Think what a solemn warning there is here to all worldly and hypocritical professors of religion. Let all such read, mark, and digest these words. Jesus says to you, "I know thy works.

Religious feelings are worse than worthless if they are not accompanied by practice. Mere emotional excitement, without completely breaking off from sin, is not the repentance that God approves.

Sound Protestant and evangelical doctrine is useless if it is not accompanied by a holy life. It is worse than useless: it causes harm. It is despised by insightful and perceptive men of the world as an invented and empty thing, and it brings Christianity into contempt.

Let it never be said that we cannot know whether a Christian really loves Christ. It can be known. It can be discovered. The proof can be seen. You have heard them this very day. Love to the Lord Jesus Christ is no hidden, secret, unseen thing. It is like the light — it will be seen. It is like sound — it will be heard. It is like heat — it will be felt. Where it exists, it cannot be hidden. Where it cannot be seen, you can be sure there is none.

Is you own religion authentic or false? genuine or fake? I do not ask what you think about others. Perhaps you may see many hypocrites around you. You may be able to point to many who have no "authenticity" at all. This is not the question. You may be right in your opinion about others. But I want to know about yourself. Is your own Christianity authentic and true? or nominal and counterfeit?

If they could not understand the words about Jesus then we Christians should show them what He was like by the way we lived. I remembered He had said, 'If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.' So this was the beginning of what I called 'walking the extra mile'. There seemed to be a lot of Christians who did not mind walking one, not many who could be bothered to walk two, and no one who wanted to walk three. Those in need that I met seemed to need a marathon.

Jesus said that when we put others ahead of ourselves, the world will see God's love through us.

Love isn't a feeling; it's an attitude, it's actions. Like buying him the prayer shawl. Whether you feel anything or not, just do the loving thing.

My attitude of love must not be sacrificed on the altar of activity.

God calls us to obey Him. God does not call us to obey every wish and whim of other people. God calls us to love other people. God does not call us to demand that they love us back and meet every need we have.

The disciples were surely inspired by Jesus' miracle. And they were certainly informed by His teaching. But because they had not personally applied what they learned, they weren't transformed.

Understand that no time showing up and bringing compassion to another human is ever a waste of time. Rather, it's our chance to bring context, purpose, and meaning to all of life. Quiet moments of compassion are epic moments of battle.