There is a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 14:12)
Enter
by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to
destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small and the
way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it. (Matt.
7:13,14)
Many
are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:14)
I
have found that when one speaks of Jesus Christ as the only way to God, the
most frequent response is “ how can you be so narrow minded” and “there are
many ways to god, all paths lead to God”. I can only guess that in some way,
this narrow mindedness, as they call it, is in someway the same narrow way that
Christ speaks of.
If
all paths lead to God but you believe that there is only one path to God, the
Lord Jesus Christ, then that path has to be a very narrow way because all paths
is a very wide and broad spectrum. All paths even include the narrow way! They
don’t say that all paths lead to God except Christ. They say all paths. All
includes the narrow way. All of mankind seeks after God in one form or another.
Even the atheist who doesn’t believe in God seeks after his own version of god,
usually in the form of self. The desire is inborn in man to seek after the one
who created him just as a newborn child is naturally drawn to its mother. Man
seeks after the one who is greater than himself.
When
God created man, He created a spirit deep within man that would naturally be
drawn to its Lord. Man was created to rule the earth but could not rule
correctly or with authority without the Life of God in him. When man chose to
sin, his sin separated him from God. Man then hid himself from the very God that
seeks after him, and mans spirit within, died. Mans lesser gifts were then
dominant. Logic and reasoning usurped his dead spirit and man became unequipped
to relate to his Maker. Our logic and reasoning has led us to the ultimate
conclusion that God is dead and the many lesser conclusions that there are many
ways back to God.
God
had already provided a way, the only way, the narrow way, for man to be
reconciled to God. He provided this only way before man had even sinned. It
wasn’t an afterthought of God. Since that time of mans separation from God,
Satan has done everything he can to divert man from God in every possible way.
Earth is part of Satan's domain and he did not want God or His image (man) to
rule over him. His greatest tool in doing this is deception. A fallen man with
a dead spirit and fallen logic and reasoning was easy prey for this deceptive
enemy.
Anything
contrary to Gods word or His nature is deception. If you are deceived, you
don’t know that you are deceived. That is the art of deception. If you claim
that you know you are deceived then you aren’t deceived, you are just a fool
walking in disobedience. You can know that you were deceived but you cannot
know that you are deceived. Some of the deceptive tools that Satan uses are;
1. To get you to not believe in God.
2. To get you to believe something contrary to what God has said.
3. To get you to believe in other gods.
These 3 are just 3 of the many broad and wide ways that one is deceived into following. Let’s look at these individually.
Satan is the god of this world and anytime he is successful in deceiving you, then you are actually following him. He comes as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). Thus he has deceived you by keeping you from the true Light. Jesus Christ is the light of the world (John 8:12). Have you grasped this? Now if he gets you to believe that there is no God then you probably don’t believe in Satan either. They are both fables to you. If your deception keeps you from believing in Satan, he is just as pleased. Either way, he has kept you from being reconciled to God. He is happy to lead you down the wide and broad way of unbelief. Filled with pride, you walk down that road, unaware of the chains of deception that bind you as you walk free and unhindered from the God who doesn’t exist.
The
next 2 categories are where most people fall in. The roads for these 2
categories are progressively wider and broader in order to accommodate the many
who choose it. There are many who claim to believe in God but this doesn’t
necessarily prevent them from this deception. The demons also believe and shudder
(James 2:19). For those who believe in God, Satan must get them to believe in
and act upon something contrary to what God has said. This he did to Eve in the
Garden of Eden and uses the same tactics today. He will twist the scriptures
and appeal to your human nature, your will and your lusts. Once you sink your
teeth into that deadly fruit, he leads you to a very wide and broad way that
many others are walking on. He shows you how they have all found the truth and
are walking in it. All those people can’t be wrong.
The
3rd way is to get you to believe in other gods. This he has done all
through history by creating religions where these other gods reign. Here there
is deception upon deception. It is here that most people believe that they are
actually following God. Every religion throughout the history of mankind is a
deception to keep you from the only true God. If Satan can get you to believe
that you are following God while in these false religions, then he has
succeeded. Every religion can be summed up as man creating god in mans image. They are all
sustained by superstition, deception and tradition. This widest and broadest of
ways has many different paths within. Each path designed to fit its particular
religious beliefs. Sometimes the different paths fight each other to conquer
and convert. Sometimes the paths fight amongst themselves and even more paths
are created. It doesn’t matter which
path you are on as they all seem right to man but they all lead away from God,
not to God, and anything that is apart from God leads to death.
In contrast to this wide, broad way is the narrow way, or the only way. It is so small that it is easy to miss and very few find it because very few search for it. Some, stumble across it on their way to the wide, broad way but it looks so uninviting that they rush headlong on their way. Some may even peek inside but quickly turn away when they see that the entry way is to small for them to bring in all their stuff with them. Others even enter in but soon turn back when things don’t turn out as they expected. Out of the few who enter and remain, there are even fewer still that press on. Most are content to just enter. For the few who press on, they are drawn to the One who calls to them from the deep, knowing that their own personal Gethsemane and Golgotha await them.
They
pass through the valley of the shadow of death knowing that a shadow can only
exist when there is light. A shadow is created when an object obstructs the
path of light. Death has come between you and the light, the Lord Jesus. We
know the reality that death cannot harm us and Life has already conquered
death. But death works in conjunction with fear. Fear is a world-ruling demon.
Fear blinds us to the light and creates the illusion that death is real so that
we now fear death. Almost everyone who has ever lived has feared death. Even
some believers fear death. This is why fear is a world-ruling demon and has
great power. Although its power is an illusion and even death is seen as
nothing when fear is removed.
Fear is so powerful that it causes people to fear God, who is perfect love. This is deception and fear working together. They fear punishment or being cast into hell. Fear of God is based in self-love so we hide from God so self will not be punished. Those that have Gods love welcome punishment because they know God loves them and His punishment is the best thing for them so there is no fear in love.
That is why perfect love cast out fear and when fear
is cast out, death no longer has power over you. Oh death, where is your
victory…where is your sting. Its power was only in fear and fear has only the
power to deceive. Fear and death have no authority over you. True authority is
servant-hood which comes from humility which is almost always birthed in deep
pain and suffering which is allowed by God, in love, to form you into the image
of Christ, who has All power and authority because He is all Love. Perfect Love
casts out fear.
Love
conquers death. God is Love. Isn’t it odd that the modern day church recites Psalm
23 at funerals? Why these silly rituals? Why read this psalm when the person is
already dead? When our Lord confronted death in others, did He read Psalm 23?
No, He cast out death and death had to go. There was no fear in the Lord. He
was Life and perfect Love. Fear was cast out and death had no victory. When
death tried to take our Lord, death was crucified with our Lord. Eternal Life
swallowed up death. I think it’s time to dispense with these silly rituals. Are
you aware that when you start to question any sacred cow, you will be able to
get milk from it. When you actually slaughter the sacred cow, you will be able
to get meat from it.
Although
the light is very small in relation to the shadow they do not fear the shadow
of death as they know that they have already entered into life and a shadow
cannot take that life from them. At times their Lord comes and allows them rest
and comfort for a season but they are always drawn to Gethsemane. It is on that
narrow way that they have learned obedience from their suffering and it is
there in Gethsemane that they yield their own will up to their Lords will. Now
that they have entered in to the fellowship of His sufferings, it is then that
they willfully make their way to Golgotha where they are conformed to His death
(Philippians 3:10).
This is where the narrow way will always lead. This is what your Lord calls you to. Be aware though that on this lifelong journey there are many pathways that lead away from this one path to Gethsemane and Golgotha. There are angels of light (demons) that will always show you a shortcut. They will try to convince you that there is a secret way to God that avoids the cross. Self is very easily distracted and will do anything to avoid the cross. They whisper in your ear that this is not the Lords way, it is to dark and narrow and you are in deception bound by the enemy. God wants you free. They lead you to the broad way and tell you that this is the Lords way. It looks beautiful and its so big and all the Lords people are there and it is so bright in contrast to the darkness you just left, so much that you need to shield your eyes from the light, so they give you veils to put over your face.
Alas, the veils have blinded you to truth and have distorted the image of your Lord. Many, if not all, are easily sidetracked and take one of these shortcuts and soon find themselves on the wide, broad way. When they finally understand the deception that has befallen them, they quickly return to the narrow way. They will not be fooled again. They are even more determined to press on. As they do and they find themselves facing Gethsemane, they realize that even their determination has to be yielded up. It is only by the Grace of God that they are willing and able to enter Gethsemane and Golgotha. There is nothing in themselves that is able. It is only their Lord in them that accomplishes this great test.
Beloved, know that if the Father has not spared His only Son will He not require the same of you? Also know that when you have passed through your own personal Gethsemane and Golgotha, you will know Him and the power of His resurrection (Philippians 3:10).
Dana Leonardi
2012
No comments:
Post a Comment