Not being one to waste time, let me get to the heart of what the LORD is saying to us today: Is the Lord Jesus a mere casual acquaintance, or your most precious relationship? For example, we will say you know about the Queen of England.  But if someone asks her if she knows YOU, will she say “Certainly!  We have spent many wonderful hours together!” Or, will she shake her head and say, “I don’t recall the name”. Let me put it like this; when your name comes up in heaven, and it will, does the Lord Jesus say “WHO????” Or does He KNOW you?

How much time do you invest in your relationship with Him? Does it comfort you to know that He will invest the like amount of time in you that you give Him?  Or does that worry you a bit?  There are several scriptures I’ll use today to back this up.   I’m reminded of words that the Lord Jesus spoke:
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Sowing and reaping comes to mind here; nothing sown means no harvest to reap. Lots of sowing, lots to reap.
Mar 4:23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
Mar 4:24  And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
Mar 4:25  For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
When you first make someone’s acquaintance, you knock on the door, but after the relationship is well established, they will tell you, “Don’t knock, just come on in, mi casa, su casa.” But a relationship like that blooms from much care and time spent together.  The traveling salesman who comes by every year or two doesn’t receive that warm invitation.

Luk 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
Luk 16:20  And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
Luk 16:21   And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luk 16:23  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luk 16:24  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Luk 16:25  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Luk 16:26  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Luk 16:27  Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
Luk 16:28  For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Luk 16:29  Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
Luk 16:30  And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
Luk 16:31  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Something I noticed right off is that the rich man knew who Father Abraham was, and called him by his name,  but Father Abraham didn’t seem to know the rich man’s name, merely calling him “Son”, a generic term, and not by his name.  The rich man knew Lazarus and wanted to treat him just like before, as a lowly servant unworthy of any kindness.  Yet the rich man now was entreating for Lazarus to show HIM the kindness that he never bothered to show Lazarus.  Father Abraham made it clear to the rich man that even if Lazarus was willing to be merciful, there was a great gulf fixed to prevent it from happening.  In other words, the rich man was close enough to carry on a conversation with Father Abraham and Lazarus, but that was it.  He was welcome to enjoy the sights and sounds of Abraham’s Bosom, basically telling him he could knock but he couldn’t come in.

Think about that!  Is that how YOU want your future to be, to see the Kingdom of God but not to gain entrance?  If that’s fine with you, then this article isn’t for you.  But if you don’t want to be on the outside looking in, then there’s only one thing that can change that, and that is YOUR response to the Lord Jesus when He says “COME UNTO ME”

In Revelation 3, the LORD is offering His assessment of the situation and the cure.  Pay close attention here, you don’t want to be at the airport when your ship comes in:
Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Rev 3:16  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Rev 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

This is your cue to open the door to your heart that the Lord Jesus may come in and abide with you.  Only YOU can open the door.  He can only knock to announce His presence, as you installed no handle so he may just walk in.  Then He’s inviting you over to HIS house to sit in His and His Father’s throne.  How about it?  What do you say?