus warned about seeing the speck in another person’s eye while ignoring the beam in your own.
Eagle lesson: 🦅
Before correcting others, look inward.
Ask:
“Lord, what must You correct in me?”
A focused believer spends more time improving himself than monitoring everybody else.
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LOOKING HOLY OUTWARDLY BUT NEGLECTING INNER PURITY
Matthew 23:25–28
Jesus compared hypocrites to something clean on the outside but corrupt within.
Eagle lesson: 🦅
An eagle’s strength isn’t merely its appearance. Its eyes, wings, talons and ability to soar must function properly.
Don’t merely build a public ministry. Build a private life with God.
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SAYING ONE THING AND DOING ANOTHER
Matthew 23:3–4
Jesus criticized religious leaders who taught things they were unwilling to practice themselves.
Eagle lesson: 🦅
An eagle flies according to its design. There is consistency between what it is and what it does.
Let your private life agree with your public confession.
Don’t preach faith and live in fear.
Don’t preach forgiveness and live in bitterness.
Don’t preach prayer and neglect your prayer life.
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SEEKING THE PRAISE OF MEN MORE THAN THE APPROVAL OF GOD
John 12:42–43
Some people believed in Jesus but were afraid to openly identify with Him because:
“They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”
Eagle lesson: 🦅
The higher an eagle flies, the less it is controlled by what is happening on the ground.
The higher your focus on God, the less dependent you become on human applause.
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WHICH BIBLICAL INDIVIDUALS POSSESSED THE SPIRIT OF A HYPOCRITE?
The Pharisees —
Matthew 23:27–28.
They appeared righteous outwardly but were corrupt inwardly. They valued religious appearance above genuine righteousness.
Judas Iscariot —
Matthew 26:14–16, 47–49
He pretended to be a disciple and used a kiss, a sign of affection, to identify Jesus for betrayal.
Avoid the spirit of Judas in GMCC: Never allow familiarity, greed, offense, or hidden disloyalty to make you betray the people and divine assignment God has entrusted to you. Serve with a pure heart, genuine love, loyalty, humility, and integrity—remembering that God sees not only your actions, but also the motives of your heart.
Ananias and Sapphira —
Acts 5:1–10
They pretended to give the full proceeds from their property while secretly withholding part and lying about it.
Avoid the spirit of Ananias and Sapphira in GMCC: Never allow deception, pretence, hypocrisy, or the desire to impress people to make you present yourself as more committed, sacrificial, or spiritual than you truly are. Serve God with sincerity and integrity; let your private life, public confession, giving, and commitment agree, because God sees the heart and nothing is hidden from Him.
King Saul —
1 Samuel 15:13–24
He claimed to have obeyed God's instructions while keeping what God had commanded him to destroy. He initially blamed the people.
Avoid the hypocrisy spirit of King Saul: Never claim obedience to God while selectively doing what is convenient and then blaming others for your disobedience. In GMCC, let our obedience be complete, our motives sincere, and our actions agree with God’s Word—because partial obedience is still disobedience.
Gehazi —
2 Kings 5:20–27
He pretended to refuse Naaman's gift through Elisha but secretly pursued money and lied about it.
Absalom —
2 Samuel 15:2–6
He pretended to care deeply about the people's problems while secretly winning their hearts to overthrow his father, David.
Herod Antipas —
Matthew 2:7–8, 16
He claimed he wanted to worship the newborn Jesus, but his intention was to kill Him.
Simon the Sorcerer —
Acts 8:18–23
He appeared interested in the power of God but wanted to purchase the gift of the Holy Spirit for personal advantage.
Diotrephes —
3 John 9–10
He claimed a position within the church but loved pre-eminence, rejected apostolic authority and mistreated other believers.
Peter —
Galatians 2:11–14.
Peter withdrew from eating with Gentile believers because he feared criticism from the circumcision group. Paul confronted his conduct as hypocrisy because it contradicted the truth of the Gospel.
HOW DO WE AVOID THE SPIRIT OF HYPOCRISY?
LIVE FOR GOD’S EYES ONLY
Galatians 1:10 (ESV)
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Ask: “Am I doing this for God or for people’s approval?”
DEVELOP A SECRET LIFE WITH GOD
Matthew 6:6 (ESV)
“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
What happens privately determines the authenticity of what appears publicly.
EXAMINE YOUR MOTIVES
Psalm 139:23–24 (MSG)
“Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me…”
David asks God to examine his heart, expose any wrong motives or hidden sin, and lead him into the way that brings him closer to God.
Pray:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart.”
PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH
James 1:22 (NKJV)
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
Don’t only hear the Word. Do the Word.
STOP CHASING APPLAUSE
John 12:43 (ESV)
“For they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.”
Human applause is temporary. God’s approval is eternal.
KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS
Hebrews 12:2 (KJV)
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
The eagle has extraordinary vision. Likewise, the believer must maintain an eagle-eye focus on Jesus rather than constantly looking around at people.
REMEMBER THAT GOD SEES THE HEART
1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)
“For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”
People see the outward appearance.
God sees the heart.
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GMCC DECLARATION
Say it loud….
I refuse to serve God for the eyes of men!
I will not live for human applause.
I will not become addicted to recognition.
I will not build a public image while neglecting my private life with God.
My heart shall be pure.
My motives shall be right.
My service in GMCC shall be genuine.
My public life shall agree with my private life.
Like an eagle, I will maintain an eagle-eye focus on Jesus.
I will rise above the temptation of hypocrisy.
I will pursue God’s approval above man’s applause.
I will serve God sincerely.
I will finish 2026 strong, focused and faithful.
In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen!
Good morning
N/B
STOP MAKING EXCUSES… if you need to buy data for someone do, if you need to pay for the transportation do, but NEVER ATTEND SERVICE ONLINE ALONE AGAIN… it is a sin!!!
Be the arm and legs of Jesus within your private space!!!
INVITE AND COMPEL SOMEONE TO COME TO CHURCH WITH YOU!!!
You are not a hypocrite!!!
