IS SAYING SOMETHING NICE REAL WORSHIP?
Have you ever said something nice about someone on the surface even though you did not care about them at all? On the surface that seems to be a very cold thing to do because it means that we have a very hypocritical heart deep inside of us, and it is even worse if we do that with God.
While we are able to get by with that sort of behavior with others around us we cannot do that with God because He always reads the intent of our heart. Jesus had a lot to say about people who seemed to welcome others in public with open arms, but who did not care to really have any relationship with them on a deeper level. In
Luke 9:57-62 Jesus tells the parable of those who were invited to follow God, but gave excuses for why they could not. These were people who were too caught up in the world around them to think about God even though they wanted desperately to be seen as good men by the standards of this world. The standards of goodness in this world are far different than God's standards for righteousness. In this world, we can have two standards and sets of values; one in the public eye and another in our private lives, but with God, it all changes because the is only one truth there can be no substitutions for being a servant first to all men and then being a King second. If people honor you let it be because you have been a servant first. Jesus offers us some insight into this in Luke 12:8-10 "And I say unto you whoever shall confess me before men him shall the Son of man confess before the angels of God. and whoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven" Jesus is saying this is a spiritual confession that takes in the true intent of our heart. So we need to ask " ARE WE TRYING TO CHEAT GOD?" Our real worship of God is not in what we say but in how we live out the word in our lives. We may not realize that we are starting even now to be called on to take a stand in this world for Christ and to give an account for what and why we believe as we do.
As this world changes so does the Church. God is serious about seeing His Plan of Salvation through to its end. We need to recognize that we must respond to these changes by how we worship God today. Ultimately that is the only way we will be able to get the attention of those around us in this world who are walking by the problem on the other side, without playing the part of the good Samaritan. May you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THHE UNWORTHY SERVANT
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