Beloved, we indeed live in times the Bible calls 'dangerous'! These are days we must seek to know the LORD for ourselves as there are many teachers 'hell-bent' on hoodwinking the ignorant, unsuspecting, and careless people to become their disciples. These are days when evil is celebrated as good and darkness is praised as 'illuminating light'!
As children of God, these are the days we must rise from the position of just believing in Him to being His Disciples! As a disciple, you sit at His feet daily to be taught of Him. Only disciples that have sat at His feet, learning of Him can be like Him! The Bible tells us (Matthew 4: 23-25) that Jesus ministered from place to place throughout Galilee: Preaching and healing every kind of sickness and disease. As a result, He had massive crowds from across the land of Judah and beyond 'following' Him! If it were our present time, and we were in His shoes, we would have been celebrating the awesomeness of God in our 'ministry': Influence and affluence that follows. But Jesus did not react that way, rather: "When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and when He was seated, His disciples came to Him" (Matthew 5:1, AMP).
When He saw the crowds following Him, instead of rejoicing, He turned His back without speaking or calling anyone, and climbed the mountain! Only those that wanted to learn of Him (disciples) followed and sat at His feet to be taught of Him. From that chapter to the seventh chapter, He taught them the lifestyle that was expected of His disciples.
In one of His teaching on that day, He declared a curious statement: “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 [when I judge them], ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name, and done many miracles in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them publicly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me [you are banished from My presence], you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands]' (Matthew 7:21-23, AMP). This statement calls for caution and should be a watchword for as many who desire to live for Him here on earth and to reign with Him in eternity!
The statement equally sadly shows that many that are claiming to know and serve Him will eventually not reign with Him in eternity! Something stopped this crop of people from reigning in eternity with Him even though they had proof of the fact they 'served' Him. They did mighty things in His name, yet they were rejected in the end! If you are like me, you should be wondering why and how could such a thing happen. Today, many have risen claiming to be teaching, singing, and serving in His name. Many boast of the things they had done and are doing to advance His Kingdom. To many, the gifts of God given to them to advance the Kingdom, like Esau and Simon the Sorcerer, have commandeered to become a money-making instrument. Some of these people may not outrightly ask for money or compensation, yet they only answer calls where they will be handsomely rewarded; and in cases they are not, they lament and guilt trip those that had invited them!
On that Day of judgment, many will be expecting to be rewarded handsomely because of the number of souls they had won to Christ, but sadly, the result of their works will be in Heaven while they will be in Hell! Why, again? Walk with me a bit! To make it a bit simple: The Kingdom of God may be likened to an Apple Farm that employed 50 workers to pick the apples over hundreds of acres of farmland. These workers when employed, were trained in the Company's ways of doing business, culture, and what was expected of them. These workers understood and they worked conscientiously to make sure the policies of the farm were not contravened.
However, the owner of the Farm learned that a dangerous storm with terrible flooding was coming in a couple of months that would destroy all the hard work they had put into farming the apples. Unfortunately, the number of employees he has cannot bring in the ripened harvest on time before the storm and flooding hits and destroys the farm. He then hired an outsourcing company named Iniquity International Limited to help with 50 more workers.
These new 50 workers, wore the same uniforms, and have access to every area of the farm just as the first 50 workers had. Sadly, this new set of workers refused to follow the policies and culture of the farm as they did not feel invested enough in the future of the Farm. To them, the Farm was just a means to make fast money. Since the owner of the Farm was more interested in his apples harvested, ignored their misbehaviors as long as they brought in the apples before the storms hit.
When all the apples were brought in, he lined up his workers, all 100 of them, and started paying them their salaries! By the 51st worker, he stopped paying; he told them they were outsourced and he does not know them; only the outsourced company named Iniquity International Limited will pay them!
On that day, many will say to the LORD, I preached, prayed, served, ministered in Your name on these streets, and the LORD will declare, "But I will have to say to them, ‘Go away from me, you lawless rebels! I’ve never been joined to you" (Matthew 7:23, TPT)!
Beloved, don't be deceived, two teams are working in God's Vineyard! Those that are trained (Disciples) in the policies, principles, and culture of the Kingdom (joined to the Master), and the hireling team that comes in to quickly do the job for affluence and influence, with no decorum or principles. These hirelings think they can do the work as it pleases them while paying lip service to the Owner of the Vineyard. They will be paid by Iniquity International Limited on that Day!
Beloved, the fact that many may have proof of their ministry being blessed, does not mean they are of God. God needs the Harvest in, will you be and remain a worker of righteousness (sitting and learning as a Disciple at the feet of the LORD Jesus Christ, or you are a worker of iniquity that seeks fast and ready results without keeping an eye on what eternity holds? May the Light of God's Word shine in your heart as you ponder these words, and help you to stand and remain in the Team of righteousness, in Jesus Christ name, Amen! God bless you.
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