The sea rarely gives up the dead, or that’s what Phil Harris thought when he tried to throw former business partner Glenn Coggeshell overboard.

 Fooling God

By Glenn Coggeshell/Malachi/The Artist ONE

“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” — Galatians 6:7

I find it both tragic and fascinating how many people think they can somehow outsmart or outmaneuver God. On one side of their mouth they say, “God is omniscient. He sees everything, He is everywhere,” and with the other, they bend, twist, and dilute His laws as if He doesn’t notice. But it’s not ignorance—it’s intentional. They don’t misunderstand His commandments; they’re trying to rewrite them. And I believe that’s been the goal all along: not to obey God, but to weaken the truth of God, one compromise at a time.

Playing the Role

Let’s say I call myself the greatest Christian who ever lived. I quote scripture, go to church, wear the right clothes, say the right prayers, but meanwhile I’m constantly doing the things God said not to do. Or I skirt the edge of those commandments, always pushing the line without openly crossing it. What am I really doing? Am I worshipping God—or playing a role for the world to see?

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” — Luke 6:46

It reminds me of Daylight Saving Time. Every fall, we move the clocks back. Why? Think about it: if you worship a God who commands you to rest on the Sabbath beginning at sundown, then by changing the time, you can work longer and still say you stopped before dark. You can appear obedient without actually obeying. But God isn't fooled by clock-hands and man-made time zones.

Whose Time Is It, Anyway?

The Bible doesn’t give names like “Saturday” or “Sunday” to the days of the week. Those names came from pagan Rome, not God. The Word says:

“Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.” — Exodus 20:9–10

It also says the day starts at morning:

“And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.” — Genesis 1:5

Not midnight. Not sundown. And not when a government calendar tells you.

Buying Holiness

Years ago, I owned a coffee company—Black Dot Coffee. I was approached and offered the chance to make the product “Kosher.” I have degrees in theology, so I asked, “How do you intend to do that?” After looking into it, I realized it wasn’t spiritual—it was financial. You pay a fee, get a stamp, and voilà: now you’re holy.

But I had already sold coffee to Russia—first American company to do so—with all the proper certifications, including a phytosanitary stamp. I asked, “So how is your stamp better?” Their answer? “It just is.” No real explanation—just branding. I told them, “No thanks. I blessed my product myself.”

God’s blessing is not for sale. You can’t buy purity with paper.

Hair and Holiness

I’ve caught flak for my long hair over the years. One time, during an interview with a so-called Christian theater company, I was told, “We want to hire you, but you’ll need to cut your hair.” I looked behind them, at a painting of Jesus with long hair, and asked, “Would you ask Him to cut His hair?”

People forget that in Scripture, shaving your head was a sign of slavery or subjugation.

“They shall not make baldness on their heads, nor shave off the edges of their beards, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.” — Leviticus 21:5

That’s why the Levitical priests were forbidden from having shaved heads. Yet today, many cover their baldness with hats or wigs and think they’re hiding it from God. Some shave everything but the sideburns, as if that fools the Creator. God sees the heart—not just the head.

Lights, Hats, and Legal Loopholes

We now live in a time where companies design technology to help people look like they’re obeying the Sabbath—without actually obeying. Motion-activated lights so you don’t flip a switch. Timers to turn on your oven before sunset. Hats to cover the head you just shaved. Or in the case of some Amish communities, it’s okay to use a motor vehicle as long as you don’t own it. Really? No one owns their car anymore—the bank does!

This isn’t devotion. This is deception.

“Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, ‘Who sees us? Who will know?’” — Isaiah 29:15

Mocking the Maker

Here’s the hard truth: people do these things because they don’t actually believe in God. They may say they do. They may dress the part. But their actions mock Him. And when others see it, they ask, “Why would God allow that?” The hypocrites become the excuse for the unbelievers. They’re stumbling blocks, designed to discourage real faith.

“They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.” — Titus 1:16

These modern martyrs aren’t suffering for righteousness. They’re strategically positioned to make you question the one true God. To keep you from truly believing.

But you can’t fool God. Not with time, not with stamps, not with rituals or robes or long prayers said for show.

“The Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” — 1 Samuel 16:7

So ask yourself—are you trying to walk with God, or are you trying to walk around Him?

Because the truth is, He’s not fooled. Not for a second.