BEWARE!

Good Morning,

Matthew 7:13-23 (NIV)
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many 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?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

As I read these verses this morning, I could picture a broad, smooth, easy road going down to a wide gate that seemed to be the right and easy way to go. Then, I saw a rather thin path that led to a very narrow gate going off to one side and it seemed to be a somewhat difficult way to go. Then, I heard people preaching and asking folks to follow them down the wide, easy road and to go with them trough that wide gate beyond.

When I've seen these verses before, I always just sort of separated the first section...the narrow gate and wide gate part...from the second, which warns us of those who are false prophets preaching things not of the Lord. But, today, I saw the relationship between these two short sections. Today I saw so many "feel good" preachers telling people that they don't really have to do this or that in order to be "good" Christians. Today I heard those voices that are so smooth and reassuring, but not entirely telling the truth that God would have us to hear. Today I saw the wolves in seep's clothing luring people into the easy way and the wide gate...that leads to destruction.

There certainly IS a correlation of the wide/narrow gates and the false prophets. Today, it became clear to me. But then, it's been there all the time, hasn't it? Sometimes my lack of wisdom and my being unable to see what's right before me, well, I'm simply amazed.

The message today, at least what I've heard clearly, is: BEWARE! Don't listen to the "feel good" preachers who show only the nice, pretty, easy things they want you to see...while they lead you down the road to destruction and away from God.

BEWARE!

Love, peace, and blessings,

David