Psalms 22:1-3 – “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning. 2 O my God, I cry by day, but Thou dost not answer; And by night, but I have no rest. 3 Yet Thou art holy, O Thou who art enthroned upon the praises of Israel.”  NASB

Isaiah 29:13 – “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me…” KJV 

Ezekiel 33:31 – “And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.”  KJV

The clear picture and truth from God’s word are that “God desires truth in the inward parts.”  Flattering lips are and have always been an abomination to Him.  We should never forget that God is Omniscient, He knows our hearts.  He is Omnipresent, He sees, hears, and knows.  Remember David’s declaration, “If I make my bed in hell or ascend into heaven, God is there.”  He knows when we sit down and when we stand up.  He knows what we do, why we do it, and who we are.  There is no hidden from Him!

God desires our lives not insincere praise.  Romans 12 reminds us that the desire of God is “Living Sacrifices.”  James 2:17 reminds us that “faith without works is dead.” And in 4:17 we are reminded that “knowing to do good and not doing it is sin.” 

God has Expectations!  That is an understatement but true.  Omission is as great a sin as commission.  I’ve heard some say, “But I didn’t do anything, and I sometimes say, ‘That’s the problem!”  If a medical doctor refused to treat a patient, he/she is just as bad as the person who shot them.  Why, because, he did nothing.  Remember the Bible story where one son said, “I will, but did not” and the other said, “I will not, but did” what their father requested.  God praised the doer, not the other son.

Moses delivered Israel by actions, not simply by words or promises.  Gideon delivered Israel by actions, not words of praise.  David slew Goliath by actions, not pompous declarations.  The Early Church reached its world by actions, not simply words of praise or adulation.  They Worked!  A bird with one wing does not fly well.  We need Praise & Thanksgiving, but we also need Action.  If you tell your wife that you love her cooking but always find an excuse to eat elsewhere, she won’t believe you.  Christian Living involves action as well as testifying and declaration.

Exodus 20:3 warns that we are to have “no other Gods before our God.”  That is sometimes done without realizing it.  Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:21, “not everyone who professes will make it to heaven.”  In Matthew 6:33 our LORD taught that God’s Kingdom and God Himself are to be pursued before and above any other pursuit in life.  Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love Me do My Words.”  In Luke 6:46 our LORD warns, why bother calling Him LORD if we are not going to do what He says?  1 John 5:3 declares, “For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not grievous.” 

Our lives make our testimonies powerful or pitiful!  Our actions are the vehicles through which things get done.  God wants committed lives, not flowery words.  God wants the total man, not a small allotment that we can’t use elsewhere.  God wants lives filled with love for Him, not love for everything else under the sun.  God wants lives to be used as vessels to carry his glorious truths, not broken cisterns or bags with holes.

God is looking for men and women who will totally commit to Him, “Can he find that person in you?”  I ask that you make this declaration: “Father, I choose You above everything.  I am willing to remove all that takes Your rightful place and position in my life.  Father, I give myself to you totally and completely.  I am Yours, do with me as You choose.”

God bless you as you continue your journey in His Grace!