There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. Luke 16:19-21

Some people have said that this passage of scripture is a parable. The Bible doesn’t say that it is a parable.  Jesus said; there was a rich man. This was an actual happening. There was an actual man named Lazarus. The commentaries believe that the rich man he was a religious Jew, he was probably a Pharisee because he was very rich and wealthy. How did the Pharisees act? They thought that they were better than other people. Lazarus was sent right to his doorstep. All that he was getting was the crumbs from the rich man’s table, like a dog. The rich man was religious, but he had no salvation. He fared sumptuously every day. He went on about his way thinking; I’m ok, you’re ok, we’re all going to be ok, and didn’t concern himself about eternity. He woke up and lifted up his eyes and where was he?

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Trust means that you are not going to depend on yourself, not going to depend on your feelings, not going to depend on outward circumstances.  Trust is a firm belief in the character, ability, strength or truth of someone or something.

I recently read a book on Desert Storm which had a passage about a pilot and trust.

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matthew 7:13-14

There is a strait way and there is a broad way. What does the word, strait mean? It means difficult, narrow, confined, restricted. It also means to draw tight, strict, rigid, distressing. The scripture says to enter in at the strait gate. It means that there will be rules and it will not be like the broad way. It will be completely different.

Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. Mark 1:14-15

When Jesus started preaching, his message was; repent and then believe the gospel. Can a person believe the gospel without repenting? No, they can’t. A lot of people, the world over, say that they believe. What does the word, believe, mean? It means obey, trust in, and to know something of a certainty. Believe means trust in, rely on, adhere to the gospel , cleave to, and obey. So, just having a head knowledge doesn’t do it. We have to repent and then believe the gospel. What does the word, repent, mean? Repent means to turn away from. We were going down a road to Hell, doing our own thing.

There has to be a crisis experience where we repent and forsake sin and turn completely around and go toward God. Religion doesn’t give you a crisis experience. Christian education doesn’t give you a crisis experience. Being baptized as an infant doesn’t give you a crisis experience. Just joining church doesn’t give you a crisis experience. There has to be something down in the heart where we know that we are a sinner, we want to forsake sin, we are sorry for our sins, we leave sin, and we go towards God and live the way that God wants us to live.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 2 Peter 3:10-12

We are living in the last days. What does this scripture say is going to happen to this earth? It’s going to be burned up. Is it going to burn over? No, it is going to burn up. It shall be dissolved. When something is dissolved, it is gone. What did God create the earth with? He just spoke it into existence. God can do whatever he wants to with this earth. There is coming a time when it is going to be completely burned up and dissolved.

Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:1-7

When it says speak evil of no men, how many men can you speak evil of? When it says showing meekness to all men, is that meekness that you show to some that you like? God wants us to love with the same kind of love that he loved us with.

It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed. His compassion fail not.They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. Isn’t that good? Aren’t you glad his compassion fails not?  It is because of His compassion that we are saved. We have been delivered from sin because God is full of compassion.

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Matthew 9:36

Jesus was full of compassion. He was moved with compassion when he saw the multitude and how they fainted and were scattered. There was something in him that longed to help the people. Jesus’ compassion caused him to take action. Compassion will always cause us to take action. It will cost us something, time and effort. It’s essential in our service to God.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

It is vitally important that Jesus said; come to me all ye that labor and are heavy laden. It is that heavy laden of sin, that bondage of sin that you are not able to get rid of on your own. Jesus says; take my yoke and learn of me. It is so good that we can learn of Christ, because his way is so much better. If you feel like being yoked with Jesus is hard, you better think again, because God’s way is easy.

For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. Psalms 38:4

The very first commandment is what? Thou shall love the Lord with all thy heart, mind, soul, and strength. The second is likened unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. There are over six hundred laws in the Old Testament. If you do these two commandments, you will fulfill all of the laws. It has to come from the heart. You cannot just have a form of religion and love God with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength. That is an impossibility. You also won’t be able to love your neighbor as yourself.

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:44-48