You might want to check your plans for the Kingdom of Heaven. By Alan Ballou
A man can only receive what is given to him from Heaven (John 3:27). Even as King David lived in his house of cedar, having rest from all his enemies, he moved to build a house for God, being encouraged by the Prophet, Nathan, but God changed David’s plans (2 Samuel 7).
You may have it in your heart to do this or that for the Lord God, but the Lord may have other plans for you right now. Yes a man’s steps are directed by the Lord (Proverbs 20:24), but that doesn’t mean that your plans are in line with the Lord’s plans, or even that you are doing exactly what the Lord wants you to do right now.
Proverbs 19:21
1 There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel — that will stand. NKJV
Don’t get caught up trying to make your plans work out, if they are not the Lord’s plans, because they will not succeed. Many times throughout scripture we see plans that worked and plans that didn’t work because of disobedience.
For example, after the children of Israel were successful in taking Jericho, they planed for themselves to take Ai, which was a city with few people (Joshua 7:2). That sounds reasonable, since they were going to take the land according to the Word of the Lord. We too can find verses that support what we have planned to do, and declare it to be the will of the Lord for us. Listen to what was promised to Joshua below.
Joshua 1:1-6
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: 2 “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them — the children of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. 5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. NKJV
“No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life” (verse 5 above). What does that sound like to you? It sounds like, whatever city Joshua decided to take, he would be successful, but that’s not the complete list of instructions. He was also warned to obey (Joshua 1:7-8), just as we have been warned to obey Jesus (John 14:21-23, John 15:6, Hebrews 5:9, Romans 1:5-6).
Just like the promise given to Joshua, we too receive promises and make plans accordingly. We quote verses for salvation, life, peace, prosperity, healing, and whatever else we can think of, but we need to know the complete list of instructions least we end up in destruction because of our ignorance. We have to consider the kindness and the sternness of God (Romans 11:22).
What Israel did not realize was that the Lord’s anger burned against them because they disobeyed Him at Jericho (Joshua 7:1). In fact, they did not realize it until after they were defeated at Ai, and about 36 men of Israel were killed (Joshua 7:4-5).
Again, we are the same as them. We too experience success and failure, only realizing later that the Lord isn’t with us in the middle of what we are doing. That happens when we disobey the instructions. In most cases, we don’t know the instructions and we hide from anyone who is willing to teach them. What does that mean for our future plans?
That bump in the road may be a sign that we are living in disobedience, and not an attack from the devil. It is the Lord Who judges His people (Hebrews 10:30). Paul’s thorn was “given” to him to buffet him (2 Corinthians 12:7). He wasn’t necessarily under some sort of attack. Through faith we can extinguish all of the fiery darts of the enemy (Ephesians 6:16), but discipline from the Lord, even to the point of being lame, is of a different matter (Hebrews 12:4-14). Better check the verses. There is a reason why 80% of all good long time church attending people, who even go to a healing service, never experience healing. They reject the instructions; die to sins, live for righteousness (1 Peter 2:24).
Therefore, let me ask you if you are following the complete list of instructions found in your Bible, so that the end result will be what you expect? Why would I ask you that? Well, we already know, according to scripture, that a whole lot of people are going to be tricked and they will “not” know it until the end. Then there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Jesus said that not everyone who calls Him Lord would be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 7:21-23).
Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ NKJV
There are many parables that teach this same thing. For example, in the parable of the ten virgins, only five out of the ten made it (Matthew 25:1-13). Jesus said to the ones who could not enter, “Away from Me, I never knew you!” Check it in Matthew 25:11-12.
Most all of the people who are tricked never come to know Jesus for one reason or another. That’s hard to imagine, but after I show you the verses, you will see how this can come true, especially here in the Bible-belt.
Jesus declared that many people who even seek to enter will not be able to because they never come to know Him (Luke 13:23-29 below).
Luke 13:23-29
23 Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ 26 then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 27 But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. NKJV
Look at verse 27 above; I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity. Iniquity is sin. Doesn’t Jesus forgive us of our sins? So is it okay to continue in sin, because wouldn’t grace increase (Romans 6:15-22)? Would it be worth your time to go back to the ones who taught you about sin and ask for the verses that prove what you believe just to make sure that you have “all of the instructions you need?” Do that this week, and maybe next week I will write again on continuing in sin.
So now, according to the written instructions, how do you know that you know Jesus? If your answer is because you got saved one day, then I am so glad that you are still reading this article because you are wrong. Being saved got you seated in the Kingdom of Christ, but those who continue in sins that lead to death will be weeded out according to Jesus Christ in Matthew 13:40-43, and John 8:34-37. You might want to go back and get a complete list of instructions so that you do not end up in destruction. How do we come to know Jesus? Read the verses below as real evidence of things not seen (faith), and not worldly wisdom.
Ephesians 4:20-24
20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. NKJV
1 John 2:3-6
3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. NKJV
My friend you can attend church all you want to, and have a great time with people who fit into what you would consider good, but only the ones who know Jesus are going to enter the Kingdom of Heaven point, blank, period. That means at some point, somebody who is bold enough to be God’s witness is going to have to teach a complete Gospel.
Don’t tell anyone you love them if you are going to hide the truth from them. How can you love someone and watch them take the road to hell? No, what you love is what you are getting from them or planning to get from them. You may love them according to this world’s standards, but teaching people in such a way that they would end up burning in hell is not love.
Love “never” rejoices with sin, but “always” rejoices in the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6), and light has absolutely no fellowship with darkness (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). Therefore, the only reason to meet with darkness is to lead them to the light. Lets get that straight. If you find someone who says they are abiding in Jesus, and yet they are remaining in darkness, you should recognize that as being strange. That’s kind of like seeing a dog painting a house or a pigeon directing traffic.
John 12:46-47
46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. NKJV
1 John 1:5-7
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. NKJV
Get this! We can’t just be good enough in the world’s eyes and make it. No, the instructions are to “live by faith,” and faith always includes the evidence written in scripture (Hebrews 11:1, 1:1, Romans 10:17). If you are following instructions that sound good and seem right, but nobody can actually show them to you in scripture, you are in the wrong house under the wrong teacher. Run! If the preacher can’t give you God’s instructions, who called him to preach (John 3:34, Jeremiah 23:22)?
If you are not being taught to obey Jesus (John 14:21-23), run! The only way Jesus is going to live in your heart by faith is after you obey His teachings. If you are not being taught that you have to abide in Jesus in order to remain in Jesus (John 15:6), run! You cannot bear the fruit you are “required” to bear unless you abide in Jesus (John 15:1-6, 16), and the only way to abide in Jesus is to obey Him (John 15:10). Check it!
Call me what you wish, and think of me whatever you like, but if the Lord has sent me to speak, He will defend me. Once you have these verses living in you, then you will be able to see what I am saying. Until then you might want to check your plans. I’m Alan Ballou; a servant. If you have questions, ask.
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