Jesus said that not everyone who called him Lord would enter the Kingdom, but those who DO the will of the Father who is in heaven. So I would not be so fast to discredit good deeds. I’m not talking doing good deeds just for good deeds’ sake, but in obedience to Christ. Jesus said, If ye love me keep my commandments. This list of 20 things is only a partial list of the things Jesus expected us to do. And you’re absolutely right, prayer is not on the list. I guess I felt like prayer is a given. There is no way I could forgive someone 70 x 7 times without praying about it. Same with everything else on the list. I agree that it is our relationship with God that is important–not just doing good deeds. But in the context of being a follower of Jesus, the good deeds take on a deeper significance and are acts of grace that God Himself impels us to do. If I had just posted this list of things to do without the context of following Jesus, I think your remarks would hit home a little harder. But we are talking about following Jesus’ example here. He did everything through prayer. That’s what we all must do.

You suggest 20 days of prayer and fasting. That’s a great idea. Have you ever done that? What effect did it have on you? When I have fasted, there has been deep spiritual renewal.

Have you ever tried to follow Jesus’ example in any of the 20 things on the list above (with prayer of course)? I highly recommend it.

Yes, we are saved by grace, but Jesus said that we must live our faith and put our love for our fellow man into practice in daily life. He said to the fellow who asked, “Who is my neighbor?” to go and DO what the good Samaritan had done, not just sit at his comfortable Bible study desk and love his neighbor in theory.

God had given you a good and loving heart. Bless you.