Matthew 15:8. This people draweth nigh (near) unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Well, it seems like this lazy-day Saturday won’t be sunshiny like the last few days of this past week, for it has opened dark and cloudy after some precipitation precipitated during the early morning hours. (smile) And according to the weather people, we might get some of the remnants of hurricane Helene sometime today. Please don’t forget to pray for those unfortunate souls whom Helene ravished over the last few days, while giving thanks for our own well-being.
And don’t think the hurricane business is over nuh, for there seems to be two more hurricanes brewing; one in the Atlantic ocean and one in the Caribbean. I’ve forgotten their names, though more likely than not, we’ll eventually hear from them. But to turn our eyes from the negativity of all that the hurricanes stand for, let’s get positive and raise our faith by sending up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer to heaven.
As one sincere voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And is that ever so reassuring, since the Lord likes nothing better than His people seeking His presence in their lives. Remember His words through the prophet Jeremiah? ‘Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:12-13)
Yes friends, our God desires that we devotedly and sincerely seek Him with all of our heart, meaning in total truth, not like what Jesus says of the people of His day. ‘This people draweth nigh (near) unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.’ (Matt. 15:8)
It’s like the psalmist Asaph declares in Psalm 78, in the section titled ‘A Plea for God’s Mercy.’ He writes: ‘The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest (stoutest) of them, and smote down the chosen (choice) men of Israel. For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works. Therefore their days did he consume in vanity (futility), and their years in trouble (sudden terror).
When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early (sought diligently) after God. And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was not right (steadfast) with him, neither were they steadfast (faithful) in his covenant.’ (Ps. 78:31-37)
Unfortunately friends, many of us supposed believers are still engaging in those same rebellious, and unfaithful acts today! We say we LOVE God and use all the right words and terminology, but our hearts are far from Him, as we lustfully wallow in the ungodly things of the world. And that’s sad, because if seek after God and His righteousness first, as Jesus says, in Matt. 6:33, then most of the very same things we’re running down on our own, will be made available to us by our heavenly Father.
The problem though is that because of our sinful and carnal nature, we are more enamoured with the things of Satan rather than those of God, and if we sincerely follow God, we won’t get those ungodly and lustful things that we truly desire. But please remember my brethren there are consequences to every action, and if we disobey God and follow after the enemy, then we will receive the same terrible consequences like he will receive; that’s eternal separation from Almighty God.
And I keep repeating that’s the worst thing that can ever happen to a human soul! Please believe me, and do your best to renounce the things of the enemy, and accept those of God. For, all of us know that the things of the enemy, the sinful pleasures that he encourages only last for short while then they vanish into thin air. As Cousin Sol would say of them: ‘Vanity of vanities (futility of futilities), all is vanity (futile).’ (Eccl. 1:2)
And that’s the indisputable truth! For nothing of the enemy is really worth anything, because we leave it all here when we die. But when we live for God, we amass rewards in heaven. As Peter puts it: ‘An inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.’ (1 Pet. 1:4)
Oh friends, let’s also remember Jesus’ warning that the earthly treasures we accumulate down here are susceptible to ruin and loss through moth and rust and thieves, but the heavenly treasures we accumulate don’t have any of those shortcomings, but are securely stored, waiting for you to come and receive them. (Matt. 6:19-20)
Thus as Jesus so rightly says: ‘No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and LOVE the other; or else he will hold to (be loyal to) the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (earthly riches).’ (Matt. 6:20) And that’s the gospel truth my people! We cannot serve God and the earthly wealth advertised by Satan.
There are only two roads in this world; the straight and narrow path that leads to Jesus and everlasting life, and the wide and winding one that leads to destruction, hellfire, damnation and eternal separation from Almighty God. And we cannot ride the fence; that’s one moment with God, the other with Satan. For as James so correctly advises; ‘For he that wavereth (doubts) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he will receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.’ (James 1:6-8)
More indisputable truth friends. Truth that we should seriously ponder on this dark and cloudy lazy-day Saturday, and see how, or if any of it applies to our personal circumstances. And it’s a known fact that all of us have room for improvement, so, today, let’s sincerely consider avenues of growth and maturity in our Christian journey and worship God with both our mouths and our hearts. That can only stand us in good stead! Much LOVE!
…we came with nothing…and will leave with nothing…but in heaven…we’ll find everything…
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