Check your Behavior

“On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” Matthew 7:22-23 NLT

In a story published yesterday by ABC News, it was reported that Australian marathon runner Liam Adams has said he "was in complete shock" when he discovered he had not qualified for this year's Paris Olympic Games. Adams, 37, who competed at Olympic Games in Rio and Tokyo believed he had qualified for this year's event. While Adams was not part of the 70-man list who completed a race in Olympic qualifying time, he believed his world ranking would allow him to join the 80-runner field. However, the remaining spots have been given to "universality places" which is for athletes who come from "under-represented National Olympic Committees" according to the International Olympic Committee. But Adams told ABC News he, and many others, believed the World Athletics would fill those remaining places based off world rankings instead. "What ended up happening was I finished the qualification period in 74th position out of the 80," he told Charles Brice on News Breakfast. "Through everything that I had read, through everything that Athletics Australia had read and even the other nations we were all under the impression that you finished in the top 80 and you'd be going to the Olympics. When I found out the shocked news three days after the qualification period had ended that — that the universality athletes would displace the 10 athletes that had qualified in rankings, it was a complete shock.”

And you know, as the Bible clearly tells us, there is coming a day of judgement when many people who are under the impression they are saved will be in ‘complete shock’ upon hearing the words, “I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.” You see, many of the people who seem to be true believers, even going to church and doing good works in the name of Jesus, will be exposed for claiming to know Christ but not having a relationship with Him. These aren’t people who have lost their salvation but people who never truly had it, no matter how it might have appeared. These are people who never truly surrendered their hearts and lives to Jesus and so continued to “break God’s laws” despite their religious facade. 

So be sure to check your behavior so you don’t find yourself in complete shock on the day Jesus comes to pronounce judgment my friend. Be sure that you know Him and He knows you so that you can have complete confidence that you will spend eternity with the Lord. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that a Christian’s behavior must match their claim to be a follower of Your laws and that a true believers life will bear good fruit. Help us to search our hearts to see if there is anything in us that we need to change so we will hear the words,”Well done good and faithful servant.” It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!