Thoughts for reflection . . . (Today)

In Matt7.23 the Lord says, 'Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, . . . And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity (lit. lawlessness).'

One of the most terrifying experiences imaginable must be on the day of judgment standing before the Lord convinced all is well because of deeds done in the past, but to be told by the Lord to depart. Knowing that the time of choice, the time of making things right, the time of repentance unto salvation has run out and is past. It is too late - all is lost for eternity, eternal punishment awaits.

How do I make sure I am not of 'the many' that the Lord speaks of? How do I avoid the deception that must have cloaked those that will receive such a response from the Lord?

That group the Lord rejected He described as those working lawlessness, yet they had pointed in their defense to works they had done in His name, mighty works.

What counts is my walk with God today: my condition spiritually before Him at any current moment of time. It is not just my examples of faithfulness and submision to God's Word and yielding to the Holy Spirit in my conscience and life that I can point to 'yesterday' (in the past), but where am I today? (Ez33.11-19,Heb3.12-14)

Today I must be walking with God. Today I must be submitting to the counsel of His Word and walking in obedience to the light I have received. Today I must be walking in love towards all. Today I must be allowing God's Word to be the rule of my conduct, words and thoughts.

If I love God then I will be known of Him (1Cor8.3). My loving Him will be known by my obedience to Him and His Word (John14.21-24). God knows them that trust in Him (Nah1.7). My love of God, my faith in Christ, my believing in Him, trusting in Him, and my obedience to Him must be a present, continuous experience of my today.

May God protect me from the deception of looking to the past to what may have been achieved and experienced spiritually back then and because of that relaxing my fervancy to remain in that place of love, obedience and trust this day. May I live everyday in the awareness of the Lord's presence being in a continual state of readiness to stand before Him on that day.

- sent from Palm T|T3