What is heaven worth to you?

Mathew 13:44-46

44″The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

45″Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

In order to obtain heaven Jesus tells us that we must be willing to give everything we have to obtain it.

Unfortunately the words grace and mercy have been mistaken for leniency and tolerance.

I am realizing more and more now that God’s grace is Him enabling us to overcome sin and other obstacles that stand in the way of our relationship with the Father.

Be careful which road you choose because remember, there are many who will be looking for the gate but won’t find it.

Mathew 7:12-14
13″Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Don’t be deceived friends. Many who are looking for the gate will NOT find it. Therefore how can you who hardly search expect to find anything?

You will not stumble into heaven as many have supposed. You will not accidentally be saved while living in your sin. By the grace of God the standards of righteousness have not been lowered. In fact if anything they have been raised.

Mathew 5:19-21

¹⁹Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Because Jesus is the full revelation of God’s word. Many have supposed that perhaps God gave up on trying to get people to live righteously and in holiness so he gave them/us an easy out.

That couldn’t be further from the truth friends. In fact because God the Father gave us his Son we are now indebted to a degree that those before Jesus never knew. We owe him more than an annual sacrifice, we owe him more than a tenth, we owe him everything.

Jesus suffered, died and was resurrected to save us all. Now we have to grab hold of that gift tightly and never let it go.

Please whoever is reading this, reconsider what you have been taught or what you may have assumed thus far. Especially you brothers and sisters of mine in Christ. In the name of grace and mercy we have been taught to be lenient and tolerant when it comes to sin.

Many of you, even myself have been mistaken and it’s time to take a stand. Many of us, and many of our brothers and sisters assume incorrectly.

Mathew 7:22-24

²²Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ ²³Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

As those who are forgiven we are to forgive and as those who have  been shown mercy we are to be merciful. However, we must not mistake tolerance of sin as love for the person. If we truly love people then in the grace of our God and by the power of his love and mercy we will do all we can to stand against the sin that wishes to enslave us all. We must minister to our brothers and sisters who are struggling and fight with them. That’s what it means to war against sin. We have to stand united and struggle.

Yes we will fail at times and even make mistakes along the way. But truly, where is your heart. Do you stumble because you are weak? Do you struggle with sin because you are defeated? God’s word says we are more than conquerors.

Yes, we all struggle with sin and we will until the day we die but we are mistaken if we think by God’s grace the standards have been lowered and we don’t have to worry about it as much. If sin wasn’t a big deal then Jesus wouldn’t have said these words.

Mathew 5:29-31

²⁹If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. ³⁰And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

What are you willing to do to enter heaven? Hell exists and yes I know some of you don’t believe in hell but Jesus talks about hell more than heaven in all the gospels. Why? Because he came for the sole reason of saving us from it.

Just in case anyone had any questions Jesus came to fulfill the law and make everything very clear to us.

God went out of his way in order to show us the true way to salvation. He did more for us than anyone else in our human existence ever could. God our Father sent his Son, his only Son to die for us. That’s an incredible gift. We have been given an incredible opportunity to be a child of God and live forever in his presence.

Remember that before if you weren’t a Jew or on their side you had no chance. But our Father who loves us so much gave everything to save us.

Now friends, heed these words.

Luke 12:48

⁴⁸ But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more

So, what is it worth to you? What are you willing to do? Will you struggle? Will you war against sin? Will you serve and help others? Will you get out from the pew and add to the Kingdom? Will you give faithfully and serve for the sole reason of receiving your reward from our Father? Most of all will you refuse to be deceived by the idea that somehow you can continue in your sin and still be saved?

By God’s grace I pray that the Holy Spirit reveal to your hearts the importance of these words. The importance to break free from the bondage of defeat and social apathy. We are more than conquerors brothers and sisters.

I hope to see you all on the other side of the gate at the end of the narrow road.

Peace be with you all.