Hear The Word Of The Lord…

Hear The Word Of The Lord…

Are prayers more important than following Jesus Christ? Are we to pray instead of serving others, honoring our dads and moms or sharing the Word of Jesus Christ with another? Is prayer considered an offering, like that of incense or the fat of calf? Was the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross with the crimson flowing from the unspotted lamb that covers our sins, does that not count as the end of offerings at the altar? What offering to God can we bring to the altar that is more meaningful?

If we live a life that includes prayer but ignores the teachings and actions of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ are we simply checking a box, going through the motions of “making a sacrifice” to God in order to appease some aspect of our life? If we pray and then walk outside and scream profanities at our neighbor because he allowed his dog to use our yard as a bathroom are we following the teachings of Jesus Christ? Absolutely not. We nothing but a billowing trumpet making a lot of noise.

Hear the word of the Lord,
You rulers of Sodom;
Give ear to the law of our God,
You people of Gomorrah:
“To what purpose is the multitude of your
sacrifices to Me?”
Says the Lord.
“I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fed cattle.
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
Or of lambs or goats. ~ Isiah 1:10-11 NKJB

What is the difference in praying empty prayers? What is the purpose of prayer if our life doesn’t change? What is the purpose of going to a building called church on Sunday morning only to spend an hour showing how godly we are to other people? Is that not what the people that were reportedly in attendance at the Sermon on the Mount, some 5,000 people, is that not what they were doing? Not one person converted to a disciple after hearing the greatest sermon the world has ever known? Not one person is reported to have become a disciple after hearing, from Jesus Christ, the sermon that is the sermon of sermons?

“When you come to appear before Me,
Who has required this from your hand,
To trample My courts? ~ Isiah 1:12 NKJB

Again, what is the difference? If our prayer life is stale and makes no change in our life what is the purpose? If our prayers don’t carry us into battle with the enemy in order to serve our Lord and Savior then what is prayers purpose? Faith without works is dead!

Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke the oppressor;
Defend the fatherless,
Plead for the widow.
“Come now, and let us let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool. ~ Isiah 1:17-18 NKJB

Sounds like we are to get busy, doing works in the name of the Lord. Sounds like we are to pray for the Mind of Christ to bind with our mind and walk in His Light while carrying His Word.

Either the Scripture is the divine Word of God teaching us how to live and how to be a reflection of God, or it’s nothing more than a historical account of events.