Sorrowful Riches.

We've heard this many times…

It's easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than a rich man to get into heaven.  Here is the verse in the Bible that is taken from…

Mat_19:24  And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Using our imaginations, even for those who are imaginatively challenged it doesn't take much to comprehend the impossibility of a camel fitting through an eye of a needle. Sure, in our crazy world we can imagine someone creating a giant needle with an eye big enough for a camel to walk through and thereby making this verse inapplicable to them, but God isn't so easily fooled.

Let's read the entire surrounding passage concerning the rich man.

Mat 19:16  And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 

Mat 19:17  And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 

Mat 19:18  He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 

Mat 19:19  Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 

Mat 19:20  The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? 

Mat 19:21  Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 

Mat 19:22  But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. 

Mat 19:23  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 

Mat 19:24  And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 

Mat 19:25  When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? 

Mat 19:26  But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. 

Mat 19:27  Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? 

Mat 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 

Mat 19:29  And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 

Mat 19:30  But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. 

A rich man earnest wanted to know what he had to do to have eternal life. Jesus didn't start out by telling him to sell everything, to no longer be rich. Jesus told him to keep the commandments.  To be clear, the rich man asked Jesus which ones. This isn't so strange if you think about the zillion commandments piled upon the Jewish people. The rich man wanted to know which commandments. Did he keep the royal law, the dietary law, the sacrificial laws, ceremonial laws or were there some new commandments he didn't yet know of that needed keeping. Jesus didn't hesitate to let him know which commandments, he started reciting the royal law of the ten commandments, the commandments that had been written with the finger of God, the commandments which had a place in the Ark of the Covenant which resided in the Most Holy Place in the Holy Temple, those obviously very special commandments that were set apart in a unique way so they wouldn't get lost among all the other commandments, all the other laws.

How did the rich man reply to this? He'd kept all those commandments since he was little. So what does he lack, what would keep him from eternal life?

Jesus didn’t dispute the man's words. Jesus didn't point to any of the ten commandments and reveal where the man fell short in keeping them. Jesus assented to the statement made in fact. The rich man kept all ten of the commandments from the royal law. Jesus did answer his question though about what he lacked.

Jesus told the rich man that he should sell what he had and give the money to the poor and he would have heavenly treasure and then- come to follow Him.

Being rich he needed to make himself poor in the material world.

Being rich he needed not to have any of those accumulations but rather have treasure in heaven.

There is no heavenly bank for our possessions upon earth.

The truth that we take nothing with us is fully realized. Even those who are buried with treasures are at risk for those treasures being taken from them by grave robbers. And even if they do have a grave filled with possessions it does them no good at all, none. Only those alive can utilize possessions. A dead person has no will of their own whatsoever. The only power a dead person possesses is what the living allow them to have in carrying out wishes they left behind. A dead man cannot carry out a single wish after death.

We take NOTHING with us.

Yet… we can have heavenly treasure that nothing can take from us.

Jesus wanted the rich man to comprehend that all his riches would not guarantee him eternal life. The man could choose temporal life with his riches, or choose to give up those riches and follow Jesus.

Instantly the rich man was filled with sorrow as he walked away from Jesus, why? Because Jesus asked of him something he couldn't bring himself to do. Sure, he could keep all the royal law easily, he was raised to do so, but to give up his riches and with them his entire way of life? Sorrowing the man walked away, choosing to forsake eternal life for the possessions of his temporal life.

More on this tomorrow by the GRACE, by the WILL, by the LOVE of God!

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever!!!!!!!

Take Me, Lord, As Wholly Thine...

"Take me, O Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay all my plans at Thy feet. Use me today in Thy service. Abide with me, and let all my work be wrought in Thee." 

1Co_10:31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

'No matter what I do, Lord, let it be to Your glory, the glory of God.'

Psa 139:23  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 

Psa 139:24  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. 

'Please, God, please search me, try me, know my thoughts - if there is anything against You in me please, take that from me and lead me in the way, Your Way, everlasting!'

Psa 51:1 … Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 

Psa 51:2  Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 

Psa 51:3  For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 

Psa 51:4  Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. 

Psa 51:5  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. 

Psa 51:6  Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 

Psa 51:7  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 

Psa 51:8  Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 

Psa 51:9  Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 

Psa 51:10  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 

Psa 51:11  Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 

Psa 51:12  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 

Psa 51:13  Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. 

Psa 51:14  Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. 

Psa 51:15  O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. 

Psa 51:16  For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. 

Psa 51:17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. 

Luk 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 

Isa 1:18  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Isa 64:6  But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 

Rom 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 

1Jn 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 

1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

'Cleanse me, Lord, forgive me, Lord, save me...'

By the Spirit of God- Believe.

Mat 12:28  But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 

Luk 11:20  But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. 

The Kingdom of God… Jesus.

The Kingdom of Heaven… Jesus.

If there is only one door, only one way into a place and absolutely no other way then to enter that place you have to go in through that door.

The kingdom of God was promised to mankind before expulsion from the Garden of Eden, their first home. An enmity would be placed between the evil and man…

Gen 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 

Jesus stands between Satan and man. 

A way was promised for man to be redeemed, otherwise we would have been left without anything between us and the evil one.

Jesus is the way to the Kingdom of Heaven, without Jesus there is no way to enter into God's kingdom- it doesn't exist.

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

Devils were cast out by Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit because the spiritual battle is between evil and God. Prior to Jesus' ministry no one had ever been able to heal man from the evil possession of the devil. It was unheard of for someone to go about casting out the evil spirits dwelling inside a man. Yet, Jesus did this and it was witnessed over and over again.

The reality of evil spirits possessing man is something we don't like to think about too much. We make light of it, we make it into fictional stories, television shows, movies but we do not truly take it too seriously and if we do then we are thought to be a little bit crazy. It's an area of life that teeters on belief and unbelief for a lot of people, and it tips over into unbelief more often than not.

If you believe in angels, if you believe in God, if you believe in Jesus you cannot teeter on the edge of unbelief, you must stand firmly on the ground of believing or else you must give up your belief in God, in Jesus, and in angels. You can't believe in the Holy Spirit  unless you believe in the evil the Holy Spirit is warring against.

Jesus cast out evil spirits and announced the Kingdom of God had come to the people.

Mat 12:28  But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 

He is the WAY to the kingdom of God! There is NO kingdom of God without Him. The Spirit of God casts out the devils as Jesus called upon the Spirit of God to do so.

The evil spirits, the devils inhabiting people did not simply disappear after Jesus' ministry upon earth. The Apostles also went about casting them out after the death of Jesus. The Holy Spirit was given to the believers of Jesus Christ and that power of the Holy Spirit cast out devils as the believers called upon it to do so. The warriors for Christ fight against Satan's evil minions using the power of the Holy Spirit. They were not given special powers of their own, but rather they were able to ask for the Holy Spirit to work His power upon others in need. They could do this because they belonged to Jesus and Jesus recognized them as being His. And when Jesus recognizes us as belonging to Him, the Holy Spirit recognizes this as well.

We can't forget this--

Act 19:11  And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: 

Act 19:12  So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them. 

Act 19:13  Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 

Act 19:14  And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 

Act 19:15  And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 

Act 19:16  And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 

Act 19:17  And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 

Act 19:18  And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. 

Act 19:19  Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 

Act 19:20  So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. 

Jesus was known to the evil spirits as an adversary that had power over them. Paul was known as well to have this power through Jesus. Simply using the name of Jesus doesn't mean a thing without the power of faith, of belief in Jesus. The evil spirit did not recognize these supposed exorcists as any kind of threat, they had no power, no Holy Spirit working through them. They sought of their OWN power and the mention of Jesus and Paul's names to expel the evil spirit- it did not work. The Holy Spirit will cast out the evil, we cannot.

The way to the kingdom of God is only through Jesus, not by our power at all whatsoever.

May we believe! This is the work of God that we believe!

Joh 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 

Joh 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 

Believe in the Savior!

Believe.

Lord, I believe- help Thou, my unbelief!

Do You Live For the Eternal or the Temporary?

Life more than food, life more than clothing.

Food and clothes- staples to life. Those living in extreme poverty may have only the clothes they wear on their backs day in and day out, mere rags and nothing more. They also might have one meal a day of very little substance or even less than that. People exist in this fashion everywhere in the world.

Here are a few statistics-

How many people in the world are homeless?

Based on national reports, it's estimated that no less than 150 million people, or about 2 percent of the world's population, are homeless. However, about 1.6 billion, more than 20 percent of the world's population, may lack adequate housing.

From <https://www.google.com/search?q=Is+homelessness+tolerated+in+all+countries&rlz=1C1AVFC_enUS845US845&oq=Is+homelessness+tolerated+in+all+countries&aqs=chrome..69i57.8410j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8>

Go to this link if you want a bit more information- 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_homeless_population

Poverty exists worldwide. There is no place in the world you can take your impoverished self and expect to be given everything you need not to live hand to mouth.

Life truly is MORE than food and clothes, and some are in situations beyond their real control that lead them to die from starvation and exposure.

We are told that God the Father will provide what we need and this is truth.

Just like the person who gets it in their head that God must answer their prayers in extreme situations to prove His love and care, people in general believe that those left to die of starvation and exposure must be God's enemies because God most certainly did not provide for them as stated He would.  It is an unproven, non-factual thing to believe. God answers all prayers- people just don't accept or like that He answers no to their requests and allows tragedies to take place. God knows the hearts and while even innocents are allowed to suffer horrifically, we cannot comprehend the love in the allowing, not fully.

The glory for the innocents will FAR outweigh the tragedies which are but for a moment, and this holds true in the lives of everyone.

Mat 6:25  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 

Is life truly more than food and clothes? Or are these the marks of life? They can't be, not if you live for the world beyond the need of clothes and food and truly count this world as temporary to that eternity.

Mat 6:26  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 

The heavenly Father takes care of His own in the comprehension of the eternal over the temporary, even in the worst of tragedies and the most dire of circumstances.

Mat 6:27  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 

There are plenty of things in our lives completely out of our control. Of course mankind has strived to remedy a lot of these things through artificial means. The man or woman of little stature may invest in high heels and as we all know, there are extremes in those. A plain faced person desiring more attractiveness in the standards of society may go to great lengths to use make up or surgery even to correct the perceived defect to their natural state. People do a lot of things artificially but to actually - naturally- without any other means than simply thinking- no one can fix their perceived flaws. You can't think yourself from five feet tall to five and one inch tall, you just can't.  We live with many limitations that have been placed beyond our control. We may color our hair differently, we may insert colored contact lenses in our eyes, we may put dye on our skin to change its shade, but these are not real changes at all.  God has control and we may not like what He's done with us in particular or to many people who are born with even extreme deformities, but He allows what He allows for His purposes beyond our full comprehension.

Mat 6:28  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 

Mat 6:29  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

Mat 6:30  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 

Do we long for physical clothing or spiritual? I have to ask. God is clothing the entire field of wildflowers in amazing glory but this does not mean we are all promised great splendor in our clothing. What matters more? Eternity or temporary?

Mat 6:31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 

Mat 6:32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

Mat 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 

And yet if we cling to these promises and point to the millions who live homeless, starving, barely clothed and say they must not trust God to provide, then we are LIARS! To assume every single poverty stricken person is God-less is beyond reprehensible.

We have our answer right there in the 33rd verse… SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD and HIS RIGHETOUSNESS and all these things SHALL be added unto you.

The heaven seekers may live a temporary existence of nightmarish proportions, but their hope for the clothing of Christ's righteousness can be theirs. The Bread of Eternal Life can be theirs. These spiritual things are eternal, while the things that are not spiritual are only temporary.

By seeking the kingdom of God, by seeking the righteousness of God we seek the eternal and therein lies our hope!  God has the way of His righteousness, the way of His kingdom open for all to enter into should they choose the eternal.

This is NOT to say that should we have means to feed and clothe someone we shouldn't do so and simply talk of the heavenly. This is to say that we talk of the heavenly and serve the needs of those in poverty while doing so if we can. If we are among the impoverished and not in a position to help the less fortunate, we won't be expected to alleviate the needs among ourselves, but we can still offer future hope in the eternal home of the Kingdom of Heaven.

If we could ask ourselves every single day- once, twice, consistently throughout the day, if we are living our lives seeking our heavenly kingdom and the righteousness of Christ before all else, I wonder what our answers would be.

God help us.

We Are to WATCH Now!

Jesus didn't just say this--

Mat 7:21  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. 

Mat 7:22  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? 

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 

I often repeat this because of the importance it has for me. Many are going to think they are Christ's, that Christ knows them, but they aren't Christ's and He  doesn't know them and they won't find out until it's too late. I DESPERATELY do not want to be numbered with those NOT knowing Jesus!

This next parable on the Kingdom of Heaven is another take on this very thing once again--

Mat 25:1  Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 

Mat 25:2  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 

Mat 25:3  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 

Mat 25:4  But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 

Mat 25:5  While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 

Mat 25:6  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 

Mat 25:7  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 

Mat 25:8  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 

Mat 25:9  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 

Mat 25:10  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 

Mat 25:11  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 

Mat 25:12  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 

Mat 25:13  Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. 

But he answered…  verily, I say unto you, I KNOW YOU NOT.

No! I don't want to hear those words!

We are warned! This is a warning to us all.

Ten virgins were all set to go and meet the bridegroom, all ten of them were ready they all had oil in their lamps. The only difference between them was five had extra oil while the other five did not.

In fact, they all fell asleep all ten of them had to be woken up. When they all woke up five realized they didn't have enough oil in their lamps and they wanted those who had extra to give it to them, but the ones who had the extra couldn't give it to them or they'd run out. The ones with the extra told those with burned out lamps to go find someone to sell them oil.  However after they left to go find a seller the bridegroom came and the five with oil in their lamps went with him to the marriage and the door was shut.

Too late the five who did not have extra oil came back to the marriage and banged on the door wanting to be let in but it was too late and he says to them from the other side of the door…Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Now, logic tells us that the bridegroom could have known all ten virgins, they'd all been told about the marriage and all were ready to begin with. Had all ten taken extra oil they'd all gone into the marriage. That extra oil made all the difference between the bridegroom knowing and not knowing the ten virgins. That extra oil allowed five of the virgins to enter into the marriage feast. Even when the other five returned with their oil it wasn't good enough, it was too late. The window of opportunity had closed.

OUR WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR SALVATION WILL CLOSE.

WE MUST BE PREPARED NOW!

We are told-  Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. 

WATCH!

The Kingdom of Heaven is available to everyone, but not everyone wants the Kingdom of Heaven, not really. Maybe in some abstract way they want it, but the reality of it isn't there.

Truthfully this is going to be a horrific reality for many-

Luk 17:26  And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 

Luk 17:27  They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 

Luk 17:28  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 

Luk 17:29  But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 

Luk 17:30  Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. 

Eating, drinking, marrying, buying, selling, planting, building… life was going on as normal when sudden destruction came for those in Noah's day and in Lot's day. It will be NO different when our Savior returns.

Those who are expecting an email, text, or an emergency broadcast warning to flash across their phones, computers, televisons and such to tell them that Christ is on His way and to get ready, are going to found wanting because there isn't going to be any such thing. The warnings are all around us, we need to be ready ALWAYS not make some special pact with ourselves to get ready when we believe Christ's return is imminent- it does NOT work that way for anyone!

If you are happily and readily waiting for a guest you don't wait until they are at your door to make preparations for them.

We know Christ is going to return, we know this for a fact and we are to be ready for Him always.

It's SUCH an amazing blessing that we can't know when, it truly is! Because not knowing has given the blessing of being prepare to many generations of people that they wouldn't have really had if they believed it wouldn't be for thousands of years and most certainly not in their lifetime so just wait until it's closer to be prepared. How many would have been lost having had that mindset and lost their lives before they truly committed their lives to Christ?

The not knowing is truly a blessing enabling us to be ready ALWAYS. And if we don't want to be ready always do we truly even want to ever be Christ's or is it some mind game we play with ourselves?

We need to WATCH now, right NOW.

Please, Lord, let us WATCH NOW.

Is Heaven Shut to You?

Heaven can be shut.

Shutting Heaven, now there is a concept I believe many would be horrified to contemplate. Already anyone who has read this is probably thinking there is no way heaven can be shut to anyone, but it's true, and they are not my words, but the words of God.

Mat_23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

You shut up the kingdom of Heaven.

You don't go in yourself.

You don't let anyone else go in.

How could the scribes and Pharisees do such a thing?! We comprehend how people can choose of their own accord not to go to heaven, but to stop others, those who are entering to go in?! About now you're thinking thank goodness we don't have scribes and Pharisees any more. Truthfully though, there are a lot of people who through deceit and spiritual treachery have shut heaven to many people. The door is shut and a lot of people don't even realize it and when they do, it will be too late. They are positive in their minds that when the Lord returns and heaven is to finally be the home of all who are asleep in Christ or alive in Christ when He returns, that they are going to be among them.

The Kingdom of Heaven as we've learned is promised to those who choose God, who choose salvation, who live for God in truth, in sincerity. David, a beloved of God still sleeps in His grave unaware of the passing of time waiting for the return of Christ to earth to call him to be with Him and make heaven his home. The Bible tells us this.

Act 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens

And not only is David still sleeping death's sleep but so are the following-

Heb 11:4 By faith Abel …

Heb 11:7 By faith Noah…

Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham…

Heb 11:20 By faith Isaac…

Heb 11:21 By faith Jacob…

Heb 11:22 By faith Joseph…

Heb 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab…

Heb 11:32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets

Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

THEY RECEIVED NOT THE PROMISE.

But they WILL receive the promise of the Kingdom of Heaven.

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first

The kingdom of heaven will be open to all who belong to Christ, but to those who do not… it will be shut.

Jesus' words…

Mat 7:21 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.

Mat 7:22 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?

Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Heaven will be shut.

The scribes and Pharisees are deceivers. And today there are MANY who follow in their footsteps- seemingly pillars of the community, leaders of the church. They are those who shut the kingdom of heaven - teaching and guiding others with lies! Deceiving those who listen to them into believing they have truth when they have none. Teaching them that truth does not matter, tradition mean more than truth- LIES!

Mar 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Mar 7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Mar 7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

Mar 7:9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

Mar 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

How many traditions of man have been passed down through the years that have caused the word of God to have no effect on a person's heart? How many traditions are followed right now today, in place of following the truth in the Word of God. How many are going to lose out on the Kingdom of Heaven preached by our Savior because they would rather hold fast traditions just like the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' day?

Yes, the way to heaven can be shut and will be shut to many people because their hearts are not truly with God and His will, but with the traditions of man and their own will.

According to our world today and popular opinion almost all people go to heaven immediately upon dying. And I have to shout that out because almost ALL people have loved ones -even the worst of people have those who believe they are in heaven. These are lies based on the traditions of man and find no solid exegetical basis in the Word of God. Yet the Word of God tells us FEW are going to find the narrow way. The Word of God tells us that MANY are going to think they are God's but they aren't. With these truths we would do well to open the Word of God and study like we've never studied before. Pray like never before, and seek truth like never before. We need to have the eye salve given to us by Christ so that the truth may penetrate through the scales of man's traditions blinding us. Please, LORD, please! Open our eyes! Give us the truth! We would be YOURS, we want You to KNOW US! Please Lord, in the day of Your return we want to be called to meet You in the air! We do NOT want to hear the words to get away from You!! Please, Lord, please! Open the Kingdom of Heaven to us! Please! Your will be DONE now and forever!

Kingdom Ready.

Mat 22:1  And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 

Mat 22:2  The KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 

An arranged marriage for a king's son.

Mat 22:3  And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 

Servants of the king are sent to call those who were asked to come to the king's son's wedding.  However, when they were called, they chose not to come.

Mat 22:4  Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 

Mat 22:5  But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 

Mat 22:6  And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 

In shocked surprise that the guests did not readily desire to attend the wedding, the king told other servants to tell the invited guests just how important and special things were,  that everything was ready for their enjoyment. A wedding feast was prepared- oxen and fatlings were all killed and would be available for them to enjoy.

When the servants told this to the guests who already said they weren't going, they weren't enticed at all! They laughed to think the king thought his wedding feast preparations would change their minds. Instead of following the servants back to the king, one of them went back to his farm, and another to his wares he was selling. Those people who were left grabbed the servants of the king and ridiculed them, beat them and ultimately killed them.

Mat 22:7  But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 

The king was told what happened and he was furious! He had his armies go to those defiant, murdering invited wedding guests who refused to attend the wedding of the prince and enjoy the celebration, and he had them destroyed. Their entire city was burned to the ground for their evil.

Mat 22:8  Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 

The king told his servants the wedding is still ready to be undertaken, but those he'd initially called to be wedding guests were not worthy to be called- which was proven by their actions.

Mat 22:9  Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 

Because the wedding needed guests the servants were told to go into the highways to those who hadn't as yet been invited and as many as they could find there, tell them to come to the wedding feast.

Mat 22:10  So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 

Not discriminating between any of the people, not caring who it was they asked- their backgrounds unchecked, the servants told all bad and good to follow them to the wedding feast and they did, the wedding feast was now filled with guests.

Mat 22:11  And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 

Mat 22:12  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 

The king went out to look at the new guests, expecting all of them to be properly attired for the wedding. To not be properly attired meant they had no respect for where they were. So, even as they were gathered from all over to come to the wedding, they had to be prepared to attend the wedding. Bad or good they needed the wedding garments on, not their street clothes, not their everyday attire. So expecting to see the place filled with men and women all in their proper wedding attire, the king wasn't happy to see a guest without the proper wedding garment on. The king went to the man and even called him Friend, because his friendship that day had most obviously been extended to the man and to all the strangers from the highways there when they were invited to such a prestigious occasion. He asked the man why he'd come to the wedding if he weren't going to wear a proper wedding garment, the appropriate clothing that all should wear?  And the man had nothing to say, no answer to give, he couldn't give a reason why he'd decided he didn’t need to put on the proper clothing.

Mat 22:13  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 

Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen. 

The king realized the man had no excuse whatsoever for such disrespect, that he could not defend his actions so He told his servants to tie him up and take him away. To remove him from the wedding and cast him out into a most sorrowful, painful place.

The king said- many were called to come to the wedding, but ultimately only a few were accepted.  Obviously few were accepted because of their own choices. The many refused to come when called, they came and did not truly desire to be there because if they did then they'd have been properly readied for the occasion.

This PARABLE of the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN reveals that God has invited people to be with Him in His heavenly kingdom and those He invited refused the only way possible to obtain the heavenly kingdom. They instead chose to kill the One offering them entrance to the kingdom. Others were then offered the way to the Kingdom of Heaven and they eagerly accepted the way, yet even among those eager to be accepted as worthy of the Kingdom, there were those whose hearts aren't truly for the Kingdom. To be Kingdom worthy is to be clothed in the righteousness of Christ, to belong to Christ, to be known by Christ. So while many will refuse, and many will try to be there in their own righteousness, only those who are Christ's will ultimately belong in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Heaven is the place we long for, to be in the Kingdom that Jesus preached is what we desire above all. Make this our reality, our treasure right now, Heavenly Father. Make heaven our reality, our now, not some far off place that un-Biblically accepts only the dead spirit beings. Don't let heaven be thought of falsely as just a receptacle of the body-less dead, a place where generation after generation dead spirits of supposed good people keep embracing the newly dead relatives. Don't let heaven's truth be a lie to us that the Devil has concocted to deceive so many. We know Your word tells us that we are NOT heaven bound until the last trump is sounded, not until Christ comes to get us and bring us back to heaven with Him. Your word tells us these truths, let us holdfast to those truths. Let us belong truly to Christ Jesus in all sincerity, through HIS righteousness, please, Father. We would be Yours, we would see Jesus, we would be Heaven bound, Kingdom ready. All by the grace and mercy, the will of our Lord and Savior- Jesus Christ, now and forever!