Friday, September 7, 2012

The Straight & Narrow

It's a Friday morning and I've been stirring around for awhile. As a matter of fact, there is something stirring in my heart that I want to blog about! By the way, blogging is one of the things in my life that I really enjoy doing. So make me enjoy life even more by taking the time to read on!

I cannot tell you how many times over the years I've heard the Christian walk described as "the straight and narrow". This of course comes from Matthew 7:14 where Jesus said, "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." If we truly understand this verse, we perceive other crucial truths such as: we are not of this world, the world hates us, the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved, love not the world, and many more. In addition, an understanding of "the straight and narrow" unveils the truth that we are on a journey passing through this world, and what we do here affects the rest of our eternity.

Quite often we have opportunity to be discouraged over the direction of the world. We should be concerned, but not discouraged. Here is what Jesus said, "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Matthew 7:13-14)

Think about this. In both scenarios above, we must enter through a gate first. After we enter through the gate we find the way. Understand that the way does not lead to a gate, but it is just the opposite. The gate leads to the way. The way leads to an end. Natural birth (as a natural baby) is the wide gate Jesus speaks of. We are born into the ways of the world. The way of the world which is broad and wide leads to destruction. Jesus said many people find this way. Why? Because they are born into it. Quite honestly, it is very easy to find destruction!

On the other hand Jesus said, "The gate is small, and the way is narrow that takes us to eternal life, and just a few find it." In order to find eternal life, we must enter another gate...a very small gate. This small gate is Jesus. This is being born again of the Spirit of God. When a person accepts Jesus, they turn out of the broad way and enter the very small gate. Many don't see this gate, or they ignore this gate because entering it means giving up all the broad and wide ways of the world. Once a person enters the small gate, everything they are and everything they do is against the ways of the world. So the gate of entry is not only small, but the way is also very narrow. The good news is that this straight and narrow way leads not to destruction, but to eternal life!

Worldly religions proclaim other ways to reach God (other than Jesus). Some even proclaim many ways to reach God.  But Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." Jesus also said in Luke 13:24, "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able."There will come a time when many folks, after seeing that Jesus is truly the way to the Father and to eternal life, will seek for the small gate but they won't be able to find it.

My prayer is that you have found that small gate and are on the narrow path that leads to life. No one ever said it is an easy path, but it will be glorious! If you have found that path, stay the course, and do not be discouraged over the ways of the world. Simply pray that you can help many people find the small gate which opens to the narrow path that leads to an eternity of living with our incredible Savior, Jesus Christ!

I am available for speaking engagements. Please e-mail me at harvcel@gmail.com or srhutto@ymail.com. I'd love to encourage you!

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