In this chapter, Jesus is speaking with the Jews.

He lets them know in verse 1 that the only way to enter into a relationship with God you have to enter through the door that God has ordained in His plan of salvation. Contrary to popular belief, this scripture tells us there is only one door, one way to enter in.

Once a person enters in through the door that individual now is called and led by God. The life is now set apart for God’s ordained service. v.3 The Lord leads, His servants follow. That is the purpose of a servant: to follow the Master’s call, to be of service unto the Master.

In verse 4 it says “he (God) goeth before them (saved), and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.” Before someone enters into the door they are not being led by God. They do not know the Sheppard’s voice. They know the voice of strangers. v.5

v.7 tells us that Jesus is the door of the sheep. The only way to enter through the door is to go through Jesus. There is no other way to enter.

Jesus says in verse 9 that once someone enters in, and then he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. This person enters into a rest, a closure with God that once was seperated by sin. “And find pasture” or pasture for their souls, the Word of God and testimony of His great love for mankind.

Many people claim they have found this “pasture” bu if they are coming in by their own way, their own door so to speak and not the way of Christ they have not entered into God’s rest. By entering in through the door to God’s pasture one can only come in as an empty vessel.

God fills the vessel of our lives, decisions, everything that affects our walk in this world. This is critical to maintain this relationship with God everyday. Jesus says “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

Jesus then explains in v.10 that he has come to give life, and not just to give life but that “they might have it more abundantely.” The “life” He is speaking about is having that relationship with God. Before one comes to God through the door of salvation that person is a sinner, seperated and bound by the law of sin.

Jesus came into the world that we might have “life” by sacrificing His life in order tat we might have life. God ordained that in order to make atonement for sins but it wasn’t just to forgive us our sins that we should continue to sin, but to take away our sins. 1John 3:5. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin.

The only way to enter in through the door is without sin. When an individual approaches the “door” of decision in their life they come broken, broken by sin and seperation from God. That person has a decision to make. As God calls them through conviction they approach this “door” and stand open and vulnerable to the sin that sperates them from God.

In order to enter through the door they have to repent, forsake sin, deny themselves, take up the cross daily, and follow Jesus. It is a daily walk of self denial and true servant hood of Christ Jesus our Lord.

The cross represents death. Dying to the “flesh” or ones own way in order to live for God in spirit and in truth. Jesus is the truth and the spirit world controls the world as we see it.

Jesus talks about 2 spirits in v. 10. One spirit is a theif and comes only to steal, kill, and destroy lives. The other Spirit, Jesus, came to give us life, spiritual life and understanding.

He came and gave up His life in ofer that we might have life (spiritually) and be mended back to God. He received this commandment from God. v18

So it is with us. God’s commandment or order for mankind is to come through the door and enter into His pasture. We all have a choice but are we willing to come in through God’s ordained way?

The Jews had a decision to make v.19 says that there was a division among the Jews. Som believed on Jesus and some said He had a devil in Him. v.20

How is it with us? Where do we stand before God? Have we entered in through the door or do we just have mere religion?

2 Corinthians 13:5 says “examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

The “only” way to enter into a relationship with God is through the door and that door is Jesus.

Paul tells the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 2:6-Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught:

v.7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory.

Proverbs 1:7 says “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction”.

That fear is a reverence and obediance to God. True godly wisdom comes from an obediant heart to the instruction of the Lord. God calls the wise “perfect” which are those that have forsaken sin and have completely turned their lives over to Jesus as a servant to a Master. The relationship that once was broken through sin and because of sin has now been mended throught the blood of atonement and the conversion of the soul.

The wisdom of God is a “mystery” to the world because this “mystery” is manifested in the hearts of believers by the revelation of God. (1Corinthians 2:9)

Only those who have the Spirit of God can have the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 2:12)

Jesus says two very important things for those that are seeking to be perfect in the wisdom of God.

1. He says: Be ye perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48

2. If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. Matthew 19:21

The wisdom of God is reserved to the perfect. The perfect are those that have died to their own wisdom and ideas and have allowed the Spirit of God to reign in their hearts through the wisdom that is set before them by the blood and offering of the Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus tells this young man in Matthew 19 who had many earthly riches “to go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come follow me.”

In the same way a Christian, on that has been “perfected in God” has to “sell out” to his own wisdom, and receive the “wisdom of God” through His Word, Jesus Christ, and as the scripture says “come follow me.”

Whatever path may follow God has to tread the way.

If we rely on our own wisdom we will cross a different direction than the Lord leads and the path we chose will send us away from the Spirits call for our lives.

In order to allow the Spirit to lead we must “trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” Prov. 3:5-6

And we know “all things” work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

His purpose is fulfilled throught His infinte wisdom and complete control of His children, the sold out ones who love God. Amen.

Dear friend,

I want to thank you for reading this testimony and for answered prayer. The reason I say

answered prayer is because God has placed this testimony into your hands for a calling directly to your very soul.

He is calling you out from the greatest plague to ever hit mankind. A plague that is sending people to hell by the numbers everyday!

 This is your opportunity today to hear the voice of the one calling you out from this plague that has not failed to reach the hearts of every individual that has ever walked the face of the earth. And the scary thing is most people don’t even realize they have this plague and they don’t find out until it is too late. Wouldn’t that be horrible! To not do anything about it before it is too late? But the good news is you are about to find out about this disease and today you will have something to do about it, you will be accountable before God…

Reflections of our life pass before our very eyes. Our achievements, accomplishments, goals, disappointments, victories, and even our future picture itself in front of us.

Let me ask you a question: What is it that we thrive after or desire more than anything else? What is it that we truly seek after in this life? Have you ever thought about that?

 I would like to share with you what I believe is the most important thing that has ever happened to me. It has to do with my relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The bible says that if we “seek God” we will find Him when we search for Him with all of our heart. Jeremiah 29:13.

What I Was Taught Didn’t Measure Up To What The Bible Says

 Growing up I always feared the words heaven and hell. I was taught that if I just confess Jesus I would be saved even though I continued to do things that weren’t right in God’s eyes. My conscience would tell me whenever I did something wrong. I would sin and do it willingly.

I was bound to that great plague of destruction

The bible says in James 4:17: Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. I was bound by that great plague, sin. I always wanted to good but for some reason I would never be able to control those “sins” that would so easily bind me.

I Was Taught That God Accepts Sin

 Every time I would go to church I was taught that we are all sinners saved by grace and you can’t help but sin but what you do is you go to your bedside at night and confess your sins before God and then God clears you for that day. That is why Jesus came to die so we can sin, ask forgiveness and still be right before Gods eyes. After all we are all sinners right? I went around believing this for many a year but deep down inside I knew something wasn’t right. Instead of seeing people have the “victory” in God they (as well as myself) would read self help books about how we can try to overcome different sins we are experiencing or we would just accept the fact that we are sinners and continue to do those things that just isn’t pleasing to God. I became weighed down. Something didn’t add up. Something wasn’t right.

Sin Seperates Man From God

Why would God allow His Son to die for the sins of the world just to leave us in them until we get to heaven? After all, sin “separates” man from God just like Adam and Eve were separated from God when they “willingly” disobeyed in the Garden of Eden. It was not a Sin for Eve to be tempted. (It was more like a test). But it was a Sin to yield to the temptation that was presented to her.

Jesus Was Tempted To Sin

Did you know that Jesus was tempted in all points just like we are? Yes it’s true…The Bible tells us in Heb 4:15 that Jesus was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. So if being tempted were a sin, then Jesus would be a sinner. But we know by this scripture that Jesus did not sin and if Jesus is supposed to be in the heart of a Christian and we are supposed to put on Christ (Galatians 3:27) than we can’t sin right?

God Forbids Sin

The bible says “How can we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid.” (Romans 6:1,2). The bible has so many verses condemning sin. There is no verse that says we continue to sin when we get saved! Can you believe that!

Have You Been Taught Something Untrue?

What I was taught to be truth for so many years actually was false! But praise God that one day God revealed Himself to me through His Word in I John 3:9 “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

The Plague of Sin Destroyed!

When a true Christian accepts Jesus in his/her heart he is free from the power of sin: John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

John 8:35  And the servant abideth not in the house forever: but the Son abideth ever.

John 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. Sin destroys peoples lives. God frees the Christian from the bondage of sin when that person truly wants the will of God in their lives.

The Power Over The Greatest Plague To Hit Mankind

The Bible also promises that we will not ever come to a point of temptation that will be so strong we cannot help but cave in and sin: 1Corinthians 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

The Church Of God

I am so grateful that one day I went to the true Church of God and I was able to be set free from the bondage of sin and the effects it had on my relationship with Almighty God. God cannot be in the heart of a sinner and a sinner cannot have the true Spirit of God working in their lives. This is so important to understand because if we want to be clear before God we must make sure we do it His way.

Worshipping In Spirit And In Truth

He wants us to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. John 4:23. If we are not worshipping God in truth than we are not truly worshipping God. Once I came to the knowledge of the truth God was able to work in my life. I have never dreamed I would have such a close relationship with God, and my wife. Sin took me captive but Jesus made me free!

A Personal Challenge To Allow God To Destroy This Great Plague Of Sin

I am challenging everyone reading this who was taught the way I was that we all sin after salvation to search the scriptures out. You will not find one verse saying we are sinning Christians. God will not save anyone that isn’t willing to be broken. He wants all of us and if any sin is still on board He cannot save us. He is calling those who are willing to surrender their lives in service for Him. Those people who truly want to be called a Christian are those who have given their whole heart, soul, mind, and strength to God. Those are the saved, those are the true Christians!

My challenge to you is: How do you measure up?

  1. You have taken a long step toward holy living when you have learned to do much and say little. Holiness is seen in what you do and not in what you say.

 2. Many seek God and find Him not because they seek Him for what He has to give, rather than for what He is Himself. There are those who would like very much to live like God, but are not willing to pay the price to become like God.

  3. A man may discourse very beautifully about God, and pray in public with great fervor and enthusiasm, but if he is negligent of secret prayer his religion is toward men and not toward God.

  4. We have obtained the true riches only when we have obtained true poverty. We have obtained true honor only when we have come to be despised. We rise to a great height only by being beaten down. We find true comfort in affliction. When you are called a fool for Christ’s sake then you have found the true knowledge. You have found true joy and happiness only when you are crucified with Christ.

  5. If you want that peace which comes from God, if you want that fullness of joy that Christ gives, see that that seven headed monster of self love has every head beheaded.

  6. If thou wouldst have thy soul to be the temple of God, see that it is kept clean of all evil, quiet from all fears, void of all earthly affection, and peaceful amid temptation.

  7. A devoted man is one who lives solely to the will of God, who serves God in every thing, who sees God in every thing, who does all in the name of Jesus, and eats and drinks and does all things to God’s glory.

  8. If a man buys and sells with the sole thought of getting gain and bettering himself in things of this world without any regard for the one from whom he buys or sells, he has a vain religion.

  9. The Christian takes interest only in those things outside of Christ which he can use for Christ. If a man [26] engages in any business he can not serve Christ in or can not use to Christ’s glory, he lives outside of Christ.

  10. You are winging your flight over the narrow stream of time. Know you not that in your flight God holds your hand, then why do you get so restless and flutter so? Why do such little things trouble you?

 In Psalms 26, David, a man who had a passion to serve God was willing to honor God with his life. “Judge me, O Lord.” Judge my life, critique my life, not according to my own righteousness and integrity, but by the righteousness of God.

He was willing to be open with God but most importantly honest. 

David knew he walked in his integrity. Why? Because he trusted in the Lord.

If you think about it, David was the King of a nation. He was rich. He had everything this world can afford. Yet his heart was to serve God.

 He realized value in a relationship with the Lord.

The price we pay for not serving God doesn’t start when we die, it begins on earth with our lives.

David wasn’t willing to “slide”. He knew without God he would be a mess. But he had an honest heart.

“Examine me, O Lord, try my reins and my heart.” Psalm 26:2

He was willing not only for God to “examine” or inspect his heart, he was willing to measure up to the Word of God.

He was willing to “put off” anything that seperated itself from God in order to have that relationship that he so desired to have.

“For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.” Psalms 26:3

The love of God was alive in his life. It was a part of him. It was his passion, his purpose, his desire. He walked in God’s truth-not his own.

Because he walked in God’s truth he had to put some things aside that he knew wasn’t pleasing to God. Psalms 26:4,5:

I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.

I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked. 

He allowed God to examine his ways and he was willing to measure up to what He showed him. He was innocent and was able to truely worship before the alter of Almighty God. v.6

His testimony was measured up to God’s examination. He honored and had a love for God that expressed itself through his testimony. v.7-8.

But he wouldn’t comprimise and allow himself to partake of the things that wasn’t pleasing to God. Namely, people who didn’t want to serve God. People who weren’t willing to allow God to examine their lives and measure up to what the Word of God says.

His passion was for intimacy. He was willing to do whatever it takes in order to keep that relationship with God pure. He was willing to walk in his integrity. v. 11.

Because of that he was able to stand in an even place. v.12.

How are we standing today? Have we allowed God to examine our lives, to try us, to allow his will to reign in our hearts? Do we stand in an even place before God.

The bible says in James 1:8 that a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

What that means is if we are going to have a relationship with God we must give God full control. We must hate sin and turn from it. We must be taught a better way.

David asked God to teach him His ways. He was willing to learn and let God lead him in the truth. Psalms 25:4,5.

Let us do as 2 Corinthians 13:5 says: Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.

If we do so we can say with confidence alongside David:

For thy lovingkindness is before my eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.

In His truth we shall walk.

     He says in John 5:30: I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.  

The word Christian means to be Christ-like, a person who exemplifies in his or her life the teachings of Christ, exhibiting a Spirit proper to a follower of Jesus Christ.

A true Christian is one who has replaced his or her spirit with the Spirit of God. This Spirit of God is found in Jesus Christ. Only Jesus can set the captives free. Free from what? Free from sin.1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

 If we are to measure up and be the Christian God wants us to be we must surrender “self” and allow God to reign in our hearts. He must be King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Let us examine ourselves and let God do the work He needs to do for us to receive the benefits that a true Christian is able to partake of.

2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Heb 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not b

eing mixed with faith in them that heard it.

Heb 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

How strong is our faith in God? The Word of God will not be profitable to someone who is lacking in faith.

The definition of faith is to be persuaded in something, to believe, to obey. How persuaded are we in the things of God? Are we persuaded enough to believe and obey? The Apostle Paul was persuaded in his relationship to God. He knew that “without faith it is impossible to please God”.

Faith is an action word. If we have faith in something it is going to be revealed in our lives. When we sit down on a chair we have faith that the chair is going to hold us up by its four legs. So we go ahead and sit down and trust that the legs of the chair will hold us up. We have this trust inbedded in us because of prior experiences in the past. We have sat down in chairs so many times in the past that prior experiences have taught us that when we sit down we will be held up by the four legs of the chair.

Faith is an affectionate practical confidence in the testimony of God. The more we exercise our faith in God during different situations in our lives the more trust we will have that He is a “rewarder of them that dilligently seek Him”. But in order to establish faith in God we must first have a relationship with God and be obediant to what He shows us in our lives.

Hebrews 4:1 says: Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

In order to enter into that rest of God we must give Him full control of our lives. Sin must be out and God must enter into our hearts. If there is still sin there is no rest.

The Isrealites received the Word of God in the wilderness but it didn’t profit them because they chose not to exercise faith that God will bring them through. (Hebrew 4:2). As a result they wandered in the wilderness 40 years and were never able to receive the benefits of Gods rest.

 How is your faith in God? Are you in a wilderness state in your life spiritually? Do you have a relationship with Almighty God? The bible says that there remaineth a rest to the people of God Hebrews 4:9. “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”: v. 11.

Where do you find yourself today?