 Dear God, As we gather here today to listen to your word, we ask that you prepare our

hearts to receive your message. We are open and willing to hear what you have to say to
us today. We pray that your Holy Spirit will be present in this place, guiding the words of
the speaker and helping us to understand the message that you have for us. We pray for
clarity and understanding as we seek to apply your word to our lives. Lord, we come to
you with humble hearts, recognizing our need for your guidance and direction. Help us to
be receptive to your truth and to let it transform us from the inside out. We pray that this
word will be a source of encouragement, inspiration and hope for us all. Thank you, God,
for your love, grace and mercy. May we leave this place more committed to following
you and doing your will in our lives. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

 ADLIB… CHIKA CHIKA

 Have you ever heard the saying “its not what you say, but how you say it”? or “actions
speak loader than words?” These adages reflect the wisdom of Proverbs 21:2, which says,
“A person ay think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart”

 In other words, what matters most to God is not our outward appearance or performance,
but our inner motives and attitudes.

 The first part of the verse says, "A person may think their own ways are right." This is a
common human tendency, to believe that we are right and others are wrong, or that our
perspective is the only valid one. We may have good intentions, or we may be deceived
by our biases, emotions, or limited knowledge. Either way, we need to be humble and
open to correction, lest we fall into the trap of self-righteousness and judgmentalism.

 The second part of the verse says, "but the Lord weighs the heart." This is a comforting
and challenging truth, that God sees beyond our words and deeds, and evaluates our
heart. God knows our thoughts, motives, and desires, and he judges us accordingly. God
is not impressed by our external religiosity or morality, if our heart is far from him. God
is not fooled by our pretense or performance, if our heart is full of pride, envy, or greed.
God is not pleased by our sacrifices or service, if our heart is not motivated by love for
him and others.

 Therefore, we need to examine our heart regularly, and ask God to search it and cleanse it
from anything that hinders our relationship with him and others. We need to confess our
sins, repent of our selfishness, and surrender our will to God's will. We need to cultivate
the fruit of the Spirit in our heart, such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We need to guard our heart from the world's
values and temptations, and renew our mind with the truth of God's word.
 Proverbs 21:3 states, "To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than
sacrifice." This verse emphasizes the importance of living a life that is pleasing to God,
rather than just performing religious rituals or making sacrifices.

 As Christians, we are called to live a life of righteousness and justice. This means that we
should strive to do what is right and just in all aspects of our lives, whether it be in our
personal relationships, our work, or our interactions with the wider world. We should
seek to follow God's will and obey His commandments, treating others with love and
respect, and seeking justice for those who are oppressed.

 While making sacrifices and performing religious rituals can be important, they are not
the most important things in our relationship with God. Instead, God desires that we live
a life that reflects His love and righteousness. This means that we should prioritize doing
what is right and just, even if it requires sacrifice on our part.

 The preceding verse (21:2) challenged my actions ("ways") as opposed to my motives

("the heart"), because God knows and judges my heart. This verse points out that my
actions ("do what is right and just") counts more to the LORD than doing religious
"sacrifices."

 "Sacrifice" in the Bible does not mean doing without something or giving something up.
While there is an element of that, it actually refers to the religious act of bringing an
offering to God at the temple and having it consumed on the altar.

 This verse says it is "more acceptable to the LORD" that we live right every day than do
religious stuff in His name. This is, in fact, a rather common theme in the Old Testament -
even though sacrifices are still a priority (see 1 Sam 15:22-23; Prov 15:8; Isa 1:11; Hos
6:6; Micah 6:6-8).

 But you say, "I thought God wanted us to go to church, give money, sing in the choir and
teach Sunday School." He does! Yet, He wants us doing the right things every day - for
other people and in His name. That's what gives power to all our church work!

 Sadly, I've known men who would rather usher in church every time the doors are open
than be a caring husband and father at home. God is not saying it isn't good to serve at
church, but He is saying what is "acceptable to the LORD" is our daily right choices.
That's what Matthew 5:23-24 and I John 4:20 are all about - our dealings with others
(horizontal relationships) are priorities in our daily dealings with Him (vertical
relationship)!
 Proverbs 21:3 states, "To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than
sacrifice." This verse emphasizes the importance of living a life that is pleasing to God,
rather than just performing religious rituals or making sacrifices.

 As Christians, we are called to live a life of righteousness and justice. This means that we
should strive to do what is right and just in all aspects of our lives, whether it be in our
personal relationships, our work, or our interactions with the wider world. We should
seek to follow God's will and obey His commandments, treating others with love and
respect, and seeking justice for those who are oppressed.

 While making sacrifices and performing religious rituals can be important, they are not
the most important things in our relationship with God. Instead, God desires that we live
a life that reflects His love and righteousness. This means that we should prioritize doing
what is right and just, even if it requires sacrifice on our part.

 Living a righteous life is not always easy. We are often faced with difficult choices and
temptations that can lead us astray. But if we keep our focus on God and seek to do what
is right in His eyes, we can overcome these challenges and live a life that is pleasing to
Him.

 As we go about our daily lives, let us remember the importance of living a righteous life.
Let us seek to do what is right in God's eyes, and to treat others with fairness and
kindness. And may we always remember that it is not just our actions that matter, but the
condition of our hearts as well.

 May God bless us all as we strive to live a life that is pleasing to Him.