Hypocrite – This word is not a word that I yell from the rooftop to other people, but one that I whisper to myself when I look in the mirror as I work through the struggles in my own life. I admit that I am far from perfect, I strive to be holy in an unholy world. God knows that I am a wretched sinner who is only saved by His grace. I look within myself regularly and see the faults, character defects, and moral shortcomings that I have. There are different areas of my life that I know that are displeasing to the Lord and feel like a failure more days than not. I pray fervently over what is written in *Matthew 15:8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me…* and really contemplate whether or not these verses refer to me. I am not judging anyone else’s heart before God, only my own. There is a quote by Charles Spurgeon that brings conviction to me and I pray to all who hear these words. “Christians can never sin cheaply; they pay a heavy price for iniquity. Transgression destroys peace of mind, obscures fellowship with Jesus, hinders prayer, brings darkness over the soul; therefore be not the serf and bondman of sin.” For many so-called Christians, they are comfortable in the world all week long, living, talking, walking in the ways of the world, but on Sundays, church day, they change, walking through the door as if they are some great saint. Friends, the line is being drawn and we all need to decide, are we a child of God or a child of the devil? It is so easy to get carried away with hypocrisy in today’s society, but we cannot live in that hypocrisy. We can no longer afford to play church while flirting with the world; the bridge of compromise is collapsing beneath us. Stop pretending to be a saint in the sanctuary if you intend to live like a rebel in the streets. God sees the empty rituals and hollow words that some of us repeat like a mantra that will not save us on the day we stand before a Holy God. Either surrender your life entirely to Christ today, or stop insulting Him by carrying the precious Name you refuse to obey. May we all have the courage to lay down our masks and sincerely invite the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts from the inside out. I pray that the lives of all who read these words be a consistent reflection of His truth, not just on Sundays, but in every quiet moment when only God is watching. The time for lukewarm living has passed, and we must choose today whom we will truly serve. Let us stop merely speaking of His grace and start living as people who have been truly changed by it. Though we may stumble, our hope lies in a Savior who calls us out of the darkness and into His marvelous light. Let us repent, return to our first love, and walk forward with a sincerity that honors the God who saved us. Hypocrisy is a slow poison that convinces us we are safe while we are actually perishing. Examine your fruit, look at your life, and decide once and for all: are you truly following Jesus, or are you just a fan who likes the music? I believe that God is in the process of separating His children from the world and sanctifying them. Some of the most important questions are, will the body of Christ faithfully hold on to the truth of God’s word or will they compromise all that they believe with the culture for pleasure? Will the people of God remember where they have fallen from, repent from their sins, and repeat when needed? For all who are uncertain of where they lie, remember the words written in *1 John 3:10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are clearly identified: anyone who does not practice righteousness [who does not seek God’s will in thought, action, and purpose] is not of God, nor is the one who does not [unselfishly] love his [believing] brother.* With all this in mind let us therefore move beyond mere outward profession, allowing the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts and align our daily lives with the truth of God’s Word. May we walk in the grace of repentance, striving not for the applause of men, but for authentic holiness in the sight of our Father. Amen.

My BeLoved, may the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen. In Christ Love, douglas. HE>i. pastord.blog

Special Note: I want to thank those who read what I write and are encouraged to support the ministry God has entrusted to me either one time or have decided to give on a monthly basis. I am encouraged to see certain verses playing out before my eyes like what is written in *Philippians 4:16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.*

To any who are interested, please feel free to reach out to me with prayer requests, questions, encouragement, or for information on how to come alongside me with financial support at pastord.blog@gmail.com or I do have a Zelle account associated with my phone number, 5202720387 last name Blaser. Thank you my Beloved for your ongoing prayers and support.