His Lordship...

It is altogether doubtful whether any man can be saved who comes to Christ for His help but with no intention of obeying Him, for Christ's saviourhood is forever united to His lordship.

---A.W. Tozer, Evenings With Tozer

To claim Him as Lord...
is to choose obedience...

Tozer goes so far as to say...
without obedience...
salvation is doubtful...

Twice in the last week... a verse from Deuteronomy... came to my attention...

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds;

tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them

on your foreheads.

Deuteronomy 11:18

One reference was in the context of hypocrisy... and the practice of Pharisees carrying out this command literally...

Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and their tassels on their garments long. (Matt. 23:5)

Phylacteries were leather boxes containing bits of parchment inscribed with Scripture verses. It was a response to the Old Testament verses, found in Deuteronomy, about binding God's Word to one's arms and foreheads. The real meaning, of course, is for us to bury his Word in our hearts so we can carry it with us everywhere we go.

---Kyle Idleman, The End of Me

Reading these words... the picture came...
to tie the Lord's Word on your hands...
means to let His Word live through your hands...

Binding His Word to your forehead...
the invasion of His Word into your thought life...
transforming your thinking...
therefore your actions...
your life...

The Pharisees... whom Idleman uses as an example of hypocrisy... wanted people to see the Word tied to their hands... bound to their foreheads... living one life on the outside... and another on the inside...

Jesus called these men whitewashed tombs... dead men walking...

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!

For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly

appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones

and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous

to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. ..."

Matthew 23:27-28 ESV

To receive Christ...

is to receive Him as Lord...

To receive Him as Lord...

is to surrender your will...

die to self...

and in turn...

receive eternal life...

If He is Lord... we live for Him...

with integrity... purity...

the same on the outside... as the inside...

Are you wearing His Word...? or living it...?

Lord... help me to live Your Word both inside and out...

continue to move me toward integrity and purity...