the narrow path

You can not live like, in, or part of this world to spend eternity with Jesus.

1Jn 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Dont be deceived! Unless you are striving (to make strenuous efforts toward a goal) for the Kingdom, STRIVING for the straight gate - you shall NOT enter in. Unless you are doing the will of God - which he makes plain to us in His Word, you will not make it in.

Luke 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

you think i walk TOO strait? strait is the way! its clearly right there in Luke, also Matthew 7:13&14. i noticed that in these verses it is spelled STRAIT rather than STRAIGHT. This strait is only used these three times in the greek form; stenos - narrow (from obstacles standing close about): - strait. Whew hallelujah! a strait NARROW path that we must take, the path is narrow because there is obstacles standing close.. the world and its pleasures, persecution, compromise, sin .. but none of that can stand in front of us. none of that can block the path - only press in, but if we stay on that narrow path, that strait path - Jesus is waiting for us at the end.

i tell you in love people! you can not sin and go to heaven, you can not sin AND have a relationship with Christ. if u do not have a relationship with Christ - what makes you think you will have a place at his supper table??? the day of the feast is FAST approching! Matthew 24:4-8 These earthquakes in diverse places, wars, rumors of wars - its all in the Word of God, take heed! heed–verb (used with object)1.to give careful attention to Im going to end with the scripture from Matthew; and notice Jesus finishes this group of verses saying that all these are the BEGINING of sorrows.. haiti felt NOTHING compared to what is to come on the children of disobidience..

Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Mat 24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Mat 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Mat 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

if it were not so ..

i just want to touch on some of my thoughts from Romans 11:21-23. So many of us battle with the whole theory of "Once Saved Always Saved. I myself battled for it was what i was taught my whole life and i just did not believe that it wasnt true. After spending time with God tho in prayer and study - He reveals to me how its just not something that His Word supports.

Rom 11:20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
We stand on faith in Christ Jesus for our salvation. Yes. Israel was broken off time and time again - not because they didnt believe in God, they believed he existed - they knew. They were broken off because of their unbelief in the fact that they did not live the way God told them too, they didnt believe God when he told them to separate themselves from the nations around them. They grieved the heart of the Lord and turned to idolatry.. The God of Heaven - who they saw in a pillar of fire lead them, who won all their battles, who PARTED A SEA for them to cross - they rather .. made a cow to worship. God gave Israel specific words to live by, and if they would have stayed pure and whole and completely devoted to the Lord - they surely would have saved themselves alot of heartache. Now, the point i believe Paul wants to make is, dont get arrogant because we stand on faith in Christ for our salvation - but fear the Lord your God. dont tremble in a corner because big scary Almighty might walk by - but live in reverence to God. " It does not mean terror or horror, but it denotes humility, watchfulness, and solicitude to abide in the faith." (Barnes)

Rom 11:21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
The natural branches we should know - are the Israelites. And they were 'spared not'.. they wandered 40 years in the wilderness - could not go to the promised land till all from that generation had died. Even Moses.. did not get to enter the promised land because of his sin. Where does that leave us?? MOSES! One of Gods most powerful tools, he saw God! Now - we stand on faith in Christ, if we sin, we have an advocate with the Father. Moses didnt have Jesus sitting at the right hand of God pleading his case. We do - praise the Lord. Gods grace made a way! "Should we then sin that grace may abound?? GOD FORBID" Romans 6:1-2 Paul said it under the annointing of the Holy Ghost - take heed lest he also spare not thee.. i think that means that, with sin in our life - we will not enter in.

Rom 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
The goodness & severity. God will use sever measures. Whether to get our attention or to .. cut us off. He is a just, holy & righteous God. However - there is goodness. Sweet, blissful goodness toward us - if we continue in it. *IF* if .. stipulation .. if WE <-- an action we must persue. If we continue - otherwise .. we shall be cut off. we are not above missing out on that other shore. That heavenly shore. Few shall enter in .. the way is narrow and few shall find it! Not everyone who says Lord, Lord shall enter in - He may not know you! does He KNOW you today? does the Lord know you? do you talk to the Bridegroom? Do you worship the God you say you serve with a heart always connected to the throne room? its hard no doubt - but Jesus Christ broke any power that can keep you from doing it on calvary's hill.

Rom 11:23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
its sad to say that currently still Gods chosen live in unbelief toward their messiah. Christ Jesus came for the Children of Israel, to save them from the cycle of apostasy. But as their way - unbelief. But they are not to far gone, as with us. Gods ABUNDANT mercy is able to pull us in, to pull them in. Praise the Lord.

Crucifying the Flesh

i know i cant be the only struggler here. i know i cant be the only one who deeply desires for this flesh to be gone, to be one with my Christ and to just live daily with His mind and Spirit with me constantly - but it is hard! i truely feel like Paul when he struggled with his flesh in Romans 7, when he wants to do good but before he realizes it he's doing bad again!! but praise God that before he is done he says;

Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

the law which was 'flesh deep' couldnt reach the heart of man. but when Christ came - the law of the Spirit of life went deeper to the spirit of man, to the point where we can be changed .. transformed! (Rom 12:2) now we knw its more than feeling that youve crucified the flesh (and im talking to myself here) we have to come boldly (Heb 4:16) and have faith in the name of Christ, in the action of Christ, in the purpose of Christ - that He is gonna do what He came to do! and one of those things is to glorify Himself which he would be doing if we would allow Him to transform us. the Spirit would not tell us to crucify the flesh (Gal 5:24) if it were not possible. so let us put the devil under our feet and know that God made the way and we need not complicate it! lets get on our knees and trust the Lord.

Psa 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.