Deny God or Deny Me?

Make no mistake, we are indeed living in difficult times (2 Tim 2:3-4). This morning's church service and devotions combined to produce a significant warning from the Father; Many Christians profess with their mouths that they know GOD, but deny him by the way they live. And they go on deceiving others while bringing them down along with them.

¹⁰For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. ¹¹They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. ¹²Even one of their own prophets has said, "Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons." ¹³This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith ¹⁴and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth. ¹⁵To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. ¹⁶They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. ->Titus 1:10-16<-

And I come back to think about the way I live. Too much self-indulgence. Sure, I don't bow down to physical idols, but I sure spend lots of energy to please myself. Entertainment has become an idol, drawing me away from time spent with GOD. A regrettable waste of eternal blesssings comes when I waste my time. Faith without deeds is dead, faith without obedience is dead. Even demons have faith, and believe that God is real. It's just that demons do not obey GOD nor do they give up their lives for Him. The only thing that separates us from these demons is the way we live.

"Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder." ->James 2:18-19<-

Phew. Am I faithful yet disobedient? Am I professing yet contradicting? I pray not. Teach me, dear Holy Spirit, to work out my salvation with fear and trembling, to deny myself in order that I will not deny you. May earthly pleasures seem dull, may perishable treasures be of no worth to me, that I may find only You as my true fulfilment. Let me not disqualify myself from the prize that you have already promised me. Crucify my earthly, mortal, lustful being to Your wondrous cross again and again and again. Sanctify me, purify me, I cannot do so on my own. That You dear Jesus. Sweet Jesus. Amen.

All to Jesus I surrender;
all to him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust him,
in his presence daily live.

I surrender all, I surrender all,
all to thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender;
humbly at his feet I bow,
worldly pleasures all forsaken;
take me, Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus I surrender;
make me, Savior, wholly thine;
fill me with thy love and power;
truly know that thou art mine.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Lord, I give myself to thee;
fill me with thy love and power;
let thy blessing fall on me.

All to Jesus I surrender;
now I feel the sacred flame.
O the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory, to his name!