pay lip service to God

The Overwhelming Importance of Christians having a Heart that’s Sincerely Right and True with God!

05 Aug 2026 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a wind that passeth away, a winter storm, all God's children, another good summer's day, as the heavens are higher than the earth, as the rain cometh down, as the rain waters the earth, behaving like the Israelites, Bless His Holy Name, bread to the eater, Christ who strengthens us, christianity, cometh not again, cross that bridge when we come to it, destroyed them not, did not stir up all his wrath, downhill to the cold months, endure to the end with Christ, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, flatter him with their tongues, fool each other with external looks and talk, For I am the Lord I change not, forgave their iniquity, forgotten what the Lord did for us, give seed to the sower, God being full of compassion, God is our Creator, God knows everything about us, God's been good to us, God's compassion to his sinful creation, great is thy faithfulness, grieve him in the desert, handle any situation, hands on the plough, he remembered that they were but flesh, hearts rampaging after the things of Satan, his compassions fail not, holy spirit, how oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, I have refused him, I'm halfway home, in these comfortable and wealthy times, It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, it shall accomplish that which I please, it shall not return unto me void, Jesus Christ, lessons that we need to learn, look not on his countenance, LOVE, maketh it bring forth and bud, man looketh on the outward appearance, many a time turned he his anger away, many supposed believers are not ture to God, mercy, Mother Nature, my thoughts are not your thoughts, my thoughts than your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, neither were they steadfast in his covenant, not turning back, only remember God in times of trouble, our wonderful position in Christ Jesus, pay lip service to God, Praise the Lord, prosper in the thing whereto I sent it, reason to destroy us, remembered not his hand, returned and enquired early after God, salvation, so are my ways higher than your ways, so glad to be alive, so shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth, sought diligently after God, take God for granted, thank God, the BIBLE, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the day when he delivered them from the enemy, the grace and mercy of Christ, the height of his stature, the high god their redeemer, the Lord looketh on the heart, the Lord seeth not as man seeth, the snow from heaven, the truth in spades, the undeserving children of men, their heart was not right with him, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed, they are new every morning, they remembered that God was their rock, this is the day the Lord has made, this odious world, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, turned back and tempted the Holy One of Israel, we cannot fool God, we will rejoice and be glad in it, Wednesday Wail, wisdom

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 August 2026 Psalm 78:37.

Psalm 78:37. For their heart was not right (steadfast) with him, neither were they steadfast (faithful) in his covenant.

Oh boy! Another bright, sunshiny, cool summer’s day in my neighbourhood! August so far has just been marvellous, except for the one rainy day on Sunday. Let’s hope and pray that it stays this nice for all of the month, because you know after this, it’s all downhill to the cold months. But as children of the Most High God Jehovah, those minor things like cold months and winter weather don’t bother us, for we can handle any situation that comes against us, through the outstanding grace and mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who strengthens and directs us! Therefore, like the psalmist, we will say every day: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps;118:24)

And I’m chuckling here, as I think how bold and brave we’ll be until Mother nature blasts us with a winter storm and we get caught in the middle of it, struggling to get home or to work. But we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, until then let’s be brave and bold and confident in our wonderful God. And all God’s children said a loud and grateful, ‘Praise the Lord! Bless His Holy Name, for He has certainly been good to us, the undeserving children of men!’

And that’s for sure my faithful brethren, Almighty God has been good to us when all He had was reason to destroy us, and we should be ever so thankful for His grace and mercy, His compassions to us His sinful creation, which like Jeremiah says in his Lamentations: ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lam. 3:22-23) And Jeremiah’s statement is corroborated by the prophet Malachi, when he declares on the Lord’s behalf. ‘For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ (Mal. 3:6)

And that faithful compassion of our God is seen even more in this passage from Psalm 78, where the psalmist Asaph describes his people’s sinful behaviour in the wilderness and God’s response. He says: ‘But he (God), being full of compassion forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again. How oft did they provoke (rebel against) him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! Yea, they turned back and tempted the Holy One of Israel. They remembered not his hand (his delivering power), nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.’ (Ps. 78:38-42)

And yuh know what my people, sadly, in these comfortable and wealthy times, we are behaving the same way the Israelites did back in the wilderness. We’ve either forgotten what the Lord did for us, or simply take Him for granted, and only seem to remember Him when troubles come against us, then we’re quick to cry: ‘O God, help me!’ But other than that we only pay lip service to Him. We again behave like the Israelites did.

‘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. 78:34-37) And when we look around today’s world that is exactly what we’re seeing too much of; supposed believers not being faithful and true to Almighty God, only paying lip service, while their hearts are rampaging after the things of Satan and this odious world.

And foolishly, many of us think that the Lord doesn’t know what we’re truly about when we come to Him with insincere pleas and requests, forgetting what he said to Samuel so long ago, when He sent him to anoint Bruh David to be the future king of Israel. Samuel saw the eldest of Jesse’s son, Eliab, looking strong and handsome and thought that he must be the one. ‘But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused (rejected) him; for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.’ (1 Sam. 16:7)

Yes my people, the Lord looks at the state of our hearts before He does anything else, so although we can fool each other with our external looks and talk, we cannot fool Almighty God. And the sooner some of us recognize that colossal fact, the better off we will all be. That reminds us of this other difference between us and the Lord, as He says through Isaiah. ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void (empty, without fruit), but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.’ (Is. 55:8-11)

That’s the truth in spades my fellow believers: the Lord’s thoughts and ways are so much higher than ours, and His word will never return to him fruitless, but will do whatever He desires it to. Those are a couple more lessons that we either need to learn or remember in these lawless and deceitful times. Now, let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus.

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’

And if we endure to the end with Christ, then it’s been promised that the future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So let’s be wise and endure to the very end, so that we can enjoy that more than glorious future together! Much LOVE!

…we cannot fool the Lord…for He is our Creator…thus He knows everything about us…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Overwhelming Importance of Keeping God’s Commandments If We Claim to be Christians!

17 Sep 2025 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a large responsibility, add a little balm to our wounds, another fine summer's day, appear beautiful outward, born of God, detracts from our Christian influence, endure to the end, faith, follow the world's wisdom, God's commandments are not burdensome, God's commandments are not grievous, halfway home, hands on the plough, he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God, he that endureth to the end shall be saved, holy spirit, honour me with their lips, hypocrites, if any man will come after me, if ye love me keep my commandments, in vain do they worship me, insincere religious behaviour, Jesus Christ, Jesus' admonishment of the Pharisees, let him deny himself, like unto whited sepulchres, LOVE, mercy, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, not looking back at the past, our second wind day, outwardly appear righteous, pay lip service to God, paying lip service, salvation, so glad to be alive, take up his cross daily and follow me, talking through our hats, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men, thank God, the breath of life, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the Christian life is not easy and comfortable, the Comforter, the lack of true Christian behaviour, the rewards are worth the sacrifices, the sun is in ascendance, the world is going to hell in a handbasket, their heart is far from me, this is the love of God, this is the victory that overcometh the world, this people draw near to me with their mouth, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, undeserved grace, we love the children of God, Wednesday Wail, whatever is born of God overcomes the world, when we love God and keep his commandments, whitewashed tombs, who is he that overcometh the world, whosoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, wisdom, within are full of dead men's bones, within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity, woe unto you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake

John 14:15. If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments.

And this Wednesday, our second wind day, has turned out to be another fine summer’s Day! Well, it’s a tad cloudy, (smile) but there’s no doubt that the sun is in ascendance, so let’s give our good God some thanks and praise for allowing us to see another beautiful day on planet earth. And all God’s children gave a loud and grateful shout of: ‘Thank you heavenly Father, for LOVING us so much and granting us the undeserved grace and mercy to live another day! We LOVE You, and praise Your holy name! Amen!’

And I’m sadly chuckling here friends, because that statement we made above there about LOVING God, carries a rather large requirement and responsibility with it. For remember what Jesus said to the disciples before telling them about the coming of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. it was a simple but most important statement. ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments.’ (John 14:35) Yes my fellow believers, that’s the gist of the whole story; if we LOVE God, we will keep His commandments.

And since too many of us are not keeping His commandments, then it means we don’t truly LOVE Him, we’re merely talking through our hats, merely paying lip service. It brings us right back to Jesus’ admonishment of the Pharisees. ‘Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias (Isaiah) prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh (near) unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.’ (Matt. 15:8-9)

And that’s oh so true my people! Too many of us supposed Christians only pay lip service to God, but basically follow the world’s wisdom in most of what we do. And that greatly detracts from whatever influence we might have with the unbelievers. That means we’re behaving like the leaders of Israel in Jesus’ time, when He again admonished them for their insincere religious behaviour, this time re washing of hands before eating, by saying:

‘Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres (whitewashed tombs), which indeed appear beautiful outward, but within are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.’ (Matt. 23:27-28)

And unfortunately my brethren, too many supposed Christians of today are the same way. We look good on the outside, behave ever so righteously, but on the inside we’re a terrible mess, or as Jesus says, ‘full of hypocrisy and iniquity.’ No wonder the world is going to hell in a handbasket…and very quickly too. And a lot of it has to do with the lack of true Christian behaviour by those of us who claim to be followers of Christ.

But have we ever seriously considered what it means to be a follower, a disciple of Christ? I doubt many of us have, but just take it for granted. Here though, is what Jesus says about and expects from His disciples and followers. ‘And he (Jesus) said to them all, If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23)

Yes my fellow believers that’s what Jesus expects from those who claim to be His followers. But how many of us really fall into that category eh? Not many, since we find it hard to deny ourselves, and even more so, take up our cross DAILY. Now that’s the operative word in that whole sentence. We have to be able to deny ourselves and live for Jesus DAILY, not only when it’s convenient for us. And no, it’s not easy doing that, but whoever said that following Christ was easy eh? It’s not! But the rewards for doing so are most definitely worth the sacrifice it entails.

Enough admonishment though, for we all know that we’re not doing such a great job on Jesus’ behalf, otherwise our world would not be in the sorry, strife-filled, angry and hateful state it’s now in. So now, let’s add a little balm to our wounds, (smile) with these healing words from the first epistle of John.

‘Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that LOVETH him that begat LOVETH him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we LOVE the children of God, when we LOVE God, and keep his commandments. For this is the LOVE of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (burdensome). For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?’ (1 John 5:1-5)

There again, John reiterates the fact that we need to keep God’s commandments, and they are not burdensome, as so many of us believe, because we just want to live the easy comfortable life. But that’s not the Christian life. And there will always be problems, simply because we call ourselves Christians. It’s as Jesus said when He talked about sending us forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: ‘And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.’ (Matt. 10:22)

Now that last part is the important part…he who endures to the end, he shall be saved. That means we need to endure to the end, despite what happens to us along our life’s journey. And as John so rightly says: ‘he that overcomes the world is he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God!’ So once we truly believe, we can indeed overcome the world! And with that, let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus!

And it’s been promised that all who endure to the end, will not only be saved, but have an even more glorious future than they can ever imagine. So please let’s be wise and endure right to the very end with Jesus, so that we can enjoy that more than glorious future together! Much LOVE!

…if one wants to be a part of an organization…one must follow the rules…so, to be a Chrisitan…we must keep Christ’s commandments…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

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The Overwhelming Importance of Christians having a Heart that’s Sincerely Right and True with God!

The Overwhelming Importance of Keeping God’s Commandments If We Claim to be Christians!

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