How do we get to know Jesus?
Most people know about Jesus
Some even know all about Him
They can quote things Jesus has said, tell of His endless miracles,
Preach the gospel with perfection
What will Jesus say to some
who have professed to have done mighty works in His name?
I never knew you, you who work iniquity, Depart from Me!
Not every one that saith unto Me,
Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;
but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to Me in that day,
Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name?
and in Thy name have cast out devils?
and in Thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them,
I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:21-23
In other words, don’t tell Me all the wonderful works you have done
They need not be listed
Don’t consider yourself more highly than you ought
We will not make it successfully through Judgment with our goodness
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth;
a stranger, and not thine own lips. Proverbs 27:2
Jesus knows each and every deed, each and every word we have spoken,
each and every motive, each and every thought,
each and every effort for Him we have made
We don’t need to tell Him anything
He doesn’t need to hear it because we can never pay Him back,
no matter how many souls we have saved,
no matter how many good works we have done in Christ’s name
Our efforts are worthless and useless
If we go before His throne patting ourselves on the back
because of our accomplishments, we will have missed it
We will make it by His mercy and no other way
Jesus made a way to the Father, Jesus is the Way,
but we cannot demand that He honor us, we are not entitled to that
It is Jesus, through His Holy Spirit,
who has accomplished anything at all in our lives
If you need to see what Jesus said about this, read John 15:5
“…Without Me, you can do nothing…”
Our efforts do not matter
This is what Jesus is looking for:
For all those things hath Mine hand made,
and all those things have been, saith the Lord:
but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit,
and trembleth at my word. Isaiah 66:2
Humility before the Lord and Fear of the Lord
If you want to know how to please the Lord,
keep your heart humble and tremble in His presence,
tremble at His word,
knowing we will need His mercy and grace,
when we finally meet Him face to face
Our long lists of efforts are futile
Get to know Jesus, who He really is,
you and Him, together, without anyone, without man’s doctrine,
without man’s teaching,
without preconceived notions of what He wants, or Who He is
Read His word, fast, pray that He teaches you about Himself,
that He shares who He is and teaches you His heart,
that He shares who He is with you,
so that you can know Him, like Moses knew Him, like Noah knew Him,
like John, the disciple knew Him, as he laid his head on Jesus’ chest
They were considered to be friends of God
Put aside your lovely doctrines that have formulas and plans of salvation
that people cling to, that people feel entitled to
None of those fancy doctrines of man
can cultivate your personal relationship with Jesus, that is up to you,
neither can any man make you a friend of God
Hear from God yourself and listen to Him
There is no other name by which men can be saved:
Neither is there salvation in any other:
for there is none other name under heaven given among men,
whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12