Our Magnificent Journey to Paradise

                            Our Magnificent Journey to Paradise

https://immanuelchurchofchrist.com/our-magnificent-journey-to-paradise/

       Good morning everyone my you continue striving in the goodness of God’s grace, in the name of God our father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. We have embarked on a journey where there are many obstacles. Where the road is narrow, and we can’t bring much baggage. If you are not attentive you can easily stray off the path. When our Children were born, we would give them milk and the milk made them happy. It gave them the nourishment they need to grow. It satisfied their hunger. After they grow the milk by itself would not be enough to satisfy their hunger. We had to add something to it. We would give them fruit and cereal, and that would be enough. After a while we had to change their diet and give them a little meat, this would be enough, that is when it is given with the cereal and milk. When they start growing up they need solid food.

I have been feeding you milk because you were not able digest it, but now your appetite is changing, and you are ready to be feed a somewhat balanced diet. Your craving needs to be satisfied with some meat. The meat of the gospel. There is enough food on God’s table for everyone. Today we will have a well-balanced meal, very nourishing. (Prayer).

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way, you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces (Matt 7:1-6).

In this world there are so much happening that we have to contend with daily. All people should be living their lives to glorify God and giving him thanks. But what is happening, people killing people, people doing drive by shootings, men are rapping women, people are child molesters, thieves, robbers, backstabbers, deceitful, gossiper, backstabbers, carjackers. Totally depraved, God, The Judge of the universe said that those who practice such things are deserving of death. Amen. Now do you think that because you agree with God you are excused. Now when God pass judgement, we know it is based on truth. But we are people we are sinners; we have to be careful about passing judgment on others. Jesus said do not judge or you will be judged in the same way you judge other and with the same measure you used. That is what is going to be used on you. Amen

It is always easy to see something wrong with someone else, it is always easy to find someone else’s faults. Before you go and help someone correct him or herself you have to give correction to yourself first. Jesus said, you teach people not to lie, do you lie? You teach them not to steal, do you steal? That is being a hypocrite. You tell some one that they should live for Christ, and yet you are living as though you live for the devil. What do you think that the person that you are talking to think about you? Or about what you said? They are probably thinking you are telling me that I need to live for Christ, and this is how you live? You are a hypocrite. We want our brother to take out the speck in his eye, but we don’t want to address that big plank in our own eye. Do you want others to believe you? Don’t know you have that plank in your eye. Once we correct what is wrong with us we are able to help someone else, Amen. We must judge ourselves, and judge our own acts and not make our word a law for everyone else. We must not judge to rashly nor should we pass judgement on a brother without good cause. Amen

What do you want?

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

 What is it that you want? Go to God in prayer, pray always, Go to your Heavenly Father and pray. If you sincerely want it pray to God like you really want it. Just as your children come to you and you are human, yet you know how to give to your children, what do you think your Heavenly Father will do for His Children, Ask, Seek, as if you are looking for something of great value that have been lost.Knock, Like a person who desires to get in the house.

This is a promise whatever you pray for shall be given you, if God see fit. This goes for everyone, Jew, Gentile, Greek, man, woman, young, old, rich, poor, everyone who ask to receive, in the same way, everyone who seeks finds, Sin has locked the door, when we pray we knock at the door, everyone who knocks the door shall be open. Everyone who asks receives, everyone who seeks shall find, and everyone that knocks the door shall be opened, all are welcome to the throne of grace, as long as it is by faith. Just as our earthly parents know how to give good things , our Heavenly Father know what we need and He know what is good for us and what is not, God would not have us to pray and not listen, and He won’t give us what is hurtful. We must put our trust in God, Our faith must be in God and what He has told us. We must build our faith on a strong foundation

 The Wise and Foolish Builders

7:24-27pp — Lk 6:47-49

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

While we are living in this world, we meet people that are doing very well in life. We consider some of them very good people. Some of them have very beautiful houses, Immaculate. Floors polished, picture windows, air conditioning, beautiful furniture, just absolutely beautiful architecture.  But when the storm came the house fell because the foundation was not able to stabilize the house. But the people who built their house on a solid foundation, that was just as immaculate as the first. When the storm came it stood strong because of the foundation. Our foundation is Christ. If you don’t have Christ, your faith is like sinking sand Amen.

As we are traveling on this magnificent journey  to Paradise, let us remember to judge ourselves, stay on the narrow road, build your faith on the solid Rock, and ask God for what you want, In faith. God know what you need, and He knows what you want.

Jesus did all that had to be done and Jesus said” God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believe in Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting Life. Choose Jesus and We will meet in paradise. Amen

God Bless You

Rev. Reginald Stevens