FAITH CAPSULE: Be steadfast for God but not self-satisfying in serving God.

Matthew 7
Jesus was teaching when He stated, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)
Does that sound like you?
Are you one whose word does not line up with your walk?
Do you profess Jesus but perfects in wickedness? Jeremiah talked about the wicked in his statement before God, “Righteous are You, O LORD when I plead with you; yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously? You have planted them, yes, they have taken root; they grow, yes, they bear fruit. You are near in their mouth but far from their mind.” (Jeremiah 12:1-2) Clearly, the wicked ones are near to God in their mouth but far from God in their mind. Also, lying, deception, and manipulation are in their makeup. The Lord God we call is not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with Him. (Psalm 5:4)
Those who carry the identity of the wicked do not carry the cross and such does not follow Him fully. Jesus specifically requested, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:24-26) Whatever a man desires, God will deposit. Is it your desire to follow Jesus fully? Following Jesus is not flowing with the crowd. Many are flowing with the crowd, but few are actually following Jesus fully. To follow Him fully demands to be steadfast in our walk that is in line with the Word of God by forsaking all for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake.
Anyone who is self-full cannot be word-full. Following the Word of God fully is following Jesus steadfastly. Jesus is the living Word of God that was in the beginning. John 1:1-3 buttresses, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” Why not steadfastly deny yourself, forsake all and settle for the living Word of God? Why not take up His cross and follow Him to cross over?
Following fully is not a one time or an on-and-off engagement. Following the word demands to be steadfast which is to be fixed in direction, firm in purpose and fixed in intensity. To be steadfast in following the living Word of God is not a self-satisfying engagement and one who is self-full cannot be possibly steadfast.

Prayer for today: Ask God for His grace not to expire over your life to serve Him steadfastly.