I DON’T KNOW YOU

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’  Matthew 7:21-23 NIV

“Jesus says to them in Matthew 7:23, “I never knew you.” They did not know Jesus and Jesus did not know them. Jesus knew about them and they knew about Jesus, but there was no intimacy of relationship which the word for “know” here indicates. It does not matter how much head knowledge you have about God, if you are not adopted into His kingdom as one of His children, then you are not going to enter because Heaven is not your home.

You say that sounds like I am against the security of the believer in the assurance of salvation. Maybe it sounds that way because I am against a false assurance of salvation. If you think that you are a Christian because you attend church services, pay tithes, made a public profession of faith, prayed a prayer, walked an aisle, raised your hand, were baptized, or anything else similar, or because pastor or evangelist told you that you were now a Christian, then you had better think again. You need to do what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!” because if your salvation is based on any of those things I mentioned, then you have a false assurance of salvation. They are all based on having faith in faith itself or in what you did and not in Christ. That is part of the deceitfulness of self righteousness. Some may think they’re saved because they know a lot of theology, or because they do a lot of things for the church, or because they know the Bible very well, or because of a thousand and one other things, but unless your salvation is based on God’s graciously regenerating you -, i.e., making you who were dead in trespasses and sin alive again through the power of the Holy spirit by His gift of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His atonement, then you are not saved.”  The Deception of Self-Righteousness – Matthew 7:21-23 January 10, 1993 Pastor Scott L. Harris 1/10/93; April 11, 1998)

Jesus looks at our hearts.  It is in our hearts that He can truly know who we are and what our intentions are.  This message from the Lord is a difficult “pill” to swallow.  There are those who preach the Gospel of Grace that says that “once saved always saved.”  Yes, when we accept the Lord Jesus into our heart and confess our sins, we are born into the Kingdom of God but we need to have an intimate relationship with the Lord and follow His will and commandments if we are to enter into heaven.  We also need to make sure that when we sin, we ask for forgiveness. 

Salvation is a daily walk.  It is a life-long commitment.  It is the working out of our sanctification that makes us who God has intended us to be.  It is our true identity.  It is a question of the heart.  Do we really love our Savior or are we doing works for our own gratification? 

Recommitment Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, I want to know the real You in all Your fullness and glory like I never have before. I’ve wandered away from You, and have become lukewarm in my walk of faith. I repent for not giving You total control of my life. Jesus, please fill me anew with Your love and peace that surpasses all understanding. Please renew my strength and faith and restore my hope, so that I may know the real You intimately. Lord, I declare You are my Hope and my Salvation, my Rock and Shelter, my Provider and my Healer, my Everlasting Father, and I want to dwell in Your presence and love all the days of my life. Lord Jesus, I trust in Your love and believe in Your Word. Light the fire of Your Holy Spirit again in me so that I may taste and see each day that You are good! I dedicate my life anew to You, my Lord and Savior! In Jesus Name, AMEN. (God With Us Ministries)

 Marcella Ward October 20, 2021

                                                                 THE MIDNIGHT CRY

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish and five were wise.  The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.  The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.  The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.  Matthew 25:1-13 NIV

THE RAPTURE OF BELIEVERS

 “There are many Christians who believe that the second coming of Jesus Christ will be in two phases. First, He will come for believers, both living and dead, in the “rapture” (read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). In this view, the rapture—which is the transformation and catching up of all Christians, dead or alive, to meet Christ in the air—will be secret, for it will be unknown to the world of unbelievers at the time of its happening.”  (What is The Rapture? Answers Billy Graham Association September 21, 2017)

This parable of the ten virgins, many Bible scholars agree, represents those believers who are ready for the rapture of the Church.  The oil represents the Holy Spirit.  Only those who have been true believers, the faithful, will be the ones that the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, will come for.  We, as believers need to be ready so that we will avoid the wrath that will happen before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

I believe we need to always be prepared just as the wise virgins were prepared to meet their groom.  How do we, as believers, prepare?  We need to always remain in a state of grace, meaning we need to confess our sins asking for forgiveness as well as forgiving others.  We need to prepare our hearts so we can be spotless because of the blood of Jesus.  Jesus is coming for a spotless bride.

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.  Revelation 19:7-8 NIV

There is a movie called, “Before The Wrath.”  The following link is where it is available.  I recommend it.  It describes a Jewish wedding and exemplifies how the bride (the Church) is readied for her Bridegroom (Jesus Christ).   www.beforethewrath.com

 Marcella Ward October 13, 2021

                                                        

                                                             WHAT IS YOUR YES?

The Parable of the Two Sons

 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.   “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.   “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.  Matthew 21:28-32 NIV

The first son was very willing to comply and in my opinion, he said yes because he wanted to impress his father.  The other automatically said no and in my opinion probably thought it over and even though he did not want to go to work, he did it because of his love for his father.

That happens many times in our lives.  I can remember the time when I was asked to do something at a church I was attending and I seemed to be the only one being asked and I was growing tired of being the only other person available but I always said yes.  I remember the Lord reminding me of the parable of the two sons and even though reluctant, I said yes.

I also remember my father saying yes to the needs of his family when he left El Paso because of no prospects of finding a job and moved with his wife and four children to Arizona trusting in God to provide. God came through because someone from the Customs Agency in Nogales, Arizona, came looking for him and he received the best job he ever had and he retired from that agency many years later.

 The Rich and the Kingdom of God

Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”  “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” he inquired.  Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”

 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.  Matthew 19:16-22 NIV

I have often wondered what would have happened to this man if he had said “yes” to Jesus. How dramatically would his life have changed?  Would he have become a disciple winning many, many people to Christ?  At that instant, his turning away from the Lord’s invitation, could have made a tremendous impact on his life but that, we will never know.

What about Mary, the Mother of Jesus?  What about her yes?   “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.  Luke 1:38 NIV   What would have happened if she had said, “no”? 

What about the greatest yes since the beginning of time?   For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.  For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.  Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:16-18

What about each individual apostle who said yes to the call of Jesus?  Did Jesus call the perfect?  No, be He equips the called.

What about Peter’s yes?  Did he say yes right away?  No, he denied Jesus three times but later  repented and Jesus restored Peter by anointing and appointing him to lead the flock.  

Abraham said yes when God told him to leave his land. The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.  Genesis 12:1 NIV   Moses said yes when God asked him to go back to Egypt and lead God’s people into the Promised Land.  So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” Exodus 3:10 NIV Ruth said yes to follow her mother-in-law Naomi.   But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Ruth 1:6 NIV

Esther was given a choice to save the Jews from annihilation.  For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:  “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”  Esther 4:14-16

Saul and all the Israelites were afraid of Goliath but David said “yes” to defeating the giant.   David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶ This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head.  I Samuel 17:45-46 NIV

Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Corrie ten Boom, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and many modern day heroes answered the call to say “yes” to freedom and their God-given rights.

Every “yes” has a ripple effect.  What is your yes?  Yes, I will follow the Word of God.  Yes, I will stand for Christ.  Yes, I will walk in the Spirit of God.  Yes, I will seek the truth at all times.  Yes, I will stand for freedom and my rights that were given to me by my Creator. 

WHAT IS YOUR YES?

If your “yes” is a prayer for Salvation or you want to recommit your life to Jesus, pray this prayer.

Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank You for dying on the cross for my sin. Please forgive me. Come into my life. I receive You as my Lord and Savior. Now, help me to live for You the rest of my life.
In the name of Jesus, I pray.
Amen. (Learn Religions, Mary Fairchild, July 31, 2019)

 Marcella Ward October 6, 2021