The Narrow Gate

Oh friends,
This is a hard post to write.

My gift is "encouragement". But when truth calls to be revealed, I take it seriously.

I was recently given some constructive criticism about my book. It solidified my nature of writing tends to be on the "upbeat" side. Which isn't generally a problem, until you are speaking of Scripture. I don't necessarily want to change my upbeat writing, but sometimes, the messages in Scripture are not all sunshine and rainbows. Don't let that scare you though friends! I truly believe, our eyes are opened more to the love of God once we understand what He is calling us to do...and that is to gain wisdom through His word and follow Him!

There are infinite misconceptions out there, if I can help change just one of those misconceptions, my heart is happy.

So, here we go.

Matthew 7.

Before we get started, it's important to note Matthew 7 starts out with a reminder not to judge. "Judge not, that you be not judged"

We are called hypocrites and told to take the plank out of our own eye before noting the speck in our neighbor's eye. Yes, a humbling reminder.

So, this morning, I was thinking about our world.
How many people say they know God. Is it enough to believe He exists?

In short, that's a great start. But if that's where you end, you are missing the key piece of salvation.

verse 21 starts... "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' 23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

Let's back up to verse 15, it speaks of false prophets. They are recognized by their fruits. I don't know about you, but I want to be a healthy tree that bears good fruit. Not a diseased tree that bears bad fruit.

Let's examine our lives today. Examine if what we are presenting is a match with what's going on inside. God sees through the facades, even when we don't.

I will be the first to admit, that my insides were a mess for a long time. Even though no one would have ever known by looking at me or my life. I could even analyze further and say I was dehydrated fruit that was striving endlessly to present a well pruned tree. When in reality, my roots were in a stage of distress.

Not long ago, while studying Jeremiah, I was asked to describe my life in relation to a tree. I described a tree planted near water but my thirsty roots were not quite reaching the stream. It was a dry time. I can say today, my tree is much healthier now. Not because much in my life has changed, but because my roots are getting their nourishment from the well spring of life. My Savior!

I have no doubts the Lord knows me, I have no doubts there is a room waiting for me in Heaven.

verse 24-27 "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."


We have a lot to lose, but the optimist in me says we have so much more to gain if we stretch our roots to deepen into the rich soil that only God can provide!