Matthew 7

WARNING do not read this if you are tired of my preaching. Just skip this entry but it is one that I feel must be posted! The time is short, the end is coming, but at least we know who wins in the end!

Besides the study of the book of Esther Mark and I are doing together I was reading some of the minor prophets yesterday. Reading Joel was so hard in the beginning. Tell ye your children of it, let your children tell their children and their children another generation. That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten. Awake ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, for a nation is come up upon my land strong and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion.
Joel is warning and warning the people to repent.
Verse 12 in chapter 2 reads, Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning: and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for HE is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness.

Over and over the Bible tells us that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Repent, humble yourselves, ask forgiveness and He will abundantly bless.
Then I started on Amos and realized the hard hearted do not WANT to bow their knee to the King of Kings. After finishing Amos, I didn't have the heart to go on without hope and decided now is the time to start the new testament. How I love reading that, except I get to Matthew 7 verse 13 and start to weep again.

Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (How shall we know a false prophet?) Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is heaven.

God doesn't want ANY ONE to perish, He gave His son so that ALL could be saved.
St John3 vs 16 For God so loved the WORLD that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.