ENOUGH WITH THE SHOW AND PRETENSE

Amos 5:21-24, Hosea 6:6, Malachi 1:6-14, Isaiah 29:13, Matthew 15:8-9


All these passages and more from the Bible tells us how God isn't pleased when we offer sacrifices to Him and our hearts are far from Him. We say we are of God but we compromise with the world, we know His teachings and His ways but we are more focused on our works than our relationship with Him. This isn't a message for either the writer and the reader to look at areas they are good and ignore other areas, but to check ourselves and ask, 'Do I really honor God with my lips while my heart is far from Him?'

Our lips says one thing but our hearts says another. God is telling us it is enough. Enough 'trying' to look it when you are not, enough 'trying' to seem 'righteous', enough with been a 'Pharisee', enough with offering 'sacrifices', knowing Scriptures and teaching others about the Scripture but not living by it. It is time to rebuild our relationship with God and stop pleasing Him with words from our lips. Enough with been the hearer alone and not the doer of the Word. Enough with all the show and pretense, enough with living on your past relationship with God. Your past relationship with God cannot get you anywhere with God except apprasials from men; just like an expired visa won't get you into a country. Your current status will determine if you can move into a country or not, it’s all about the current status, that's what really matters.

The Scripture says blessed are they who do not only hear or listen to the Word but also Do ,meaning putting them into practice or action. (James 1: 22); this means there are people that are just listeners of the Word. It is time to start putting the Word of God we listen to into practice, it is time to start studying the Word to want to know God more and not to show to 'men' we know Scriptures. It is time to learn at the feet of our Lord Jesus Christ and put His Word into practice. Enough with all the show, we've deceived people enough.

We may be able to decieve man and everyone around us but we definitely cannot deceive God; and you know who we can't decieve?  The devil. As the Lord sees what's been done in secret so also the devil and his demons sees those who really live by the Word of God. How do I know this? Ask the seven sons of Sceva (Acts 19: 14-16). They know those who are walking in The Truth, they also see what you do in closet. If not the demon won't have been able to recognize 'Paul' and not recognize them, the sons of Sceva wanted to do what Paul did but failed.

If you don't runaway from God in the closet, He won't disappoint you in the open. It is high time we stopped hiding under the cover of religious activities and start replacing it with our relationship with God. Take time to ask yourself this question and sincerely give yourself an answer, 'Why do I really study the Word? Is it to make people see I'm familiar with Scriptures or because I really want to know God and understand His ways?'

Our God prefers a heart who yearns after Him more than sacrifices, He wants us to know Him, He wants our lives to be an endless river of righteous living and not see knowing him or walking in His ways, as a 'pain'. He wants us to honor Him both with our hearts and lips and to stop with the pretense or with the 'sacrifices.'
The Bible says, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6). Fulfilment does not come from works or sacrifices, it comes only from a genuine hunger and thirst for righteousness.

We need not to only study the Word, but believe the Word and Do the Word.

Are you pretending over your passion for God or do you genuinely love Him?

Don't Live As A Slave

Everyone is in need of Redemption. Redemption has been giving to us but some Christians are still living as slaves, they don’t understand the price that has been paid for them; we underestimate the sacrifice God has made for us. Though we are but dust and worms, God did give His son for our- redemption, essentially God Himself, the maker of the universe, coming to be conceived in a human womb and to be born as human. Not only that, He subjected Himself to the limitations of man and was maltreated by His own creatures; all just for you and me not to perish in hell fire but to be with God forever.

It is pathetic to see Christians living in sin and leaving the case of redemption to unbelievers. Jesus Christ has paid the ultimate price to redeem us back to God, He has freed us from being ransomed, and our debt has been paid off. He bought us out of the slave market; He didn’t purchase us for Himself as a slave but to free us. You may wonder what exactly Jesus freed us from. The Bible tells us that we are all slaves and no man is free, everybody in the world is a slave in their sinful nature. Another question to ask is who is the captor? Who has held everyone in bondage? 

John8:34 says “men are slaves to sin” Romans 7:14 says “men are sold under sin” Romans 7:23 “men are controlled by sin” Romans 8:21 says “In bondage to corruption” Who then or what is the captor of men? Sin, sin is. Sin is the captor that holds men down. Sin demands a price to be paid to release its victim. What is the price? Romans 6:23. The price or wage of sin is death; in order to purchase a person from sin there must be death. Hebrews 9:22 without death there is no remission of sin.

Sin is what Jesus Christ came to free us from, sin is what He came to deliver us from, and sin is what He bought us out from. His life was the debt that he used to pay off; he acquired us from sin so we don’t live a life of bondage, so we don’t live as slaves to sin. 

But we still see some Christians still living as slaves in a free market, John 8:34. So called Christians acting as an undercover, in church they showcase one personality at home or with friends they showcase another one. Some are even suffering from multiple personality disorder spiritually. Or what do you say about “Christians” that indulges in sexual immorality, adultery, jealousy, greed etc and refuses to repent from it. One sin that has been trivialized in modern times is lying.

Today the world has classified lies; you have lies that cannot hurt a fly, white lies, blue lies, heavy weight lies, feather weight lies, business lies, normal lies, ministerial lies etc. If you are a lover of lies, you are far from being righteous; you are living as a slave in a free market. Even if you keep away from every other sin but still tell lies you are on your way to hell. How do I know this? Revelations 21:8, Revelations 22:15. The Bible bluntly said all liars and all who love to live a lie, their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

Jesus Christ has paid everything for us to live above sin. Apostle Paul urged us to stay free and to stay above sin Galatians 5:1 because we have been redeemed. The world might tell you it is impossible, but the life that was given as a ransom for all will tell you it is possible. 

There are lots of benefits that comes with redemption but can only be received through genuine repentance and not by been tagged ‘a Christian or by going to church’. If you don’t repent you cannot experience redemption. Make up your mind today to start living above sin. It is a day-to-day battle of enforcement and resistance that will be “painful”. The flesh is not going to like your stance but you must let it know you are dead to it, you are no longer a slave to it, you’ve been set free and it cannot rule over you.

Make no provision for the flesh. You must not disgrace your buyer, a very high price has been paid for you, do not disappoint Him.