ARE YOU READY TO PASS THROUGH THE GATE AND RECEIVE THE TREE OF LIFE?

SCRIPTURE:
Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have 
the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.  
(Revelation 22:14)

MEDITATION:
Have you ever been going to an event and forgot your pass, or ticket?
You thought you had everything with you, 
until you arrived at the gate and they asked to see your ticket.
Remember the feeling you experienced when you realized 
you were not going to be allowed to enter the arena or auditorium?
If only you had been fully prepared when you arrived, 
but you failed in one very important area, and had to face the consequences.

"wash their robes" is the same as saying "do His commandments". 
Now, imagine standing at the gates of heaven 
with a feeling that you have everything in order.
However, when you are asked, “Did you do His commandments?” 
how will you respond?
In James, we are given instructions to "do what His Word says".
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. 
Do what it says. (James 1:22)

When we “do His commandments” 
it serves as confirmation that we have given our life to Him.
Doing His commandments encompasses many things.
First and foremost it means yielding to His control of your life.
It means loving others as He has loved you.
It includes returning to Him what He asks – at a minimum, ten percent.

Using the gifts and talents He has given us to serve Him 
is part of “doing His commandments”.
He also has commanded that we meet together, which means in order for us to 
“do His commandments”, we need to join other believers in corporate worship.
God doesn’t want to hear our own personal reasons for ‘not’ doing 
this particular commandment, He is interested in whether or not we obeyed Him.

Which is the last part of “doing His commandments” – we have to obey His 
commands, including the ones that we do not want to do (at least initially).
When we do what God has asked us to do, then we will be allowed 
to “pass through the gates of the city” and “receive our tree of life”.

ACTION:
Are you currently “doing His commandments”, or have you established your own 
list of commands that you choose to obey and keep your fingers crossed that you 
will be allowed to “pass through the gates” and receive your “tree of life”?
This gate is the one that opens to eternity, 
and not just to a two to four hour event.
Take some time and read Revelation 21-22 and look at what you could 
miss out on when you chose not to “do His commandments”.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank you very much for Your promise of “the tree 
of life”! Forgive me if I have not been “doing Your commandments” 
and teach me to change now so that I can pass through the gates into 
the city. Convict me if I have been allowing my selfishness to exclude 
obeying some of Your commandments. Help me to overcome the selfish 
thoughts that Satan plants in my mind, that prevent me from doing what 
You want, and what You have commanded me to do. Help me to rejoice 
and appreciate Your wonderful promises for those who belong to You, 
and to do everything to prepare me for that future. Help to live so close 
to You now that when I pass through the gates of the city, there will be 
no big changes.”