Dear Emily7584
I went through patches like this in my life as well. If you can't feel love for Jesus, tell Him that so that He can help you. You don't have to be scared of Him, nor His judgment. How did He treat people? With great compassion and mercy. If you look at the context of the verse you quoted:
“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!’" Matthew 7:21-23
He was talking about people who have a false spirit in them (not God's Spirit), who go about deceiving others with their false doctrines and religions. I highlighted the part where He says, not everyone will enter heaven "
but he who does the will of My Father in heaven". There are many false religious leaders and prophets who proclaim to cast out demons, when they do not even live in harmony with God's law, "
practicing lawlessness", deceiving many.
Jesus said:
"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." John 14:15
"He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." 1 John 2:4
Isaiah 59:1-2 says our sins separate us from God. If they practiced "lawlessness" as it stated, it means they sinned without confessing and repenting of those sins.
You also quoted this verse:
"'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." Matthew 15:8
Again, it has to do with people who proclaim to love Him, but they don't care about keeping His Commandments. It is not about whether their feelings feel strong for Him or not.
I also went through times when I felt no desire to pray, and it was then that I had to break through the wall that Satan put around me, blocking my connection with God. Even if I didn't feel like it I made it a routine, reading the Bible and praying every morning and evening. At first, it felt horrible because I was warring against that feeling that I didn't want to do it. But Satan can only stand it for so long, and then he flees. Then that wall is broken, and your connection with God is restored.
Your question about the Father and Jesus: Jesus said "The Father and I are one" John 10:30. In Jesus we see the character of the Father, but with His own individuality. He is also our Creator.
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken unto us by
his Son, whom he has appointed
heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of
his glory, and
the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Hebrews 1:1-3
The fact that you are noticing your separation from Jesus shows that you do have a desire to be close to Him, but you just don't know how to break these feelings preventing you from being close, and it scares you.
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." 1 John 4:18
You are in the process of being made perfect in His love. Take that first step to break down the wall. Tell Him how you feel and ask Him to help you read the Bible.
Don't let Satan put fear in you. Jesus is there to help you.
