Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. ( 2 Timothy 2:19 KJV)

Earlier this week I found myself really discouraged. I felt as though my life recently has been surrounded only by those who see the worse in me. It wasn’t the fact of being surrounded by those looking for the worst in me. It was those who don’t know me, but think that they have me figured out that bothers me the most. It’s those who sit across from you at church on Sunday’s and Wednesday’s or any other day that you may worship. Who think they know your story but never even took the time out to get to know you that bothers me. It’s those coworkers who you work alongside with five days of the week.  Who don’t like you because of the way that you look or because you were born a certain ethnicity and your ethnicity is known for being loud, rude, crass or any other negative term that we can think of. So they judge you for something that you can’t help, but did they ever take the time to get to know you in the first place?  It’s about those who we may see everyday, who we may not fellowship at church with, or we may not work along side them. We just see them from time to time, but we don’t pay them any attention because they dress a certain way and we just figure that they don’t know the Lord. Not too long ago I met this guy. Who by appearance alone I wouldn’t have guessed to have a relationship with God ( even I misjudged by appearance I’m not casting stones at anyone because then that same stone will bounce back and hit me ouch!) but we started talking about God and talking about different scriptures. I remember walking away thinking to myself wow I really misjudged this person, but I am glad that I got a chance to get to know him.

One of the main words that I keep throwing around here is the word know. The word know means to have developed a relationship with (someone) through meeting and spending time with them; be familiar or friendly with.  It can mean to be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information. The scripture says that The Lord knoweth them that are his. He doesn’t just know us because he created us, but he knows that we are his because he spends time with us. Or rather because we spend time with him. It’s because we spend time with God developing a relationship with him is one of the reasons I believe that God knows those who are his!  How can we say that we have a relationship with God, but yet we neglect to spend time with him? Whether its public worship (church) private devotion ( reading your bible) or praying ( which is simply just a conversation between you and God). This is something that we must do daily. We don’t do it for God, but we do it for us. So that we may be strengthened in our relationship with him. Let’s look at it from a natural perspective. What would make for a strong marriage. Communication, time spent with one another learning and respecting each others like and dislikes. So what would make for a weak marriage? A lack of communication, a lack of time, and a not knowing your spouses likes and dislikes. I hear so many couples say things like we just grew apart or s(he) doesn’t even know me anymore. Why because somewhere along the way one or both stopped trying to find ways of keeping that relationship strong. If that could be said about a human relationship between two people. How much more can it be said of a spiritual relationship with our Heavenly Father? Just as though we can neglect spending time with spouses, children, friends which can cause a relationship to severe. So can we do damage to our spiritual relationship with God by neglecting to spend time with him. One of the scariest scriptures in the bible to me comes from the book of Matthew.

(21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (22) Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thou name cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23)

One of the reasons why this was a scary verse for me was because I couldn’t understand why Jesus would tell them to depart from him. I would think but they are doing your work, isn’t it your will for people to be freed from demons? Every time I use to read this scripture I would imagine myself standing face to face with Jesus and he’s asking why should I let you in. I would respond because I accepted you and  I’m your child and he would sadly shake his head at me and profess truth is I never knew you and I would begin to stammer but Lord I..I in your name I sometimes taught your word on my Church’s prayer line and in your name I…I started a Christian blog and in your name I did this and this and in your name I did that, Yet he would still say to me depart from me ye that work iniquity. That’s scary right! Who wants to hear at that time from Jesus himself I never knew you. So, I begin to talk to the Lord. I was like I don’t get this scripture how can I prevent you professing not to know me, because you would think that the one casting out demons in the name of Jesus would definitely have a shoo in with the Lord right? Then he told me to pay attention to the last thing Jesus said in verse 23 Ye  that work iniquity. He began to show me that it’s not the miracles that you do in his name but it’s the lifestyle that you live. Any time that we work iniquity we constantly choose to do something that is immoral that we know that God would not approve of. Those who work iniquity look for ways to cause harm to someone else, maybe even harm to themselves.  Even this can be intimidating cause it shows us that we truly have to watch our motives and examine our lives. I mentioned earlier that God knows those who are his because we spend time with him developing a relationship with him. That’s just part of it. The second part of 2 Timothy 19 says.

Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. ( 2 Timothy 2:19)

God knows those who are his because those who are his will have departed from iniquity anybody whose to name the name of Christ. In other words claiming to be a child of Christ but living in way that claims other wise. In the book of Romans it says that For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. God knows that were human that we will fall short, but there is a difference in falling in sin and making a living out of sinning. The difference is when you fall in sin you don’t stay there eventually you get back up dust yourself off and get back in line. When your living in sin though you may know that it is wrong but you have no interest in getting up or changing. God knows those that are his because even though some of us may have fallen into a backsliding state he knew that we wouldn’t stay there. He knows those that are his because we listen for his voice and try to do that which pleases him. We’re not going to get everything right and do every thing perfectly but yet and still God knows those that are his!

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5)

God knows you. God loves you. God has ordained you for his work.

God’s blessings,

Aqua