Bridging the Gap With Pastor Lloyd Pulley Lloyd Pulley

In Matthew chapter seven, verse fifteen, Jesus called false prophets ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing. That’s a pretty stark description of those who would attempt to lead believers in Christ astray, but that is exactly what was going on back then - and it continues to go on today. In fact, there has never been a time when more false prophets have preyed on believers than today. We must beware. We must learn to discern.

Last time we began a message from Matthew chapter seven, verses thirteen and fourteen. In these two verses from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us that the way to heaven is through a narrow gate, but the way to destruction is through a wide gate. Have you made the choice as to which gate you will go through?

Mount. Today we learn about making a choice.... in fact, the biggest choice we’ll ever make. This is a multiple-choice decision, but there are only two choices. There is no in-between. Take the narrow gate to eternity with God, or take the wide gate to Hell. It’s really that simple.

The so-called “golden rule” is a model for all Christians to live by, and it’s very popular with other religions as well. But there’s a key difference in the way Jesus stated it, and the way the world recites it. What’s the difference? Does it really matter? Oh, it absolutely does!

We’re currently going through the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew’s Gospel. We’re in chapter seven, exploring verses seven through eleven. In this portion of His sermon, Jesus is teaching about prayer. We humans have a way of getting the whole concept of prayer turned around. If we use prayer as a way of reciting a shopping list of worldly desires, God will not be pleased. By the same token, if we make our requests known to God, and then sit around waiting for a delivery van to pull up, we’ve missed the meaning again. So how can prayer be reduced to its purest, most powerful form? That’s what we’ll discover today.

On today’s broadcast, Lloyd will begin a study on prayer, based on Matthew seven, verses seven through eleven. Here we find that prayer is not a suggestion, but a commandment. In these verses Christ explains why prayer is a necessity for the believer, and Lloyd will remind us that with the wonderful opportunity prayer brings us comes certain responsibilities.