Till Jesus Comes

"So, how you doing? I thought you weren't feeling so well. Sister, so and so, said you wouldn't be here--your knees were bothering you?"

The old woman paused as she hobbled painfully down the sidewalk toward the front of the church building. "Well, it isn't my fault. You see, my heart goes first, and the rest of me just has to follow."

Matthew 6:21 "for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also."

Psalms 122:1 "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go unto the house of Jehovah."

"Mom, do we have to go to church?" Ever been asked that by your children? Going to worship on Sunday, and Bible Study on Wednesday night was what we did. We were probably asked that question, because I remember the answer. The answer is, 'No, we don't have to go to church, we get to go to church. It is a privilege and a blessing. Christ died in order that we can have a church to go to."

Matthew 12:35 "The good man out of his good treasure bringeth forth good things: and the evil man out of his evil treasure bringeth forth evil things."

As we go through life we need to check our treasures. If the good man out of his good treasure brings forth good things...what are you bringing forth? If it isn't good things...does your treasure need to change?

In the church there seems to be the 'worker bees' and the 'drones'. The drones, of course, drone on and on about what isn't getting done, and what should be done, and what so and so needs to do. The worker bees are the ones who---work.

However: Matthew 7:22&23 "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works? 23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

Does anyone think that walking all over town, handing out Bible study lessons will get them to heaven? What about flying all over the world to do mission work? Will that get us into heaven?

Ephesians 2:8,9,10 "for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9) not of works, that no man should glory. 10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them.

We are not saved by the works that we perform. Matthew 7, tells us that there are many who will do wonderful works, yet won't be allowed to enter into the 'joy of the Lord'. Why?

Matthew 7:24 "Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock:"

There appears to be a hearing and doing in this verse. Is there a difference between works...and works? Could it be the ones are done because Jesus commands it to be done...the others are done...to be seen of others?

Jesus says in John 14:15-- If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments. --That isn't a matter of 'If I feel like it.' That isn't a matter of 'I don't want to work FOR my salvation. When the commander says do it, you just...do it.

Do we work to be saved? No, we don't work to be saved. We work because we are saved:

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them.

Luke 17:10 Even so ye also, when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do.

Remember, Jesus paid the price. Christians should be the grateful servants.

Hallelujah! What a Saviour!