See Lord I read Matthew 7 and then I look out on the world and I grow confused, so I need help Lord in understanding what I read and a little bit of guidance.
1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 “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? 4 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? 5 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.
6 “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.
So I understand the judging part, I have a lot of work to do on this, but I think I am on the right track though I continue to stumble daily. The sawdust and the plank is giving me a lot of trouble. How Lord do I know when the plank is out of my eye? Is it that I am supposed to see what is going on around me, then do soul searching to ensure I am not doing the same things? The whole dogs, pigs and pearls; you just lost me on this one Lord because it really makes no sense to me.
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 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! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Ok I understand this for the most part, I am trying to do to others what I would have them do to me; it is a struggle but I think I am getting better. The question Lord is when you talk about asking for and seeking; are you talking about salvation?
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 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 in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Ok now I am in trouble Lord. When I read this it sounds very much to me that the deceit that permeates the world will permeate the “church on earth” as well. How Lord then do I know whether I am a good fruit or bad? Am I on the narrow road or the wide one? Am I truly doing the will of the Father? I think I might truly be in trouble as I am pretty sure I am just doing the best I can to take care of my family and have never spent enough time taking care of the poor, sick, imprisoned or hungry. So I definitely need your help to discern what I need to be doing.
24 “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. 25 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. 26 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. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Thank you Lord for giving me hope that if I put into practice your words within this chapter that I may become like a wise man, I will have a good foundation that is strong and able to weather things within the world. Now if you will help me with understanding these and putting them into practice all day every day. Also please help me to stop getting angry with those who are clearly on the wide path, help me to just pray for them that they will listen and hear your call.