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In The Garden Daily Devotional
Series: A Walk Through Matthew (Mathew 7)
Jesus The Teacher - Pt 7
"A Rude Awakening"
Pastor Wayne Clabaugh
Scripture Reading: Matthew 7: 21-23
Scripture Text: "Not every one that saith unto
me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven;
but he that doeth the will of my Father which is
in heaven." Matt 7:21 (KJV)
If you're doubting - you'll likely be pouting!
You know I'm not sure where that came from or if
it was just something mama made up, but mama
used to say that to the kids in Sunday School
with regards to "faith in Christ". She would
always back it
up with that scripture in John 3:36 that says,
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting
life: and he
that believeth not the Son shall not see life;
but the wrath of God abideth on him".
Needless to say - we didn't understand all of
that King James Language, but mom made it
clearer by
saying, "If you're doubting - you'll likely be
pouting!"
Never before have I seen such a wave of
unbelievers as we're seeing today. Men and women
who
have supposedly been Christians for years and
yet they have fallen into this ravine of
doubters along
life's highway - heckling the passersby still
holding on to their Bibles, still singing the
songs of the faith;
still believing the words of Jesus when He
said...
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in
God, believe also in me. In my Father's house
are many
mansions: if it were not so, I would have told
you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I
go and
prepare a place for you, I will come again, and
receive you unto myself; that where I am, there
ye may
be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way
ye know." John 14:1-4 (KJV)
I have men and women (just recently) of high
regard in the church, not only speak their mind
but write it
down and publish it saying that Jesus' Coming
again in he Rapture is a merely a myth. They
cite that
old excuse that people have been saying< Jesus
is Coming Soon" for almost 100 years and nothing
has happened yet. In speaking to one very
prominent "so called" man of the faith, he told
me "point-
blank" that this generation will come and go
just as the generations of the past and the
generations to
come in the future - all without a Rapture - all
without an eternal home". He said, "Life is what
you have
in the "here and now" and that is all the heaven
you're going to ever know.
If I told you the church group this man spent
his life in as an ordained minister - you would
be shocked. I
know I was - but it was because I knew this guy
back when he had such a passion for God. Now his
life
experiences - some of them very tough... has
bent him so low, that he no longer accepts the
Bible as
fact - let alone a book of promises. He has come
to believe in man as the answer to all of life's
woes;
and he believes that technology will eventually
heal cancer - even though God will continue to
be silent.
Well, according to the text for today, my friend
for years, will not enter into the Kingdom of
God. Oh that
hurts me to say that - and I am not giving up on
him. Let me read it again to you from the WORD
in
John 14:1-4
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in
God, believe also in me. In my Father's house
are many
mansions: if it were not so, I would have told
you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I
go and
prepare a place for you, I will come again, and
receive you unto myself; that where I am, there
ye may
be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way
ye know." John 14:1-4 (KJV)
Do you believe that my friend? if you don't you
are in danger of missing out on heaven.
Jesus said, "Many will say to me in that day,
Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?
and in
thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name
done many wonderful works? And then will I
profess
unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye
that work iniquity." Matt 7:22, 23 (KJV)
Add our text for today and you get a pretty
serious warning!
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he
that doeth
the will of my Father which is in heaven. Jesus
said, Many will say to me in that day, Lord,
Lord, have
we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name
have cast out devils? and in thy name done many
wonderful works? And then will I profess unto
them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that
work
iniquity." Matt 7:21-23 (KJV)
We're speaking about that essential "faith in
Christ" for life and salvation. That is the
source of all true
evangelical obedience, and without it...
NOTHING
is acceptable to God! He that puts his faith
in
Jesus for righteousness, salvation, and eternal
life, does the will of the Father. He that does
not, or
cannot place his faith in Christ and in His
WORD..., shall not enter into the Kingdom of God
and will
one day experience a "rude awakening.
It's time for the redeemed of the Lord to say
so. It's time to stand up and be counted "on"
rather than
just always being counted "in".
Let's pray
Father. I do believe and I will believe in Your
Life, Death, Resurrection and that you are on
coming
again. I pray this morning for those who are
doubters and ask that you will make my life and
my faith proclaim your Glory alone - and that many of the
doubters will return to the cross and once again
be
renewed by the Witness of the Truth which is
Your Holy Spirit. Come Holy Spirit I need
you, Come
sweet spirit I pray... Come in Thy Strength and
Thy power... Come in Thine Own Gentle Way. In
Jesus' Name.
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