Ten Counsels About The Narrow Way
The way of Christ is a Narrow way , and remain a Cross to our fallen nature and we cannot do anything to change the way to anything different from being a narrow way. We can walk on our own ways , or cling to the world with its vain fashion and customs if we like but the road to Christ is still narrow as it was from the beginning. Men may rise and fall, preachers or teachers may change or stand , backsliders may repent or not , Christendom may embrace the cross or not, the world might be worst than Sodom or not , yet the road still remain a Narrow way. We are either walking in it or out of it , yet it is ever Narrow.
We will list here truths about some of the fact a true seeker of Christ must pass through.
1. We cannot live in the opinion of men or our own opinion and still please God . Man approval is not God approval .If we seek the approval of God alone, the acceptance or the rejection from men will not dictate our holy pursuit of Christ, even when the "peters" are denying HIM thrice, before our eyes, we will still be faithful . The witness of God is greater than the witness of men. We should seek the approval of God alone ,for everyman even in his His best state is a vain show. Why do we waist our time in seeking approval from mere men like us who are equally ignorant about many truth and ways of God like ourselves.
If we seek to know God voice more intimately as we wait upon him in prayers and fasting and doing HIS will we will easily discern HIS voice even when he speak to us through a heathen, donkey or a Christian.
2.If we seek God strength to do His will, we will know what is right doctrine, for right doctrine is no other thing, but HIS will. This is how the scripture becomes fulfill in us, as we do His will. Let us not waist our time with those who spend there time and energy searching about heresy while in practical living they are the most heretic people . For Christ told us the false prophet's are known by their fruits not just head doctrine. We can get right head doctrine through information without Christ but we cannot produce kingdom fruits without Christ.
3. God will not give us our daily spiritual bread if we did not hunger for it. If we think we are rich , full and need nothing , then He will never find it necessary to give us our daily spiritual bread, because our souls are not ready for it. It is written " The full soul loatheth an honeycomb ; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet" (Proverbs 27v7).
4. Christ did not overcome the world so that we will not have tribulations in the world , but he overcome the world so that we will have tribulation in the world and overcome them through His might strength in us because it is the same one who overcome the world, who is in us. Christ in us the hope of glory.
"These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace . In the world ye shall have tribulations : but be of good cheer ; I have overcome the world." (John16v33)
5.When we complain and murmur in the afflictions and the tribulations God permits us to pass through, it is a simple fact that we are losing focus of the purpose of the vision of our call in Christ . Like in the case of the Children of Israel our hearts are no longer on Canaan but Egypt. Going back to Egypt is to submit to pharaoh (works of the flesh ) in ease but the road to Canaan is a war against those hidden enemies( self ) of Canaan . When the Love of our old lives resurrect in our afflictions and trials it is then we become tempted to preserve it in Egypt by submitting to pharaoh (self) not to end it on the way to Canaan by walking in the spirit through seeking Christ strength.
We cannot reach Canaan or possess the High calling without perseverance, patience and long suffering , for Canaan is walking in a way and path we know not , and following the spirit of the all knowing God , being contend in the little by and by He will have us know.
6.If we are not rule and control by the spirit of God , we will either be control by our own spirit or the spirit of the wicked one. Many have been destroy by leaning to their own spirits and worst the spirit of the wicked one.We are always in danger when we daily seek not God spirit to control us, through the might working of Christ strength in us. To be control by the spirit.of God, we must also have a willingness to pass no judgment on anyone or any situation until He gives us the Light about those hidden things. Even after this we have no right to pass judgment until He gives us the right to do so.
7.As God does not reveal all our past or present failure to men , so will He at times (not all times ),will not permit us to make and open rebuke or to spread to others the sin's of other men that He had revealed to us. Here we are taught to keep secrets until the final day, when all hidden deed of men will be expose before all men and the Holy angels, for all to see.
Many times Knowing we cannot bear to keep the sins of others within ourselves , he keeps us ignorant about them least we do more harm than good in condemning them rather than seeking there reconciliation with God through repentance. It is always a Lose to heaven and a gain to Hell fire when any soul backslide in sin , so God's heart is always to bring back the backslider and the sinner back to Him through repentance , while there is time.
8.Unless we come to the practical conclusion that left to ourselves we are not different from the worst sinner on earth, it is possible that we did not yet start the journey. Weakness is the nature of man and we are just men but Strength is the nature of God.God first works in revealing us our nature as men before giving us any measure of HIS nature or HIS strength. This is why His power is only manifested in our weakness ,so that when man come to know what He is without Him he might keep humility and give God His due glory.
This is the purpose of the Law, it reveal Man nature but Grace reveals God's nature.
If sinners do not see there own rachetness and how they are daily offending God in there sins they are sure to continue the way they are not knowing the difference between there nature and God nature. This is the Principle God uses in bringing HIS children to perfection. First His inward law reveal that which is not of Him within through temptations, trials and adversity and His grace bring in strength and His nature within.
9. Any good Law the natural man can keep in His own strength is the moral Law of God. It is good and not bad and history have reveal the wrath of God against nations when they trample His moral law and live like demons without any form of restrain. The world will be a far better place if every one is keeping the moral law of God, yet far more precious and will be like heaven , if all are in the new covenant of freedom from the law of sin and death.
Natural unconverted men are to be control by the moral Law of God , yet there is an inward deep Law which no one in His or her natural Strength can keep except when He/ She is in the new covenant of Christ , through the might working of Christ within.
Then why are we easily tempted to complain that what He have permitted us to pass through is more than what we can take. This is because during such periods of trials we easily forget the new covenant is a Covenant we enter with Christ were He becomes our strength , guide and all in all.
The new covenant is the end of man and the coming of a new eternal man within, Christ in us as our strength and weapon against every affliction or works of the enemy. May we be daily wise enough to seek His strength when our natural strength fail us in our trials and adversity .
10. True Christianity is a disadvantage in the world not an advantage , for its peace is not the world peace and cannot have any peace anywhere the power that control the world has its foot. It's love is a witness against the love of the world , for no one can get the true love of God in HIM and love the spirit that control the world but will reprove it. Here is the division , Christ came to bring on earth, it is about flesh and spirit. Let he that readeth understand.
"Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever" (1john 2v15-17). Amen,
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JAMES F JARJOU
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