Enter By the Narrow Gate
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 16:25
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13&14.
What is this way that seems right to a man, but whose end leads to death? Only a lie (which is sin) disguised as truth can seem right but lead to death. Following a lie can only lead to further lies. And once discovered, our shame sets up a pride that refuses to let the lie be exposed…and that causes us to die spiritually from our efforts to protect the lie…and is at the root of all violence and corruption.
Eventually, we even begin to believe the lie because in our pride we did not become lovers of the truth. This lie being today that democracy, and the extension of it to all nations, is about freedom and liberty. We are willing to die for that lie which we were sold while all the while it is about unfettered greed, self preservation, and self interest…that is the truth of the matter, and not believing it is the spiritual death of a nation. It is sold as love of country and patriotism.
All who oppose it are considered to be traitors.
There is another type of patriotism and love of country that loves the people of that country. No matter the cost. It is found in helping those who are desired by God understand the truth at the expense of being rejected, at the expense of recognition, at the expense of any gain for ones own self. Those who are willing to sacrifice all for the purpose of exposing the lie, even if exposing that lie costs them what is believed today to be freedom, understand what self-sacrificing love is.
Those who espose the lie risk imprisonment, torture, and even death for that cause as soldiers of truth, rather than soldiers of oppression. But, no greater love does a man have for his brother than to lay down his life for them. And though he may never see the fruits of his labor, he plants the seeds in hope that they will grow.
Truth has never been popular among the wealthy, because it exposes them as the frauds that they are, counting their lives in the abundance of what they posses...while exibiting an outward morality that creates shame in others...prove this to them...ask them to give up all their worldly things and see what is their response. And believe it when I say that worldly wealth does not belong only to the very richest...for all who share in the abundance of this wealth will find it difficult to do the same... no matter their portion.
Truth is an everyday reality though for the have nots. Today these haves stand at 30% of the world’s population, with 1% standing over them at the top of this heap of ruin...while the other 70% suffer under the weight of their burden.
This 70% cry out to the Lord daily in their suffering… suffering that usually only ends at their physical death. And yet their cry seems to go unanswered by the 30% who enjoy what’s left of the abundance that should be shared by all...it even appears as though God is not listening.
However, do not believe that He has not heard their cry, and acknowledges them, because he has. And He will act upon that cry when it is His time to do so.
Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt ( figurative of pride) died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.
So God heard their groanings, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob...(today His covenant is with His people in Christ).
And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them. Exodus 2: 23-25.
God hears the cry. He acknowledges the suffering, yet He does not begin to act openly towards Israel for quit some time.
As the dross of humanity rises to the top, He is preparring for Himself and for His little ones a people who will act with one mind, sealed with His mark of truth. He will skim off this dross, make no mistake. Seven times tried in fire must the gold be refined. A completion of its refinement must be accomplished. All the dross must raise to the top before this gold is pure. And then the Lord will come, to execute judgment upon all.
Hold fast to thy faith little ones, and do not forget that the Lord is King. Hold fast to thy faith little ones, and do not forget the lesson you will learn.
But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend (will be saved) into heaven?’” [That is, to bring Christ down from above], or, “Who will descend into the abyss?’” [That is, to bring Christ up from the dead]. But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.” [That is, the word of faith which we preach]; that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus (the Lord God is my salvation), and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, (dead in your sins), then you shall be saved.
What is this word of faith then?
Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6.
The life of Christ showed us the way. He took nothing for Himself except what He needed to sustain His life for the purpose it was to serve. He gave everything that He had of Himself in an effort to show that we can live wonderfully with out all the trappings of the world. He was sustained by the truth that He preached and those who willingly received it. He was sustained by the love He received for speaking the truth that needed to be heard. He laid down His life at the time that was appointed for Him.
The way to life was for Him, as well as for us, is in preaching the truth, resisting the lie even unto death, and helping to foster a love for it, and faith in it.
He showed the hypocrisy of the religious order of the day, and how it was only concerned for its own survival, when instead the leaders of it should have been speaking out about the injustices that followed it…how it served the secular world in silencing any voice of descent against it.
He also showed the price to be paid for living that life…But He also showed its reward. Truth is its own reward, but unless embraced on a global scale, it shall be relegated to the fanaticism of a few. And even that fanaticism comes from their desire that all should be saved from the lie.
This is not my condemnation of our race of humanity, but my confession of our failure as humans, my plead for a change in direction, my cry for the help from the God of all of us to please remove from us what has brought us this far. There is no help anywhere else, and today a shout must go up, a cry, a plead, a groaning to the One whose kingdom is not of this world.
Where art Thou, O Lord? Look down upon us and see what we have done to ourselves. I am as guilty as the rest for not speaking out sooner...in my ignorance, which the things of the world had concealed your truth from, I did not understand. But then I turned towards You O Lord, and learned the truth from You...I lifted up my hand and called upon Your name, and You heard me and taught Me. And so now I lift up my voice again, asking that all Your children be shown Your way...Your people Lord, whom You love.
Turn Your face towards them in sorrow, acknowledge their cry, and save us from ourselves, whatever it takes.
I don’t ask You to defeat the children who have fallen, but rather that You turn the hearts of all towards You, lifting them up, so that those who are dying might be saved along with all those who believe and live. It is not my desire that any man, women, or child should be lost, but that all that are lost, it is my hope that You will find and change.
As for those who attempt to lead, Lord, I pray that they hear You; that they put aside their pride, their ego, their arrogance and especially their fear; that they soften their heats to Your word; that they put aside their greed for riches and their lust for power, that they remember the words of our Lord Jesus, His commandments and His covenant, and remember that it is You, O LORD, who stands atop the hill, and it is You O KING who can save us through our faith in Your promises.
This is my prayer, I am not ashamed.
I confess the Lord Jesus…The LORD God of all truth is my salvation and no other. He is the Way…the Truth…and the Life…and in no other do I put my trust. God is spirit and truth…God is love…merciful and gracious…longsuffering and kind…full of goodness and truth. He is Almighty in all that He is.
Guide us then, Almighty God, by Your truth. Lead us out of the things that have kept us in bondage to the kings of the world, and free us into Your way so that we are able to love You with all our heart, with all our strength, and with all our soul...for that is our all, O Lord. Amen.
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13&14.
What is this way that seems right to a man, but whose end leads to death? Only a lie (which is sin) disguised as truth can seem right but lead to death. Following a lie can only lead to further lies. And once discovered, our shame sets up a pride that refuses to let the lie be exposed…and that causes us to die spiritually from our efforts to protect the lie…and is at the root of all violence and corruption.
Eventually, we even begin to believe the lie because in our pride we did not become lovers of the truth. This lie being today that democracy, and the extension of it to all nations, is about freedom and liberty. We are willing to die for that lie which we were sold while all the while it is about unfettered greed, self preservation, and self interest…that is the truth of the matter, and not believing it is the spiritual death of a nation. It is sold as love of country and patriotism.
All who oppose it are considered to be traitors.
There is another type of patriotism and love of country that loves the people of that country. No matter the cost. It is found in helping those who are desired by God understand the truth at the expense of being rejected, at the expense of recognition, at the expense of any gain for ones own self. Those who are willing to sacrifice all for the purpose of exposing the lie, even if exposing that lie costs them what is believed today to be freedom, understand what self-sacrificing love is.
Those who espose the lie risk imprisonment, torture, and even death for that cause as soldiers of truth, rather than soldiers of oppression. But, no greater love does a man have for his brother than to lay down his life for them. And though he may never see the fruits of his labor, he plants the seeds in hope that they will grow.
Truth has never been popular among the wealthy, because it exposes them as the frauds that they are, counting their lives in the abundance of what they posses...while exibiting an outward morality that creates shame in others...prove this to them...ask them to give up all their worldly things and see what is their response. And believe it when I say that worldly wealth does not belong only to the very richest...for all who share in the abundance of this wealth will find it difficult to do the same... no matter their portion.
Truth is an everyday reality though for the have nots. Today these haves stand at 30% of the world’s population, with 1% standing over them at the top of this heap of ruin...while the other 70% suffer under the weight of their burden.
This 70% cry out to the Lord daily in their suffering… suffering that usually only ends at their physical death. And yet their cry seems to go unanswered by the 30% who enjoy what’s left of the abundance that should be shared by all...it even appears as though God is not listening.
However, do not believe that He has not heard their cry, and acknowledges them, because he has. And He will act upon that cry when it is His time to do so.
Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt ( figurative of pride) died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.
So God heard their groanings, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob...(today His covenant is with His people in Christ).
And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them. Exodus 2: 23-25.
God hears the cry. He acknowledges the suffering, yet He does not begin to act openly towards Israel for quit some time.
As the dross of humanity rises to the top, He is preparring for Himself and for His little ones a people who will act with one mind, sealed with His mark of truth. He will skim off this dross, make no mistake. Seven times tried in fire must the gold be refined. A completion of its refinement must be accomplished. All the dross must raise to the top before this gold is pure. And then the Lord will come, to execute judgment upon all.
Hold fast to thy faith little ones, and do not forget that the Lord is King. Hold fast to thy faith little ones, and do not forget the lesson you will learn.
But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend (will be saved) into heaven?’” [That is, to bring Christ down from above], or, “Who will descend into the abyss?’” [That is, to bring Christ up from the dead]. But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.” [That is, the word of faith which we preach]; that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus (the Lord God is my salvation), and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, (dead in your sins), then you shall be saved.
What is this word of faith then?
Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6.
The life of Christ showed us the way. He took nothing for Himself except what He needed to sustain His life for the purpose it was to serve. He gave everything that He had of Himself in an effort to show that we can live wonderfully with out all the trappings of the world. He was sustained by the truth that He preached and those who willingly received it. He was sustained by the love He received for speaking the truth that needed to be heard. He laid down His life at the time that was appointed for Him.
The way to life was for Him, as well as for us, is in preaching the truth, resisting the lie even unto death, and helping to foster a love for it, and faith in it.
He showed the hypocrisy of the religious order of the day, and how it was only concerned for its own survival, when instead the leaders of it should have been speaking out about the injustices that followed it…how it served the secular world in silencing any voice of descent against it.
He also showed the price to be paid for living that life…But He also showed its reward. Truth is its own reward, but unless embraced on a global scale, it shall be relegated to the fanaticism of a few. And even that fanaticism comes from their desire that all should be saved from the lie.
This is not my condemnation of our race of humanity, but my confession of our failure as humans, my plead for a change in direction, my cry for the help from the God of all of us to please remove from us what has brought us this far. There is no help anywhere else, and today a shout must go up, a cry, a plead, a groaning to the One whose kingdom is not of this world.
Where art Thou, O Lord? Look down upon us and see what we have done to ourselves. I am as guilty as the rest for not speaking out sooner...in my ignorance, which the things of the world had concealed your truth from, I did not understand. But then I turned towards You O Lord, and learned the truth from You...I lifted up my hand and called upon Your name, and You heard me and taught Me. And so now I lift up my voice again, asking that all Your children be shown Your way...Your people Lord, whom You love.
Turn Your face towards them in sorrow, acknowledge their cry, and save us from ourselves, whatever it takes.
I don’t ask You to defeat the children who have fallen, but rather that You turn the hearts of all towards You, lifting them up, so that those who are dying might be saved along with all those who believe and live. It is not my desire that any man, women, or child should be lost, but that all that are lost, it is my hope that You will find and change.
As for those who attempt to lead, Lord, I pray that they hear You; that they put aside their pride, their ego, their arrogance and especially their fear; that they soften their heats to Your word; that they put aside their greed for riches and their lust for power, that they remember the words of our Lord Jesus, His commandments and His covenant, and remember that it is You, O LORD, who stands atop the hill, and it is You O KING who can save us through our faith in Your promises.
This is my prayer, I am not ashamed.
I confess the Lord Jesus…The LORD God of all truth is my salvation and no other. He is the Way…the Truth…and the Life…and in no other do I put my trust. God is spirit and truth…God is love…merciful and gracious…longsuffering and kind…full of goodness and truth. He is Almighty in all that He is.
Guide us then, Almighty God, by Your truth. Lead us out of the things that have kept us in bondage to the kings of the world, and free us into Your way so that we are able to love You with all our heart, with all our strength, and with all our soul...for that is our all, O Lord. Amen.
posted by hugh lipsius at 4:13 PM
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