Lord, Lord

On August 29, 2022   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Luke 6: 46

And why do you call Me “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I say?

Jesus is the most kind, most compassionate person any of us know, yet He is not afraid to tell it like it is. And this is pretty plain language. Jesus is not impressed with lip service. A person can bow and kowtow all he wants. He can say Jesus is his Lord until the cows come home, but none of that matters to Jesus. The proof is in the pudding, as they say. What are you doing?

In John 14: 21 Jesus said, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me.” In other words, show your fealty by obeying His commands. Do what He has said. Did He say love one another even as He has loved us? (John 13: 34). Hasn’t He said, give generously and judge not (Luke 6)? Then those words should guide our actions. Jesus is the Word (John 1). Are we doing what the Word says?

Now just in case Jesus had not made himself plain enough in Luke 6, listen to His words in Matthew 7: 21, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.”

Jesus wants us to honor Him by doing what He says to do. He doesn’t want us just to tell Him how much we love Him, but rather to demonstrate it by doing what He says and by loving others. Being a deacon at the church doesn’t buy you into heaven. Following the Words of Jesus is what matters. Do you want to please Jesus? Do you want to be one of the people of whom Jesus says, “He/she loves me?” Then follow His words.  Obey His commands.

Action Thought: What one area can you improve in today?
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Being Christian

On September 23, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Matthew 7: 21


“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.”

Sometimes I like to say, “Don’t judge Christianity by Christians.” Christianity is best judged by looking at Christ. He is the one we are trying to be like. We are still striving and becoming. We are broken, yet overcoming. Sometimes our brokenness is louder than His healing. Yet, as we go along, we change and are changed. Eventually the love of God will dynamically alter our lives and we will better represent the Kingdom of God.

There are some, though, who upon receiving forgiveness and salvation never let the miracle working love of Christ transform their lives. There is no obvious difference between them and the unsaved. The love of Christ, the sacrifice He made for us, ought to have an impact on our lives and our behaviors. We, like him, should walk in love, forgiveness and unselfish affection for others. How does our Christianity show or better still, how should it show? The first and greatest commandment was love and the second one was love; love God, love your brothers. Let the light in you shine and let others see the miracle and blessing of God that you are.

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Habitation of Jesus

On July 13, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

2 John 1: 9

Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.

The Apostle John is, besides Jesus, the expert on abiding. In this passage he shows us that we should also abide in Jesus’ teaching. He makes a rather strong statement here. Anyone who does not abide (hangout, remain, live in persist,) in Jesus’ teaching does not have God. Okay, wow! Now that will shake up a person’s theology. There are “Christians” all over the world who do not pursue Jesus’ Word and thus, his teaching. John says clearly that unless we are living in Jesus’ teachings then we don’t have the Father. One would then have to ask whether or not we have salvation. How can you have salvation without the Father?

Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter” (Matthew 7: 21). That is a truly frightening verse, is it not? It means there are people running around thinking they have their ticket punched for eternal life with Christ in heaven but who are instead deceived. They are not truly members of the family. We must allow ourselves to be adopted by the Father. That must mean more than just repeating a prayer. Ultimately we must choose our life in this world or His life. Unless we submit to the Lordship of Christ what meaning is there in calling him Lord, Lord?

We are entering into the final days. God is calling His children to Him. This is a time for entering in to His presence. There will be a separation of people but the good news is that we each get to choose what group to be in. Today’s message isn’t meant to frighten you but rather to invite you into the deep. It is time for all of God’s children to enter into a fully committed relationship with the Father, Son and Spirit. Hearken to Jesus. Abide in his teaching, abide in his word. 

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