“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13, 14
Home Sweet Home!! I enjoy traveling so much but I'm always happy to come on home, how about y'all? My trip to the Smokey Mountains last week was a wonderful trip with lots of adventure, sweet people, and interesting experiences....laced with a little stress, a few wild animals, and a GPS that I've decided really likes city life more than the mystery of 2 lane roads in the mountains....
I've spent some time thinking about all the different roads I traveled this past week. Some were smooth and new and easily navigated. Others were old and narrow and filled with bumps and holes and twists and turns. Some led to absolutely no where and were scary and dangerous. And some of them were easily navigated and clearly marked. There were hills and valleys, 2 lanes, 4 lanes and 6 lanes and there were some that had guard rails for protection and others that had no protection at all. Many were traffic filled and had all kinds of attractions along the way. Most were long, dark and narrow without anything but trees and rocks and hairpin curves. A few seemed to lead in the right direction and then suddenly would end with no warning at all and no clues as to what might be ahead.
On some of these roads, I felt very safe. I had no worries at all because I knew where I was going. My borrowed GPS gave clear directions and I was certain it was trustworthy. But there were some roads, my friends, that were deceptive and led me to places of danger and I had no idea what was coming and neither did that GPS. I saw bears, strange faces, and wild turkeys too. There were big rocks and hairpin curves and few, if any, streetlights along the way in these areas. When I found myself on those scary roads, I felt alone, stressed and like I had been lied to -- in fact there were occasions when I called that GPS a big fat liar!
Isn't that just the way in our lives too, though? The journey of life is filled with all kinds of roads. Roads that take us exactly where they need to and other roads are deceptive and dangerous even though they may appear to lead in the right direction. Sometimes the roads are rocky and treacherous and other times our life roads are smooth and uneventful.
If we commit our lives to Christ and follow Him, we have no guarantees of a life without challenge - in fact just the opposite is true...Jesus guarantees that we'll have struggles -- He says, "In this world you WILL have trouble, but take heart, for I have overcome the world." John 16:33 He tells us that people will hate us because of His Name. So why then would we choose to follow Christ or should we? Go back to John 16:33. In this world we WILL have trouble. If it stops there - and it does if we choose not to believe...because our lives have no relationship with the One who has overcome the world. But because we choose to believe, our encouragement comes in knowing that Jesus has already paid the price and our physical troubles are just temporary as are our lives here on this earth - eternity awaits us and that's when the real living begins.
Walking with Christ isn't easy and it's filled with ups and downs and twists and turns...but I've yet to meet a person who doesn't know Christ whose life isn't filled with those very same things...the only difference, and it's a major one, is that for that person - there is no peace, no hope, only the certainty that this life is all there is.
Dear friend, if you are that person. The one who doesn't have Christ as your guide on these dark and narrow roads of life, I'd like to share with you today that you can have Him as your Light and Savior. Your life can have purpose and meaning beyond yourself and those dark and scary days don't have to be spent wandering alone and afraid. Jesus lays out a plan for you that is very easy to understand and easy to accept - all you have to do is believe...For you this day, I'm sending this message of hope.
Step 1 -- First be willing to admit that God exists, that He created this world and that He created you. (Romans 1:20-21 - "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.")
Step 2 -- understand that you are not a perfect person and that sin seperates you from God. Sin is disobedience to God. (Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.")
Step 3 -- Be willing to admit that you have sinned and that this is displeasing to God. To live your life as a sinner, means that you will die and spend eternity in Hell. However, by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and asking forgiveness of your sins, you can have eternal life. (Romans 6:23 - “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”)
Step 4 -- Believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved! (Romans 10:9-10 “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.")
Step 5 - tell someone about your decision and determine to spend the rest of your life following, studying, and loving the One who died for you and who was raised from the dead to save you.
It's just that simple. Please don't delay -- Choose this day to give your life to Jesus...won't you?
If you've made the decisionwon't you post a comment and let me know. I'd love to pray for you and share in this most wonderful decision!
Until tomorrow...be blessed...not stressed! Amy
Home Sweet Home!! I enjoy traveling so much but I'm always happy to come on home, how about y'all? My trip to the Smokey Mountains last week was a wonderful trip with lots of adventure, sweet people, and interesting experiences....laced with a little stress, a few wild animals, and a GPS that I've decided really likes city life more than the mystery of 2 lane roads in the mountains....
I've spent some time thinking about all the different roads I traveled this past week. Some were smooth and new and easily navigated. Others were old and narrow and filled with bumps and holes and twists and turns. Some led to absolutely no where and were scary and dangerous. And some of them were easily navigated and clearly marked. There were hills and valleys, 2 lanes, 4 lanes and 6 lanes and there were some that had guard rails for protection and others that had no protection at all. Many were traffic filled and had all kinds of attractions along the way. Most were long, dark and narrow without anything but trees and rocks and hairpin curves. A few seemed to lead in the right direction and then suddenly would end with no warning at all and no clues as to what might be ahead.
On some of these roads, I felt very safe. I had no worries at all because I knew where I was going. My borrowed GPS gave clear directions and I was certain it was trustworthy. But there were some roads, my friends, that were deceptive and led me to places of danger and I had no idea what was coming and neither did that GPS. I saw bears, strange faces, and wild turkeys too. There were big rocks and hairpin curves and few, if any, streetlights along the way in these areas. When I found myself on those scary roads, I felt alone, stressed and like I had been lied to -- in fact there were occasions when I called that GPS a big fat liar!
Isn't that just the way in our lives too, though? The journey of life is filled with all kinds of roads. Roads that take us exactly where they need to and other roads are deceptive and dangerous even though they may appear to lead in the right direction. Sometimes the roads are rocky and treacherous and other times our life roads are smooth and uneventful.
If we commit our lives to Christ and follow Him, we have no guarantees of a life without challenge - in fact just the opposite is true...Jesus guarantees that we'll have struggles -- He says, "In this world you WILL have trouble, but take heart, for I have overcome the world." John 16:33 He tells us that people will hate us because of His Name. So why then would we choose to follow Christ or should we? Go back to John 16:33. In this world we WILL have trouble. If it stops there - and it does if we choose not to believe...because our lives have no relationship with the One who has overcome the world. But because we choose to believe, our encouragement comes in knowing that Jesus has already paid the price and our physical troubles are just temporary as are our lives here on this earth - eternity awaits us and that's when the real living begins.
Walking with Christ isn't easy and it's filled with ups and downs and twists and turns...but I've yet to meet a person who doesn't know Christ whose life isn't filled with those very same things...the only difference, and it's a major one, is that for that person - there is no peace, no hope, only the certainty that this life is all there is.
Dear friend, if you are that person. The one who doesn't have Christ as your guide on these dark and narrow roads of life, I'd like to share with you today that you can have Him as your Light and Savior. Your life can have purpose and meaning beyond yourself and those dark and scary days don't have to be spent wandering alone and afraid. Jesus lays out a plan for you that is very easy to understand and easy to accept - all you have to do is believe...For you this day, I'm sending this message of hope.
Step 1 -- First be willing to admit that God exists, that He created this world and that He created you. (Romans 1:20-21 - "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.")
Step 2 -- understand that you are not a perfect person and that sin seperates you from God. Sin is disobedience to God. (Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.")
Step 3 -- Be willing to admit that you have sinned and that this is displeasing to God. To live your life as a sinner, means that you will die and spend eternity in Hell. However, by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and asking forgiveness of your sins, you can have eternal life. (Romans 6:23 - “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”)
Step 4 -- Believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved! (Romans 10:9-10 “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.")
Step 5 - tell someone about your decision and determine to spend the rest of your life following, studying, and loving the One who died for you and who was raised from the dead to save you.
It's just that simple. Please don't delay -- Choose this day to give your life to Jesus...won't you?
If you've made the decisionwon't you post a comment and let me know. I'd love to pray for you and share in this most wonderful decision!
Until tomorrow...be blessed...not stressed! Amy
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