What is Vain Worship? How Do I Avoid it?

It's a nightmare scenario… Imagine that you have gone through all of your life. You THOUGHT that you've been walking with God. You prayed. You occasionally went to church. Sometimes you read the Bible, or you heard in church. You did some charitable deeds. You think you're okay. You assume that your Christian. Then, the Day of Judgment comes, and both the Father and the Messiah declare, that they have not known you, and that you didn't really walk with them. Now that is a nightmare scenario. How could such a terrible thing happen? It can happen if we do not pay attention and overcome Vain Worship. We all know that the 3rd Commandment teaches us that it is possible to use God's Name in vain (Exodus 20:7). To do something in vain means to cause it to become useless, worthless or to render it meaningless. Did you know that Scripture says that it is possible that we could cause our entire religion to become meaningless or useless, if we don't control our mouth, (James 1:26)? According to Jesus and the Scriptures it is possible for our prayers to become vain, meaningless and useless, (Matthew 6:7; James 4:3; Proverbs 28:9). According to Scripture, it is possible to study in vain, if we don't allow the Scriptures to direct how we think and change how we behave. It's possible to be always studying, but never quite be walking in the truth, (2 Timothy 3:1-7). According to Messiah, it is also possible to offer God worship, but for God to consider the worship that we offered to be a worthless and meaningless vanity in His Eyes, (Matthew 15:1-9; Mark 7:1-13). Imagine trying to worship God all your life, and having none of it count or do you any good, as far as God is concerned. Let's avoid that nightmare scenario. In this episode of Discipleship Answers, I answer the question, what is vain worship, & how do we avoid it. Come listen in, so that we can study and remind ourselves to offer God worship that He will accept and honor. Shalom.