ARE YOU LIKE ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES?
“At that time, the disciples came to Jesus asking, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?’ And calling to Him a child, He put the child in the midst of them and said,’ Truly, I say to you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Whoever humbles himself (becomes teachable) like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.‘
‘Whoever receives such a child in My Name receives Me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin (not to believe), it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and be drowned in the depth of the sea.
(Matthew 18:1-5)
‘See that you do not despise one of these little ones because I tell you that in Heaven, their angels always see the face of My Father. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and search for the one that went astray? And if he finds it truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than the ninety-nine that never went astray.
So it is not the will of my Father in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish!’
(Matthew 18:10-15)
THIS TEACHING IS ONE OF JESUS’S MOST POWERFUL AND PROFOUND MESSAGES!
Let’s unpack Jesus’s Words. The disciples were jockeying for position. The question was purely earth-based and flesh-driven. Our competitive flesh nature always wants to know what is in it for us. How often have you thought or asked this question: ‘What’s in it for me?’
Flesh desires the biggest and best that this world, and for that matter, the next, that we can gain. The disciples had been raised in a performance-based culture. They were steeped in the Law. Seeing with Spiritual eyes was still a far-out concept for them, as it is for most of us today.
Jesus wanted them and us to understand the concept of humility and being teachable. He wanted them and us to know that status has no value to us in the Spirit world from which we came and are going.
‘TRULY, I SAY TO YOU, UNLESS YOU TURN AND BECOME LIKE CHILDREN, YOU WILL NEVER ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD!’
Children are born believing and trusting without doubt! Their imaginations are wide open. They can conceive all things. They have not learned to doubt or question the Truth!
We are Spirits that live in bodies that have souls. We are led by our Spirits, bodies, or souls. Our souls are the area we know as the heart and mind. They are affected by many things, some good and some bad.
Our hearts are either filled with good thoughts and the teachings of Jesus or with evil thoughts fed by our fleshly desires and the toxic, harmful, destructive lies of the evil one. What is in our hearts and minds is the product of what we feed them.
LITTLE CHILDREN are led much more by their Spirits, fresh from the presence of God, which have yet to be polluted by doubt, unbelief, and evil.
…’ But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and be thrown into the sea!’
Often, when speaking in Churches or teaching a Bible study, I ask folks this question: What is the greatest sin that God sees every day?
The answers usually range from murder to adultery to abortion and many others. The only sin that has not been and cannot be forgiven is the correct answer: UNBELIEF!
This tremendously powerful teaching is about one thing! CHILDLIKE BELIEF WITHOUT DOUBT!
Our salvation and receipt of the “Great and Precious Promises of Jesus” is based on one thing and one thing only: BELIEF!
(John 6:28-29, John 3:16-8, and many more).
Jesus meant that unless we become like children with unqualified, unquestioning belief beyond doubt, we can not enter the kingdom of God!
Who will wear the millstone?
Since the day Jesus rose from the dead and walked about the earth doing signs, wonders, and miracles, ascended back to His Throne of Grace to become the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, modern-day Pharisees and Sadducees, led by the Spirit of religion, have been denying the Words of Jesus and leading His flock into the sin of unbelief!
They have knowingly lied to the “LITTLE CHILDREN” of Jesus. They have twisted the Gospel of Good News Of Great Joy, Which Shall Be To All People, with their ridiculous non-biblical cliches such as:
“The good Lord gives, and the good Lord takes away.“
A judgmental and condemning lie that Job spoke about God in the throws of despair!
“God is in Control!“
God and Jesus both declared that the opposite is true! They clearly stated that they have given men free will.
(Deuteronomy 30:19-John 3-18)
“Sometimes God says no!”
ALL OF THE PROMISES OF GOD IN JESUS ARE YES AND AMEN!
(2Corinthians 1:20)
One of the most powerful Baptist Preachers of all time used to lie with these words frequently:
“Sometimes God takes things from us to teach us a lesson!” God is not a thief!!!!!!!
“The evil one comes but to kill, steal and destroy! I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance!”
(Jesus: John 10:10)
Worse than the slanderous lying cliches that religion has perpetrated against God in calling Him a murderer, a thief, and a liar is refusing to teach the promises of Jesus, thereby keeping the LITTLE CHILDREN ignorant of the Great And Precious Promises Jesus shed His blood to guarantee them!
Including these that Jesus asks us to believe without doubt as LITTLE CHILDREN:
Jesus has forgiven all of our sins, past, present, and future, and has chosen not to be able to remember them.
(Zephaniah 3:17, Psalm 103:1-3 and 12, Isaiah 53:4-5, John 1:29, 1 Peter 2:24, Hebrews 8:12, Hebrews 10:10-18, Revelation 1:5)
Jesus has already given us ALL THINGS that pertain to life and godliness, including His faith.
(2Peter1:1-4)
Jesus has already healed ALL OF OUR DISEASES.
(Psalm 103:1-3, Isaiah 53:4-5, 1Peter2:24, Matthew 8:15-17)
Jesus has given us the power and ability to do the same and even greater things He did.
(John 14:12)
Jesus has given us the ability to speak things in and out of existence.
(Mark 11:24)
Jesus gave us His peace, His joy, and His gladness
(John 14:27, John 15:11)
Jesus has given us the power and ability to gain wealth.
(Luke 6:38, John 10:10, 2Corinthians9:6-14)
Jesus proved His love for you personally just the way you are, sins, and all that He died for you!
(Romans 5:8)
WHO ARE THE LITTLE ONES?
Those who believe Jesus and trust Him without question.
Those who are led by the Spirit and not their flesh. Those who bring love, joy, gladness, hope, forgiveness, and Joy because of their belief, as He did.
The LITTLE ONES, are those whom Jesus taught about in the parable of the sower whose hearts are fertile ground and receive His Words and produce a huge crop, some thirty, some sixty and some one hundred fold.
(Matthew 13)
Jesus challenges us to strive to become like a child in our unfailingbelief! Are you game?
END OF TEACHING
