Good Foundation
Matthew 7:7-8:1
“Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it shall be opened to you, for every one that asks receives, he that seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it shall be opened. Whom among you, if his son asks for bread, would give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, would give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him? In everything do to others what you would like them to do to you. This sums up the law and the prophets.
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“Enter in through the narrow gate, for the wide gate and the broad way leads to destruction, and many go there. But the small gate and the narrow way leads to life, but few find it.
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“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but who are greedy wolves. You can recognize them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Every good tree bears good fruit, but every corrupt tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. Every tree not producing good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits you shall know them.
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“Not everyone that says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven; only he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven shall enter. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons, as well as other wonderful works in your name?’ And then I will say to them, ‘I never knew you: depart from me, you did lawless works.
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“Therefore, whomever hears what I say, and follows it, is like this example. There was a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell and it flooded. The winds blew and buffeted the house, but it did not fall because it was built upon a rock. And every one that hears my sayings, and disregards them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell and the floods came. The winds blew and beat upon that house, and it fell. And great was the fall of it.”
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And when Jesus had finished teaching, the people were astonished at what he taught, for he taught with authority and not like the scribes. When he returned from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
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