Read Through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 68, Matthew 15

“This people honors me
with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;”

Matthew 15:8 ESV

Jesus had already warned the Pharisees in Matthew 12:33-37 ESV, “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

You can’t fool God by uttering false praise. He knows your heart. Saying “Lord, Lord,” when He is most certainly not your Lord, is lying and taking His name in vain – both of which are violations of God’s commands.

Lip service is
“an avowal of advocacy, adherence, or allegiance expressed in words but not backed by deeds.”

Merriam-Websters dictionary

This Easter season is a perfect time to really evaluate if your allegiance to Jesus is just “lip service.” Ask yourself, “Does my heart belong to Jesus Christ? Does my life match the faith I profess?”

Heavenly Father, Give me clean hands and a pure heart. Let me worship You in Spirit and truth each and every day. Keep me from the sins of hypocrisy and pride. May my heart be true, my life be authentic, and grateful praise ever be on my lips. In the name of Christ Jesus I pray, Amen