[Jesus speaking]
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!”
--What we say vs. what we do.
--Who we say we are vs. who our actions and hearts say we are.
--Head knowledge vs. a passionate, sold-out love for God.
When we are honest about what we believe and who we truly are, this is a start. Then we can decide which way to go: to follow after God or to follow the world.
God does not want fakers and hypocrites in heaven. He wants faithful followers who spiritually battle and are bruised and bloodied by the sacrifices and righteous stands they make.
Some choose to sit on the sidelines and compare and put down others to make themselves look good. Others redefine what it means to be holy with their own ideas.
Some will use a virtual scale to weigh out the good and bad they do. The only problem is they do not define good like God does. They think they get to make the rules, sadly. Others will try to be permissible of all things and in doing so permit much sin and degradation. Some arrogantly think they know better than God.
All of the people in these categories, without repentance and a turning of their hearts, will perish. Only those who humbly admit their need for a Savior because of their great sin and turn to Jesus for his rescue and help in life will be saved.
So let those of us who follow him pray sincerely for those who are lost. Let us plead with them to repent and consider the love of God and his justice, as well. We are called to rescue those who are far from God. We are called to model a love that is so very compelling in its tenacity - it is unconditional and never relents.
Lord, stir in me a heart for the lost. Take my eyes off of the challenging situations in life I find myself in and help me to seek and save the lost. Go before me and use me to speak truth and love, I pray.
