(unmarked journal entry)

God isn’t fooled, pleased or even remotely close to beginning to think about the possibility of accepting those who exploit Him for the sake of puffing themselves up for their own personal gain. false spirituality will receive an appropriate reply. empty hearts will have their own reply. God’s mercy and grace extends to those who are truly willing to put their lives, minds and hearts aside so His Will and purpose may be accomplished.

There will be no mercy for those who tried to give their lives to idols and religions of words & works, but put no trust in Him.

YHWH is present in our very breath, He is with us when we do good for His sake, and He is there observing when we do not. There is no escaping the great & awful day of judgment. and acting like it’s not going to happen does no good for anyone. it’s like jumping off of a cliff & denying the ground that is rushing up to meet you. there will be a meeting.

we do not serve or trust from ignorance, we do not trust merely in ‘hope.’ the One True God is living and active today…right now.

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(sidebar)

there are solid reasons that Jesus had for telling us not to be like the pharisees who stood on street corners praying out loud to be heard by men. our relationship with God, and the ‘religion’ of others that claim to follow Him is not something that is supposed to exist for the sake of being seen by others. it is true that the observations of others into the lives of those who faithfully serve Him can be used as a tool for their own growth, but it is never intended to be just an action to be seen.

our daily walk with God is supposed to be something that is intimately part of our day-to-day lives. it should be observable, but not as if it is something on display. if others see it, great. if they are too preoccupied with their own struggles at the moment, then that is okay as well. we do not exist to be praised by men for our piety.

this is a double edged sword, though. because, while we do not seek any fame for ourselves in following God, we also desire for people to see God at work in us so that He gets the glory. so, whatever we do, whether in word or in deed, we do it all for the glory of God. (gee, that sounds familiar for some reason) we do not seek out praise from people…only from God. and even then, we are seeking praise for doing something that we were supposed to be doing in the first place.

question, why is purity of motive so important? why do we need to check ourselves according to God’s Word on a daily basis? can we make it for a day on our own and have a prayer of being on the right track? how can we be accountable for our actions in this way? what keeps us from seeking this accountability (for something that benefits us and those around us)?