I want to let you in on a little secret. The secret is that I get some of my most emotionally "charged" devotional thoughts while in the shower. It's wild and sometimes I wish I had a waterproof pad and pen to write some of these things down because I'm missing several (no really quite a few) of those brain cells that help us remember stuff.
Anyway, I was taking a shower, and God began to speak to me. He made me feel that I needed to clear the air about some things right here in front of Him and everybody. I confess that I speak and write, mostly in generalities. What I mean by that is that when I get up in the middle of the night because I cannot sleep, I don't get a devotional idea from another human being, but rather, from the very Spirit of God as He converses with me. Of the hundreds of devotions I have written over the past 5 years, I have probably used man's thoughts on about 5 occasions. And naturally, I try my best to give credit where credit is due.
To get to the point (so this devotion isn't so terribly long), God spoke real clear to me in the shower today and made me feel a need to clarify a specific issue about heaven and how you get there.
Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me." So why is that important? Well, today there are so many "false prophets" speaking (and living very comfortably) from the pulpit and telling the world that there are many ways to heaven. Well, if the first scripture wasn't enough, listen to this from
Matthew 7: 13,14 which says, (again Jesus speaking) Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it." Jesus goes on to say in verse 15, "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves."
Why do I bring this up? Because I see and hear "good intentioned" people from every walk of life who profess Christianity claim the exact opposite of the first verse above. I'm going to get specific here and (Mom forgive me) it will offend, to be sure, but Jesus was the "Chief" offender and I consider myself in good company. A pastor of a mega church by the name of Joel Olsteen, declared, live on "Larry King Live" that "in this world, there are many paths that lead to Christ". That, my friends, is a lie, straight from the pits of hell and Satan is just waiting for you to grab onto that idea to ease your security issue about your reservation in heaven.
You may see on my blog that I commonly use this phrase: "If you were hit by a Greyhound Bus, why would God let you into heaven?" However, to show you that I am NOT narrow minded, "If you were run over by the Pope and he felt so bad that he buried you in his pope mobile, that would STILL NOT get you into heaven. Here's what Paul had to say about the "narrow road" in Acts 4:12, "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved." Jesus said in Matthew 24:24, "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect." Wow, that cuts pretty deep.
Get this: There are even people who will try to "love you into heaven." They'll say things like, "I know they are wrong, but let's just cover them with love or have them join the church softball team and maybe someday they will understand the gospel (hope that wasn't the guy who got run over by the Pope mobile...lol).
I remember a sermon written by Chuck Swindoll over 30 years ago called "Postcard from II John". I remember it because I have heard it so many times, I've memorized it. He was referring to a wounded soldier who came back from war, married the woman who nursed him back to health and they had two beautiful little girls. He said, "We would go to church Sunday after Sunday, and I kept looking out the window at my girls playing 'red rover' and I thought, 'Man, these people will love me right into hell!' He said, 'We're not hearing about sin; we're not hearing about hell!" And he went on to make this most insightful comment: "The man who loved me the most, told me the truth!" (Chuck Swindoll from Postcard from II John - late 70's).
You know, if a prophet is correct 95% of the time, guess what he "still" is? A false prophet. In 2nd John 8 & following it says, "Watch yourselves, that you might not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, [DO NOT RECEIVE HIM INTO YOUR HOUSE, AND DO NOT GIVE HIM A GREETING] (capital letters added for emphases only).
There are hundreds of other illustrations and scriptures but I tried to keep this short. Here's the bottom line: If you are following someone or teaching a gospel other than that of Jesus Christ and Him alone, you are in danger of the wrath of God to come. Some will say, "Well, we just can't know it all" and that's the truth. But you can know more. God's word is worth every minute you spend in it.
To those I may have "cut off at the knees" know that I love you and that is why God came to me with this. It was no thought of my own.
To God (alone) be the Glory,
Dave
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