The Choice We Make
Matthew 7:13-14.
Like many people today, the Israelites in Jesus' time believed they
were destined for heaven. They mistakenly thought that to join God's
family, good works, and an intellectual faith, were all that He required.
To help us grasp the truth about entering His Father's kingdom, Jesus
described two roads, which lead in opposite directions. One is a
broad highway, where most people travel. It's an easy journey,
requiring few commitments, and allowing all kinds of philosophies.
Because just about everything is acceptable, people are free to be
self-indulgent, and choose what they each think is best. The broad
path promises to give us whatever we desire, but in the end, it
delivers nothing of lasting value.
Jesus described the other road as narrow. It has a small entrance,
because there is only one way to be reconciled to God--through faith in Christ.
Traveling on this path requires a commitment to the Savior, and a
lifestyle of dependence, sacrifice, and trust.
Once we belong to Jesus, the Holy Spirit empowers us for everything
that is required on the way of righteousness: loving God with our
whole heart, loving our neighbors, and carrying out the Lord's
purposes. His plans are to take precedence over our own. In contrast
to the disappointments on the broad road, every divine promise is guaranteed.
Each of us must choose which path to take: the wide one, that ends in
hopelessness and eternal separation from the Lord, or the narrow one
leading to life everlasting. If you desire a relationship with God
through Jesus, just ask.
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