one of the most pivotal things Jesus did while here on earth happened
the day He sat down & talked for prolly a LONG time on the side of a
mountain. It's found in Matthew 5 - 7. This talk is called "The Sermon
on the Mount". (it should always be said in a deep & ponderous tone
;-)
read all of this - it's great stuff
Matthew 7
1 "Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.
3 "And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? 4 How
can you think of saying to your friend, 'Let me help you get rid of
that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own
eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.
6 "Don't waste what is holy on people who are
unholy. Don't throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls,
then turn and attack you.
7 "Keep on asking, and you will receive what
you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and
the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 "You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So
if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how
much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask
him.
12 "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.
13 "You can enter God's Kingdom only through the
narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the
many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.
15 "Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
21 "Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!'
will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will
of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day
many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast
out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' 23 But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws.'
24 "Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though
the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat
against that house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn't obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash."
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