26/05/10

You cannot fool God

Zechariah 7:5 - Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?


As we grow in the Lord we can discern people by their words, ways and even by just being in their presence (by spirit). Our presence brings the darkness into light and exposes them.

I have many a times experienced people confessing with their own mouth the evil plans or thoughts they nurture in them.

We are human but imagine what the Lord God can see in. Nothing is hidden from Him. The things that we do in the dark and reason of the things we do in the light, all are known to Him.

Today's message is a very strong message coming to us (I would even suggest you print this and keep it in display so your eyes see it every day until it has registered permanently in your heart).

We have treated our relationship in the Lord like a tradition, we do things like the animals do; like the cock crows we take the Name of the Lord, it has become more of a habit than a relation. It should be more like you giving your child a hug in the morning, coming from your heart not from your routine.

If we scrutinize our actions and our though we will then realize why the glory of God is not seen in us.

We cannot say we love God when we distant ourselves from His people. God and His people cannot be parted. So if we love God we need to love His people. Since we are in the flesh and if we want to see God and His glory, the only place we can is in His Temple - His people. Thus not loving His people is like saying - God I do not want to see You nor experience You. Our attitude while working for the Lord will all change when we realize we are workers of the Temple of God, building the Temple not of earthly material but Heavenly material and the stones of the Temple being His people.

Another thing which cannot be parted from God is His Word. Not abiding by the Word of God is rejecting God. Those who go to long services and spend many hours singing and praying by do not abide by the Word; you are wasting your time. It is better you do something else because all these efforts will not bear any fruit.

True love was shown by Jesus Who abided by the will of the Father and the will of the Father is given to us in His Word. Even though man has been instrument in bringing the Word to us yet it is the Father, Who is the author of the Bible.

Doing one and not the other is useless i.e. You can give every drop of your blood serving poor people but when you reject God's Word you are still rejecting God.

Summarizing today's message - If you truly love God it should be meaningful and from your heart. You cannot love Him if you do not love His people or His Word.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord God, from You nothing is hidden. You know the thoughts of man and his work lays bare before You. Lord help your people build a relationship with You from their hearts, show them that your people and your Word is a part of You and cannot be separated from You. Lord we pray that man sees your glory when they see You in people and your Word...

We make this prayer in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
Zechariah 7:4-14
4 Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying,
5 Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?
6 And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?
7 Should ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?
8 And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying,
9 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:
10 And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.
11 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.
13 Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts:
14 But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.

Matthew 25:34-40
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 for I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in;
36 naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or athirst, and gave thee drink?
38 And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 And when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)