Tag: Matthew 7
The narrow and hard way!
Scripture reading for January 9: Matthew 7
“”So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”” Matthew 7:12-14
Our culture is very diverse and values many different choices. In America, everyone is free to choose their religion, their preferences and now even their sexual identity. People have elected representatives and leaders who have discarded ancient laws and God’s Law to legislate the choices that have been warned against by Scripture. It is evident in our elections and culture that many people are on the broad path that Jesus warned would lead to destruction. This broad path allows all to choose whatever seems right to them from their self-centered perspective (world-view). Each person does what is right in their eyes.
Jesus taught that God’s Word in the Law and Prophets outlined how we should treat others. If others mistreated us, we should do to them as we would want them to do to us as outlined by God in His Law. We should love what He loves and hate what God hates. This is the ‘narrow gate’ described by Jesus. It is a hard way because most of the world refuses to humble themselves and submit to God’s Laws and live under His love. It is this ‘hard’ way alone that leads to life eternal. The broad path is to do whatever feels good to you. This path has many followers and they are all headed towards eternal destruction.
What gate have you chosen to enter and how would you describe your current path in life? Are you living for immediate gratification or does eternity cause you to humbly ask for mercy? How have God’s Laws and prophetic warnings helped to shape your world view?
Prayer: Father, I am humbled by Your call to treat others in accordance with Your Word. Forgive me for neglecting to learn Your Word and receive instruction from it. Deliver me from the ‘broad’ path of this world, and reveal Your narrow path leading to life. Use me to help those heading for destruction. Amen.
Building your life on the Rock!
Scripture reading for January 11th: Matthew 7
Key Scriptures: Matthew 7:24-25 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who build his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”
To have a home that stands the tests of water, storms, and wind, it must have a strong foundation. To have a life that stands the tests of the world, flesh, and the Devil, that life must be anchored to the Rock of Jesus Christ. According to Scripture, Jesus Christ is our Wisdom from God! (1st Corinthians 1:30) These verses promise everyone a guarantee of a life-foundation that will stand up to any test! Hearing God’s Word and putting it into daily practice will never fail to anchor our lives to the One who spoke the word in the first place. His words are true in floods, storms and winds! This foundation will stand up to anything coming against it.
Contrasting this was the man who built his house on the sand as a foundation. To have a sand foundation was to hear the word of God and ignore obedience. When the storms came, this fool’s house fell with a great crash! Jesus was warning against any foundation other than the applied word of God!
Observation for over-comers: Check the foundation of your life–are you hearing and applying the word of God to all areas of your life? “By Wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.” (Proverbs 24:3-4)
Build on the Rock!
Scripture reading for January 9th: Matthew 7
Jesus concluded His message to the people on kingdom living with an encouragement to seek God. They must be people who would be persistent to find what they needed from God. They must ask! They must seek! They must knock! All these verbs are in the continual sense of ‘ask and keep on asking, etc’. “Everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:8) God is a loving Father who will give good gifts to those that seek Him!
But Jesus also warned His followers early in His ministry to watch out for false prophets. He likened them to wolves dressed up as a sheep! What an example Jesus used in that rural cultural setting! He told them that they would know the false prophets by their fruit. Bad trees don’t produce good fruit! “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) False prophet may do miracles and prophesy in His Name, but will go to hell!
Every person is building a spiritual house. You can hear the Word of God and not do it! That person is building on the sand! Those that hear and then apply it to their lives are likened to a man building his house on a rock. Storms of life come and test the foundation. Those on the sand collapse under the pressure and are destroyed. Those on the rock survive every storm! Which kind of builder are you?
The great crash!
Scripture reading for January 8th: Matthew 7, Psalm 6, Proverbs 2:9-11
Jesus liked stories that His listeners could identify with. He was good at picking out simple stories that illustrated His teaching. Kingdom life was all about living in obedience to God by faith. Jesus picked a common story of two men building their houses to bring focus on the long-term results of decisions to obey God or not. As we read the story, the story reads us!
The first builder was a wise man. He knew about the weather, climate, and dangers of the country he lived in. He knew that any house that was going to last would require a strong foundation. He wisely located an area with rock under it and built his house there. He dug into the rock and anchored the house securely. Later, when the strong winds and storms came, his house would provide a secure shelter for him and his family!
The second builder was foolish. He knew about the weather, climate and dangers of the country he lived in, but loved the beach and the life offered there. He saw the nice flat sand and noted how easy it was to dig in some mooring for his home. He built his house there and had a fine looking home on the beach until a storm from the sea blew in and his house was washed away with a big crash!
Jesus warned his followers to stick close to His teaching because the gate was narrow leading to life and few would find it. Jesus was and is that gate! (John 10:7) The broad way was heavily populated and many were on their way to destruction. In fact, those who heard the word and obeyed it, putting it into practice were likened to the wise builder who built on the rock. His house would stand against any storm! Those who heard but didn’t apply His teaching were like the foolish man who built on the sand. His house came down with a great crash! (Matthew 7:24-27)
A great storm of God’s wrath is coming! Each person must choose their foundation, taking into account life’s storms. Only one foundation will stand the final storm of God’s judgment–Jesus Christ as Lord! How does this simple illustration help you to discern your future? Jesus wanted His followers to stand the test by hearing, heeding and applying!
The Great Crash!
Scripture reading for January 8th: Matthew 7, Psalm 6, Proverbs 2:9-11
Jesus liked stories that His listeners could identify with. He was good at picking out simple stories that illustrated his teaching. Jesus had been talking about what life in the kingdom of heaven was like and how people who were seeking that kingdom would conduct their lives. Kingdom life is all about living in obedience to God by faith. The world lives by the senses and the flesh and has its own way of doing business. The people of God’s kingdom follow the Lord and His holy word.
In Matthew 7, Jesus covers instructions for some common worldly ways of doing business. His people are not to judge others and condemn them, for with the measure they give, they will be judged. (Matthew 7:1-2) Judging others and finding fault with others is sinful because we cannot know the heart of another person and how they really stand with God. Only God has this ability and it is best left to the One who knows everything perfectly.
God’s people ask Him for their needs. This kind of asking is persistent in that it seeks an answer and knocks hard on God’s door. God promises that one who asks will receive and find an open door. God is good and willing to be entreated, but this doesn’t mean He is like a heavenly slot machine that dispenses miracles according to a formula. God is a loving Father who knows all things and sometimes answers in ways we did not expect or even says “no” or “not now”.
Jesus warned his followers to stick close to His teaching and to Him because the gate is narrow leading to life and few find it. Jesus is that gate! (John 10:7) The broad way is heavily populated and many are on their way to destruction. In fact, those who hear the word and obey it, putting it into practice are likened to a builder who built on a rock. The house will stand against any storm. Those who hear but don’t apply His teaching are like those who build on the sand. A storm comes and the house comes down with a great crash! (Matthew 7:24-27) Just hearing the teaching is not enough. The key is in applying the word to daily life. Our house are being built daily. Is yours on a rock or sand? A great storm is coming!