October 3

Matthew 6:5-7:6; Luke 6:37-42; Matthew 7:7-20; Luke 6:43-45; Matthew 7:21-29; Luke 6:46-49

Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14, "“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." That is a very straightforward statement from Jesus. So a question, has anyone ever gone to a funeral of any sort, no matter what kind of life the deceased lived, or whether or not that individual had any relationship with Jesus (the only One with the power to save that individual) and hear the one presiding over the ceremony mention that the deceased might actually not be in heaven, or a "better place"? Of course not. The same applies to everyone speaking of their deceased loved ones, as they state that the person is looking down on them from heaven. So, another question, who is right, Jesus or everyone else making these statements. In fact, Jesus states in John 14:6, " I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." That also really can't be interpreted any other way. This should be a sobering realization, and a very unpopular thought to entertain. Unless you have repented of your sin, which means to turn back, to change your mind and adopt God's thoughts rather than your own, accept Jesus' perfect sacrifice on the cross, and make Him the Lord of your life, then eternity is not in a good place, but a very dark and terrible place. Please don't take this lightly.

A little further we read in Matthew 7:21-23, "“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!’" You might state, but I belong to this denomination. I sat under that priest or pastor. I gave money, or did this or that. I went through every "requirement" that they made me go through (in many denominations that would be infant baptism, communion, and confirmation). I did all of these growing up in the Episcopal church as a child, yet I had absolutely no relationship with the God of the universe. Sadly, for those who want to hold to their rites and rituals, realize that Adolph Hitler also did all of these. This brings us to a harsh reality in Genesis 19. God has judged Sodom and Gomorrah. They are to be destroyed for the evil that thrived within its city walls, but Lot was to be spared. The angels bringing forth this message ask Lot if there was anyone else he could convince to leave with him and be saved, to which we read in 19:14, "So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Get up, get out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city!” But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking."

If there is one thing these past few years should have taught us is we can't necessarily predict who is going to die, as so many have died unsuspectingly. Since life on earth is very short, and eternity is forever, the real question is, "Where are these loved ones who have died?" Like Lot, have we spent our entire lives speaking in trivialities and joking around. Do we keep our conversation superficial and only on unimportant matters? For if we do, when it is time for you to get serious, others might still think you are kidding around and not take you seriously. Bible prophecy, specifically End Time prophecy, appears to be unfolding, which means that eternity will be a reality for vast numbers as we have never seen before. Is there anything more important than the final resting place of one's soul? Though it is God who saves, we are called to be His priests, His ambassadors, His messengers. Read Matthew 28:18-20, and take it to heart. We never know when we are having that last conversation with that individual. Don't you want to make it count?

Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley:

• Prayer Model - Part 2, Matthew 6:11-13

• More Than Just Forgiveness, Matthew 6:14-15

• The Truth about Fasting, Matthew 6:16-18

• Kingdom Mindedness Toward This World - Part 1 "Where Is Your Heart?", Matthew 6:19-24

• Worries of the World, Matthew 6:25-34

• Seek First The Kingdom, Matthew 6:33

• Righteousness at Heart - Part 2 "Genuine Prayer & Fasting Part 1", Matthew 6:5-18

• Prayer Model Part I, Matthew 6:5-19

• Praying Right, Matthew 6:5-8

• Prayer Model - Part 1, Matthew 6:9-10

• Patient Evangelism & Prayer Part 2, Matthew 6:9-13

• The Golden Rule. Matthew 7:12

• Not Being Judgmental, Matthew 7:1-2

• Narrow Gate And Difficult Way, Matthew 7:13-14

• Are You On The Right Path? - Part 1, Matthew 7:13-14

• Beware of False Prophets, Matthew 7:15

• Are You On The Right Path? - Part 2 "Fruit Inspection", Matthew 7:15-20

• Fruit Inspection, Matthew 7:16-20

• A False Sense of Security, Matthew 7:21-23

• Danger of Appearances, Matthew 7:24-27

• Tested By Storms, Matthew 7:24-27

• New View of Ourselves and God (Part 1), Luke 6:39-49

• New View of Ourselves and God - (Part 2), Luke 6:39-49