Daily Devotional For Saturday, December 2, 2023
With the holidays coming, there is going to a lot of emphasis on the birth of Christ and why He came. Jesus tells us the why in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost” (NLT). What a purpose Jesus had and it seems He was intentional about building bridges to reach lost people. Yet, it is easy to assume that everyone who comes to church is truly saved, but that is not always true. Jesus warned us about this as well.
Jesus said this in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who calls out to Me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of My Father in heaven will enter. (22( On judgment day many will say to Me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in Your name and cast out demons in Your name and performed many miracles in Your name.’ 23But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who break God’s laws’” (NLT).
Do you see it? These people were able to do prophesies in Jesus’ name. They were able to cast out demons in Jesus’ name and they were able to perform miracles in Jesus’ name. Yet, not one of them would make it to heaven. Not one of them. Just because you claim to be part of Jesus’ kingdom doesn’t mean you are. These people seemed to be convinced that salvation was by works, not grace through faith. The Bible says in Ephesians 2:8-10, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, (9) not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (10) For we are hHs workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (ESV).
Anytime someone genuinely comes to Christ, the Holy Spirit comes in them and He produces what is called “The Fruit of the Spirit,” which is proof of our new birth. A list of “The Fruit of the Spirit” is found in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (NLT).
All of us are vulnerable to look at anyone at church and say, “He is such a great guy because he serves as a deacon.” Or, “She is such a great lady because she serves in the Children’s Ministry.” Or, “They are the nicest people because when I was sick, they brought me homemade Chicken Noodle Soup.” Or, "They sing on our Praise & Worship Team." According to Jesus, Hell could be their final destination, not heaven.
Salvation is not based on rituals, rules, regulations and restrictions, but on having a personal relationship to Jesus Christ. If you think you are “saved,” then you will have a heart for the things Jesus had a heart for when He was here. Yes, you will serve but you will also have a heart for reaching the lost and mentoring those who come to Christ. I do not believe that someone as BIG as God came authentically come in you and you not be radically different so that when people see you, they see Jesus Christ.
If you are saved, if the Holy Spirit lives in you, then you will have a heart for the lost as well a heart for mentoring or disciple new Christians in the faith. Jesus can see through this façade. He will respond to the fakes with the chilling words “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (7:23). These fakes stand in contrast to the genuine followers of Jesus, who do know Him truly and who do the will of the Father (7:21). Though false believers can fool people—including those in the church—God is never fooled.
As yourself the following questions:
- Is there genuine evidence of “The Fruit of the Spirit” in me?
- Do I have a heart and passion for the lost as Jesus does?
- Am I mentoring or discipling anyone in their relationship to Christ?
- Or, am I more concerned about the budget, the buildings and the business of my church?
Verse to Meditate On: Matthew 7:21, “Yes, you will know who My children are by the fruit they bear” (PAR).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, I want Your Fruit visible in my life. I want Your passion for the lost and the new in the faith visible in my life. Convict me to be like You so that when anyone, save or lost, they see You in me, not just good works. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”