“21 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. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord , Lord , did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ NIV
Matthew 7:21-23
The more I think and pray about Matthew 7:21-23 the more I am convinced that this is THE BIG QUESTION. Ie:
DOES GOD REALLY KNOW US?
So what am I trying to say? Well, really, it’s not what I am trying to say, it’s what the scriptures and Jesus are saying. The scripture says there will be MANY who will come before Jesus at the end of their lives and they will think they know Jesus but Jesus will say to them ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ They think they know Jesus but Jesus doesn’t know them.
As another way to explain this, I am sure you have some close friends and then there are other people that you may know about. Now your friends are the people that you enjoy to be around. They think a little like you and act a little like you. You have things in common that bind you together. It’s the same here in these scriptures! We know Jesus knows all about everyone but He has those who are His close friends. Not because He ‘plays favourites’ but because they share the same heart. They do His will because they have His heart and they are His close friends. Let’s look through the scriptures at some close friends of God.
Moses…
Exodus 33:11a & 17
11 The LORD would speak to Moses face to face,
as a man speaks with his friend
17 And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and
I know you by name
Abraham…
James 2:23
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called
God’s friend.
Noah…
Genesis 6:9
9 This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he
walked with God
David…
Acts 13:22
After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse
a man after my own heart
he will do everything I want him to do.‘ NIV
DOES GOD REALLY KNOW US (AS HIS FRIEND)?
In John 10:27‘Jesus says: ‘My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.’ NIV
In John 15:14 Jesus says: ‘You are my friends if you do what I command.’ NIV
If God really doesn’t KNOW US ‘as His friend’ or ‘by name’ or by ‘walking with Him’ or by ‘following Him’ or by ‘having God’s heart’ we might be self deluded about our relationship will Him and may be in grave and eternal danger.
Father, teach me, transform me, help me to completely die to myself and to completely live for you so that you may truly know me as one of your friends, in Jesus Name, Amen
Enlightened Hope 
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