The world of observation and contemplation can cause us to think in many different ways depending on what we are really thinking of. In the kind of ministry that the Lord has given me I have the tendency to meet with more believers than non believers even though the Lord has given me many many occasions every year to share the good news with non believers.
However in my mingling with Christians I am challenged to constantly reflect, contemplate and scrutinise my own walk with the Lord. I constantly hear myself singing of my love and devotion to the Lord through the many songs written by men and women alike. Right after singing (and worse still right after preaching) I find myself doing otherwise. The manifestation is generally the love of self and what I possess, either titles, experiences, material blessings, my pride or whatever else. I talk about loving people but am not willing to share my possessions with them or even help them in some practical way. I will only watch and pray (maybe). I talk about loving the Lord but am not willing to give Him my pride, prejudices and partiality. I am nice only to people that are nice to me or people I like and can really get on well with.
The heart is indeed deceitful, and yes, who can understand it?! We have been deceived by the devil in living half truths thinking that as long as I am practicing the other half it should be ok. Stephen Olford preached an uncompromising sermon about the subtlety, the deception and the sin of partial obedience. It is never ok. I must not deceive myself in thinking it is ok and can boast of my DEVOTION to the Lord because I am doing mission work or serving the Lord in some capacity. I am obeying the Lord in some areas of my life. It must be ok. Then I realised that I must not be deceived God cannot be mocked whatever a man sows that he shall also receive. There is therefore no substitute for complete obedience as hard as it may be.
Am I living a deceptive life or am I really devoted to the Lord in all I do, think and say. Thank God that He is faithful and just. So if do confess our sins He is faithful to forgive and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. Therefore let him who boast, boast of the Lord who graciously forgives.
In His Mercy.
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