The Oklahoman (Saturday, June 28, 2008,2E) gave the following findings from “The U.S. Religious Landscape Survey of the beliefs and practices of U.S. adults”:
“*92 percent believe in God” (See Matt. 15:7-9)
“*79 percent believe in miracles” (See Matt. 24:23-26)
“*68 percent believe in angels and demons”
“*58 percent pray daily (outside of religious services)” (See Isaiah 1:15)
“*39 percent meditate at least once a week
“*35 percent say they read Scripture at least once a week (45 percent say they seldom
read Scripture)” (See John 5:38-40)

Are you encouraged by these percentages? When Jesus came He saw a lot of religious action, but His discerning eye led Him to state: “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men” (Matt. 15:8f). Actually, Jesus was equating and relating as their doctrines seeing with the people God referred to some 700 years earlier, spoken of by the prophet, Isaiah. God said through Isaiah: “...this people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote” (something they keep on repeating- -emphasis mine-dk; cf. Isaiah 29:13).
Is there a lesson here for you and me? Oh Yes!
1. God is not impressed by religious action if human hearts are not dedicated to Him and His doctrine (See Jeremiah 17:9f; Matt. 7:21-23; Luke 6:46).
2. If Jesus built His church (Matt. 16:18f), and promises to be the Savior of that body of people in His church who are holy and without blemish (Eph. 5:23-27), but He then sees the religious active people, who divide into a 1000 religious bodies (churches), claiming Him as their Savior, will He view that division as Truth or the “Traditions of men” (See John 17:20f;
I Cor. 1:10)???
3. If Jesus sees the masses praying in His name, but divided from each other (knowing that if they would truly hear His voice, they would be one flock, one Shepard- John 10:16), will He see that as people who honor Him with their lips, but worshiping in vain because they are teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men??
Please understand! The problem is not in being religiously active or praying daily, but let us individually and collectively be sure that we love Him and keep His commandments (John 14:15), calling Him “Lord, Lord” and “doing what He says” (Read these Scriptures: Lk. 6:46; Mark 16:15f; Acts 2:36-42; Col. 3:16f; Heb 13:20f; II John v.9)
How tragic if the mistake that repeated itself over 700 years (as given in Isaiah 29:13-16 & Matthew 15:7-9), would be re-enacted once again by our religious activity in this day! Does Christ see You following His Truth or human tradition??
Dayton Keesee