Greetings DCM Friends,
The intent of this message is to challenge each of us to examine our walk with the Lord and see if Holy Spirit is calling us to a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him. If Holy Spirit has already been speaking to you about you coming closer, and spending more time in prayer, or walking into your destiny by serving in some capacity, then I pray that this be the very thing that pushes you into that. I pray these will be the very words that cause you to adjust what you are doing and follow His path for your life.
This scripture has been tumbling in my spirit all week, I can’t get it off my mind.
“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 comes to your mind when you read this scripture? For me, it makes me ask myself, how narrow is the path that leads us to God? What defines the “Narrow Path?” What are God’s perimeters? What’s acceptable to Him and what’s not?
It makes me wonder, how many of us are being deceived by the enemy and living outside of the “Narrow Path”? How many of us think we can live like the world and still enter eternity? What’s acceptable in the eyes of God? Can we live like the world all week long and then go to church on Sunday and think that’s enough to align us with God?
What if we live like the world and then one day, on our last day, we look up into the face of Jesus and at that very moment He looks at us and says: “I never knew you”? The following scripture gnaws at my spirit wondering, what if on that day the Lord looks at us and we hear the following……..
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons, and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ ” (Matthew 7:21–23)
What do we do then? Do we think that we can ask Jesus to rewind the clock? Maybe we can ask Him to give us a re-do? Do we think we will have an opportunity to explain? To say, but, God, I can explain!?!?!? Here are my reasons why I did……… I don’t think so. I don’t think that’s going to be an option on the list of selections. What do we do then?
Maybe we can ask ourselves and God a few questions. What actions tell God we are committed to Him? How would God know that we love Him and that He is a priority in our life? Is prayer enough to tell Him He’s first? Is reading our bible enough? Are our actions living within the narrow margins that the word talks about or are we living so far out of the lines, or pushing the limits to the very edge, thinking, I’m okay, I’m good. Are we living so far outside of the box that God isn’t even within reach or even in sight anymore? Has God asked you to do something and you’ve ignored His voice?
My heart’s desire is that reading this would challenge us to pursue Holy Spirit and ask Him to reveal to us, if we are in fact, living in a way that is unacceptable to Him. That we would seek Him for the answer and the wisdom to this question. And then, after we have sought Him for the answer, we would be sensitive and accountable to what His response is.
Maybe this email will spark a desire to want to live even closer to His desire for us than what we are living presently. That we would feel the prodding to adjust our direction and come into greater alignment, or alignment, with His will. That we would have the desire to do what is pleasing and acceptable to the Lord.
I challenge each of us to……..take the narrow way. The Road Less Traveled. The path that He has chosen for us. It may look like a lonely path but that’s only because the enemy wants you to choose the path that looks exciting and fun and full of excitement. My experience is that by choosing God’s path/plan you get all that and more. We never have to sacrifice fulfillment to follow God, that’s not His plan. If you follow His plan, I promise you won’t regret it.