Blessings to you, loved ones.  Each day I pray for you, for peace, comfort, and healing from the inside out.  I trust that our Lord is always at work, even when we cannot see it.

Last Sunday we attempted a virtual service since there were so many who would not be able to make it.  It did not go as well as it has in the past, in part because the free service we use for the telephone conference changed its number.  Apparently some carriers do not recognize the new area code as being covered under free long-distance and several received warnings that there would be a charge for the call.  I know of two other groups using this conferencing service and have not heard of anyone else running into this, but we will explore alternative means of holding the worship service if we need to do so again virtually.  Zoom is a possibility, but it may be a bit more challenging for some of us to use.

This week we should be back together unless there is a problem around the construction work that is being done.  We’ll get the word out in that case and make the best of it.

Lord willing, I will be teaching from Matthew 7:21-23.  I think this is the most frightening passage of scripture in the whole Bible to a Christian.  The suggestion at first reading is that you could be a superstar in the ministry and still be denied entry to the kingdom.  Most of us don’t go around prophesying, casting out demons, and performing miracles, though depending on our understanding of scripture we might think that we should be.  If these so-called super Christians can’t get in, where does that leave the rest of us?  The most devastating words a true lover of Jesus could hear are, “I never knew you.”

Here’s the good news.  A true lover of Jesus never will.  These words are not written to the sincere believer, but to the pretender.  They belong in the context of the previous verses, where we are instructed that we will know the difference between the false prophets and the true by the fruit that they produce.

What then of the supernatural qualities implied by these words?  How can a false believer do anything inn His name?  There are two things to note here.  The first is that the assertion is being made by the people that they did these things in His name.  They may indeed have used His name, but they did not have His authority to do it.  The second is that Satan also has supernatural power.  It is limited, but it is real.  The fact that miracles are performed, does not mean that God performed them, to speak simply.  We are told in the book of Revelation that the world will be deceived by such signs at the coming of the antichrist and the false prophet.

We should heed the warning and examine our hearts, but when we know that He is our Lord, we need not fear.  It is by His grace that we are saved.  Let us engage in the work that He has created us to do.  Then we can look forward to hearing these famous words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

I will be delighted to see you on Sunday!

Love y’all,

Larry