Who gets in?

The passage of scripture which scares me the most is in Matthew 7. Jesus says "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" The context of this in regards to following Jesus' commands. This passage terrifies me. Paul also terrifies me in today's reading as well.

What stood out to me: Verse 21 says, "I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things (such things are listed in verses 19-21) will not inherit the Kingdom of God."

Why this stands out to me: This verse stands out to me because Paul has been writing about inheriting the Kingdom and being heirs with Christ. Here though, he goes back and says that if we are living life by the flesh we will not inherit the Kingdom of God. That is a scary thought.

How this applies to my life: This is a scary thought because I still live my life according to my flesh sometimes. I am a very selfish person, and I commit idolatry almost daily. I put my needs, camp's needs, Becca's needs above my love and desire for God. Choosing God first every day is a tough thing to do. I know in every situation I am given two choices; one choice will honor God, and the other choice will honor me. Living by the Spirit and walking by the Spirit are two distinct characteristics of a follower of Jesus. Living by the Spirit is about salvation. It is the Spirit that makes us new again, but walking by the Spirit is a totally different concept. I have to choose to walk by it every day. I have to quiet my needs and listen to its direction and guidance. Today I choose to follow God. I choose to live my life by the Spirit.

Thanks for reading. Tomorrow I will be reading Galatians 6:1-10.

In His service, CrazyPete