Matthew 7:21-23 - Don't want to hear the words: GET OUT OF HERE!

The Lord said, "Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.

Don't wanna hear: DO NOT COME IN
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You can hear the surprise in the voices of those talking to the Lord: What do you mean I am not going into the Kingdom? There has got to be some mistake! I went to Church every Sunday. I did lots of religious things and others around me kept telling me how religious I was! I was baptized, I went to communion, I even watched religious shows on television. But the Lord will reply, I don't know.  We don't have a relationship because you were doing things that had to do with the Kingdom of God.

For me to enter into the kingdom of Heaven, I have to live in repentance. In a lot of ways that is easy because I can see daily my shortcomings and failures.  The Kingdom of Heaven is all about loving my neighbor, looking for God in every moment in every situation that He sends my way. Surely, the trials of my life are sent for my salvation.  Jesus wants to say to me on that day, "I Do know you! You are the one who loved his neighbor, who repented daily, who sought to cooperate with the Holy Spirit to be conformed to My Image. Enter into the Kingdom of God!"

O Lord, I do not want to be among those who are surprised, who thought they were serving You, yet they were only serving themselves. Help me to live in repentance and to seek to serve the Image of God in others. Amen.