"Lord Or Just Words"

"He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." Mark 7:6

I am compelled to address a subject this morning that needs to be addressed in the church but rarely is. We need to lovingly correct people, we need to care about their souls, we need to help shine the light so that they can see the darkness and deception that they are living in and we should not allow people to believe a lie about their spiritual well being or the state of their soul. Before I start let me say that we are not the "Holy Ghost police"- only He can change and convict a heart-- but we can speak up and tell them the truth and not hold back because it's the truth makes us free. That's my intention in addressing this area.

There is a spiritual deception when you have people who are faithful to church yet are living a sinful life. It really bothers me when someone will stand up in church and begin their greeting by saying, "Giving honor and glory to Jesus who is the Head/Lord of my life". The bothersome part is that this same woman who makes this greeting has rushed to get to church after being at the casino all night, plus she is living with a man she is not married to. And it is bothersome to hear the men say the same yet all the while they are living with a woman who they are not married to, or they were out getting drunk the night before, or they beat their girl friend up on a regular basis. You tell me, why should I be bothered by that? Do you see anything wrong with that picture? Yet, our churches are full of men and women who are living in sin but yet confess that "Jesus is the Lord of their lives". ( "I don't think so!")

That conclusion is not my judgment, it's what the word of God says. Listen to the words of Jesus. "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46) "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21) "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15) You can't call Jesus Lord if you aren't obeying Him. You can't say He is the Lord of your life if you aren't following His commandments. You can't say He is the Head of your life if you are living in a manner that pleases you instead of Him. You can't say He is your Lord if you are living a sinful lifestyle. Oh, you can "say" it but it's just words. "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." (Titus 1:16) "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not." (1 John 5:18)  There is a difference in Him being Lord of your life, and you being Lord of your own life.

Have a great day. His Lordship of your life has to go beyond mere words or He has no Lordship in your life.