So often we run around in our own religious Christian life, doing this and that at the church, trying to help people; but we don't spend any time alone with God.

It's like we are partly lying to the people. We tell them how important Jesus is in our lives, yet He really isn't occupying that number one spot. Sometimes our God is religion and church, not Him.

God doesn't want your duty to be number one in your life. He wants to be number one. Don't push Him over to the side and do all the work for God without taking time to worship Him. If you do, you are lying - to yourself and to Him.

You can work for Jesus 15 hours a day, but if you don't take the time to spend even 15 or 20 minutes in private worship of Him, you are lying to yourself. He really isn't your number one God.

We are suppose to worship the Lord with all our hearts. Luke 10:27 says, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself."

Many times we miss God by getting our lives so involved in going to church and working for Jesus that we grieve His heart. I know we are going to be judged on the Day of Judgment by the works we do; but many people are trying to promote the Kingdom of God in the wrong way. They do it from an intellectual standpoint and from a labor standpoint. God is not pleased with that.

Source: How To Get Your Prayers Answered by Norvel Hayes
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers