8 views
Enter through the narrow gate
Obadiah 1:11
On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them.
Brotherly kindness was due from Edom to Israel in the time of need, but instead of showing kindness, the men of Esau joined with Israel's enemies. Special stress in the sentence before us is laid upon the word you, as when Caesar cried to Brutus, "and you, Brutus." A bad action may be all the worse because of the person who has committed it.
When we sin, who are the chosen favorites of heaven, we sin with an emphasis; ours is a crying offense because we are so peculiarly indulged. If an angel should lay his hand upon us when we are doing evil, he need not use any other rebuke than the question, "What, you? What are you doing here?" Having been gloriously forgiven, delivered, instructed, enriched, blessed, do we dare give ourselves to evil? God forbid!
A few minutes of confession may be beneficial to you, gentle reader, this morning. Have you never been like the wicked? At an evening party certain men laughed at uncleanness, and the joke was not altogether offensive to your ear--even you were as one of them. When hard things were spoken concerning the ways of God, you were bashfully silent; and so, to onlookers, you were as one of them. When worldlings were bartering in the market and driving hard bargains, were you not as one of them? When they were pursuing vanity without restraint, were you not as greedy for gain as they were? Could any difference be discerned between you and them? Is there any difference?
Here we come to close quarters. Be honest with your own soul, and make sure that you are a new creature in Christ Jesus; but when this is sure, walk carefully in case anyone should again be able to say, "You also are one of them." You would not desire to share their eternal doom. Why then be like them here? Do not enter into their secret, in case you enter into their ruin. Side with the afflicted people of God, and not with the world.
Luke 22:58
Prayer :
Dear Lord,
thank You for coming into our lives and teaching us what to believe.
While most people walk down the big wide road, I pray that I will choose to walk down the less taken path.
I know it’s a harder path to travel but I believe that it brings ultimate liberation and victory because You have already walked that path before us.
I know the big wide road has no set of sure values, no sense of right and wrong, no need for redemption.
I choose the narrow gate of disciplined, dedicated discipleship, which leads to an abundant life.
Help me to resist the temptation to follow the crowd down a path that ultimately leads to destruction.
In Jesus’ name
Amen!!!
On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them.
Brotherly kindness was due from Edom to Israel in the time of need, but instead of showing kindness, the men of Esau joined with Israel's enemies. Special stress in the sentence before us is laid upon the word you, as when Caesar cried to Brutus, "and you, Brutus." A bad action may be all the worse because of the person who has committed it.
When we sin, who are the chosen favorites of heaven, we sin with an emphasis; ours is a crying offense because we are so peculiarly indulged. If an angel should lay his hand upon us when we are doing evil, he need not use any other rebuke than the question, "What, you? What are you doing here?" Having been gloriously forgiven, delivered, instructed, enriched, blessed, do we dare give ourselves to evil? God forbid!
A few minutes of confession may be beneficial to you, gentle reader, this morning. Have you never been like the wicked? At an evening party certain men laughed at uncleanness, and the joke was not altogether offensive to your ear--even you were as one of them. When hard things were spoken concerning the ways of God, you were bashfully silent; and so, to onlookers, you were as one of them. When worldlings were bartering in the market and driving hard bargains, were you not as one of them? When they were pursuing vanity without restraint, were you not as greedy for gain as they were? Could any difference be discerned between you and them? Is there any difference?
Here we come to close quarters. Be honest with your own soul, and make sure that you are a new creature in Christ Jesus; but when this is sure, walk carefully in case anyone should again be able to say, "You also are one of them." You would not desire to share their eternal doom. Why then be like them here? Do not enter into their secret, in case you enter into their ruin. Side with the afflicted people of God, and not with the world.
Luke 22:58
Prayer :
Dear Lord,
thank You for coming into our lives and teaching us what to believe.
While most people walk down the big wide road, I pray that I will choose to walk down the less taken path.
I know it’s a harder path to travel but I believe that it brings ultimate liberation and victory because You have already walked that path before us.
I know the big wide road has no set of sure values, no sense of right and wrong, no need for redemption.
I choose the narrow gate of disciplined, dedicated discipleship, which leads to an abundant life.
Help me to resist the temptation to follow the crowd down a path that ultimately leads to destruction.
In Jesus’ name
Amen!!!
Related Stories
