1. Our God wants to provide for us! n Matthew 7:7-12 - “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?

2. Our God wants to provide for us! n 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

3. Our God wants to provide for us! n Ask, and it shall be given you …—There are here three different forms presented of seeking the things which we need from God—asking, ‘seeking, and knocking. The latter is taken from the act of knocking at a door for admittance. See Luke 13:25; Rev. 3:20. The phrases signify to seek with earnestness, diligence, and perseverance. The promise is, that what we seek shall be given us.

4. Our God wants to provide for us! n 1 John 5:14 (NKJV) - Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

5. Our God wants to provide for us! n “God is willing to provide for us, to forgive our sins, to save our souls, to befriend us in trial, to comfort us in death, to extend the gospel through the world. Man “can” ask no higher things of God; and these he may ask, assured that he is willing to grant them.”

6. Our God wants to provide for us! n “Every one that asketh receiveth—That is, every one that asks aright; that prays in faith, and in submission to the will of God. He does not always give the very thing which we ask, but he gives what would be better. A parent will not always confer the “very thing” which a child asks, but he will seek the welfare of the child, and give what he thinks will be most for its good. Paul asked that the thorn from his flesh might be removed.”

7. Our God wants to provide for us! n “God did not “literally” grant the request, but told him that his “grace” should be “sufficient” for him. See the notes at 2 Cor. 12:7-9.”

8. Our God wants to provide for us! n 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

9. Two Ways and Their Nature n Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV) - “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

10. Two Ways and Their Nature n Enter ye in at the strait gate—Christ here compares the way to life to an entrance through a gate. The words “straight” and “strait” have very different meanings. The former means “not crooked;” the latter, “pent up, narrow, difficult to be entered.” This is the word used here, and it means that the way to heaven is “pent up, narrow, close,” and not obviously entered. The way to death is open, broad, and thronged.

11. Two Ways and Their Nature n How should our knowledge of this truth change the way we think?

12. Two Ways and Their Nature n How should our knowledge of this truth change the way we think? n What does it tell us about our efforts in evangelism?

13. Two Ways and Their Nature n The way to death, on the other hand, is broad. Multitudes are in it. It is the great highway in which people go. They fall into it easily and without effort, and go without thought. If they wish to leave that and go by a narrow gate to the city, it would require effort and thought. So, says Christ, “diligence” is needed to enter life. See Luke 13:24. None go of course. All must strive, to obtain it; and so narrow, unfrequented, and solitary is it, that few find it.

14. Two Ways and Their Nature n This sentiment has been beautifully versified by Watts: “Broad is the road that leads to death, And thousands walk together there; But wisdom shows a narrower path, With here and there a traveler.”

15. Two Ways and Their Nature n Luke 13:24 (NKJV) – 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

16. Two Ways and Their Nature n Strive—Literally, “agonize.” The word is taken from the Grecian games. In their races, and wrestlings, and various athletic exercises, they “strove or agonized,” or put forth all their powers to gain the victory. Thousands witnessed them. They were long trained for the conflict, and the honor of victory was one of the highest honors among the people.

17. Two Ways and Their Nature n So Jesus says that we should strive to enter in; and he means by it that we should be diligent, be active, be earnest; that we should make it our first and chief business to overcome our sinful propensities, and to endeavor to enter into heaven. This same figure or allusion to the Grecian games is often used in the New Testament, 1 Cor. 9:24- 26; Phil 2:16; Heb. 12:1.

18. Two Ways and Their Nature n Matthew 7:15-20 (NKJV) - “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

19. Two Ways and Their Nature n 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

20. Two Ways and Their Nature n Ye shall know them by their fruits—The Saviour gives the proper test of their character. People do not judge of a tree by its leaves, or bark, or flowers, but by the fruit which it bears. The flowers may be beautiful and fragrant, the foliage thick and green; but these are merely ornamental. It is the “fruit” that is of chief service to man; and he forms his opinion of the nature and value of the tree by that fruit. So of pretensions to religion.

21. Two Ways and Their Nature n The profession may be fair; but the “conduct”— the fruit—is to determine the nature of the principles.

22. Two Ways and Their Nature n Satan is the source of all false religion! (Rev 20:10)

23. Two Ways and Their Nature n Satan is the source of all false religion! (Rev 16:13-14; 19:20-21; 20:10)

24. Two Ways and Their Nature n Satan is the source of all false religion! (Rev 16:13-14; 19:20-21; 20:10)

25. Two Ways and Their Nature n Revelation 16:13-14 (NKJV) - And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

26. Two Ways and Their Nature n Revelation 19:20 (NKJV) - Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.

27. Two Ways and Their Nature n Revelation 20:10 (NKJV) - The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

28. Two Ways and Their Nature n Satan is the source of all false religion! (Rev 16:13-14; 19:20-21; 20:10) n False teachers are a real danger! (1 Pt 2:1-3; 1 Jn 4:1,6)

29. Two Ways and Their Nature n 2 Peter 2:1-3 (NKJV) – But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.

30. Two Ways and Their Nature n 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

31. Two Ways and Their Nature n 1 John 4:1 (NKJV) - Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

32. Two Ways and Their Nature n 1 John 4:6 (NKJV) - We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

33. Two Ways and Their Nature n Matthew 7:21-23 (NKJV) - “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!’

34. Two Ways and Their Nature n Matthew 7:24-29 (NKJV) - “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:

35. Two Ways and Their Nature n 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” 28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.