NIV Once-A-Day Bible for WomenSample

Matthew 15:1–9 Worship requires an alignment of our thoughts, attitudes and values with those of God. When we go through the outward motions of worship without a genuine inward response to him, we aren’t really worshiping. Our hearts and actions will not always be in sync, but when we consistently live one way while thinking and feeling another, we become hypocrites. That was Jesus’ charge against the religious leaders—​they honored God with their lips but not with their hearts. Above all, we need to focus not on what we do but on who we are. When our inner lives are transformed, our actions will take care of themselves, flowing naturally from a heart that is aligned with God.