Enter through the Narrow Gate

  Enter through the Narrow Gate,

Jesus said,

"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.

As a Christian. As a follower of Christ Jesus. I believe the path to heaven is narrow. I believe that there is only one path to heaven. Jesus said,

“Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6.

I know there are many people in this world that will disagree with me. Many believe there are many ways to heaven. Which is fine. Everyone has the right to believe what they want to believe.

Likewise I believe God will judge everyone justly by what they know of Him. 

That being said. If I am wrong in my beliefs then no one needs to worry. 

On the other hand if I am right then at the very least those who hear about the saving grace that come from God through Christ Jesus, have a lot to think about.

Please think about it.

Your way or Gods way?

  Your way or Gods way?

The Psalmist states,

"Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long." Psalm 25:4,5.

This is good advice. Advice many people do not listen to. As someone has said,

“Most people wish to serve God —

 but only in an advisory capacity.” 

                                                Author Unknown

I would say that the majority of people in the world today want to get to heaven. But sadly they want to do it there way.

As believers in Christ Jesus we need to pray and study the scriptures. We need to take time to learn just what God wants for our life. And how He wants us to accomplish that goal.

We need to learn the way God works. For it is only in doing things God’s way that we will get to heaven. 

In the book of Hebrews we read,

“So, as the Holy Spirit says:" Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. 

That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.' 

 So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.” Hebrews 3:7-11.

Where do you stand? Are you willing humble yourself before God. Study the scriptures and see how God does things or do you insist on following your own path.

When you are considering this remember what we read in Proverbs.

“There is a way that seems right ot a man, 

but its end is the way of death.”

                                                               Proverbs 14:12.

Please think about it.

What Jesus said,

What Jesus said

In John’s gospel we read,

“Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  John 14:6.

This is one of the most important statements Jesus ever made..

If it is false no one hearing those words has anything to fear.

If this is true and I believe it is. Those who don’t believe it have at the very least a lot to think about.

But it is not what I believe that is important. Each individual must decide for themselves if what Jesus is saying is true or false. You dear reader must decide if Jesus is “the way the truth and the life.” That no one comes to the Father except through Him.

Please think about it.

The reason Christ came

  The Reason Christ came

Matthew’s gospel tell us of this incident in the life of Jesus,

“When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” 

On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  

But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:10-13.

Jesus had one reason for coming to the earth He created and that was to show each individual the way to heaven. 

God knew we could not live a life that was good enough to get us into heaven. Thus He sent Jesus to show us the way by going as far as humanly possible and dying in a most horrendous way. 

Does this seem odd? Yes it does. But as the apostle Paul pointed out

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1Corinthians 1:18.

God’s ways are not our ways. Believing in a Saviour who died for our sins takes quite an act of faith which is what God wants.

The writer of Hebrews stating,

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."  Hebrews 11:1

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6.

I think the reason God requires faith is that people who have true faith in anything will go to their graves for what they believe.

Which is what a true believer in Christ Jesus will do.

Please think about it. 

It seems right but...

  It seems right but

In Proverbs we read,

“There is a way that seems right to a man 

but in the end it leads to death.” 

                                                 Proverbs 14:12.

Many today are following the crowd. Following religious and political leaders and philosophies that seem right but is not. 

We as individuals need to assess who we are following. We need to pray and ask God for direction. Because if we are following the wrong person or philosophy it can and will have eternal consequences.

For me the right path is following Jesus. Jesus speaking of himself said,

      "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son". John 3:16-18.

But you dear reader must decide for yourself if I am right.

Please think about it.

Continue to live in Christ

  Continue to live in Christ

In the book of Colossians we read,

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6,7.

As believers we must remember to continue to live in Jesus. 

In this 24/7 world we live in with all its distractions it’s easy to fall away from Christ. It’s easy to combine teachings of the world with the teachings of the Bible. Quite often we do this without even noticing. The teachings of the world like drips from a tap mingle slowly with the teachings of the scriptures without us noticing diluting the true meaning of Gods word.

We should never mix worldly teaching with the Bible. Rather we should be teaching the Gospel message as pure as we know how to do.

In the book of Jude we read,

“But you must remember beloved the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires."  

These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. 

But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.  

Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 

Be merciful to those who doubt;  snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh” Jude 1:17-23.

Please think about it.

Jesus said

  Jesus said

In John’s Gospel we read,

"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6.

This is a believe it or not statement. True Christians believe this. If we are wrong then those who do not believe as we do have nothing to fear. 

If on the other hand we are right. Those who do not believe as we do have at the very least something to think about.

Please think about it.

It sounds foolish

 It sounds foolish

The apostle Paul writes,

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18.

The Christian message can I suppose be seen to be foolish. After all we Christians believe Jesus is God incarnate, God in the flesh. Not only that we believe our Saviour, Jesus, died for our sins.

Why would God do such a thing. The answer was given by Jesus himself. Who speaking about himself said,

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16,17.

God loves us unconditionally. That’s why He came to the world He created in the form of Christ Jesus. To show the world in human terms how far He would go to show each individual the way to heaven.

Do you believe this?   

Please think about it.

In the House of Mourning

 In the House of Mourning

The writer of Ecclesiastes states,

"I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labour. 

Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." Ecclesiastes 2:10,11.

The writer of Ecclesiastes is telling us that ultimately all of the things we do on this earth is meaningless. All that we have “toiled to achieve” is meaningless. It’s meaningless because we will leave them in this world when we depart to stand before God.

Later on he writes,

"The thoughts of the wise are in the house of mourning,

 but the thoughts of fools are in the house of pleasure."

                                                                             Ecclesiastes 7:4.

At first glance this statement seems unusual, but think about it. We will one day die. All of our possessions will be passed on to others while we will stand before God. Our only possessions being the words and deeds we did in this world.

Thus we should always keep in the back of our mind what we will take with us when we stand to be judged by God.

As a Christian. A believer in Christ Jesus. I firmly believe the most important thing we can do in this world is believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul writing,

"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Romans 10:9,10.

Do you believe in The Lord Jesus Christ?

Please think about it.

Simeon said it.

  Simeon said it.

In Luke’s gospel we read,

"Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.  

Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,  

Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 

"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 

For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." Luke 2:25-32.

This is who Jesus is. As Simeon put it,

“...a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”

Jesus himself said,

“Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  John 14:6

The apostle Peter when standing before the religious leaders, who could have punished them for what they believed and said. Boldly spoke of Jesus this way,

"He is " ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.'  

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:11,12.

Jesus is the Son of God. Saviour of each individual who would put their trust in Him.

Would you take time to at least read the New Testament and see what the early church believed about Him?

Would you accept Jesus into your life this day?

         Please think about it.

What is truth?

   What is truth?

In the gospel of John we read of Jesus standing before Pilatet to be judged. After a brief interchange with Jesus. Where upon he finds him not guilty of the charges against him Pilate asks...

"What is truth?..."John 18:38a.

It is a question we, when confronted with the story of Jesus must ask. Is what Jesus is saying truth or a lie?

The crowd that day that also included the religious leaders, didn’t want to here the truth. They wanted to put Jesus to death.

John records in Chapter 19: 1-16 that Pilate tried several more times to prevent the crucifixion of Jesus. All to no avail. Thus not wanting a rebellion on his hands he turned Jesus over to his persecutors to be put to death.

In the twenty-first century no matter where we live in the world we must decide for ourselves who Jesus is.

We must decide if Jesus is lying or not when He is recorded as saying,

"I and the Father are one." John 10:30.

We must ask ourselves is what Jesus states in John 14:8-10  true or not...

“Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." 

Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? 

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father'?  

Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.  John 14:8-10.

We must ask ourselves if what Jesus said to Thomas is true,

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 

So who do you believe Jesus is?

Please think about it.

In no other

  In no other.

In the book of Acts we read,

“He is " ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.'  

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:11,12.

Jesus said,

"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6.

These two statements are part of the bedrock on which the Christian faith is based. We firmly believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven. 

Thus the question become do you believe this?

If Christians are wrong no one has to worry about getting to heaven. 

If on the other hand Christians are right. Then at the very least those who do not believe in Christ have a lot to consider.

So what do you believe?

Please think about it!

The Capstone

  The Capstone

The apostle Peter referring to Jesus said,

"He is " ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.'  

        Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:11,12.

Here is Christian belief in a nutshell. Jesus is the way to heaven.

In answering Thomas one of His disciples Jesus said,

"I am the way and the truth and the life. 

No one comes to the Father except through me.” 

                                                                          John 14:6.

This was a radical statement at the time Jesus said it. It is even more radical today. Christians believe Jesus is the only way to heaven. As He put it “No one comes to the Father except through me.”

The way I see it you can believe what Jesus and Peter states here or you can not. The choice is yours. You must decide.

The only thing I would ask the reader before you make a decision, is to at least read the new testament and see what Jesus and the writers of the New Testament believed about Him.

Please think about it.

Is it foolishness?

 Is it foolishness?

The apostle Paul writes,

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.     Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!  

For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!  

Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation" Romans 5:6-11.

Christians believe that we cannot live a good enough life to get to heaven. God understood this after all God set the standard. 

That being said Jesus told us,

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already.” John 3:16,17.

Jesus came into this world to show in human terms how far God would go to reconcile man to himself. Jesus paid the price for all that we have ever done wrong by dying on the cross.

I know it sounds like foolishness even the apostle Paul noted,

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18.

That being said; If the message of the cross. The message of Jesus’ death and resurrection is foolishness then those who hear of Jesus have nothing to fear. On the other hand however if it is true... those who do not believe in Jesus need to the think very carefully about what they believe.

Please think about it.

Something Controversial

  Something controversia.

Jesus said,

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." John 3:36.

Here is a controversial statement that Jesus made and Christians believe. If this statement is true the world has a lot to think about.

That being said God has prepared a way for us to get to heaven. The apostle Paul stating,

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  Romans 3:23,24.

Will you accept the Salvation that comes through Christ Jesus today?

Please think about it.

The Key

  The Key

Jesus speaking of Himself said,

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  

  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son". John 3:16-18

Here in a nutshell is why Jesus came to earth. He didn’t come to condemn the world but to save the world. 

Jesus came to give each and every individual a Choice. You can either choose to follow Jesus and accept the salvation He offers or you can reject that offer of salvation. 

If Christians are wrong about this choice there is no need to be afraid. If on the other hand Christians are right about this. Then at the very least everyone has at the very least a lot to consider.

Please think about it.  

In no one else

  In no one else

The apostle Peter speaking about Jesus said,

"He is " ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.'  

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:11,12.

This is a bold statement one all true Christians. All true believers in Christ Jesus believe. 

The statement makes it clear that the apostle Peter truly believed that the only way to be saved is though belief in Christ Jesus.

Do you believe this?

Please think about it.

One Mediator

  One mediator

The apostle Paul writes,

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.”  1 Timothy 2:5,6.

Jesus is reported as saying,

“Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6.

These are two statements that Christians believe. If we Christians are wrong in believing we will have lost nothing. We simply will have lived a good life.

If on the other hand those two statements are true. Those who do not believe as we do have at the very least a lot to think about.

Please think about it.

The reason for Jesus

 The reason for Jesus

John’s gospel records Jesus as saying,

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16,17.

This is the reason Jesus came into this world to save the world. It is what Christians all over the world must tell those around them.

The apostle Paul states,

"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."  

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,  for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:9-13.

At first glance this statement seems simple enough. Believe in Jesus and you shall go to heaven.

Believing in someone. Having faith in someone. Especially someone you cannot see is a very difficult thing for some people. Yet the Bible calls us to have faith. The writer of Hebrews stating,

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."  Hebrews 11:1

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6.

Thus my question to you. Do you have faith in God? 

Do you believe Jesus when He said,

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6.

Please think about it.

God reaching down

  God reaching down

The apostle Paul wrote,

"But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit" Titus 3:4,5.

The apostle Paul writing to the Ephesians said, 

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8,9.

This is a key element of Christian belief. Christians believe that it is by the Grace of God through Christ Jesus that we get to heaven. Not by our works. Christians maintain that we cannot be good enough to enter heaven. Thus God made away by sending Jesus Christ to pay the price for our sins.

Christianity is God reaching down to man and offering him salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 

C. S. Lewis said,"He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less." C.S. Lewis.

 Are you that man or woman? A person in need of God?

Why not take a moment to pray and ask God to come into your heart today. Perhaps consider this prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father.

I thank you for your grace that comes through faith in Christ Jesus. Please forgive my sins and come into my life today. Show me your ways. Teach me what it is to be your servant, your follower. Amen.

Please think about it.

Post script;

If you sincerely prayed and believed this prayer. I urge you study the Bible. Then I would urge you to find a church or group of believers where you can study together.

As this blog is read all over the world I personally recommend a church. But I recommend Baptist churches as well as Presbyterian, Anglican, Church of England, salvation army, if you live in countries where they are present.

If you do not all I can say is pray and ask God to show you to a church or house fellowship.