A lot of people think they know God, but they really don’t. They read, they follow the rules, they say the right things… yet their hearts are still dark, and they have no real understanding of what it means to truly know the Lord. And here’s the part most folks won’t say out loud: sometimes the ones who call themselves “righteous” end up resenting the sinner — because the sinner often knows something they don’t. The sinner knows they are loved. The sinner knows God sees them. The sinner isn’t pretending. And that’s why God meets them where they are. Because knowing God isn’t about perfection… it’s about the heart. When I sat with this message, I realized how many people walk around wearing a spiritual mask.
They carry a Bible, they show up to church, they quote scripture, and they know how to look holy on the outside — but inside, their heart is far from God. There’s bitterness, jealousy, judgment, and pride sitting in the seat where love is supposed to be. They think knowing God is about checking boxes, following rules, and appearing righteous in front of others. But God has never been impressed by performance. He looks at the heart, the motives, the posture of your spirit when nobody else is watching. And yet, the very people who claim to know Him often forget the first thing God teaches us: love. They forget compassion. They forget humility. They forget that everyone is in need of grace. Instead, they look at someone who has fallen, someone who is struggling, someone who doesn’t hide their flaws — and they judge them.
They distance themselves. They lift themselves up as if their rule-keeping makes them superior. But God has always favored honesty over appearance. He would rather deal with a broken sinner who says, “Lord, I need You,” than a self-proclaimed righteous person who acts like they’ve got it all figured out. That’s why in Scripture, Jesus spent more time with the sinners, the outcasts, the ones society labeled as “unworthy.” Not because they were perfect — but because they were open. They knew they needed God. They knew they didn’t have the strength to pretend. They didn’t hide their struggles behind religion. They came to Him with their real selves, their real pain, and their real hearts. And that’s what many people today still don’t understand. Knowing God isn’t about being spotless.
It’s about being surrendered. It’s about being real. It’s about having a heart that says, “Lord, I love You, and I want to grow,” even when your life is messy. God honors humility. He honors sincerity. He honors truth. What’s dangerous is when someone thinks their religious actions prove they know God. They get comfortable. They get prideful. They feel entitled to judge others. But inside, they have no peace. No love. No compassion. And the truth is, that darkness in the heart is what separates a person from truly knowing the Lord — not the lack of perfection, not the struggle, not the weakness. So today’s message is a reminder: God is not looking for people who act holy. He’s looking for people who want Him. People who seek Him from the heart.
People who admit their flaws and still believe they are loved. People who don’t just perform righteousness but live it through kindness, forgiveness, and humility. If you’ve ever felt like you weren’t good enough, or like someone tried to make you feel less spiritual because of your mistakes, let this message free you: God meets the honest heart before He meets the perfect performance. And true relationship with Him starts when you stop pretending and start surrendering.
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16 mins
Dec 14 202520 mins