God wants to talk about qualifications!
A qualification is an essential issue of honesty and ability. This is clearly shown in a recent news article. On June 12, 2019, the LA Times reported on a college admission scandal. A coach from Stanford University became the first person to be sentenced for participating in a college admission scandal. The coach compromised the admission process by allowing an unqualified student to enter the college. The students and coach tried to alter the process. Qualifications are very important in any process.
Now let’s think about a spiritual qualification. Who can enter heaven when God calls us? God wants to find qualified Christians to enter heaven. In Proverbs 30:25, “the ants are a people without strength, yet they provide their food in the summer’. We can learn from the ants. The ants work hard to prepare for winter during the summer. If we want to live with a spiritual life, then we need to prepare to live in heaven during our lifetime.
Spiritual preparation is the first qualification that produces spiritual fruits. We can find that in Galatians 5:22-23, “by contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self- control. There is no law against such things.” Your preparation will be provided by spiritual fruits. Those are not visible to us. If you love your friends, that is one component of spiritual preparation. If you do kindness for others, that is proof of having a spiritual preparation. Spiritual preparation proves spiritual qualifications.
Proverbs 30:26, “the badgers are a people without power, yet they make their homes in the rocks; “God wants us to depend on him. Even if the badgers are weak, they can protect themselves as they build their house in the rocks. Even if we are weak, but if we depend on God, then God will protect you.
What does it mean to depend on God? The answer is prayer. When we pray to God when we have difficulties, then God always gives us an answer.
Psalm 133: 1, “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity. God loves that we live together in unity”. Matthew 18:20, Jesus said to us. “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” Jesus promised us to be where two or three are gathered in Jesus’ name. The purpose of cooperation is to worship God. We cannot worship God alone. Who can play a drum, guitar and keyboard together at one time? We cooperate together to make a wonderful worship service every Sunday, RIGHT? Worship proves spiritual qualifications very well.
Matthew 11:12 “from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force” God dislikes violence, but this verse does not mean fighting or war. It means our love to live in heaven which has a value. We need to invest all of our efforts in being good Christians to enter the kingdom of heaven. Isaiah 35: 5-7, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.” God lets us know that heaven is a wonderful place. If we want to enter heaven, then we need spiritual qualifications.
How can we reach our qualifications? There is only one answer Jesus Christ, our Lord. Spiritual preparation means to believe Jesus Christ is our savior. Spiritual protection is to pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Spiritual cooperation is to worship God with Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus promised us, John 14: 15-17, “if you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor know him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you”. Jesus promised us that the Holy Spirit will be in us. John 14:26, Jesus said, “but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you”. Jesus promised us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit leads and guides us to do what we need to do. The Holy Spirit teaches you everything you need to know. The Holy Spirit reminds you of all that Jesus promised you. If your mouth starts to say negative things, then the Bible asks you to close your mouth. The Bible asks you to stop thinking sinful thoughts. We have no time to do that. Now we need to have spiritual qualifications. God will help you!
