What about Jesus?

People try to go directly to the Father apart from Jesus, but this is not possible. Without the acknowledgement of who Jesus is, one cannot come to the Father. I hear people say things like "your truth", but there is only one Truth and one Way to the Father. Without acknowledging that Jesus Christ is God we cannot come to the Father.


John 14:6 NKJV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."


The first thing for our finite minds to overcome is the thought that God is a single person, but rather a single entity. The best example I have ever heard was how H2O can be ice, water, and steam yet all still be H2O. The word word Elohim, the first name given to the God of Jacob and Abraham in the Bible, is in it's self plural. In the beginning Elohim created EVERYTHING, and Elohim created man in "their" image.


Genesis 1:1 NKJV

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.


Genesis 1:9, 26 NKJV

Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;..."


Since Jesus plainly says one cannot see the Father, since He is spirit, who then were we made in the image of other than "the image of the invisible God". Hmm... "INVISIBLE God". "None has seen the Father".


John 1:18 NKJV

"No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him."


John 6:46 NKJV

"Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father."


John 4:24 NKJV

"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”


When Jesus was asked by His disciples to "show" them the Father, He declared that He just had. If anyone is to see the Father, they must see Him in Jesus ONLY.


John 14:7-11

“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves."


Since "NONE" can see the Father, as He has NO physical form, how were we made in His image? If God made EVERYTHING, yet Jesus also made EVERYTHING, who made EVERYTHING? We then have two other places where it is made clear that Jesus created everything. Either Jesus is God, or the Bible contradicts itself.

John 1:1-3 NKJV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

Colossians 1:15-17 NKJV

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
 

Jesus did not hide this fact either, and was actually crucified for declaring Himself equal with God.
 

John 8:58 NKJV

Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
 

Matthew 26:63-64 NKJV

But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!” Jesus said to him, “ It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
 

John 10:30 NKJV

"I and My Father are one.”
 

God is infinitely beyond us, but that does not change the truth. Just means we have to trust and believe.

UNFAIR!

I was just thinking about how crazy it is to truly trust God. I feel like I am cheating the system, and that it shouldn't be so easy. Don't I have to be burdened by all of my past regrets, and bear the burden of making sure I am doing what I am supposed to be doing today to make my life what I want it to be? Those are rhetorical questions, but they are the reason why I feel like I am cheating the system. What about all of the weight, fear, and doubt?? Don't I have to have those things in my life??.

I was thinking how unfair it is that I can truly be free from all of that. You know how God answered me? "It is unfair. It is called unmerited favor Osa. I have loved you with an everlasting love, and I pour my grace over you like water just because it pleases me to do so. Rest in that. Find your peace in me, and quit striving."

Over all of my life I see God's divine providence. His hand there, and there, and there, over and over again. Not ever because I was doing anything necessarily "good". In fact, most of my life has been lived in complete rebellion, but He was always there none-the-less. When I needed correction and redirection, He was no less showing His love and mercy then too.

My life is not my own. However, I am not cheating the system by trusting God, for the punishment for all of the wrongs I have done is indeed due and God would be unjust to simply turn a blind eye. Another bore the judgment due me, and because of His sacrifice I have been put into a place of unfair grace and mercy. All of my sins have been forgiven and forgotten, FOREVER. I am justified, made right, ONLY because of my faith.

God has called me, and He has a plan for me that is beyond anything I can imagine. If He so freely gave His own Son to pay the ransom for my life and soul so that I could be free, why would He withhold any good thing from me? He wouldn't. In His love I rest. In His love I live. I am truly free and alive, and God will be glorified in me for that is His good pleasure. What an amazing gift God has given to us who put our trust in the name of Jesus. So simple, yet so beyond us.

TRY NOT TO TRY

The reality of the Gospel goes against everything we know. AFTER we have tried our hardest, AFTER we have done our best, maybe then we will find the proper humility before the God who holds the universe in the palm of His hand. God will not give us the impossible because we have done anything to obtain it, but rather HE will do the impossible because we have nothing to do with it.

We want to strive, to fight, and to hit the mark, but the more we try the more we realize that we can never hit that mark. We are ALL sinners though, and we will NEVER hit that mark. It seems we must each come to the end of our self before we finally accept that only God can do what we cannot. Even under the banner of the Lord we still foolishly strive, placing confidence in our own abilities.

God is God, and His will stands forever. Our ONLY focus should be to humble ourselves before Him and man through faith. Everything was created for His glory.

Romans 11:36

For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

Colossians 1:16

For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

Since everything was created by Him, for Him, through Him, and to Him, is it any surprise that God will not share His glory with another? God will resist our futile efforts until we come to a place of humble surrender.

Isaiah 42:8-9 NKJV

"I am the Lord , that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images. Behold, the former things have come to pass, And new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them.”

Isaiah 48:11

"For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it;
For how should My name be profaned?
And I will not give My glory to another."
This is the very glorious truth of the Gospel!! God in us, moving according to His good pleasure, to perform His will in our lives. Let us do our part and humble ourselves before the Lord, and let Him do His part and glorify His great Name by lifting us up! Try not to try.

Romans 1:16-17

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

2 Corinthians 3:18

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

ONE THING IS NEEDED!!!!!!!

“Embrace surrender”… That is absolutely what He is driving home right now, and then the truth of the Gospel… God in us. We can of ourselves do nothing, yet He can do everything through us. I have found that church can be such a scary place because it is easy to get caught up in the commandments of men, and the serving of God in the flesh rather than the serving of God through the Spirit.

If we read the Bible and say “I am going to do that, or this”, then we are in the flesh. All things done in the flesh are antichrist, and we must fight to maintain them as the work is from within ourselves. The things that are done in the Spirit are done in faith, through full surrender unto the Father in Jesus’ name, and are done in peace. These God maintains.

It is the Gospel that says God will do it for us, for it is impossible for us. Jesus tore the veil between us and the presence of the Almighty, and the Holy Spirit has been poured out on us. We are to be empty vessels useable to the Lord as we are living sacrifices in Jesus’ name. Chosen vessels of mercy is what we are, according to the purpose of His own plan from the foundation of the world.

We stand open before Him in complete humility, and He does everything for us. I just feel the utmost urgency to speak the truth of the Word that the Lord has given me. ALL things are His, and He is absolutely sovereign. We are nothing, and He is everything.

I keep saying “In Jesus name”, because the Holy Spirit is telling me that this is the missing part of knowledge His people need. In the verse in Matthew 4:19. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” I have heard a focus on the “fishers of men”, and the making of disciples. This is the wrong focus. The focus should be the “follow me”, because it is Him who will MAKE us fishers of men. If our focus is to be the following him, then what does that look like?! How do we make that a reality?!

“Follow me”… It is when we are in the Spirit of Christ, in Jesus’ name, that the Holy Spirit writes the Word on our hearts and mind. If we read the Word and simply try to obey, we will find that we cannot.

It is obvious that as we follow Jesus, speaking the truth of God and the Gospel of the Kingdom, that not all will be able to fully grasp or comprehend, but just as He did, so must we speak the same regardless. What God chooses to do within a person with His Word is not our business.

When we make war against the enemy, we make war in our own hearts against the taint of Satan that is in our hearts. This is where the Kingdom suffers violence, for the Kingdom of God is within us. This is where we put on the armor and get to business.

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

-         Matthew 11:12

Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

-         Luke 17:20-21

As we make war, taking the Kingdom by force as we surrender to the love and grace of our God, we are sanctified and made usable by the King. As we are consumed by the Kingdom, kept by the power of the Spirit, God Himself moves through us as we walk in humility. This should be the focus of every man. “Follow me”.

Let us put on our armor, take up our cross, lay down our lives as living sacrifices before the Almighty God, and let Him make disciples through us. Make war to crucify our flesh my brother. Let us make our call and election sure!!

And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

-         Galations 5:24-25

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

-         2 Peter 1:10-11

Just as we cannot just muster up love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness or self-control, neither can we produce disciples or bare fruit. BOTH of these are done by God Himself, and are FRUIT of the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

-         Galations 5:22-23

“As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”

-         John 15:4

The bearing of fruit is done by the Spirit, and is the evidence of the Spirit. Jesus CHOSE us and He has appointed us to bear fruit, and so we shall. Remember… HE WILL MAKE us fishers of men.

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”

-         John 15:16

Those who do not bear fruit, which is the evidence of not abiding in Christ, will be take away.

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you.”

-         John 15:1-3

But knowing that God will finish what HE has started in us, we are NOT those who fall back to perdition. We will fight the good fight of faith, and not love our lives to the end.

… being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; …

-         Philippians 1:6

But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

-         Hebrews 10:39

Now, awaken your soul my friends, and remember who you are. Remember to whom you belong, and press in for all that you are worth. We are in this together, and we are one in spirit with the Lord Himself. All praise be to the Lord who has called us. Only ONE thing is needed!! Let us give all we have for this one thing!!

“But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

-         Luke 10:42

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,  who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

-         Matthew 13:45-46

I KNOW He will glorify His name in us, for He is God of ALL.

The Kingdom of God

When Jesus Christ was crucified, the veil that separated us from the holy of holies was torn. Prior to His sacrifice, none could enter into God’s presence except for the high priest, and then only once a year for atonement.

Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience— concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

- Hebrews 9:6-15

Jesus preached the gospel of the Kingdom of God. He said to repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. Jesus came to bring the Kingdom of God to us.

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

- Matthew 4:17

The Kingdom of God is not something to be observed, but rather is within us. This is a true statement, because the Holy Spirit of the Living God comes to reside within us. In the presence of God Himself is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

- Luke 17:20-21

Before Jesus death it was not possible for us to directly commune with God, hence God’s elect awaited the coming of the Messiah in Abraham’s bosom. There are those who must declare this to be a parable, but Jesus always used terms like “it is like” and never gave names in His parables. Jesus tells this a point blank fact using specific names.

So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

- Luke 16:22-26

Jesus told us that He would not leave us to do this on our own, but that He would send the Holy Spirit for us. It is the very indwelling of the Holy Spirit that is the Kingdom of God within us. When the veil was torn, we could then finally enter into the Kingdom of God, into Heaven and the very throne room of the Almighty.

“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”

“A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”

- John 14:16-20

But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

- Hebrews 10:15-17

Knowing that He was removing all separation from God, reconciling us to Himself, He knew the gates of Heaven would be forever open to the sons of God. This was not some future thing to take place, but Jesus knew it would happen as soon as He finished His work. He told the thief on the cross next to Him this in no uncertain terms.

But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

- Luke 23:40-43

Jesus death removed the veil, and the very proclamation of His teaching that the Kingdom of God was at hand was made manifest on the day of Pentecost when Jesus fulfilled His promise to send the Holy Spirit. From that day forward it is the very presence of the Living God within us that enables us to walk according to the will of God. This is the very act of salvation. We pass from death unto life.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you.

- Ezekiel 36:26-29

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

- Acts 2:1-4

‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.’

- Acts 2:17-21

The Holy Spirit is our umbilical that directly links us to Heaven. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to have the gates of Heaven eternally open to us.

Open the gates,
That the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in.
You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.

- Isaiah 26:2-3

Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

- 2 Corinthians 5:5-8

To die is to go directly to Heaven via the Holy Spirit that lives within us. For this very reason Jesus says we will never die. We may leave this body, but the eternal life is already complete.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

- John 11:25-26

Broken Home

I am a single father, and both of my children currently are suffering the consequences of my failures as they are being raised in broken homes. They both live with their mothers, but I make every effort to be as involved in their lives as I possibly can. I see my daughter nearly every day, and she stays the night with me a couple days a week. My son doesn’t like to stay with me because he is 12, and has his own routine at home.

I know that my son is at the age that he is ready for me to really disciple him, and help him grow into the man God made him to be. I must be diligent to pour into his life, and thankfully his mother desires for me to do so. Being a father is a huge responsibility before God, and I know that He will hold me accountable for how I manage this great task. Just as my son needs me to disciple him and teach him how to be a man, I know that my role in my daughter’s life is just as important. She needs my love and affection.

I am setting the standard, and raising the banner for my children. The world is so concerned about our children’s education, their self-esteem, and their future ability to earn an income that the most important things are absolutely ignored. Is there really anything greater we can teach our children than the knowledge they need for salvation, character, and what life and love should look like?

There are times that the weight of what they are going through is heavy on my heart. Right now they are so confused about what love is, about what family should be, about what the roles of a wife and mother are, and the roles of what a father and husband are. My heart breaks even as I type this. I know what the answers are. I know what it should look like. However, in God’s great wisdom He has determined that this is the plan for now.

I know that tomorrow isn’t even promised though. Each day I rest in the sovereignty and great love of the living God. I know that if I will lay my life down to Him in Jesus name that He will show Himself powerful on my behalf. My children are worth dying for. I am willing to trust the Lord and lay down my life. I believe the promises God makes. Not only do I believe them, but I see His hand in their lives. There is no doubt that God is present in my family.

“As for Me,” says the Lord, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the Lord, “from this time and forevermore.”

-Isaiah 59:21

The desires of my heart are to be married, preferably to my daughter’s mother, and to have a family that glorifies God. God has demanded me to continue to love my daughter’s mom as Jesus loves the church. Not only do I feel as though He loves her enough to expend my life to reach her, but I know that everyone is watching. The people on the outside want to see what God has done in me, and if He is true, and my children are watching as I show them what a man is called to do. I know that I am the one who is responsible for my family before God, and I do not take my role lightly. A man’s family is his number one ministry.

Faith without works is dead. Jesus says that “only one thing is needed”. I believe Him. I have tried my hardest to make my life and family be what I knew it could on my own, and I failed miserably. I do not want to fail, nor do I want any more regrets. I stand before my God in humility, and cry out to Him day and night to make good on His promises as I follow Jesus for all that I am worth. Only He can do what I cannot. I am but a man.

And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

-Luke 10:41-42

^“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

-Matthew 6:32-33

Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
-1 Timothy 4:15-16

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.”

-2 Chronicles 16:9

 

BEWARE BELOVED

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
- James 1:22-25

I have found that church can be a scary place. It is so easy to get caught up in the christianeze, become preachy, and become so pious that we are no longer any good to reach the world. If we make ourselves unapproachable, what good are we?

Church is scary, because it is easy to get caught up into the idea rather than living in reality. The very culture around us, in every sense, tries to draw us into a works based way of living. When our religion becomes more about the external than the internal, the words Jesus spoke to the Pharisees begin to become personal.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."
- Matthew 23:25-28

Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.
“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.”
- Luke 11:39-44

If we get caught up in the cultural ideas of church, letting our religion become superficial, then Isaiah's words come to our ears.

Therefore the Lord said:

“Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths
And honor Me with their lips,
But have removed their hearts far from Me,
And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,
Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work
Among this people,
A marvelous work and a wonder;
For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,
And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.”

- Isaiah 29:13-14

Let our focus be on our walk with the Lord, in humility of spirit and surrender of heart, and let our outward lives simply be the reflection of the truth that lies within us. Jesus says He will take care of EVERYTHING external for us, if we will but seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. The Kingdom of God is within us, so let us allow the Word to have its perfect work in us.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
- Matthew 6:33

Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
- Luke 17:20-21

As God has brought conviction and caution to me, I now share the same with you. Let us be sure that the truth in our hearts is our concern, for whatever is on the inside will come out no matter what. Let us be sure also that our lives are louder than our words. Let us not get caught up in some dog and pony show, deceiving ourselves, but rather let us live in the spirit to our Lord in truth. God bless you!