lawlessness!'
Wow, here's a nice sobering thought for our breakfast together this morning.
It gives us a couple of good home truths that should certainly motivate us
to check our priorities concerning the importance of who God is to us versus
the importance of what we do for Him. When it comes to "entering the kingdom
of heaven" this verse teaches us that the most important thing is not what
you have been doing (even if it felt really important and looked impressive)
but who you have been knowing.
Remember we are called "human beings" not "human doings". First of all we
are called to "BE". What we are meant to be? Simply, friends of God.
It is then out of our knowing Him that we naturally live out the will of His
Father in what we daily do, but notice the vital thing or first thing is
always the knowing of Him. This can be really hard when you have been raised
in a "works based" world that focuses so much on doing. Such a world chooses
to know us by our doing rather than our being. We have to dare to cross over
and live in a kingdom where knowing and being are of greater value and
importance.
Notice the cry of the people in these verses. Look at the language they use
to try and convince Him of their rights, "didn't we do this and didn't we do
that". Jesus then turns and says, "Get out of here you workers of
lawlessness." The real scary bit is when you read what they had been doing,
because you see it was actually the works of ministry! What can we learn
from this? Everything we do for Him must flow out of our knowing of Him
otherwise it is of no worth to Him. Even if we deceive ourselves that it is
of great worth or meaning, it is actually worthless.
So, today champ, top of the list, know Jesus more! Move to second and third
place all the stuff you do even if it is prophesying, casting out demons and
working wonders and re-focus on the One who it is all about. He remains the
beginning and the end and everything in the middle. Invest good time in
knowing Him and that really will be time well spent. Remember this when it
is time to go through the gates of heaven. It's not what you know or what
you have done that will matter but who you have known and been known by. As
the Apostle Paul once said so well, "That I may know you".
Bless you
Andy
