How Sweet are Your Words

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’” Matthew 7:21-22

Do these words scare you? Maybe not scare, but make you wonder? I can buy that there will be people who have done miracles, even in Christ’s name, and will not be in heaven. There are false prophets out there. That is what Christ is warning about in the verses previous to these. What makes me wonder is the self deception. They believed they were saved. That makes me involuntarily shudder. Self-deception surely is the worst kind.

“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:23

I imagine it must be worse for the self deceived person than the outright sinner at judgment time. The words from God, a crushing blow, “I never knew you, leave my presence, you who practice wickedness.” Lawlessness in the Greek is a condition of someone without the law, either being ignorant of it or violating it. But they prophesied in His name! But they were ignorant of the word of God, the definition even says they held it in contempt.

Dear sisters, the best way to know Jesus, to grow in Him is to read your bible. Read a gospel and fall in love with Him. When you read the gospel you hear Jesus say sweet things like, “She has done what she could,” to Mary, who poured ointment, her entirety, out on her Savior. You feel the passion and indignation when Jesus throws the tables over in the temple. You see Him take time for the untouchables. You come face to face with the cross and don’t know what to do, say, or think, so you worship.

I have had moments where the word of God has pierced my soul. I have had times when one verse changed the course of my life. Then there are times when I read a chapter but am thinking about my to do list. There are times I do not want to read my bible. I’d rather read a striking devotional or a different book entirely. I’d rather sleep. How close then am I to the one who holds the word of God in contempt?

The Shulamite said to her beloved something I think we should say to ours; “Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm.” I need something stronger than me to keep my priorities aligned with God and His word. Pray, pray, for that help from the Holy Spirit to understand and desire the word of God in your life. Then we can say with David, “How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 119:103).”

1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.