The Lord Says, "These People Come To Me With Their Mouth And Honor Me With Their Lips, But Their Hearts Are Far From Me
Lip Service Is Not Enough
ISAIAH 29:13-15
“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.” Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the Lord, And their works are in the dark; They say, “Who sees us?” and, “Who knows us?”
”Isaiah 29:13-15 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/isa.29.13-14.NKJ
V
The people claimed to be close to God, but they were far from Him. Whilst praising Him with their lips, they was disobedient and merely went through the motions.
Therefore, God would bring judgment upon them. Religion had become routine instead of real.
Jesus quoted Isaiah's condemnation of Israel 's hypocrisy when he spoke to the Pharisees, the religious leaders of His day (MATHEW 15:7-9; MARK 7:6-7).
We are all capable of hypocrisy. Often slipping into routine patterns when we worship, and neglect to give our God our full love and devotion.
If we want to be called God's people, we must act like His people, being obedient to His Word, putting into practice everything we have learned from him (PHILIPPIANS 4:9; JOHN 13:17).
We must walk in love, not gossip and offence.
He deserves more than just lip service.
We must live as citizens of God, every day, not just on Sunday in church or when on show.
Many today, even those in church, including the so called leadership, like the people of Jerusalem, think that God can’t see their evil deeds and that He doesn’t know what is happening.
They continue to attempt to hide their evil schemes of power, manipulation, and control, but nothing gets past God; truly I tell you, justice is coming.
Whether church leaders, governments, the elites, God knows the truth and He is bringing exposure and justice from the most powerful to the lowest.
Justice is coming for both the evil and good deeds of all people.
Even now, this is not judgement, but rather the attempt to bring the people to repentance.
Whether the agendas of wars, taxes, vaccines, or anything else, both exposure and justice is coming.
“Therefore do not fear the corrupt, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.”
Matthew 10:26 NKJV
It seems strange to me that so many people think they can hide from God.
In PSALM 139 we learn that God has examined us and knows everything about us; the truth is no one can hide anything from God, He see's absolutely everything you and I not only do, but think.
He see the inner desires and schemes of our hearts.
We cannot continue in this life of sin and expect it to be good; we must be willing to change.
We cannot continue in our old sinful selves-we believers are born again-the old has supposed to be gone; we are a new creation in Christ Jesus.
Now we must act like it, putting into practice everything we have learned, not just some of the time, but all of the time.
Then we will experience the desired change, and God’s peace that surpasses all understanding will come upon us and guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7).
Our world today is becoming darker and darker as we head towards the great and awesome day of the Lord (MATHEW 24:29-44. But God is calling out to His people, saying, ““Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him— A grain offering and a drink offering For the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room. Let the priests, who minister to the Lord, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, “Spare Your people, O Lord, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ” Then the Lord will be zealous for His land, And pity His people. The Lord will answer and say to His people, “Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil, And you will be satisfied by them; I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations. “But I will remove far from you the northern army, And will drive him away into a barren and desolate land, With his face toward the eastern sea And his back toward the western sea; His stench will come up, And his foul odor will rise, Because he has done monstrous things.” Fear not, O land; Be glad and rejoice, For the Lord has done marvelous things! Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field; For the open pastures are springing up, And the tree bears its fruit; The fig tree and the vine yield their strength. Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the Lord your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you— The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month. The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame. Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the Lord your God And there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame. “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars 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. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As the Lord has said, Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.”
Joel 2:12-32 NKJV
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
