Why is it that we profess to love the Lord yet we do not want to openly acknowledge that we are believers? Why do so many of us walk around hiding, not wanting others to see that we are believers and that we fully acknowledge that there is a living God who directs our every step. The bible tells us that even the demons know who God is, remember the story in Matthew Chapter 8 of the two demon possessed men? I bring this story to your attention only to highlight verse 29 that reads ^“What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” This is only to illustrate as I said before that even the demons know God. So having said that how do we differentiate ourselves from those who do wrong, if we do not openly declare, that we know God and walk with his light shining bright within us?

What are we afraid of? Are we afraid that we will be considered weak, perhaps non-sensical, because we take the stance that God directs our every move? Is it that we are afraid to stand out and be counted different in a world that calls for us to be the same as everyone else? Are we afraid that we will be ostracized and shun from the very group that we so want to be a part of? Are we afraid that we will be persecuted, called a fake for standing up for what we believe in? Are we afraid of failure knowing that being like Jesus is such a hard feat but one that we should strive for nonetheless? What are we afraid of?

I will just say that the bible tells us in Matthew 7:21-23 in a section of the bible entitled I Never Knew You that “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. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

 Do we want to be the ones that God will be saying this to? I am sure that’s a resounding no… but if we constantly deny God , not wanting others to see Him within us, then how can we call upon His name? How can we expect Him to open His doors to us? How can we expect to serve the world and God at the same time? It cannot work –  we need to choose and we need to choose now. We need to decide to go all the way in our faith without fear and not part way. We need to let Jesus shine through us so that others may see his great glory in our lives.