TOPIC: BELIEVER FOR SHOW?
MEMORISE:
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 7:21
READ: Matthew 7:21-23
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
MESSAGE:
One Bible passage that amazed me when I first read it is Matthew 7:22 -23. It says that there will be so-called believers who would have been healing the sick and casting out demons in the name of Jesus here on earth, but on the last day Jesus will say to them “Get behind me you workers of iniquity. I never knew you”. Wouldn't it be such a disappointment to have done so much for God and then on the last day, when you are supposed to receive your crown, He says "I never knew you"? Since Jesus cannot lie, you then need to really be sure you have a relationship with Him while here on earth. You need to check thoroughly if your faith is truly from the heart and not just something that is for show.. The fact that you call yourself a believer is not enough, 2 Corinthians 10:18 says:
"For not he that commendeth himself is approved,but whom the Lord commendeth."
It is not about what you call yourself; it is about what God calls you.
It is possible to be raising the dead and still not be a true believer, because performing miracles is a gift of the Holy Spirit, whereas Jesus said believers are identified by the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is easy to get carried away when you start exhibiting the gifts, but you must pay attention to the fruit if you want to remain a true believer. Check your life in comparison to the fruit of the Holy Spirit as listed in Galatians 5:22-24:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness; goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."
Is your lifestyle in line with this Scripture? If you only read your Bible when you are to preach or teach Bible Study, you are a believer for show. If you can lead a prayer meeting for two hours but cannot pray for thirty minutes in your closet, you are a believer for show. If you only fast when the Church says you should, so that you can also say that you participated, yet you don't 'declare fasting days for yourself personally, you are a believer for show. If you condemn fornication and adultery publicly, but still indulge immoral thoughts in your heart, you are a believer for show.
Please note: no 'believer for show' will make it to Heaven.
REFLECTION:
Are you true believer or just a believer for show?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 9-10
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 22: STAND UP, STAND UP FOR JESUS.
1. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! ye soldiers of the cross;
Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss:
From vict’ry unto vict’ry, His army shall He lead,
Till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.
2. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! The trumpet call obey:
Forth to the mighty conflict, in this His glorious day;
Ye that are men now serve Him against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.
3. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! Stand in His strength alone,
The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own;
Put on the gospel armor, and watching unto prayer,
Where calls the voice of duty, be never wanting there.
4. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! the strife will not be long;
This day the noise of battle, the next the victor’s song;
To him that overcometh a crown of life shall be;
He with the King of glory shall reign eternally.
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