R922 Heaven’s Gate, PT.2

God has an encouraging word for you and me today. The Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton as we continue to study Heaven's Gate just what does that mean well will open God's Encouraging Word together and find out the next few minutes and will head to Matthew chapter 7 study God's word. In particular, studying, Heaven's Gate, and that particular opening how it's open to you how it's open to me and how we can be introducing others to go through that same date lower. Studying other were available for you both on our website@tewonline.org that's TW online.org while you're there, you can hear today's broadcasters for the daily purging word email from Dr. Don TW online.org were available on the phone as well. At 866899 word that's 866-899-WORD 9673 today's great with Dr. Don Wilton.

Some people would say listen if you want me to get to heaven.

I guess I'm just gonna find out one and there's a picture that it brings up that you know this person is a light die suddenly found himself standing there in front of Peter because he is the guardian of the gate. Evidently and Peter says, that person sees Jack's believe is it's a surprise.

Your Mama John Wayne just before he died right menstrual lobbies, movies, while John Wayne movies don't you Steve. I specially like the one of these cowboy movies where he has a dog.

What I loved about it is that he called his dog dog. I thought that was tremendous very unique. You know, John Wayne said just couple weeks before he died was lost. With that he believes in heaven, and he said all about all that stuff but I guess I'm fixing to find out one of these days I that's the surprise I do know because someone told me John Wayne actually gave his heart to Jesus. Just before he died, so they was no longer any surprise he knew it and I believe that's where he is.

If he gave his life to Christ, teasing him on C.

I'm in Austin about his dog to I go to do that. I'm just curious as a group of people who believe you want to go to heaven just be religious. Absent religion is be religious does matter what religion all religions lead to the same place, there's a big word for it. It's called universalism universalism.

It incorporates all thoughts, universalism their people in our communities today all across America who say listen, what have you got to say this and I cannot stand the way Christians say Jesus I listen to every body counts. It doesn't matter how you get there, but all religions just be religious you can believe in a tree be good member about 12 years ago we had a group of people in Flagstaff Arizona.

You might remember all the people I gathered together and went and sat on this big rock in the desert or second pump and I believe that they humming was their religion and that's what qualified does matter what religion just be religious around and then there is one other I think this is a big issue in America today.

Both you want to go to heaven depends where you born birth culture, deep in our hearts when we look out there and we say boy am I glad I'm a white man or my you know deep in my heart I please don't misunderstand me member I could so easily be borne over there and it runs deeper than just thankfulness for America, there is an underlying current that Bob defines my eternal destiny. It flies foul of the great commission doesn't it's spiritual racism because Jesus strong sayings of Jesus has no color in his eyes red, yellow, black and white people are precious in God's sight and everybody has an equal access to God in heaven work, sincerity, goodness, surprise, religion, birth, look what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 7 he said in Matthew chapter 7 are to go back there it is. Verse 13 he said, and to 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. Jesus here you be interested to know folks this whole section here really is the climax of what we know as the sermon on the mount right and really what Jesus is saying here is the invitation of the sermon on the Mount is bringing it all together.

Any sign.

Now what are you going to do with what I've just preached to you about. He said into through the narrow gate because it's this guy, which is Heaven's Gate. There is no other gate into heaven.

It's the only one. And what Jesus was doing as he was presenting a choice he was presenting a choice, and by the way, the word choice implies to. Otherwise, it's not a choice. What was the choice it was a choice between God's righteousness or man's unrighteousness. Jesus is presenting a choice between God's way or man's way. Jesus is presenting a choice between God's grace or man's works. He's presenting a choice between God's word or man's opinion and one thing you going to notice folks. That's very interesting. From this point on, Jesus frequently presents the things he says as choices. He presents them as alternatives.

One of the other. Take a look at it. He presents two gates abroad guide and a narrow guy. He says choose one. He presents two destinies hello and have choose one.

He presents two consequences, destruction or laugh full time and eternity.

Choose one. He presents two groups. Many or few choose one which group do you want to be. He presents to trees bad tree out of the country.

He presents to boulders, foolish builder otherwise build which one you want to be.

He presents to foundations Sandy foundation or a rocksolid foundation. He presents two houses and insecure house or secure house. Choose which one do you want to live secure or insecure. And if you go to the Scriptures folks throughout the Scriptures, God presents to us.

This choice he says to us. You cannot serve both God and man. Before God went against it and you've got a choice and I'm the one who's made that choice possible. If you go, for example, and I'm just giving you these so that you can study them.

For example in Deuteronomy chapter 13 and verse 19 this day. Deuteronomy 13 verse 19 this guy I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you, that I've seen it before you laugh and blessings and curses.

Now choose laugh so that you and your sons and your daughters may live Joshua 24 verse 13 God's word says Joshua made a choice. As for me and my house we will serve the Lord in first Kings chapter 18 and verse 21 we find that remarkable encounter with Elijah and Elijah looks out the nieces. How much longer are you going to Harvard and waiver between two opinions you decide are you choosing God's way or you choosing man's way, you can go further down Jeremiah chapter 21 and verse eight verse eight numbers 18 there's no verse 18, in Jeremiah 21 Jeremiah chapter 21 verse eight with the Bible says I want you to know something that I have seen it before you the way of life will be the gates of heaven did.

I guess Jesus preaching this incredible sermon on the Mount.

I wonder what he was trying to say. Folks on the submit to you what he was saying is listen folks you've heard the sermon that I just preached I want you to know something. It is a good thing for you to respect what is seen, but that is not good enough to get you into heaven.

What Jesus is saying here about the sermon that he preached. It's good enough.

It is very good for you to accept what I've seen, but it's not good enough to get you into heaven, he saying it's it's a good thing that you admire me and you admire what I've seen, but it's not good enough to get you in the habit he saying to them it's good it's good that you appreciate the sermon on the Mount is not good enough to get you into heaven decide if it's a good thing that you that you hear what I've said, but just hearing is not good enough to get you to heaven. It is good that your heart is being stirred by what you the ethics and what's being presented at M and the good living and how to live right and how to treat other people and it's good that your heart is stirred, but it's not good enough to get you into heaven, it sounds like you and me doesn't all across America. I tell you, particularly in America today. I think that would be an accurate statement to make. As a general rule, folks that there are thousands of people who listen to what God has to say.

But it's not good enough to get them in their Jesus looks at us even today. He says listen, it's a good thing that you respect what I'm telling you, but that's not good enough to get you to him. It's a good thing that you accept what I'm saying here. That's something to get you to heaven. It's a good thing that you admire me as as a preacher Jesus save your admiration is a good thing I'm grateful, but that's not going to kitchen. It's a good thing that you appreciate what's been saved that you are hearing that you not think that you're not sitting there sending text messages and being distracted.

It's a good thing but it's not good enough to get you. That's a good thing that your heart construed Jesus looks into our hearts today. Nieces listen. It's a good thing I tell you my heart gets stirred so many times I meet so many wonderful people so many times excitement. My heart was stirred by that message.

I was I was so blessed. But Jesus was saying that's a good thing not good enough to get you into heaven. Jesus said, let me remind you, Matthew 721 that they going to be many people on that they are going to say but little I had my head or admired that lesson I heard those messages, Lord, here I am at the gates of heaven and do not seem to understand not appreciated my church very much. Lord you listen. I really and I love doubt preacher.

He was a wonderful trip. Lord you Lord I tell you what I was stood. I used to go to church when I was one time during the week will not go there may not get so pumped up and there is a sense in which Jesus is telling us in Matthew 721.

I know these things.

I know they good for me because you didn't like.

Please forgive the interrupted will be back in just a moment for the rest of today's message Heaven's Gate part two with Dr. Don Wilton Dr. Don Wilton us to remind you we are here for you ready to pray, read to connect connect you with resources and more, but especially ready to pray in this day and age we can text each other we can type we can email where here for all about it. Tewonline.org G. Would love to connect with you keyboard keyboard. As they say, that's DEW online.org but we also have an opportunity connect together on her phone at 8668 and though we thought a couple years ago accident will this is something that people don't need or want anymore, but now more than ever, our friends are saying it is such a blessing to speak with someone to have someone pray for us. We are here to do that 24 hours a day. The numbers 86689673, and we would love to connect with you just a number down his Dr. Don Wilton say we would be honored to be one of your 2 AM friends anytime day or night. Which one of us@8668999673reportsonlinedewonline.org militate back to today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton.

It's Heaven's Gate folk you and I can stand up in every public things in the world and we wouldn't do anything good enough to get you to heaven if anybody deserves to get to heaven right now I'm the one is doing the preaching, but God's word says will Don Wilton I that's what I called you to do. I congratulate you and I'm glad you doing, but it's not good enough to get you through Heaven's Gate but Lord, I did this in your name Lord I did that in your name and Jesus going say apart from me you cannot go through Heaven's Gate, a choice must be made. He was putting it into one little box and what Jesus was saying is that if you want your sins forgiven and you want to go to heaven one day it comes down to what relationship which presents what where one choice has to be might watch this. You want to go through Heaven's Gate. One relationship Jesus Christ will take you on one road and requires one choice.

You got that I watched a little bit of Princess Diana's memorial service in London the other day just snippets of the Bishop of the Cathedral that they were again made a tremendous statement he got up and he said he said there's so much stuff going on about Princess Diana and people are getting out of whack and people are falling out of fellowship and I'm putting words in these five mouth and there's so much written and so much dispute, he said, listen, it's time to just stop nonsense. She's dated folks in America today and among our people. Everybody's got an opinion and we will want to say this is the white should be in. How about this and I think that and I appreciate this and I advised that but I want to tell you something when it comes to heaven. Jesus said you got to make a choice you're either for me or you're against me, and it's interesting to note that even in the in the Greek text after the word into in the Greek some technical sense is terrorist folks. It is in the barest imperative tense which means when Jesus said into through the narrow gate into heaven limiting the barest imperative. It bemoans a verdict you have to land somewhere and wide throughout Scripture John Chambers nine Jesus said on the goal.

Then he wanted to sue me. Shall we say in the book of acts 412 is salvation in no one else, accepting Jesus in first Timothy two verse five.

There is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.

Remember how Jesus put this together. He said one relationship, one road, one choice you might say to me will pasta what is Heaven's Gate require the Bible is clear about four things I wanted requires total dependence.

Jesus said this in Matthew 18 verse three he said, unless you change and become as a little child you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. You cannot go through Heaven's Gate. Why must I become as a child because a child is totally dependent on that adult.

It speaks not any of humility, but dependency and God says you've got to depend only it's my heaven and on the one who made the way so it's got to begin you want to get into Heaven's Gate, cooking, dependency, number two, total dinar, total dinar, what did Jesus say Jesus save my friends in Matthew 1624. If anyone wants to come often leave and go through Heaven's Gate, he or she must deny himself. I watch that that means my opinion, where the Ritz works with sincerity or surprise or religion will I deny myself. I think Jesus would just lying in a polite way. I'm not asking you for your opinion on the way the truth and the life no man can come to the father but by me. What part of that do you people not seem to understand, do not seem to understand the church is not data just like everybody comfortable the church is not just to incorporate all kinds of feelings. The church is not designed to revolve around personal preference.

It is centered on absolute truth. And if you want to open Heaven's Gate and go through into heaven. Total dependency total repeats. You never get to that guide. If you don't repent Bible says repent and be converted them for the remission of your son to Peter chapter 3 and verse nine God's desires that nobody should perish, but that everybody should be able to come through Heaven's Gate by the repentance of their sin. Repentance means you're willing to acknowledge, confess, lay it down and walk away from it in the opposite direction. Total dependency in total denial total repentance minimize the total trust. Ephesians 289 by grace are you saved through faith, not of yourself. I'm very proud to be a Baptist folks, please don't misunderstand, I been a Baptist all my life. I think I'm a tell you something. Folks, being a Baptist is as relevant to what God has to say get you into Heaven's Gate as being anything else. I believe heaven is going to be food Baptist and Methodist impressed Terrans and Episcopalians in people from every walk in every race and every tribe and every creed in every culture and every color because God has no cutlery needs. Ozzie has no culture in these bones. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. There is one Lord, what is and it is Jesus Christ. This might be possible for people to come to the plane for you.

Somebody say that I'm going to tell you something folks when it comes to what God has done for us in Christ Jesus, not even 25 consecutive national championships can come anywhere near what Jesus Christ is done for us upon the cross and it doesn't matter whether be Clemson or Carolina phenomenal Presbyterian. It doesn't matter whether we call the Alabama.

It doesn't matter because he's not listening.

This is the gospel folks sometimes it's true. I am hearing, but I'm not listening. Are you listening friends. I pray that you been hearing Dr. Wilton but more than that Dr. Don's prayer is that you would hear the voice of God coming to life to the Scriptures. The Bible itself.

This is the living word of God, the Encouraging Word of God.

As you've heard from Dr. Wilton full put in teaching in the sanctuary.

I pray that now as he steps in the studio. Open your heart to what he wants to share next are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ.

I'm so happy to hear that wanted to pray this prayer with me today. Dear God, I know you love very very and I know that the Lord Jesus Christ came God on the cross so that I might be forgiven today.

I repent Thomas. I can face my bike Jesus. If you pray that it may be the first one welcome to the family of this one. I hope that you know how much I'm going to be praying how very important this is for me: so that we can hope to connect to the right place you can begin this wonderful journey.

And in just a moment I'm in a come back to the welcome to the family. I'm convinced that some of you in your heart Dr. Don Wilton to give your life to Jesus Christ. Perhaps the first time perhaps we dedicate that from this day full of things would never be the same fresh new commitment to Jesus, we would love to pray with you and for you in this fresh event. As a matter fact, Dr. Don has wonderful resources wants to get help for her phone number is 866899 word gives a call let us know about your decision to send you these resource the number again is 866-899-9673. These resources are also available on our website. If you want to contact. Is there a tewonline.org large that's TEW online.org and while you're there, you discover a myriad of resources. Resources like this is easy to celebrate Valentine's Day by buying candy and flowers last time you actually praying for your spouse join Dr. Wilton as he unpacks a powerful message on the forgiving family. You will receive 31 days of prayer books for my husband and wife. This offer set will help you learn how to support each other through prayer and how important forgiveness plays in the family not only our marriage is under attack.

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