Many

NOVEMBER 27

MATTHEW 7:22_Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord…

Jesus begins this verse with the word many. I already feel bad that not everyone will go to heaven, but now I feel worse that the not everyones are many. 

This reminds me of the narrow path, when Jesus says few will find it. It also causes me to think about how He said many will go in at the broad gate.

From this Sermon on the Mount Jesus has taught me who comprises the many:

Those whose righteousness does not exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees (chapter 5:20),

Those who cause others to believe they are empty-headed idiots (chapter 5:22),

Those who profit from the bondage of human trafficking (chapter 5:29-30),

Those who do not forgive (chapter 6:15),

Those who choose the broad path to destruction (chapter 7:13),

Those who are ravening wolves and bring evil into the world (chapter 7:17).

None of these actions exclude anyone from heaven by the action alone. The exclusivity comes from the heart. The heart which excludes Jesus.

The actions can all be forgiven and erased when the heart opens to include Jesus.

The actions reveal the heart.                    

PRAYER

God of All, You have taught me to include You in my heart. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.             

Christ desires to be included in my life—I will let Him!

Seek!

 AUGUST 25

MATTHEW 6:33_But seek ye…

The word seek involves effort on your part. If you sit around and wait for something to happen—it won’t. If you pour water into a pot and place it over heat, sit around and wait, something will happen—it will begin to boil. Even that required some effort on your part. If you needed to boil water, you had to find water, a pot, and some type of heat. 

When you give time to seek something—you want it! Depending upon how much time and effort you put into the seeking—you really want it! Jesus is an action personality. If He tells you to seek, be certain it will require some kind of effort on your part. There is nothing sit around on your hands about Jesus!

At twelve years of age, while accompanying His family to the Passover celebration in Jerusalem, Jesus vanished. The city was packed with people. The frantic parents searched for three days. Where did they find him? Luke 2:46 (KJV), “And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors [teachers], both hearing them, and asking them questions.”

Jesus was in the temple not only seeking truth, but giving it!

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, Help me put action to my seeking by prayer and Bible study.  Help me to seek what is true. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ is a seeker of truth—He wants me to be!

Many

NOVEMBER 27

MATTHEW 7:22_Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord…

Jesus begins this verse with the word many. I already feel bad that not everyone will go to heaven, but now I feel worse that the not everyones are many. 

This reminds me of the narrow path, when Jesus says few will find it. It also causes me to think about how He said many will go in at the broad gate.

From this Sermon on the Mount Jesus has taught me who comprises the many:

Those whose righteousness does not exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees (chapter 5:20),

Those who cause others to believe they are empty-headed idiots (chapter 5:22),

Those who profit from the bondage of human trafficking (chapter 5:29-30),

Those who do not forgive (chapter 6:15),

Those who choose the broad path to destruction (chapter 7:13),

Those who are ravening wolves and bring evil into the world (chapter 7:17).

None of these actions exclude anyone from heaven by the action alone. The exclusivity comes from the heart. The heart which excludes Jesus.

The actions can all be forgiven and erased when the heart opens to include Jesus.

The actions reveal the heart.                    

PRAYER

God of All, You have taught me to include You in my heart. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.             

Christ desires to be included in my life—I will let Him!

Seek!

 AUGUST 25

MATTHEW 6:33_But seek ye…

The word seek involves effort on your part. If you sit around and wait for something to happen—it won’t. If you pour water into a pot and place it over heat, sit around and wait, something will happen—it will begin to boil. Even that required some effort on your part. If you needed to boil water, you had to find water, a pot, and some type of heat. 

When you give time to seek something—you want it! Depending upon how much time and effort you put into the seeking—you really want it! Jesus is an action personality. If He tells you to seek, be certain it will require some kind of effort on your part. There is nothing sit around on your hands about Jesus!

At twelve years of age, while accompanying His family to the Passover celebration in Jerusalem, Jesus vanished. The city was packed with people. The frantic parents searched for three days. Where did they find him? Luke 2:46 (KJV), “And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors [teachers], both hearing them, and asking them questions.”

Jesus was in the temple not only seeking truth, but giving it!

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, Help me put action to my seeking by prayer and Bible study.  Help me to seek what is true. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ is a seeker of truth—He wants me to be!

Many

NOVEMBER 27

MATTHEW 7:22_Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord…

Jesus begins this verse with the word many. I already feel bad that not everyone will go to heaven, but now I feel worse that the not everyones are many. 

This reminds me of the narrow path, when Jesus says few will find it. It also causes me to think about how He said many will go in at the broad gate.

From this Sermon on the Mount Jesus has taught me who comprises the many:

Those whose righteousness does not exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees (chapter 5:20),

Those who cause others to believe they are empty-headed idiots (chapter 5:22),

Those who profit from the bondage of human trafficking (chapter 5:29-30),

Those who do not forgive (chapter 6:15),

Those who choose the broad path to destruction (chapter 7:13),

Those who are ravening wolves and bring evil into the world (chapter 7:17).

None of these actions exclude anyone from heaven by the action alone. The exclusivity comes from the heart. The heart which excludes Jesus.

The actions can all be forgiven and erased when the heart opens to include Jesus.

The actions reveal the heart.                    

PRAYER

God of All, You have taught me to include You in my heart. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.             

Christ desires to be included in my life—I will let Him!