God is not a God of Lipservice

Isaiah 55-58
Notice the context: these are God's words to His people, his people who have rebelled, mainly.
Several verses especially encourage me:
- 55:6-11 Given a chance to repent! Promise of his word not returning empty but accomplishing his purpose and succeeding in the thing for which he sent it.
- 56:6-7 "And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath adn does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant--these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their brunt offerings and their sacrfices will be accepted on my alar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peples." God's grace to the Gentiles shown here.
- 57:15-19 God's mercy towards sinners.

(58:6-12, context 1-12)
When referring to fasting, God says:
"Is not this the fast that I choose:
- to loose the bonds of wickedness
- to undo the straps of the yoke
- to let the oppressed go free
- to break every yoke
- to share your bread with the hungry
- bring the homeless poor into your house
- when you see the naked, to cover him
- not to hide yourself from your own flesh

God wants us to be obedient. James says, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (1:22).
Chapter 2 talks and gives an example of dead faith, i.e. faith without works.
It is easy to know how to look like a Christian, how to sound like a Christian, and to know what to do. But none of this profits us spiritually or eternally if we do not carry out what we know to do. Nor will it profit if our outward show of "religion" is not issuing from a contrite heart.

James 2:26 "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead also."
Picture this scenario: What if the mayor told the town that the Queen of England was coming and they needed to clean up the town. So he gave everyone a handbook listing particular ways of getting the town ready, with a job for everyone to do. The people respond with a "Of course!" "Certainly," and "We'll get right to it," all the time praising the mayor. But then no one did anything about it. They filed away the instruction books and went right back to playing baseball, the town's favorite sport.
A few days pass. The mayor comes to check on the work and sees that aboslutely nothing has been accomplished. He reproves the lazy town people and reminds them of their responsiblities and the Queen's impending visit. Their reply? "We'll get to it! No worries. We won't let you down again." The mayor returns to his office and the townspeople return to their play.

Though this is not a perfect analogy, it reminds me of what we do with Scripture and what we do with sermons on Sunday. We tell God we'll do all sorts of things, but often do not follow through. True it is that we must turn to him for the grace we need for obedience. However, we must also act with that grace. God does provide it, but we must follow through. Give yourself reminders to obey. Plan it into your schedule. Obedience requires action. God gives grace, but we must ask for it and go with it.
Encouraging is God's forgiveness:
Is. 55:6-11 and 57:15-19

Optional Obedience?

Many Çhristians entertain an unrealistic view of God. They think of him as all mercy and not as holy and just. This misconception leads to grave consequences. It's as if they missed chapters 6-7 of Romans.

I think we so often are not very grateful for our salvation because we forget just how bad sin is: dehabilitating, wrecking, destroying, uprooting, etc. If we focused more on the truth about our sinful condition, then we would realize how much we need to shun it.

Are we not free from the law? Yes, but I'm learning more and more how important obedience is. Think about what you do to people's view of your God when you sin against him. Some testimony we are. We tend to focus so much on God's forgiveness and mercy that we, at times, take advantage of these attributes. Knowing that he will forgive sometimes we choose our idols over him. What a tragedy! Foolish creature that I am to think that anything or anyone is worth going against my Best Friend and Loving Father. But we do.

Focus on truth. Pray Phil 4:8 and Psalm 19:14.