The Narrow and Wide Gates
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Jesus will flesh this out later, but He now lays the choice out in front of everyone. Much like the ultimatum given by Joshua when he was leading the people of Israel into the promised land: Joshua 24:15 New International Version (NIV) 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” and by Moses shortly before he died, before the people of Israel crossed over into the promised land: Deuteronomy 30:11-20 New International Version (NIV) The Offer of Life or Death 11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. 15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jesus calls us to make a similar choices. You can choose your path, but that choice will determine your destination and your destiny. The wide gate and the broad road that looks easy--many will take it, but it ultimately leads to destruction and separation from God. The narrow gate and the narrow road with is hard--few will take it, but it leads to life everlasting in the presence of God. Which will you choose? No one will make the choice for you, but you must choose. Either Jesus is Lord of all or He's not Lord at all in your life. If you want to know to make sure you are on the right road, please message me and I'll be happy to help you.
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Daniel WestfallI will mostly use this space for recording my "journal" from my daily devotions as I hope to encourage others to read the Bible along with me and to leave a legacy for others. Archives
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