Cheaters…This particular word brings to mind so many negative tones, emotions, and thoughts. We see stories in the news of people making unwise choices with trying to get away with things that didn’t quite turn out too well. They tried to beat the system. At first it might have went unnoticed, but somewhere along the way, the consequences of their actions caught up with them. Most of the time it doesn’t turn out too pretty. Usually it’s never a happy ending because their world comes crashing down around them. They got caught up in what seemed to be going their way, but that all ended way before its time for them. The party is officially over!

I want to bring this a little closer to home. I want us to take an honest look at ourselves. Don’t look at those around you, but look deep into the real you. I want you to do a thorough exam on the inward man or woman that you are because God has something for us all here.

How many times do we cheat on God? He lays out principles and truths for us to live by, but yet we think we know better. Somehow we think that He isn’t paying attention to those little conversations in our minds. Those conversations of us trying to talk ourselves out of doing the right thing. Conversations where we want to do what we want to do. Somehow I think this all starts out very innocent, but as those seeds of doubt begin to creep in, then the harvest of downfall is already headed our way.

We all seem to think that we would never cheat on God, yet we do this everyday. Sometimes without a second thought. To think that we would go astray from the one that loves us more than anyone else. The one that gave heaven’s best for us. The one that is faithful to us when the world walks out on us. Oh how this must break the heart of God!

We’re cheating on God when we are too busy to spend time with Him. We’re cheating on God when we don’t take care of our temples the way that He instructs us to. We’re cheating on God when we don’t take time to rest. We’re cheating on God when we don’t cherish and pour into the sacred gift of home and family. We’re cheating on God when we keep back and spend the first 10% that He instructs us to bring back to the storehouse. We’re cheating on God when we’re too busy to pray. We’re cheating on God when we don’t practice corporate weekly worship with a local church body. We’re cheating on God when we don’t use our gifts, talents, and resources to honor Him. We’re cheating on God when we desire the things of the world more than Him. We’re cheating on God when we don’t give our lives to Him.

Life is all about prioritizing the things that are most important. When we don’t give God first place in every area of our lives, it shows. What we are valuing over God then becomes the mistress. He doesn’t deserve to be treated as someone we only turn to when times get tough. He deserves our full attention and devotion all the days of our lives. He doesn’t deserve to be cheated on, yet we do it without a second thought.

So it’s time to put an end to this. It’s time to make better choices and decisions. It’s time to be fully present in our abiding with God and to consider Him in this matter. Let’s choose to think of Him first before we even think of ourselves. Let’s choose to get rid of the mistress and fully engage in all areas of our lives with Him.

As the old saying goes…cheaters never win!