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Read the Bible through in OneYear
Prayer Journal
Wednesday, October 14, 2001
"The Lord says, 'These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up of only rules taught by men.'" Isaiah 29:13
Isaiah wrote of the false worship of men who honor God with their voice and live like the devil. God sees such pretension as detestable in any age. And the articles of that false worship take the strangest form. In the old testament it might have been the sun or a golden calf that was honored. Today the object of idolatry is anything and everything (literally) under the sun.
I heard an account the other day of a large group of people attending a worship service. In the congregation were Christians, Catholics, Jews, Buddists, Muslims, et al. The leader got up to offer the prayer and the whole bunch recited the Lord's prayer in unison. Everyone prayed together but to different God. That must have been a weird feeling for Christian who surely knew the source of that prayer was none other than the Lord Jesus.
When Jesus walked the earth, people praised God with their lips, but most of them showed a disrespect for him. One day Jesus was being "lectured" by some Jews on "Things a good Jew does (and doesn't do) on the Sabbath". He answered their charge by explaining his relationship to God and his earthly ministry. But, that was like pouring fuel on a fire to the legalists. The very thought that Jesus was God's Son infuriated them to the point they wanted to see Jesus dead.
In that context, Jesus turned to the disciples (and anyone who would listen) to teach them about honor; "Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him." John 5:22,23
Simply, whether we honor God or don't honor God, it won't change God and it won't affect Him. Hebrews 3:13 says we'll each give an account to the Son whether we plan on it or not! God doesn't exist for man to honor Him and Jesus doesn't need to be called Lord in order to be Lord. It is our choice.
I urge you to honor God today with your heart - not just your lips. Respect Him, not for what He's done, but for who He is. Jesus is deserving of our honor and worthy of our praise.
Just Thinkin'.. WebServant
(1) This article was published on October
14, 2000 in the Prayertower Daily Prayer Journal.
(2) Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978
by New York International Bible Society
Copyright © 2001, James
R. Green and Prayertower Ministries - All Rights Reserved
Pray today for...
* My spouse
* My children
* Their friends
* My employer
* My city
* My country
* Civic leaders
* Schools
* Teachers
* The sick
* The lost
* Those in despair
* The hospitalized
* The grieving
* Widows
* Orhans
* My church
* My pastor
* Other church leaders
* Other churches
* Persecuted churches
* Missionaries
