The Narrow Way.

     Jesus makes a sobering statement in Mattthew 7:13,14

    " Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
     "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it."

     Hear what Jesus is saying! The broad way to destruction is full of people! The narrow way to life is only found by a few!
     We live in an age where salvation is "easy". Just say this prayer, come as you are, you do not need to give up anything, God loves you just as you are. People are looking for a Jesus who will give them a wonderful life. They want a Jesus who will make them happy without making them holy.
     The Jesus of the Bible demands a total commitment of all we are. He demands we deny ourselves, and take up our cross, not just once but DAILY, as we follow Him. There is no coming into the kingdom without a thorough repentance. Repentance was the cry of John the Baptist, of Jesus, Paul, Peter. They did not say "Repeat this prayer after me, while every head is bowed, and every eye is closed" They called for repentance, a turning from sin and self, and by faith, surrendering to Christ as Lord.
     There are few who make this commitment. Most want heaven, but have no real desire to live a life sold out to Christ, a life lived for His will, His glory, His kingdom. Most are content to look back at a moment when they said a prayer, exercised some faith, but never exchanged self for Christ. They were never truly regenerated, born again, and made into a new creation.
     What road are you on? Are you satisfied to live a life of sin, never getting victory over temptation, never really changed from how you have always lived? You might have "accepted Christ" but where is the fruit? Or have you been transformed, truly set free, living for the will of God?
     What road are you on?
    

Faith

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

     The word of God is our source of faith. In it we find faith to lean on Christ in any and all situations. We find the faith to come to Him for forgiveness. We find faith to come to Him with our cares and burdens. We find faith for the healing of the body, soul, and spirit. We find faith for the miraculous. We find faith to receive the Holy Spirit in all His fullness. We receive faith to cry out and hold on for revival in a dry and thirsty land.
     Are  you weak? Are you doubting? Are you dry spiritually? Get out your Bible, get on your knees, and come to the source.

God, the Source of Revival.

     Drip down, O heavens, from
       above,
   and let the clouds pour
       down righteousness;
   Let the earth open up and
        salvation bear fruit,
    And righteousness spring up
        with it.
     I, the LORD, have created it.

          Isaiah 45:8 NASB

Achan's Sin.

     The sin of one man caused a whole nation to suffer defeat at the hand of the inhabitants of Ai (see Joshua 7).  Achan took some of the plunder taken at Jericho, and hid it under his tent. He did this in secret. Nobody else knew, not even Joshua.
     God knew, and held the whole nation responsible (verse 11). Because of this, He witheld His favor from them, and allowed them to be defeated (verse 12)! Until Joshua searched out this matter and dealt with it, God would not go with them any longer.
     Likewise, God, through Peter, dealt with Annanias and Sapphira in the early church ( Acts chapter 5), and Paul rebuked the church at Corinth for tolerating, and failing to deal with a member living in open immorality (1 Corinthians 5). Jesus rebuked the church at Thyatira for tolerating a false teacher who led others into sin (Revelation 2:18-29). There were consequences to the sins of a few individuals, that threatened to effect the whole congregation.
     Is it any wonder that there is such a great lack of spiritual power, and the presence of God in the midst of His people today? We live in an age where there is much tolerance of evil, where no one wants to confront someone who is living in gross sin, open rebellion, yet coming together with other believers as if nothing was wrong! You might say "It is none of my buisness what someone else does" but like the army of Israel at the battle of Ai, it affects you in an adverse way! Until sin is dealt with through confession and repentance, the presence and power of God cannot be restored.
     It is time to grieve over the state of things among God's people. It is time to fall on our knees seeking His presence, time to cry out to Him to restore and revive His church, to rise up in the purity and power that come from His presence, secured by His blood, washed over a humble and repentant body of believers ready to stand strong for Him!