Rubber-Stamping "God” on it…

Oftentimes, we have the mentality of food manufacturers. They label their food “All Natural,” or “Pure” to give the perception that it is healthy.

Just because you rubber-stamp or slap “God’s name” on everything does not make it holy or pleasing to Him. This is becoming more prevalent in media, society, even in worship.

I hear people at times saying, “I would cuss you out, but I’m saved.” I find it quite ironic. We cannot simply think what we want to think, say what we want to say, do what we want to do and act how we want to act…throw God’s name around …and believe that we are O.K.

God is only glorified when we are obedient to what HE authorizes. I am reminded of a message I heard many years ago:

A man had contracted with some workers to simply paint his house. They had agreed upon $1,000 to do this. The man left for the day to run errands. When he returned, he was in awe! Not only had the men painted his house, they had installed a new roof, cleared unsightly debris and had done some amazing landscaping of his front and back yards. His home had been transformed to something out of Better Homes & Gardens Magazine.

The manager for the workers went to the homeowner with an invoice for $10,000. The home owner returned it to the manager and gave him the original work order and a check for $1,000. The manager asked, “I can’t believe that you don’t like the amazing transformation we have made to your home! Surely, you can see that it is worth this increase.” The home owner humbly replied, “Yes…it is fantastic! You and your workers did an outstanding job. But, I didn't AUTHORIZE this.”

We often add into and subtract from worship things that WE decide are not as entertaining or meaningful as we would like. Even though 1 Corinthians 14:40 (NKJV) says Let all things be done decently and in order, we still feel that we should shake things up a bit...be more modern and contemporary. We believe we can behave as we want…and as long as the outcome looks great and we “rubber-stamp” God across it, it should be O.K. But, the God we serve does not work like that. In Isaiah 55:8 (NKJV), it says, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.

The acronym for the BIBLE is: Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. It can be a challenging “manual” to adhere to. 

We can continue rationalizing and justifying our actions all we want. Things like: “That was 2,000 years ago.” Or even in the words of my beloved President, “I have evolved or altered my way of thing about that issue.” We human beings may evolve…but GOD doesn’t.

Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV): “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

We may want to stop “rubber-stamping God” on everything, humble ourselves and remain obedient.  ijs… (I’m just saying…)