Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone
who calls out to Me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom
of Heaven. Only those who actually
do the will of My Father in heaven will enter."
As I read this verse I think different thoughts. First I feel sad for those that won't enter the gates of heaven. It makes me want to quickly run out in the street and yell out "people... please surrender your hearts to your Creator and Redeemer!" I want to say "God is good and loves you. He is waiting for you to willingly turn towards Him." I also want to say "God has a plan for you and is in control of everything, pick the winning team!" I am frustrated because of my love for others. I want them to live for eternity.
God's original intent was that we would live without the curse of sin in this world. Unfortunately we chose sin over obedience to God. Since Adam and Eve, all of mankind has lived with natural disasters, birth defects, guilt, discord and many other unpleasant things. Yet out of His great love & grace, God chose Jesus to pay the way for us to enter heaven. Some may think that when we die, we automatically all go to heaven, but this verse says different. There are really only 2 roads... Ours or the Way of our Father. We were bought at a price and that price was the life of Jesus. When we say to God that we believe He exists, we get to choose- accept or reject Him. There is no middle ground. God made His choice when He chose us first.
Some may say it is works that get us into heaven. While others may say that it is not what we do that gets us to heaven, it is faith. It is true that it is impossible to please God without faith and that it is by grace we have been saved through faith, not by works so no one can boast. But I believe it is a matter of our hearts. God is seeking those who have turned their hearts and wills over to Him and devoted their life to Him.
2 Corinthians 5:15 "He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them."
Romans 11:6-7 "And since it is through God's kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God's grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved. So this is the situation: Most of the people ... have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened."
God can see the intent of our heart when we use words to uplift or to tear down. He can see if we are seeking Him and His plans or if we have selfish ambition. He knows if what we do is to glorify our self and to build our kingdom or to glorify Him and His kingdom. A heart that is hardened won't listen to God's prompting or have a desire to do that which pleases him. It is not a heart of devotion to Jesus as the Lord and Master of their life.
Matthew 7:14-21 "But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. "Not everyone who calls out to Me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of My Father in heaven will enter."
*If you have been lost, seek God and read His love letter & road map to
guide you- the Bible.
*If you know someone that is on their own path and headed for destruction- Pray and Love them.
*If you have been rejected for your faith and turned away by others- Seek the comfort of Your heavenly Father who will never leave you or give up on you.
I pray right now for those that may not have surrendered their hearts to you God. Those who have not made Jesus Master of their life. I pray for a miracle and for hearts to be softened. Lord give us a heart for the ones you have chosen. Help them to listen to your voice.
God wants our hearts. Lets not give up or loose hope on those He loves. Afterall, He didn't give up on us... God is mighty to save.
As I read this verse I think different thoughts. First I feel sad for those that won't enter the gates of heaven. It makes me want to quickly run out in the street and yell out "people... please surrender your hearts to your Creator and Redeemer!" I want to say "God is good and loves you. He is waiting for you to willingly turn towards Him." I also want to say "God has a plan for you and is in control of everything, pick the winning team!" I am frustrated because of my love for others. I want them to live for eternity.
God's original intent was that we would live without the curse of sin in this world. Unfortunately we chose sin over obedience to God. Since Adam and Eve, all of mankind has lived with natural disasters, birth defects, guilt, discord and many other unpleasant things. Yet out of His great love & grace, God chose Jesus to pay the way for us to enter heaven. Some may think that when we die, we automatically all go to heaven, but this verse says different. There are really only 2 roads... Ours or the Way of our Father. We were bought at a price and that price was the life of Jesus. When we say to God that we believe He exists, we get to choose- accept or reject Him. There is no middle ground. God made His choice when He chose us first.
Some may say it is works that get us into heaven. While others may say that it is not what we do that gets us to heaven, it is faith. It is true that it is impossible to please God without faith and that it is by grace we have been saved through faith, not by works so no one can boast. But I believe it is a matter of our hearts. God is seeking those who have turned their hearts and wills over to Him and devoted their life to Him.
2 Corinthians 5:15 "He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them."
Romans 11:6-7 "And since it is through God's kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God's grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved. So this is the situation: Most of the people ... have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened."
God can see the intent of our heart when we use words to uplift or to tear down. He can see if we are seeking Him and His plans or if we have selfish ambition. He knows if what we do is to glorify our self and to build our kingdom or to glorify Him and His kingdom. A heart that is hardened won't listen to God's prompting or have a desire to do that which pleases him. It is not a heart of devotion to Jesus as the Lord and Master of their life.
Matthew 7:14-21 "But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. "Not everyone who calls out to Me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of My Father in heaven will enter."
Jesus
came with a heart to do the will of the Father and with the motive of love to
help save the lost. 2 Peter 3:9b “He does not want anyone to perish, but wants everyone
to come to repentance.”
*If you know someone that is on their own path and headed for destruction- Pray and Love them.
*If you have been rejected for your faith and turned away by others- Seek the comfort of Your heavenly Father who will never leave you or give up on you.
I pray right now for those that may not have surrendered their hearts to you God. Those who have not made Jesus Master of their life. I pray for a miracle and for hearts to be softened. Lord give us a heart for the ones you have chosen. Help them to listen to your voice.
God wants our hearts. Lets not give up or loose hope on those He loves. Afterall, He didn't give up on us... God is mighty to save.
