Today's devotion is from Matthew 7:22-23
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? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.
Keep the main thing the main thing!
The most important aspect in our walk with Jesus is our relationship with Him. Many become so focused on ‘THE WORK’ of the ministry that they lose focus of the person of Jesus!
Bible study, witnessing, prayer, church doctrine and ministry have to flow out of a vibrant relationship with Jesus!
Works without relationship are works of iniquity… even if they are done ‘in the name’ of Jesus, if what you do does not flow out of who you know intimately, Jesus will have no part of it! Christianity without an intimate, loving, worshipping relationship with Jesus is nothing more than dead religion.
Jesus is a Person and He died on the cross so that we might know Him and so that we might fellowship with Him.
Paul said that his highest greatest goal in life was to know the Lord; the Apostle Paul considered knowing the Lord intimately the ‘upward call of God in Christ’… not ministry, relationship!
He said, ‘I count all things loss compared to knowing Jesus my Lord and count them as rubbish… that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.’ (Philippians 3:8-14 - paraphrased)
Don’t confine your relationship with Jesus to a ‘religious experience!’
Talk to Jesus, listen for His voice; He is not ‘up there’ somewhere, Jesus is right by you, living on the inside of you. Jesus wants you to experience His abiding presence 24/7. He wants you to experience His love, His embrace and His grace.
Open your spiritual eyes and see Jesus talking to you out of the pages of your Bible… when you worship, visualize Jesus, when you give an offering or when you bring your tithe… bring it to Jesus and lay it at His feet. The sweet, abiding presence of Jesus is real, Jesus is real and knowing Him is the most important thing that you will ever do!