Embrace the Within no. 154

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day [when I judge them], ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name, and done many miracles in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them publicly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me [you are banished from My presence], you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].’

Matthew 7:21-23 AMP

Many will say that they knew God and did works in His name and He will declare, “I never knew you . . . you who act wickedly.” Faith is not about what you do, how much you do, casting out demons, speaking prophecy, or doing miracles. He says I need to do what He commands. I need to be obedient. And now amount of works makes up for that.

And here is where folks get all confused and start saying absurd things like works don’t matter. See, Christ said works don’t get you into Heaven so it doesn’t matter what I do. If nothing we does matter, then obedience doesn’t matter either. And Christ clearly stated what He wants. He wants my obedience. He wants my allegiance. He wants me to pray, to worship, to follow, to love only Him. He has to be the most important thing in my life.

And if I am living a life in obedience to the Way of the Lord. If I am living a life where I love God and my neighbor and my enemy, then I am going to have the actions or the works to support that life. The works are not the means to getting anything from God. The works are the manifestation of living an obedient life. And I think that I like many folks had this all wrong for some time.

I used to mistakenly think that God was all about doing the right things. If I prayed and went to church and read my Bible, then God was going to do good things for me. BUT God does not act like that. That’s how people act. I was trying to make God into me rather than making myself into Christ. And there is a lot of that idea going around still. That if I do things the right way. If I give the right amount of my time and money, if I worship in the right way, if I stay after church, if I go early to church, if I give up that, if I start doing this . . . . . It’s all treating God like He’s magic. And He is not magic. He is God. And I should be doing what I do because I love and follow Him and not because I want Him to grant my wishes or give me favors.

Why am I praying? Why am I reading The Bible? Why am I fasting? Why am I studying His Word? Why am I going to church? Why am I helping the needy? Why am I being a friend to the friendless? Why am I doing what I am doing? Is it for me to get something from God? Is it because I love God?

I pray that I will treat God like He deserves. I pray that I will show my allegiance to Him by loving Him and my neighbor. I pray that my words and actions are a reflection of Him. I pray that what I do is for His glory. I pray that through these actions of obedience to Him that I am a beacon for Him today and forever.

I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH