“…this is the love of God that we KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS; and His commandments are not BURDENSOME (barus: pressing down with overwhelming force).” (1 John 5:3) We prove our love to God by being obedient to Him. According to the Scripture, if we really want to know where we are at in terms of our relationship with God, we can forget about subjectivity and LOOK AT OUR OWN FRUIT (karpos: the result of the work we do). After all, a tree is known by its fruit (Matthew 7:20), not by what the tree thinks about itself or its relation to its Maker. “A good tree CANNOT BEAR BAD FRUIT, nor CAN A BAD TREE BEAR GOOD FRUIT. Every tree that DOES NOT BEAR GOOD FRUIT is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, BY THEIR FRUITS, YOU WILL KNOW THEM.” (Matthew 7:18-20)
“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 (you did not do the will of my Father) depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-23)
So, how many people will actually do the will of the HEAVENLY FATHER? “…the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SHALL BE LIKENED TO TEN VIRGINS who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now FIVE of them were WISE, and FIVE were FOOLISH.” (Matthew 25:1-2) (oil and the Holy Spirit are often comparable so, half the church went with the Holy Spirit and half without) “The foolish took their lamps and took NO OIL with them, but THE WISE TOOK OIL in their vessels with their lamps.” (Matthew 25:3-4) When the bride groom came the wise went in but the foolish had to go and try to find oil and when they came back Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, I DO NOT KNOW YOU.” (Matthew 25:12)
WE CAN ONLY ENTER IN IF OUR HEARTS ARE RIGHT WITH GOD. So, right now ask the Lord to forgive you…
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham