I often wonder about the things we do. We say we do them for one reason or another, but is that true, or do we decieve ourselves for a bit of self satisfaction. Do we allow ourselves to become so jaded in an attempt at self realization we miss the greatest realization of all? The realization of Jesus Christ, His death, Resurrection, and the Salvation through this.
We go around with a Jesus stamp at times, seeking to justify anything and everything we do by shouting the name of Jesus and making a show of it. In the Bible Jesus sorts of the Goats and the Sheep, those that KNEW Him and those that DID NOT. Both went about performing miracles, but there was one key difference. One, the goats, were making a man made effort, focusing on deeds; the other, the sheep, knew His Voice. So let me ask you this, do you know His voice? Do you know the saviour you claim to have? Will Jesus say "Enter the gates my sheep", or will He say, "Get away from me, I DID NOT KNOW YOU!".
There is a delicate balancing act between FAITH and DEEDS. To demonstrate, in James 1 it speaks of our faith going without deeds, and when there are no deeds to match our faith, our faith is DEAD! However, jumping over to Ephesians 2, Paul tells us we are NOT SAVED BY DEEDS, but by faith.
So how does this work? Our deeds will not save us, nothing we can EVER do, can grant us salvation, only through Jesus Christ and FAITH in Him can we be saved. Now that doesn't mean we get fire insurance and we're good to go, nay nay. My house has an alarm system, now that's no good if I don't use it correct? Say someone broke in to my house, I tell the Police officer, "I have an alarm system", he would ask if it was armed, and I would reply, well no, having should be good enough right?" I gaurantee that officer would laugh at you. The same thing with faith, it's pointless if you aren't walking in it. Your faith should be pushing you to move and DO SOMETHING.
James 1:27 (NKJV) "Pure and undefilied religion before God the Father is this; to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, AND to keep oneself unspotted from the world."
There's a two fold walk there, NOT ONLY do we have to think about ourselves, which is actually the second point not the first, take notice of that, I think there's a reason for that. We also have to look out for OTHERS. We have to DO SOMETHING. The great commission in Matthew 28:18-20 wasn't a recommendation, but a commandment. I don't know when GO and DO turned into sitting in a church pew on Sunday morning and going about life as if nothing happened. If Jesus came back right now, what do you think He would say about the church today? "Oh hey, I like that picture of me." "That's a really nice sound system you have there" for some reason I doubt that. He'd probably start asking if we've been loving our neighbour as ourself, if we've been visiting those orphans and those widows, if we've been dying ourselves DAILY and picking up our cross.
But always remember, make sure your eyes are on Him.
I don't say any of this to condemn, that is not my goal nor my hearts desire. I do however, wish to challenge people. To break them out of mediocrity and complacency into a fullness of Joy they have never known. If my life hadn't been radically changed by the Lord my Saviour Jesus Christ I would not care what you did. But knowing what I know, there is so much more than this world has to offer. The shallow, short lived pleasures are nothing measured up to the Greatness of the One above, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, Yahweh, God our Father. And for that reason, I challenge you to never stop moving, always keep watch, always keep faithful, never let discouragement be a burden, but in all things find what is good and rejoice.
