R922 Heaven’s Gate, PT.1

There's a lot of talk about heaven lately and today on The Encouraging Word Dr. Don Wilton will talk about Heaven's Gate in the world. This is The Encouraging Word featuring the Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton well-known author, Pastor events assuming a professor in today's. He takes us to Matthew chapter 7 gain insight about heaven. Perhaps that we haven't thought of before. Straight from God's word. I will reopen the word know they were open to communicate with you right now on our website DW online.org is the place for a myriad of resources, including signing up for the daily Encouraging Word email from Dr. Don again that's at our website, T. E.

W online.org just click on the devotion time and know that we're here for you 24 hours a day as well. At 866899 word 866899967 off with me to Matthew chapter 7 and when you open your Bibles just leave it right because in just a moment I'm going to read your most walkable thing that Jesus I want to say to you that in my human mind. I often think about hip and I wonder about hip and one of the first things in my human mind that I see as I see this big date and I don't know what you see but I see this big date is just this massive date like you get around Buckingham Palace or something, and this gate opens when we arrive quote unquote inherent and we all ushered into the presence of the Lord. I've heard people say all kinds of things we people have all kinds of comments well they speeder up there at the pearly gates and the you know one day I'm going to get up there. I'm in a walk through the goal in the heaven we have all kinds of images in our minds of what it looks like and what's going to happen when we get to heaven.

You just arrive. Are you going to just suddenly find yourself in heaven.

You actually get the process or is it just a moment in time. I know the Bible says to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord and I'm trying to look at this from a from my human understanding, which is pretty limited at the very base and just before I read to your most walkable thing that Jesus saved. I wondered what would happen if we were to take a survey in our community and we would all ask people just generally speaking what you think is going to happen when you die, where you going what what you where you going to end up and how do you know where you end up II wonder just try to get a handle on this just to set the type as we study God's word because I'm about to show you some wonderful things because I want to speak to you today about Heaven's Gate, show you why I'm going to speak to you about the subject heavens gate and as I began to prepare and as I was thinking about this. It occurred to me and I'm making a very general statement that there are really three general opinions in the world today about what happens to us when we die and and I do want to emphasize I'm I'm giving you general opinions because there are so many offshoots. General opinion number one is that we are all going somewhere you might say to me will pasta where exactly was the general opinion is that's not the important issue, but generally speaking, people in America today and around the world many, many people will say well I just believe that we will gonna end up somewhere at some people refer to that somewhere is paradise. Some people believe it's all good. Some people believe it's all bad, but the general opinion is that we're all going to end up somewhere, but there's a second general opinion that I think is carries an equal weight and that's a group of people that believe that we're all going to end up nowhere. These all the people who would let you know in a in a heartbeat that lists just faceup to the facts. Your existence is defined by when you're born into this life and when you die.

That's it. When you.so have you ever heard someone say well it's over. At least he's out of your obsessively I I've had the privilege of ministering to people sometimes you been so desperate for Lynn life made a stipend black.

I think I'm just going to end, take myself out because I just wanted to be over and people who believe that we're all going nowhere really fall into two categories. One of the nihilists and nihilist literally believes in nothingness or nonexistence that nothingness is defined by nothing that when you die whenever it is you just are obliterated it so finished. It's kind of like Mardi Gras philosophy of life lived today because tomorrow you gonna die, you better what just get out.

Do whatever it is whatever cranks your tractor. They say in Alabama doesn't sound the same when I say just get out there. Whatever cranks affected you get on with because nihilists would say nonexistence obliteration, but a group that's very close to the nihilists off Platonists enough Platonists also believe in nowhere, but they willing to concede that what ever it is this another way is defined by the inevitability of what will be will be so both nihilists and phytoliths in our community will sightless a man what you even worried about because when you die, it's you going nowhere in the nihilists easing to total nonexistence. Nothing exists, you just go back to dust it so in the fatalist on the other hand, says yes, it is nonexistent but it is inevitably nonexistent. What will be what will be. In other if it's gonna happen. There is an inevitability out there somewhere. And so my nonexistence is going to be determined by whatever happens, I'll just go with the flow, but this group. The first group believes that all going somewhere. The second group believes where all going nowhere but the group believes that we're all coming back to now. Perhaps the best religious group that defines old coming back there would be Buddhists. For example, Buddhists believe in reincarnation. Reincarnation really is a cyclical rebirth of humanity in the flesh, so people who believe in life often did actually believe in a cycle life often did, which by definition means every one of us here have been on this earth before we were born and that when you die, you're actually going to come back again and whatever you come back as is determined by how you living right now.

Alright everybody was ever lost anybody as very important folks. I'm about to show you something now God's word. This Bible, God's word in God's Word, the Bible tells us that we are going to one of two places.

That's what the Bible says I'm a Christian man. I've given my heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ and I believe that there is one God, now watch the spokes and the Bible tells us that there all to places and every person is going to go to one of those two. The first is a place called heaven. That's where guardians if it if you would to God we don't have a lot of time but for example Jesus talked about it in John chapter 14 is what he said. He said that your heart be troubled about when you die. I worry about if you trust in God you can trust me, you can take me up my words Jesus said because in my father's house in heaven, there are many mansions and I'm going to prepare one of those mansions just for you and if I'm gonna do that I'm going to come back I'm going to receive you to myself. I want to take you to be where I am, so that where I am, you will be also. That's talking about here. That's God's word, on the other hand, when you flip the page over and you get to the lost book of the Bible in Revelation you go all the way to Revelation chapter 20 and verse 50. God's word leaves no doubt about the other place called Hill HP double L very unpopular to speak about that in America because it messes up our comfort zones. Please forgive the interruption will be back with the rest of today's message with Dr. Don Wilton in just a moment the doctor done once we remind you we are available for you mentioned it briefly at the beginning of the broadcast. But this phone number 866899 word always connection well is happy to talk a listener pray or connect with some of the powerful resources Dr. Don Wilton and all of us The Encouraging Word the number again is 866-899-9673. The doctor done reminds us that we all need some 2 AM friends and would love to be one of those friends for you at any time day or night. If you'd like to call and let us pray for a given number is 866-899-9673.

You can also connect with us on our website@tedevononline.org that's TW online.org right now.

There's so much excitement about here in this love must pray for your spouse. 31 days of prayer for my husband.

31 days to blessing me and my bride.

I think you will bless you as well. Again the resource is just one of many available on our website@twonline.org now back today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. It's not a good thing to talk about in America because we don't like to talk about things like that and any Revelation 20 and verse 15 God's word says if anyone's name is not written in God's book of life.

That person will be cost into the lake of fire that would be, by definition, is this other place called hell. So some people believe that that we going somewhere. Some people believe going nowhere. Some people believe that we coming back. Yeah, again and again but God's would say is you're going to heaven.

Are you going to hell you got that now this is the interesting thing that this is wonderful but some very exciting news to keep share with you the interesting thing is if if you go and take a survey in the world today just the general population and say all right you believe in heaven you believe it's your you believe there is a heaven you believe there is a hell you believe what God sees. The next question is how do you get what is it take to get from this earth into God's him while they are there a lot of different viewpoints number one, they some people who believe in works works means that you work for and is a group of people that say listen, I know that, but I've got to do it right.go to work up I'm going to give my money to the blog whatever it is I'm going to work is what is going to get me into heaven, there is another group that would say it's just sincerity. As long as you Jane sincere sincerity is the quality of the heart. As long as you're not fake in what you do. By the way, they're all just hundreds upon thousands of sincere people. America's food with sincerity folks still the number one giving nation in the workbook. Despite what some of the receiving nations have to say about us. Every time I sit down and have a conference you wanted to find sincerity look at the American people, but some people would say well it's that kind of sincerity that gets us into heaven.

Number three.

Some people would say if you want to go to heaven.

You gotta be good. I know thousands of real good people, don't you, I really do. I'm not bragging about that. I really I know a lot of wonderful good good people and there's a whole school of thought out there that would say man you want to go to heaven. You just be good to be a good father good businessman good good mother good son good daughter be good at what you do and have a good heart as big there's another group that say you want to go to heaven. You don't get paid necessary by works or by sincerity or by goodness get there by surprise. I call it the hopes factor. There's a lot of people out. There's some people out there who would say listen if you want to toss me how you gonna get to heaven. I guess I'm just gonna find out one day and there's a picture that it brings up that yeah this person is and they die suddenly found himself standing there in front of Peter because he is the guardian of the gate. Evidently and Peter says come on in and that person sees Jack's. I didn't believe this bottle.

It's a surprise. Your Mama John Wayne just before he died. Greg Mann school of these 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 the he believes in heaven, and he said all I can 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 the Cedar I'm in Austin about his dog to I going 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 is a big word for it. It's called universalism universalism.

It incorporates all thoughts, universalism their people in our communities to value all across America who say listen what right 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, Eddie.

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 hum of diet believe that they humming was their religion and that's what qualified does matter what religion just be religious around and then there's one other I think this is a big issue in America today. Birth 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 not.

You know deep in my heart I please don't misunderstand me member market is so easily be borne over there and it runs deeper than just thankfulness for America, there is an underlying current that defines my eternal destiny. It flies foul of the great commission doesn't it's spiritual racism because Jesus drawn sayings of Jesus has no color redesigns red, yellow, black and white people are precious in God's sight. 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 Margo go back to their it is verse 13 he said 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. 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 enter through the narrow gate because it's this date, 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 work. 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 said as choice. Indeed, there are choices but you know some choices are more important and more life-changing than others. You been listening to Dr. Don Wilton's been teaching and preaching this wonderful message on Heaven's Gate. Part one will finish that tomorrow. But before we leave today would you take a moment, as Dr. Wilton leaves the pulpit and stepped to the studio to share what's on his heart.

Next are you ready to give your heart of 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 that you love me very, very, and I know that the Lord Jesus Christ came died on the cross so that I might be forgiven of Martian today. I repainted myself I can face Martian and I invite you to comment about my life by faith in Jesus name I pray, if you prayed that prayer that may be the first one welcome to the family of this one. I hope that you know how much I'm going to have very important for us.

We can hope to connect to the right voice, you can begin this wonderful journey. And in just a moment I'm in a come back to the final you just pray to give your life to Christ. We dedicate your life to Jesus, you need to know we are here for you and would love to pray for phone numbers 866899 word that's 866-899-WORD 9673. Dr. Don is extremely interested in the fact that we might pray for you in this new beginning fresh commitment to Christ. We dedicate your life like to Jesus for the first time Dr. Wilton has free resources to the house. So when she called 866899967 the number giving us online as well. Online.org that's TW online.org that's the place to find great resources like this. Hello everybody you know my friends know me as Don Wilton foster friend, neighbor, and husband.

Grandpa and I'm going to tell you people around the world just like you know and identified Dr. Billy Graham is that man got you reach so many people around the world. Jesus Christ, I had the privilege of knowing Mr. Gray very personal, intimate, both as he's framed and as he supposed. In fact, for many, I drove up to his Montreat, North Carolina and visited with him every second. Just like friends do everywhere we sat together and ate together warped tour. We discussed politics frames cases people read aloft Archangel. We did everything one could. That's why I wrote this wonderful Saturday.

It's all about personal relationship cannot Saturday will be a blessing to you. Willingness just dismissed my change again this is one of many resources available on our website online.org that's TW online.org before you get away closing thoughts of our chief encourager. The Encouraging Word this is Dr. Don here I am again what you know, one of the things I want to say hello.

We put so many means to be able to do that you can write to us email I should go to all the details right in front of us. We all were a family together. We stay connected so many ways and your life is very important to me. I see in God shows and I want to be elder pray with you connect with you and be a vital part of your relationship growth.

Your needs in mind. I'm walking in your ocean and I want to pray for you.

Please don't stop Corliss rock tests.

Keep praying.

Keep giving.

Keep connecting keep rejoicing, keep celebrating, keep striving on his own. He strode this is The Encouraging Word and now you know why I times gone for the day would be sure to join us tomorrow for Heaven's Gate part two Dr. Don Wilton between now and then you can catch up on our website@twonline.org where everything is available just by requesting available on demand that's on our website@twareonline.org