655. Professing And Denying God

“Stan,” I asked, “do you think it’s possible for a person to both profess God and deny Him at the same time?”

“Sure do,” Stan replied.  “And I have ample evidence to back that up!”

“What kind of evidence?” I asked.

“Me,” was his one-word answer.  “And the apostle Paul addresses this very thing in his letter to Titus, who Paul had left on the Island of Crete to work with the church there.”

“What did Paul write?” I asked.

“He wrote about the people in the church who said one thing about their belief in God, but acted in ways that showed the exact opposite.”  Continuing, Stan said, “And that’s where I fit in way too often.”

“What do you mean?” I replied.

“There’s not doubt in my mind,” Stan responded, “that, when the time is right, I will get on the train to spend the rest of eternity with God.  Also, there is no doubt in my mind that God has left me on this side of eternity to be and to do what He intends while I wait for the train.”

“Okay,” I said, “I can understand that, but what about the part where you said you deny God?”

“That’s where what I am and what I do are the opposite from what I say.”

“Is that kind of like the old saying,” I replied, “about ‘Walk the walk, don’t just talk the talk’? 

“Exactly, my friend,” Stan replied, “not just kind of like!”

Concluding, he said, “What I say about being God’s and moving on towards spiritual maturity and knowing Him has to match what I am and what I do.”

“What if it doesn’t?” I asked.

“If my walk and talk are not in agreement,” he concluded, “it’s time for me to open up and allow the Holy Spirit to do some serious talking to me!  Serious talking, followed by listening, repenting, and obeying!”

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They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him.  Titus 1:16.

And a certain servant-girl, seeing him (Peter) as he sat by the firelight, and looking intently at him, said, “This man was with Him (Jesus) too.”  But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”  Luke 22:56, 57.

Prayer:  Thank you, Father, for the truth of your word that brings to my mind where you want me to be, and where I fall short, in my relationship with you.  Thank you for the finished work of Christ Jesus on the cross that gives me the assurance of spending eternity with you when it’s time.  Thank you, too, for the presence of the Holy Spirit in me to show me how it is you want me to live the life you have given me to live on this side of eternity.  I confess that too often my walk with you does not match what I say about our relationship and my commitment to you.  Please, forgive me, and please help me in making my walk with you match my talk about you.  Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Think on this:  Is there a disconnect between what you say about your relationship with God, as compared to what you do with that relationship?  Why or why not?  If your walk does not match your talk, is that something you want to change?  If so, do you know how to go about having that change occur?