““For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being,” declares Yahweh. “But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word. “But he who slaughters an ox is the one who strikes down a man; He who sacrifices a lamb is the one who breaks a dog’s neck; He who offers a grain offering is the one who offers swine’s blood; He who offers a memorial offering of frankincense is the one who blesses wickedness. As they have chosen their own ways, And their soul takes pleasure in their detestable things, So I will choose their punishments And will bring on them what they dread, Because I called, but no one answered; I spoke, but they did not listen. And they did what was evil in My eyes And chose that in which I did not take pleasure.”” (Isaiah 66:2–4 LSB)  https://accordance.bible/link/read/LSB#Is._66:2

I fear this word of God describes too many in the church of God today. The effect of the church today is minimal and diminishing, wickedness increases and foolishness abounds in government, education, media, and business. This is so because those who claim to be Christians are not acting as Jesus would live among us were He in the flesh with us today. The true man of God first truly worships God in humility, falling before Him in repentance, as He reads God’s Word and understands how short he comes to obeying everything He has commanded us. The word of God encourages and rebukes the man of God who eats from it daily in order to commune with his God for loving Him by obeying Him. Attending church then doing our own thing is what causes God to despise us, rebuke us, and ignore our pleas for His presence. Being religious without being obedient is worth nothing before Him Who measures all men by their love for Him that is to exceed all other loves. God looks for the man who is making Himself known to God through listening for God by reading His word then telling others about God so that all people will conform to God’s ways. Love for God is measured by obedience to the word of God. God looks for the man building the kingdom of God, walking in the ways of God, encouraging obedience to God among the people of God for rewarding that man in the eternal kingdom of God. O that all of us who claim to be Christian would aspire to be such people.