“WELL DONE FAITHFUL SERVANT” or “I NEVER KNEW YOU, AWAY FROM ME!”

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. 
Away from me, you evildoers!’
(Matthew 7:23)

MEDITATION:
Jesus tells us that some who think they know the Lord 
have failed in establishing a relationship with Him.
Some may say they know Him and that they are Christians, 
but at the end of our life we want to hear the Lord say, 
“Well done, good and faithful servant! 
Come and share your master’s happiness!” 
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been 
faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come 
and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:21) 

and not, “I never knew you”.
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. 
Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:23)

A relationship with the Lord (where He ‘knows’ us) is based on love.
He tells us exactly how to show our love for Him 
and our desire for Him to know us.
“If you love me, keep my commands.” (John 14:15)
He doesn’t tell us to choose a few of His commands to obey, 
Jesus tells us to obey His commands (implying all of them).

Is that an easy task? 
No, it isn’t, but we should have an attitude and a desire to obey them.
Unfortunately, some have defiantly chosen to ignore some 
of His commands completely, and yet they want Him to ‘know’ them.

He tells us that those who will enter the kingdom of heaven 
are those who have chosen to do the will of the His Father.
“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.” 
(Matthew 7:21)

Notice how He says that some expect to enter Heaven 
based on their claim of having a relationship with Him (saying, “Lord, Lord”).
However, Jesus looks at the heart and attitude, so if we make no attempt 
to obey His commands (including the difficult ones), then we have failed 
to show our love for Him and our desire to do the ‘will of the Father’.

The Bible tells us that quoting scriptures means nothing 
unless they have created a change in us.
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone 
who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away 
and immediately forgets what he looks like. (James 1:23-24)

The Bible also tell us that our faith is confirmed 
by the things we do (in obedience to His commands).
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith 
without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. (James 2:18)

Why does the Lord expect us to obey all of His commands?
Because a faith that is sincere and lived out through obedience 
can have a major impact on the lost who are observing us.
When we receive God’s salvation, we have a new path ‘marked out for us’,
which includes a desire to see lost souls come to the Lord.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily 
entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us 
(Hebrews 12:1)

One of His commands it to be at peace with others and to live a holy life.
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; 
without holiness no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)
When we fail to live holy lives, we fail in helping others to ‘see the Lord’.
How do we live a ‘holy life’? 
We show our love for the Lord by ‘keeping His commands’.

Some say that they do not attend worship services 
because the preacher always talks about money.
I doubt that is true, however when they do talk about tithes and offerings, 
it is to encourage the faithful to show their trust in the Lord to provide, 
and to warn them about stealing from Him.

Imagine someone claiming to have faith in the Lord 
while stealing from Him at the same time.
Stealing is not the kind of action 
that creates and builds a relationship with anyone.
Obviously, God doesn’t “need” our tithes and offerings, 
but He gives us an opportunity to prove our faith and trust in Him.
“Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, 
‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings.” (Malachi 3:8)

Jesus tells us not to ignore the things He tells us to do 
if we want our faith to be on a solid foundation.
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into 
practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came 
down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; 
yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. (Matthew 7:24-25)

He also warns us of the dangers of ignoring the things He expects 
of those who claim to have a love, trust and faith in Him.
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into 
practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came 
down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, 
and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:26-27)


ACTION:
We should honestly assess our faith and trust in the Lord.
What things do we do that disobey His commands,
and what do we do that shows our obedience?
Obedience is not a smorgasbord where we pick and choose the ones we like.
The Lord says IF we love Him then KEEP His commands (all of them).

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, help me in my efforts to obey all of Your commands. 
Convict me that the only way I can show a true love for You is through 
obedience. Teach me to accept Your commands and to trust that when I 
obey them, You will provide for my needs at all times. Thank You for 
Your love for me and I look forward to one day hearing You say to me, 
‘Well done good and faithful servant’.”

BLOG:  utvolwoody.wordpress.com