How many religious practices do you observe now? How many times did you act against God’s word and according to your own will? How many times did you act according to God’s word because you truly wanted to care for his burden and satisfy his heart’s desire? After you understand God’s word, you should act according to God’s word, should do everything by principles, and should not do it by regulations or do it reluctantly for others to see but do it according to the truth and according to God’s word. Such practice will be satisfying God. All practices that can satisfy God will not be observing regulations but acting according to the truth.

Some people like to exhibit themselves. When they meet the brothers and sisters, they say that they feel indebted to God. Yet behind their backs, they do not act according to the truth, but on the contrary they act in their own way. Aren’t they religious Pharisees? Those who truly love God and have the truth are faithful to God, but they do not show it outwardly. They will act according to the truth when encountering things, and they do not speak or do things against their conscience. And they can act in wisdom when encountering things and do things by principles under any circumstances. Such are the ones who truly know how to serve. Some people always say that they are indebted to God. They wear a sullen look and behave affectedly all day long, acting as if they are very pitiable. Really disgusting! If you ask them why they say they are indebted to God, they cannot say anything. If you are faithful to God, you will not say it outwardly but will express your love for him by your reality and pray to him with a sincere heart. All those who pay only lip service to God are hypocrites! Some people say that they are indebted to God every time they pray. They shed tears whenever they pray. And they shed tears even when they are not moved by the Holy Spirit. Such people are filled with religious rituals and notions. They live by these things and always think that God is pleased with their doing so and likes to see them devout outwardly or shed sad tears. How can such absurd people achieve anything? Some people speak with an affected gentility before others to show that they are humble. Some deliberately behave servilely before others, like a sheep and without any vigor. Are kingdom people like this? Kingdom people should be lively and free, simple and open, honest and lovely, live in a state of freedom, have integrity and dignity, and be able to uphold testimony wherever they are. They are people loved by God and man. New believers observe too many outward practices. They have to go through dealing and breaking for some time. A person who believes in God in his heart will not show it outwardly, but everything he does will be commendable. Such a person is one who lives out God’s word. If you preach the gospel every day, preaching it to this or that person and bringing salvation to this or that person, but in the end you yourself still live by regulations and doctrines, you won’t be able to glorify God. Such people are religious people and hypocrites.

When religious people come together, they will say, “Sister, how is your condition recently?” She will say, “I feel indebted to God. I cannot satisfy God’s heart’s desire.” Then another will say, “I also feel indebted to God, and I cannot satisfy God either.” These few words expose the dirty things they have in their innermost being. Such words are most detestable and extremely repulsive. All such people are hostile to God by nature. Those who pay attention to reality will fellowship about whatever they can and fellowship with an open heart, without any hypocritical formalities, ceremonies, or formulaic greetings, but in a forthright manner, and without any worldly proprieties. Some people like to act outwardly. They do not even have any sense. When others begin to sing hymns, they begin to dance and even fail to notice that the food in their pot is burning. Such people are ungodly and undignified but too frivolous. All this shows that they have no reality! When some people fellowship together about the things of life in the spirit, they may not say that they are indebted to God, but they have a genuine love for God in their heart. You feel indebted to God, and it has nothing to do with others. You are indebted to God but not to others. So what use is it for you to often say that to others? You should pay attention to entering into reality rather than being zealous and acting outwardly.

What does people’s good outward behavior represent? It represents their flesh. Outward practices, however good, do not represent your life. They can only represent your temperament. People’s outward practices cannot satisfy God’s heart’s desire. You always say that you are indebted to God, yet you cannot supply others’ life or stir up their heart to love God. Do you think you can satisfy God by doing so? You think it is God’s heart’s desire and it is spiritual. Actually, all that is absurd! You think what you like and desire are what God is pleased with. Can your likes represent God? Can man’s disposition represent God? Your likes are what God loathes, and all your habits are what God detests. If you feel indebted to God, you should come before him and pray to him, and you do not need to say that to others. You do not pray before God but always exhibit yourself before others. Can you satisfy God’s heart’s desire by doing that? The fact that you always act outwardly shows that you are a most superficial person. What kind of people are those who only have good outward behavior but no reality? Hypocritical Pharisees and religious people! If you cannot cast off or change your outward practices, you will have more and more hypocrisy. The more hypocrisy you have, the more you will resist God. Such people will be eliminated in the end!