I Timothy 2:14-19 We can never present ourselves to God on a "fake it 'til you make it" basis. He knows us through and through. As the song that we sang this morning says. "COME, JUST AS YOU ARE BEFORE YOUR GOD." That's the only way we can come. The "doing our best" comes in as we learn how and then put into practice what we know pleases and brings honor to Him. When we report to Him at the close of the day, can we say, "Lord, I've done everything You've asked in the way You've asked me to do it, with an attitude that honors You." Quarreling about words just doesn't get it. One can be letter perfect in his understanding of words but miss the whole point. Moses was told to build the tabernacle exactly like the pattern he saw on the mountain. God would say to us, "Make it exactly like the Pattern that walked the streets of Galilee." We are told to avoid "godless chatter". That includes the trivia and the coarse joking, certainly; but it also includes talk about God and the church and the Bible where we are the center and not God. Critically listen to yourself talk and let the Holy Spirit show you who is being lifted up. The "chatter" will eventually lead to false speculation and wrong conclusions and into error. God's foundation is firm, and He knows who belongs to Him. When we confess His Name, in other words, proclaim Him as Lord; some serious choices need to be made as to what we allow into our lives. Paul tells Timothy that if we confess His Name we must turn away from wickedness. I believe one could conclude from the paragraphs that follow, wickedness is anything that does not honor God and/or enhance or build up His kingdom. We, indeed, need to remember who we belong to and who's business we are really about.

Remember Who You Belong To