Jesus is Essential
Matthew 17:22–23: Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful.
There is something especially solemn in the thought that the Lord Jesus knows all things. There is an eye that sees all our daily conduct; there is an ear that hears all our daily words. All things are naked and opened to his eyes. Concealment is impossible; hypocrisy is useless. We may deceive ministers; we may impose upon our relations and neighbors: but the Lord sees us through and through.
We cannot deceive Christ. We ought to endeavor to make practical use of this truth. We should strive to live as in the Lord’s sight and, like Abraham, to “walk before” him. Let it be our daily aim to say nothing we would not like Christ to hear, and to do nothing we would not like Christ to see. Let us measure every difficult question about right and wrong by one simple test: “How would I behave if Jesus were standing by my side?” 1
Walking with Jesus
Does your Christian walk betray your Christian testimony, or does your Christian walk bring glory to God and blessings to others?
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. Genesis 17:1
Accountability begins with personal holiness before the Lord.
Praying
Lord, please help me to live with the continual thought of always living in Your presence.
1. Ryle, J. C. (1993). Matthew. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
