Isaiah 29:9- 14
These people worship me with their mouths, and honor me with their lips,but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is basedon nothing  but human rules. (Isaiah 29:13, New Century Version).

Friend, I encourage you to stay close to the Lord this quarter.

Do not be far from Him. Do not keep your heart away from Him. It is an offence He frowns at.

God loves us and He wants our heart to be near Him. He wants to use us. He wants to fill us with His grace and treasures so we can shine for Him. This will be impossible if we are far from Him. The Bible says, “we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves” (2 Corinthians 4:7, NASB).

Let us draw near so we would not be partakers of the punishment meant for those who are far. God promised to maltreat them and cause their wisdom to perish and their understanding to be deluded.Since we are His representatives on earth, we  must be taught by Him not by the commandments of men. Isaiah writes, “Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught” (Isaiah 29:13b, NIV). Flesh cannot teach spiritual truths. Only the Holy Spirit can teach us divine truths about our God.

May the Lord help you as you think on these things and decide to keep your heart close to Him and reverence His word more than human rules and denominational creeds. Shalom.

Your Turn

• Thank God for the warning to stay close to Him.
• Pray that you will reverence His words more than the commandment of men.

Song: There is none like You.

Further Reading: Genesis 15:1-3.