Giving Lip Service

By Tanya G. Liles

Are we playing Lip Service to God, as well as others?

Recently a good friend of mine called me and we talked for it seemed like hours. We got caught up on each others lives, as well as talking about God. We encouraged each other, and talked about sensitive things that Christians and Church Leaders refuse to talk about. At the end of our conversation, we both felt a peace. A great conversation with a good friend ALWAYS lifts the Spirit.


However, when it comes to Social Media, most of the time, your peace leaves you when you see some of the comments that are left by "Christians". You find yourself sitting there thinking to yourself, "What were you thinking when you left that comment?!"

And then it became evident to me, most "Christians" today play Lip Service unto others and unto God.

How did I come to this conclusion? Allow me to explain.

In my last Blog post, God has been revealing His true nature unto me, showing me through others who claim to be "Christian", and how I used to act. Through His Spirit, I saw comments from others that were indeed from the flesh.

Comments such as: Being wise in their own eyes, discouraging and condemning others, twisting the Scriptures for their own glory, be hateful towards people if they didn't answer "in their way of thinking".

I admit, it was not only eye opening; but heartbreaking.

Seeing ourselves through the eyes of God, gives you a fresh perspective. He shows you what needs to change, allows you to repent and ask forgiveness; but above all, to be more like Him.

He must increase; I must decrease. - John 3:30

How do people end up this way? Pride.

Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before a fall. - Proverbs 16:18

When I first became a Christian in 2002, God was with me. Like Jeremiah the Prophet of the Bible said, God showed me great and mighty things of which I did not know.

‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ - Jeremiah 33:3

The ladies who led me to Christ, became jealous; even at times hateful with me of what all God was showing me. They would rebuke me, tell me I was not living for God. I thought I was someone "special"; because God was showing me more than (what others that have been in the faith longer than me) had showed them. I became "puffed up" because God was using me to do things others said couldn't be done.

It finally came to a point I couldn't go to Church any longer. The same ladies that led me to Christ, also were members of the same Church. At one point, even the Elders of the Church were against me. I felt defeated, hurt. I fell into a great depression, because I felt like no one cared. Instead of turning to God, I allowed that bitterness; offense to take hold. I became the "old me" again.

Although I professed Christ, inside I was rebelling. I did things that were contrary to God's Word, listen to people who only agreed with me. Family and friends would call me out on it, I would wave it off like it was nothing. I had became wise in my own eyes.

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes And clever in their own sight! - Isaiah 5:21

The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; He has ceased to be wise and to do good. - Psalm 36:3

Simply put, the love of Christ was no longer in me.

That is like many professing Christians today. Their love for Christ, has left. Their knowledge of the Bible is what they cling to, rather than showing the truth and Christ's love. They study the Scriptures to become more knowledgeable, instead of studying the Scriptures to become more like Christ. They want to gain knowledge in God's Word to debate, argue, to prove a point, when in reality they are showing their selves to be thoughtless.

In 1 Corinthians 13 it says:

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Our opinions fall flat when it comes to God's Word, we need to start conveying the same love that saved us, to others. As followers of Christ, we need to not only demonstrate His love unto others, but it needs to shine forth throughout our lives. In the end, others will want what we have, because they see Christ in us. 

Take the time out today, to ask God to search your heart to see if there is anything there that is not of Him. Repent of those ways and seek forgiveness. Go and cling to what is good; Jesus. Start searching the Scriptures for Christ's love today, and convey that love to others.