Taught with Authority

Mat 5:2  And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying…

Mat 7:28  And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

Mat 7:29  For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

For the last forty some days we've studied the things Jesus taught. We talked yesterday of just how important JESUS Himself told it was to not only HEAR but to DO what He told us to do. So what do we do now?

Jesus ended His sayings. Jesus stopped speaking, stopped His teachings at this particular time and the people who heard Him firsthand were ASTONISHED at what He taught.  They KNEW that He spoke with authority. His words were meant to be listened to. He wasn’t speaking as a person reading another's words lacking real conviction. He spoke TRUTH.

So why do we read, hear, and then live a life so incredibly contrary to all we've heard?

Being Christ's isn't easy in this world we live in, not in any way.

Right now I want to copy everything Jesus taught that day.

Note the time and then read it and note the time again.  Let's find out approximately how much time it took for Jesus to teach all that He did. I say approximate because everyone reads at different speeds and in truth we have no real idea of how often Jesus paused and whatnot, but let's do this anyway.

Mat 5:3  Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 5:4  Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Mat 5:5  Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Mat 5:6  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Mat 5:7  Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Mat 5:8  Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Mat 5:9  Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Mat 5:10  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 5:11  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Mat 5:12  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Mat 5:13  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Mat 5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Mat 5:15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Mat 5:17  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Mat 5:18  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Mat 5:19  Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 5:20  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 5:21  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

Mat 5:22  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Mat 5:23  Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

Mat 5:24  Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Mat 5:25  Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

Mat 5:26  Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

Mat 5:27  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

Mat 5:28  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Mat 5:29  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Mat 5:30  And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Mat 5:31  It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

Mat 5:32  But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Mat 5:33  Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

Mat 5:34  But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

Mat 5:35  Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

Mat 5:36  Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

Mat 5:37  But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Mat 5:38  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

Mat 5:39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Mat 5:40  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

Mat 5:41  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

Mat 5:42  Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Mat 5:43  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Mat 5:46  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

Mat 5:47  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

Mat 5:48  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Mat 6:1  Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

Mat 6:2  Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Mat 6:3  But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

Mat 6:4  That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

Mat 6:5  And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Mat 6:6  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Mat 6:7  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Mat 6:8  Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

Mat 6:9  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Mat 6:10  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Mat 6:11  Give us this day our daily bread.

Mat 6:12  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Mat 6:13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Mat 6:14  For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

Mat 6:15  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Mat 6:16  Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Mat 6:17  But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

Mat 6:18  That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Mat 6:19  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Mat 6:20  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Mat 6:21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Mat 6:22  The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

Mat 6:23  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Mat 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Mat 6:25  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Mat 6:26  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Mat 6:27  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

Mat 6:28  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

Mat 6:29  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Mat 6:30  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Mat 6:31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

Mat 6:32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Mat 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Mat 7:1  Judge not, that ye be not judged.

Mat 7:2  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

Mat 7:3  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Mat 7:4  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

Mat 7:5  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Mat 7:6  Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Mat 7:7  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Mat 7:8  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Mat 7:9  Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

Mat 7:10  Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

Mat 7:11  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Mat 7:12  Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Mat 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Mat 7:15  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Mat 7:16  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Mat 7:17  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

Mat 7:18  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Mat 7:19  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Mat 7:20  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Mat 7:21  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.

Mat 7:22  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?

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Mat 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Mat 7:25  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Mat 7:26  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

Mat 7:27  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Ten minutes, twelve minutes…. maybe eight for you or maybe 15, or even 30 minutes if you read slow, and pause.  You could probably even draw it out a little longer. 

We studied in forty-eight days something Jesus possibly could have taught in less than an hour.  Is it any wonder those people were astonished at what He taught. Forty-eight days of studying, no, not endless 24hr a day studying for forty-eight days, but a daily studying of what He taught in an hour or so. 

Jesus gave those people listening to Him so incredibly much to think about!

He said- Every one that hears the sayings of His, and does them- is like a wise man!

Can you imagine how the hearts and minds of these people had to be burning with this new message coming from the Savior Himself?!  They were told they had to DO the things they'd heard.

Having just read all of the things they were told to hear and do, can you remember it all? Probably not. Having even studied it all over the last month and more can you remember it all? Probably not. Yet Jesus told those who heard Him speak they had to hear and do, and they didn't have the written word to take back home with them and study. Christ's words were burned into their minds. His words had such and amazing affect on them, they were ASTONISHED.  Christ taught them as One with AUTHORITY.  And that authority caused them to pay close attention to everything He was teaching them.  Christ would NOT have made it impossible for them to remember what He'd spoken.  He'd said so much, and they would remember and make a choice to listen to the Savior's words or not, to be wise or to be unwise, to live or to die.

Mat 7:28  And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

Mat 7:29  For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

They were astonished by Jesus' teaching with such authority, His teachings were different than those they were used to hearing.  Can you imagine, they were used to hearing the Scriptures from scribes, but it was NOT the same at all.  This was the One whose Word they'd heard from Scribes all their lives speaking HIS message to them, HIS truth, the TRUTH spoken to them in a way they could comprehend fully and have NO excuse not to follow, not to listen, not to learn, not to DO all that He wanted of them.

We are BLESSED, so INCREDIBLY BLESSED to have Jesus' words written down for us to that we CAN study them. We live in a time when there is SO much evil call good, that to truly follow our Savior's words, to listen and do, we will stand out simply because in this day and age evil is called good, and good is called evil.  Did we learn anything these last forty-eight days? Have our lives been changed? Have we grown closer to our Lord?  Or is everything the same?  Seriously, we NEED to ask ourselves these questions! Christ wants us to HEAR and DO!  Do we do EVERYTHING that He's said? Are our lives the embodiment of His teachings? Or do we fail miserably away from what He wants from us?

Do we need to study more and constantly to make these sayings of our Lord a reality for us?

God, please help us! Please! We would have Your words written in our HEARTS, in our MINDS!  Bless us LORD, bless us and help us to only grow in Your truth, closer to YOU, knowing You and known of YOU.

Bless us, forgive us, keep us all in YOUR LOVE! Please save us from ourselves!

Hear, Do, and Live. Hear, Do Not Do, and Die.

Mat 5:2  And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying…

Mat 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Mat 7:25  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Mat 7:26  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

Mat 7:27  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Whoever HEARS.

Whoever DOES.

Christianity is NOT an inactive religion, it's an entire WAY OF LIFE for those who truly believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior.  Salvation does NOT begin when we are translated to heaven upon His return or raised from the grave to meet Christ in the air when He returns for His saints. Salvation begins LONG before that moment of transformation from mortal to immortal. Salvation has to be our way of LIVING, not a mere few moments out of our lives.

Jesus says-  whoever HEARS and whoever DOES.

Whoever hears all that HE has been teaching, all the things we've been studying for approximately the last 48 days. Whoever hears and then DOES all those things He's teaching HE will liken that person to a WISE MAN.  The wise man who built his house upon a rock and when the rain fell and the floods came and the wind blew and the house was beat up by all that- it DIDN'T FALL, and it didn't fall because it was built upon a ROCK- a solid foundation.

Jesus also says- whoever hears and DOESN'T do all those things He's taught He will liken to a FOOLISH man, who built his house upon the sand. The same rain comes, the same floods, the same winds blow and beat upon that house and it did NOT stand, it FEEL and GREAT was the FALL of that house. 

When we lose salvation there is NO greater fall in existence.

So why anyone can ever imagine that our Savior taught that being His meant merely uttering a few words asking for forgiveness and a bit of repenting and nothing more, is beyond me.

Our Savior gave us a lot of instructions on the life we are to lead and He even told us that we are FOOLISH if we do not do what He tells us. We are foolish and we will NOT be saved, He will NOT know us.

Is it any wonder that we should be studying these WORDS of Christ's over and over and over again?! Is it any wonder that we should be making these words of Christ's a part of our LIVES?

We have to LIVE Christianity, we have to LIVE the life CHRIST would have us live through HIM and HIS power by the Holy Spirit!

Being a Christ follower should be FIRST in our lives and everything else secondary to Christ! EVERYTHING ELSE!

We cannot say we can't comprehend Jesus when He speaks so plainly to us- you are wise if you hear and do what He says, you are foolish if you hear and do not do what He says.

Salvation is through CHRIST and CHRIST alone. We must hear and do what He says if we hope to be WISE unto salvation. If we hope to live in this sick, sick world being attacked endlessly by spirits that want us to deny Christ and all the power that is found in CHRIST, if we hope to live this way buffeted, beaten, facing spiritual storm after storm and stand firm through it all, we HAVE to DO what our Savior says, not just hear, but listen and DO what He tells us to do. We will live in this spiritual stormy life no matter what, the only thing we determine is whether or not we will be living in Christ when the storm passes, or if we will succumb to the evil world and be no more, totally destroyed, when the storms are over.

Please Lord let us be ALIVE in YOU NOW, and ALWAYS!

I Never Knew You

Mat 5:2  And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying…

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

I NEVER KNEW YOU.

I

Never

Knew

You

People through the years have made old age jokes and among the topic of old age the memory failing is a big thing. The jokes while meant to be funny and often are, stop being funny when a loved one really loses their memory from dementia, or Alzheimer's. It is TRAGIC when we hear of those who truly are losing their memories. There have been numerous television movies about Alzheimer's and many television shows that include the topic.  One thing they all have in common is the tragedy it is not to be recognized by a loved one, someone you've known possibly all your life .  Think of your loved one whether they are a mother, father, daughter, son, friend, sister, brother… think of them and imagine them NOT knowing who you are. You go to greet them and they recoil from you. You've known them for YEARS and suddenly, they are denying you. You'd try to get them to remember you, to admit they remember you, that they know who you are. You'd bring up all sorts of shared memories only to realize they are no longer shared.  It's AWFUL to imagine.  Personally I've not had to deal with this sort of thing with anyone. I've never know a person with Alzheimer's or severe dementia of any sort, or anyone who has lost their memory.  I truly can only imagine what it has to be like to try and get someone to admit they know you, because you know them and have known them.

We have to think about this on this sort of level because this is a reality we can hear and see, even touch for ourselves.

These are facts, these sorts of tragic circumstances. 

Why am I going on about this, because of the absolute heartbreak it has to cause to no longer be recognized by someone you love, someone you've known for a long time.

Now imagine the heartbreak of the One you believed to be Your Savior turning to you and telling you- 'I never knew you'.

It won't be a disease that has stripped the memories away. Those words will not be heard because of a sickness, or a head injury has caused forgetfulness.  Those words- like ALL the words Jesus speaks- will be heard because they will be the TRUTH.

Of all the one-sided relationships, this will be the most devastating one of all.

The thing is...the NOT knowing of Jesus will be by choice, not because He did not make Himself available to be known. It won't be because He's been hiding from anyone, He's in PLAIN SIGHT. Access to a relationship with the Savior is available to ALL. You don't have to be rich, in fact that might even be more of a hindrance than an asset. You don't have to be anything but… human. If you fall under the category of being human then you have an opportunity to know Jesus Christ as your PERSONAL Savior.

Do you know Jesus?

Go ahead, answer that question. Do you know Jesus? You do, don't you? You've read all about Him, you've seen movies, read books, heard stories, sermons and such, right? You know who Jesus is, you know Jesus.  Do you know Jesus as your personal Savior? You know He is the Savior and has the power to save you from the horrors of sin in this world, the sin that warrants our damnation, not salvation.  Has Jesus saved you? Has He forgiven you? Does He continue to save you, and forgive you? You can answer yes, if this is true for you.   Now, ask yourself another question- an important question-

Does Jesus know you?

You want to answer instantly, yes, of course He knows me. How could I know Him and He not know me?

Now before we go a step further we have to pause for a moment and contemplate something else. As God with God, Jesus knows everyone, so this is more than the mere knowledge of our existence that is in question here. He knows we exist just as we know many people we've never met, exist. We can know someone exists, without knowing them.  But then you go on and say, but Jesus knows everything about me, I can't know everything about anyone else that exists even if I do know them and have met them.  This is true as well. So WHAT does Jesus really mean when He says- 

'I never knew you.'

These are Jesus' words, not mine.  Jesus is saying 'I never knew you.' 

What does He mean?!

Read this--

2Ti 2:19  Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Sound familiar?

Christ says He doesn't know those who are claiming to know Him because they WORK INIQUITY.

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

'Let EVERY ONE that nameth the name of CHRIST DEPART FROM INIQUITY!'

Ye work iniquity.

We know what it means when people say those two know each other in the Biblical sense- it means they've had sexual relations.   It doesn't necessarily mean they know each other in any other way because you can have sex with a stranger, a couple can get married having never met until that day and they certainly can't say they know each other in any sort of way except for merely meeting. 

Jesus knows who we are, but can say He never knew us because we CHOOSE to live with a barrier between us, never allowing Him to really know us by SAVING us from our sins. He never knew us because in order to  know us we have to recognize ourselves as sinners in need of constant forgiveness. Our problem lies in ever believing we are sinless in an of ourselves. We only become sinless through HIM and it has to be a CONSTANT relationship of being SAVED. Jesus cannot know us if we live in our sins without ever seeking forgiveness for them.

Please LORD, we would be KNOWN by YOU. Forgive us Lord, forgive us, You are our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST! It is only through YOU and YOUR constant forgiveness that we dare hope to be KNOWN by YOU!

Please Lord, KNOW US, SAVE US!

All in YOUR LOVE.

Please Lord, know us!

Mat 5:2  And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying…

Mat 7:22  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?

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Not some...not a few, but MANY are going to say to Jesus when it is time for His people to enter the kingdom of heaven--  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.

Prophesied in Jesus' name.

We know this…

Mat_7:15  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Mat_24:11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

Mat_24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

2Pe_2:1  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

1Jn_4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

FALSE prophets will be prophesizing in Jesus' name!

We know this…

Act 19:13  Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

Act 19:14  And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.

Act 19:15  And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

Act 19:16  And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

These vagabond Jews - exorcists- tried to cast out devils using Jesus' name!

All the time people do wonderful works, many, many wonderful works and they do it in Jesus' name-  but they are NOT known by Jesus! They are workers of iniquity!

Yes, it is possible to be a false prophet, to even cast out devils, and do MANY wonderful works in the name of Jesus and NOT be KNOWN BY HIM!

It's NOT enough to know the name of Jesus.

It's NOT enough for people to do good things while touting the name of Jesus.

It's NOT enough to prophesize while claiming Jesus.

People love to hate Christians.  There is more Christian persecution today than ever before. People love to claim their own hatred of Christianity and they do it as they tout the scores of Christians that have been proven to be anything but Christ's followers. They'll point at the innumerable sex scandals and abuses  involving those claiming to be Christians and the financial schemes as well.  Great ministers who claim to be close to Jesus have been some of the greatest sinners, having led many into their false worship, their false beliefs, their deceptions. They were wolves in sheep clothing who went about truly devouring many, all the while appearing like sheep, not the wolves they really are.

Jesus wants us to know that He agrees with those people who point out the great apostasy, the immense hypocrisy among those who claim His name. He won't dispute that there are many using His name wrongly.  He has NO personal relationship with those people, they've chosen Satan as their leader.

It's important to comprehend that right up to the END, right up to the time when the wicked are still alive and fighting to enter God's kingdom, they will believe they are HIS, and they will try to convince Jesus that they are His. They are DECEIVED. Far from being His, they are in fact WORKERS OF INIQUITY.

Every single good thing, every devil supposedly cast out, every prophecy ever uttered by those unknown by Jesus will have been borne not of a true love of Jesus, but rather a self love, self preservation in action that is a work of sin because it is NOT selfless, NOT of JESUS' love at all!

Remember this…

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

And just how many of these people will claim Christ as their Savior without ever truly meaning it?!  They'll have a FORM of godliness! They'll seem godly! They say they believe but that belief stops far short of a real living, breathing spiritual relationship with the Savior.  I can believe in the Queen of England but I'll NEVER have a relationship with her because there is no opportunity for me to do so.  I can believe in Jesus but I'll only have a relationship with Him if I die daily to self and rise daily in HIS love, by HIS power, through HIM in a very real spiritual life. He's left me with all the instructions I will ever need to form this relationship with Him through FAITH. I can believe in Jesus and NEVER read the instructions, never forming a relationship, and without that relationship my belief in Jesus is nothing more than my belief in the Queen of England.  It's a true belief, but even devils believe.

Jas_2:19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Only those devils are not going to say LORD, LORD… trying to get into the kingdom of heaven on their own merit, they know better and they tremble.  People will say LORD, LORD, MANY PEOPLE, and they will be LOST all because they did NOT really know Jesus at all.

Please LORD, know us!

Are you like the world?

Ro. 12:1,2

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Our bodies-

A living sacrifice.

Holy.

Acceptable unto God.

Our service.

We cannot present our bodies as living sacrifices, as holy, as acceptable to God and all the while be CONFORMED to this world.

We have to be TRANSFORMED.

We are transformed by the RENEWING of our MINDS.

That renewing allows us to PROVE - what IS THAT good, acceptable, and perfect WILL OF GOD.

If we are conformed to the world our mind will NOT be renewed.

What does is mean to be conformed to the world?

'1. to conform one's self (i.e. one's mind and character) to another's pattern, (fashion one's self according to)'

To be like the world.

Are you like the world?

Do you stand apart from the world?

Are you so conformed that none could tell you aren't a part of the world and its ways?

Seriously.

Have you conformed in spite of your label of Christianity? Do you claim Christ but live the world?

Christ will KNOW everyone who has conformed to the world and it won't matter one single bit if they cry to Him, 'Lord, Lord.' THEY AREN'T HIS and HE KNOWS!

Why do we INSIST upon leading lives contrary to Christ's teachings and then turn around and expect to be called His? Why?

Why do we do things over and over that we KNOW in our heart of hearts HE would NOT APPROVE of and yet we simply choose not to care, reasoning that HE WILL UNDERSTAND why we couldn't buck the system. We say that He has to understand why we had to CONFORM to the world.  We'll IGNORE everything that points out conformity in ourselves so we can continue to FOOL ourselves. We LOVE our blinders! We LOVE those very special individually crafted, one of a kind, made just for us, Satan produced blinders!

Don't kid yourself, you ARE that important to Satan. He'll craft your blinders himself if it means you'll end up as HIS and not GOD'S.

Those blinders will allow MILLIONS, and I do mean MILLIONS and MILLIONS of people to keep themselves from being truly CHRIST'S and all that means.

It is those blinders that will keep those millions and millions believing they are Christ's when they are NOT, and they WILL cry out to JESUS,  LORD, LORD!

Jesus teaches us this!!!! Not me!! JESUS!

Mat 5:2  And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying…

Mat 7:21  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.

HE THAT DOETH THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN!

Not the people blinded to their own condition, WILLINGLY blinded, SELF-INFLICTED blindness.

Those who DO the WILL OF GOD!

Rom_12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, WILL OF GOD.

Mar 3:35  For whosoever shall  DO THE WILL OF GOD, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

Eph 6:6  Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but AS THE SERVANTS OF CHRIST,  DOING THE WILL OF GOD FROM THE HEART

1Th 4:3  For THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication

1Th_5:18  In every thing give thanks: for THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS concerning you.

1Pe 2:15  For so IS THE WILL OF GOD, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men

1Pe 4:2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the WILL OF GOD.

1Jn_2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that DOETH THE WILL OF GOD abideth for ever.

There is NO lack of knowledge concerning the will of God if we would but open His word and prayerfully asked to be guided to His truth.  Go back through these verses and read the verses before and after, you'll get God's message and He is NOT going to encourage anything in your life which is contrary to HIM and HIS WILL.

You choose.

Satan has your blinders ready.  If you are wearing them even now, by the grace of God may they be cast aside so you can see the truth in God's Word.  If you are tempted to put blinders on may God reveal all His truth to you and may you through HIS righteousness, through HIS love, through HIS grace keep the blinders away from your eyes.

Choose truth!

Do NOT conform to the world.

Do NOT accept the world's righteousness.

Do the WILL of GOD!

May we ALL DO THE WILL OF GOD all through HIS power!

In His LOVE, His MERCY forever!

Please LORD save us, not IN our sins, but from them! Reveal the sinfulness of sin to us so that we, through the Holy Spirit may keep from sinning. Help us to NEVER accept sin in any form!  Forgive us as we seek forgiveness, as we repent!

LORD! LORD! We want only YOUR TRUTH! LORD! LORD! We want to be YOURS, knowing and known by YOU!  SAVE US!

Your will Lord, Your will.

Sabbath sinning

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy

Holy- 'to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate'

To keep it holy.

To keep it consecrated.

To keep it sanctified.

To keep it prepared.

To keep it dedicated.

To keep it hallowed.

To keep it separate.

We reveal the IMPORTANCE of a day by various means.  For someone's birthday we treat them extra special with perhaps breakfast in bed, a nice lunch at a favorite restaurant, a yummy birthday cake, presents.  We do the same for anniversaries and various days we label holidays. The day is special and often times people are allowed the day off school and work when there are days we label extra special.  Because we allow days off we are saying this day is so special we don't want you to have to work or go to school on this day. For those professions where people work 24/7 year round they are more often than not given compensation for having to work on that special day of the year.

Man has deemed several days every year to be this special, but God has deemed the SABBATH DAY to be this special and the SABBATH DAY occurs on the seventh day of every week, the day HE chose to rest upon, the day HE chose to sanctify to make holy, the day HE made for US.

We are to keep this day HOLY.  He tells us too, Jesus did throughout His entire life even resting in the grave on the Sabbath before rising on the first day of the week.  That Sabbath rest in His grave is something that is overlooked.  People tend to just gloss over it real quickly as if it wasn't important at all and only the first day of the week is significant because Jesus rose that day.  Jesus could have been crucified on any day, and Jesus could have risen on any day- but one.

Our Savior would NOT be put to death on the SABBATH.

Our Savior would NOT be called to rise from the dead on the SABBATH.

In fact, the Sabbath was drawing near after He'd died and HIS followers, HIS disciples, HIS loved ones wanted His body quickly put in the tomb BEFORE the Sabbath arrived. Why?

Living in a world such as we live in today when the majority of people do all sorts of things regardless of the day, it's almost too hard for people to fathom such restrictions.

They eagerly wanted the dead Jesus quickly taken care of. In fact, they KNEW they didn't have time to properly prepare Him for His burial, but they still wanted Him laid to rest before the Sabbath. 

Mar 15:42  And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,

Mar 15:43  Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

Mar 15:44  And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.

Mar 15:45  And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.

Mar 15:46  And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.

Mar 15:47  And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid.

Mar 16:1  And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

This was the DEATH, the VERY REAL DEATH of the SAVIOR, the SON OF GOD and HE remained UN-ANOINTED for a FULL DAY.

Jesus' body, His lifeless body void of the breath of life, lay in the dark tomb not anointed on the Sabbath day and then until the next morning hours into the first day of the week which began at sundown.  He rested in death's sleep, laid in the tomb.

If Jesus had died on a Wednesday- the middle of the week- His body would have been anointed, there would have been time to anoint His body before the Sabbath. His body would NOT have rested before they anointed Him with the oils and spices they prepared.

IF our Savior had ended the weekly Sabbath observance there would have been no need for anyone, especially His followers who understood Him more than any others, to have kept from anointing His body.

Our Savior did NOT abolish the weekly Sabbath and HIS laying in the tomb without being anointed is one proof of this.

The Sabbath importance was the FIRST amazing reaffirmation made by our Savior after His death.

That Sabbath was KEPT HOLY, that very first Sabbath after Jesus' death was kept holy by all of Jesus' followers.

We are to keep the Sabbath day holy.

Why?

Because our GOD, our HEAVENLY FATHER, our SAVIOR asks us to do so.

Keep it holy. Set it aside. This day will be different from all the others of the week.  It's NOT the same as those days. It was made special for us.  Yet because in our sin warped world we tend to think of special days as something containing ribbons, balloons, streamers, posters, cakes, cookies, and a ton of self-indulgence, we don't quite want to understand how this day is to be Holy and to be Special without all the trappings.  A weekly day, a whole day, special?  Why don't we make this day special as we are told to do? And not through the concept of self-indulgence, but in self-sacrifice.

Seriously.  To set aside self for one day, just one day in every seven, and do that on God's holy Sabbath day, the seventh day, Friday sundown to Saturday sundown, a whole Biblical day.

Set aside self.

Why set aside self? Because in truth it is self we must set aside in accepting Jesus, isn't it?

I did not read the commandment to love self.

I did read the commandments to love God and to love my neighbors (all others).

I read this too-

Luk 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Let him DENY HIMSELF.

Let him TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY.

Let Him FOLLOW ME.

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

It is PERILOUS (DANGEROUS) to be among the 'MEN SHALL BE LOVERS OF THEIR OWN SELVES'!

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

WE - that self we tend to indulge - is CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST.  CHRIST lives in US when we are saved by HIM, choosing to follow HIM.  We have to continue to live in our flesh, but daily we pick up our crosses.  Daily we are allowing ourselves, our selfishness, our self-indulgence, our self-absorption be  CRUCIFIED with CHRIST.  CHRIST must LIVE IN US through FAITH.  We must allow CHRIST TO LIVE IN US.  And if we ALLOW CHRIST to live in us then we are allowing Him to save us from all that is in us that would destroy us.

WE MUST let CHRIST LIVE IN US!  In a real way, not in a seconds thought of Him as our Savior, but in a daily, hourly, minutely way where HE is with us in ALL we do, not just a few chosen moments we allow Him in our lives.

The SABBATH is to be kept Holy, set aside, sanctified, DIFFERENT from every other day of our week! On this day more than any other we are to be renewed by the Holy Spirit so that we can get through six days every week that have NOT been  set aside for us, but given to us to work, work, work, work, work, and work.

If we indulge in our SELF LOVE by giving into Satan's temptations that will draw us as far from God as possible on this day set aside, then we are missing out on a blessing, and we are SINNING. 

Yes, SINNING.

This is a COMMANDMENT from our SAVIOR, from our GOD the FATHER!

We sin when we do NOT keep the commandment MADE for us.

We throw away this amazing gift to us, and in doing so we proclaim that we have no need of this Sabbath, and no need of the God who commands us to keep the Sabbath.

LORD please, help us. The self inside of us, the flesh that would corrupt us fully and leave us without hope is fighting against us, making it so that we find it all but impossible to set aside a SINGLE day for YOU, a day YOU made FOR US, for our GOOD, our SPIRITUAL, PHYSICAL, and MENTAL GOOD.

Please SAVIOR GOD, please save us! FORGIVE us our sins! Forgive us for believing that we can do as we please, indulge self endlessly day after day, after day without any consequence. 

Please keep us from Sabbath sinning!

Help us LORD! Save US!

All in YOUR LOVE, by YOUR GRACE!

I know you not...

Mat 5:2  And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying…

Mat 7:21  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.

Truth.

People will be saying- Lord, Lord.

Mat 25:11  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Luk 13:25  When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are

Saying- Lord, Lord.

People are going to be calling Jesus.

People are going to be saying, Lord, Lord.

Now ask yourself this, are these people who call on the Lord those who THINK they are His?

YES.

We can THINK we are His but not, in all reality, be HIS!

People who believe they will enter the kingdom of heaven but they won't!

We have to do the WILL of the Father God in heaven.

When you call someone not once, but twice, you really want their attention. You are emphasizing their name.  People will be calling our Savior, really, really calling our Savior.

Lord, Lord.

Say it aloud.

Lord, Lord.

And people will be saying it, believing they deserve the Lord's attention, believing they deserve entrance into His kingdom. 

We have to do the WILL of the FATHER in HEAVEN.

Our Savior wants us to do the WILL of His Father.

Rom_12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

This says so much!

BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD.

BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND.

THEN BE ABLE TO PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD, ACCEPTABLE, PERFECT WILL OF GOD!

Not conformed to this world.

Transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Not conformed but transformed.

Tit_3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost

Php 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus

Not conformed to this world. We have to EXAMINE ourselves and if we have CONFORMED to this world we are in trouble.

Be not conformed.  NOT CONFORMED.

More on this tomorrow… because there is so much conformity that the danger is very, very real for ALL OF US!

Please LORD, help us to understand, to comprehend, to really LEARN!  Help us, we are so weak, so sinful.  Please, we do not want to be among those who are calling out to you only to have you not know us, only to be among those who are NOT doing the Father's will and are not going to enter the kingdom of heaven with YOU.  PLEASE LORD help us! SAVE US!