Category Archives: Gospel Evangelism

Beautiful Heaven: Shocking Description of God’s Kingdom!

Posted by Oct 2, 2016 Holy Word, Church, Gospel Evangelism 8 Comments
Beautiful Heaven: Shocking Description of God’s Kingdom!

The Lord promised to give every obedient Christian an eternity in His beautiful Heaven. The following questions might be bothering your heart; how does Heaven look like…? Who can describe the kingdom of God…?

This article unveiled the answers to these questions, and you will enjoy more scriptural description of the beautiful Heaven.

I ‘stand on the Rock’ to be a living witness of the genuineness of Heaven. I am privileged to see a glimpse of the kingdom of God some years ago. The breath in God’s beautiful Heaven is peace. Comparatively, the oxygen we breathe on earth is like pumping heavy stones through our nostrils.

All the roads to the mansions I saw were purely gold. There are no words to describe the beauty of heaven. I saw various species of beautiful flowers planted around the golden mansions.

There is no noise pollution in Heaven. Rather, sonorous music that is more classical and melodious than what any musician on earth can perform filled the peaceful atmosphere.

My friend, every trial, suffering or persecution you are going through for the sake of gaining Heaven is worthwhile.

Description of the Beautiful Heaven

1. There are beautiful mansions in Heaven.

Jesus says: “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you”. (John 14:2)

2. God is the One and only King in Heaven.

Revelation chapter 4 verses 2 and 3 say: “Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a Sardinia stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.”

3. Constant worship of God takes place.

Revelation chapter 4 verse 8 to 10 say: “And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”… The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever.”

4. The beautiful heaven lacks sorrow and death.

Revelation chapter 21 verse 4 says: “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

5. Unlike hell, there is nothing like hunger or thirst in heaven.

Revelation chapter 21 verses 6 say: “…I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. Revelation chapter 22 verses 1 say: “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.”

6. The structures of the new heavens are carefully designed.

Revelation chapter 21 verse 18 to 21: “The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones:

the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.

7. I’m sorry; the church you attend cannot be found in heaven. But, the presence of the Lord will be your worship center in heaven.

Revelation chapter 21 verses 22 say: “But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.”

8. No power failure and no climatic predicament.

Revelation chapter 22 verse 5 say: “There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.”

9. The beautiful heaven has the best security measures.

Revelation chapter 21 verses 27 say: “But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”

10. The awesome tree of life is available for you in the beautiful kingdom of God.

Revelation chapter 22 verses 2 say: “In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

11. Christians who inherit the beautiful Heaven will see His face.

Revelation chapter 22 verses 4 say: “They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.”

12. Your beautiful robe in heaven would be white and not black!

Revelation chapter 7 verse 13 and 14 say: “Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you know.”

So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

13. Everyone that enters the beautiful heaven shall go through a transformation and naming ceremony.

Revelation chapter 3 verses 12 say: “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.”

 

The beautiful Heaven is real. It is a wonderful place to spend your eternity. Heaven is meant for the righteous. For instance, Enoch walked with God, and he went up to heaven (Hebrew 11:5). Elijah served the Lord, and he swung up to heaven (2 King 2:11). Jesus rose from the death, and He rose up to heaven (Mark 16:19). So, heaven is real.

Live a righteous life in Jesus Christ and you won’t miss the beautiful heaven.

Test from God: What is the Significance of Spiritual Trial?

Posted by Sep 22, 2016 Holy Word, Gospel Evangelism 1 Comment
Test from God: What is the Significance of Spiritual Trial?

It is inevitable that every Christian must go through the test from the Lord. Our God is merciful and He loves us. Every test from the Lord is for us to know the status of our strength in Him. Test is a reflecting mirror which shows your true stand in God.

I remembered the story of Lisa Ross. In a matter of days her comfortable world was shaken and she referred to the situation as a faith test; Her husband had a car accident; she was diagnosed with a terrible disease after spending more than six hours in the emergency room; a water pipe under their drive way burst to the tune of thousands of dollars and her future daughter-in-law miscarried a baby she desperately wanted.

Lisa went through hard times, but she did not forsake God. She considered the unwanted circumstances as a test of her faith.

I’ll take you through the scriptures for a full understanding of this topic, and I am sure you won’t be scared of God’s test at the end of the day.

Is the Test from God the same as Temptation?

There are differences between test and temptation. Test reveals how faithful you are to the Lord, while the motive of temptation is to knock you away from God’s salvation. God does not tempt His people, but the devil is the author of temptation.

James chapter 1 verse 13 says: “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.” This passage warned us not to mingle trial and temptation.

For instance, Clement was tempted to gamble, and he was ambitious to get quick riches. He fell into the trap and he lost all his money. At that point of his life, it is wrong for him to say: “God tested me”. His overzealous ambition to become rich put him into poverty.

The test approved by God keeps you strong in Jesus Christ. This is similar to the test your teachers conducted for you in school. The test is not meant to expel you from school, but to help you know how much of the teachers’ impartation you received.

Holy Spirit is your Great Teacher. So, He allows some good or difficult situations to happen to you as a form of test. The result of such test will let you know how much of the spiritual impartation you received from the Holy Spirit. If your test score is low, then you have the second chance to upgrade yourself in His grace and power.

But, temptation from the devil does not have the facilities for a second chance. The devil tempts us with the motive to steal our joy of salvation, and to oppress our faith in Jesus Christ. John chapter 10 verses 10 say: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

You have a reward for every test you pass, while temptation has destruction for his victims.

Right Perception of Spiritual Test

Many people thought that the spiritual test refers to the hard times and terrible circumstances of life only. That is not true!

  • Your good condition in life can also be a test for you.

For instance, the man with one talent in the parable of Jesus was richer than people who had nothing. But, he failed the spiritual test, because he refused to invest the wealth. (Matthew 25:24-28)

The Israelite were also tested in their abundance (Deuteronomy chapter 8).

For instance, the United States was a God-fearing country when the civilization, modernization and economy were not as developed as today. Presently, the rebellious lifestyle and the sodomy in the land are terrible. U.S is going through a trying period…

  • Another form of test from God is non-interference to the environmental factors.

Such as; famine, poor economic policy of the government, demoralized society and so on.

God chose not to interfere in all these situations to show you how strong or weak you influenced your life and the society with the word of God. For example; Isaac passed the test from the Lord and his obedience made him and his country rich in the midst of famine. (Genesis 26: 1-12)

  • God does not bring evil on innocent people, but He may allow temporal hardship for assessment.

The Lord will restore you after every test you go through. A practical example is the case of Job. Job chapter 42 verses 10 to 16 say: “And the LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before…”

Seven Advantages of Christian Test

1. It helps you to measure your level of faith.

2. Spiritual test strengthens your ability of perseverance.

3. Your spiritual growth increases.

4. It draws you closer to the Lord.

5. Trials strengthen your relationship with the Lord.

6. Test discloses your true identity (either as; church goer, lukewarm Christian, or genuine Christian).

7. Spiritual test reveals your level of obedience to the teachings of the Lord.

 

5 Rewards for Passing the Christian Test

1. You will receive the crown of glory. (James 1:12)

2. The Lord will honor you; Abraham passed his test and he received a big award. (Hebrew 11:17)

3. The Lord will make you exceptional – David enrolled for God’s test and he passed, the Lord declared him as someone after His heart. (Psalm 26:2)

Jesus passed the test at the mount Olive and the Lord declared His Name as the Savior (Philippians 2:8-11)

4. Restoration (Job 42:10-16)

5. You’ll Gain Heaven – You will become an heir in God’s kingdom when you pass the test from God. Revelation chapter 3 verse 5 says: “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”

 

Whatever condition of life you are going through now, either hard times or comfort zone, live your life according to the standard of the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord is your Teacher, and He will test you when the need arises. And you will pass the test if your lifestyle sticks to the obedience of the Lord’s instructions in the Bible. Stay fit in Christ!

Crown: The Golden Reward for Christians

Posted by Sep 10, 2016 Holy Word, Church, Gospel Evangelism 2 Comments
Crown: The Golden Reward for Christians

Crown is an object of honor and authority. The faithful children of God who did not misuse the grace of God would receive eternal crowns in Heaven. The golden crowns are designed for Christians who obey the rules of God.

Golden crowns await the genuine Christians in heaven. Thus, all your commitment to godliness is not a waste of time and effort.

I am confident to share this message with you, because I enjoyed the privilege to see the beauty of heaven.

Is Crown available in Heaven?

Don’t doubt this wonderful gift in Heaven. God is not a man that He should lie… The Lord revealed various visions to John as regard this topic. Revelation chapter 4 verse 4 says: “Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.”

I am also a living witness by the grace of God to tell the world about the availability of crowns in Heaven. The Lord revealed a vision to me thirteen years ago. I saw a golden crown descended on the shoulder of the Great Judge, and He declared Jesus and His followers victorious while the devil and his followers were condemned to lake of fire.

I did not see a golden crown on devil and his followers; rather I saw a golden handcuff on them, which signifies a ‘pure’ judgment.

Golden Crown as Christian Inheritance

Golden crown is your reserved inheritance in heaven as explained in the book of First Peter chapter 1 verse 3 to 5: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Did your faithfulness to God results to a crown of tears today? I have good news for you. You will wear the crown of Joy when you get to heaven. Revelation chapter 21 verse 4 says: “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Crowns of this world include; fame, awards, wealth, big cars and houses, luxury and so on. All these earthly honors and authorities are temporal and will fade away soon.

But, the crowns in heaven have features such as; holiness, love, righteousness and obedience. The crowns in heaven are not comparable to the crowns on earth, because heavenly crowns are eternal. First Peter chapter 5 verse 4 says: “…and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.”

It is wise to spend all your energy on the things that yield beautiful reward in Heaven. Jesus says: “And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with your entire mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment.”

The crowns in heaven are part of the treasures awaiting Christians in heaven. So, Jesus Christ advised us to focus on how to secure the crowns in heaven. And He discouraged His followers from spending their strength on worldly gains.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for your treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew chapter 6 verse 19 to 21)

5 Things to Do Before Receiving the Crown

  1. Run the Race of Faith

It is impossible for unbelievers to get the crown in heaven, except they give their lives to Jesus Christ. Don’t fold your arms when you stand in Christ. The rewards in heaven is not automatic, you must play your role of obedience to the instruction of Jesus Christ.

Fill your spirit with the word of God always, so that you can stay strong in the race to heaven. You must rebuke spiritual laziness, because no one (not even your pastor) can earn the golden crown on your behalf.

Paul advised a smart race in first Corinthians chapter 9 verse 24: “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.”

  1. Fight a Good Fight

Am not talking about boxing tournament, neither do I refer to the act of terrorism. The Christian fight refers to your act of patriotism in Jesus Christ. It reveals your status of godliness in every position you find yourself. So, don’t entertain unrighteousness. Jesus says: “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matthew 11:12)

Ephesians chapter 6 verses 11 to 13 say: “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

The golden crown is for everyone that fights and wins the battle through the use of Power and the Grace of God. The Christian fight implies rejection of any enticing temptation from the devil. Always use the word of God to tackle any spiritual warfare from your enemies. Paul said: “Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air…” (1Corinthians 9:26b)

  1. Discipline your Body

Don’t satisfy all the cravings of your body without screening them with the word of God. Paul said: “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.’’ (1 Corinthian 9:27).

For instance, when your mouth feels like eating the whole food varieties in an eatery, stop the cravings of gluttony and remind your sense of taste the warning in Proverbs chapter 23 verse 21: “For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.”

When your eyes are interested in watching the half nakedness of the women on the street, turn your eyes away and remind your eyes the warning of Jesus in Matthew chapter 18 verses 9: “And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.”

  1. Endurance

Listen! If you are going through hard times, because you are faithful to God in all your dealings at home, office, market, church or in the society. I have good news for you; Jesus is watching you and He will reward you accordingly!!

Jesus knew you would suffer persecution, but He promised to give you a crown of Life.

Revelation chapter 2 verse 10 says: “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Don’t get discouraged from doing things in a godly way, because the suffering on earth and the Crown of Glory in heaven is incomparable. James chapter 1 verse 12 says: “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

  1. Consistent Obedience

Let the truth abides in you always, and live a righteous life. You can’t break the rules and expect God to give you the crown of Eternal life. The grace and salvation of Jesus Christ do not give you the access to take His rules for granted.

First John chapter 2 verse 24 to 26 says: “Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He has promised us–eternal life. These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.”

The proclamation of Christianity is not an automatic ticket to receive the golden crown. So, consistent obedience to the word of God is a key factor to the reward of the golden crown. Hebrew chapter 12 verse 14 says: “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord…”

 

The spirit of Understanding made it clear to me that the golden crown is set aside for you as soon as you start a lifestyle controlled by the fear of God. So, intensify the practice of holiness according to the grace of God; love God with all your heart; and give to the poor.

When you hold fast to these practices, then the devil cannot snatch your glorious crown from you. The LORD says: “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” (Revelation 3:10-11)

Law of Jesus versus Law of Moses 1

Posted by Aug 10, 2016 Holy Word, Church, Gospel Evangelism Leave a Comment
Law of Jesus versus Law of Moses 1

Law of Jesus and Law of Moses originated from the same Legislative Office. But, the law of Jesus is an updated version of the Mosaic Law.

I heard preachers in the church and on media preaching to me that I am no more under the law. I got confused because if I’m no more under the law that says: “Thou shall not steal”, then do I have the liberty to steal from the church’s offering box?

During my personal Bible study today, I asked the Holy Spirit if Christians are under the law. If yes; which of the laws applies to us?

This article will open your mind to understand the issue of “under the law” which had raised a lot of controversy in the Christendom.

I read Matthew chapter 5 and spent more than 40 minutes to understand the true interpretation of verse 17 to 20. The Holy Spirit is my Interpreter.

Jesus says: “Don’t misunderstand why I come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them. I assure you, until heaven and earth disappear, even the smallest details of God’s law will remain until the purpose is achieved.

So, if you break the smallest commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be the least in the kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s law and teaches them will be great in the kingdom of Heaven.

But I warn you – unless you obey God better than the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees do, you can’t enter the kingdom of heaven at all!”

This topic can’t be explicit without the definition of ‘Law of Moses’, ‘Writings of the Prophets’ and the ‘Fulfillment of Jesus Christ’.

What is the Law of Moses?     

The Law of Moses usually refers to the basic commandments of God-given to His children through Moses. The first comprehensive Law is called the 10 commandments. Other laws are derivatives of these Ten Commandments.

“And God spoke all these words, saying: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. “You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.

For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.

For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.

“You shall not murder. “You shall not commit adultery. “You shall not steal. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” (Exodus 20:1-17)

Other laws were recorded in the book of Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

The Law of Moses can be grouped as:

  1. Religious law: which include; worship law, sacrificial law, ceremonial law
  2. Moral law
  3. Administrative law

What is the ‘Writings of the Prophets’?

This refers to the prophecy of the first coming of the Messiah:

  • Prophet Isaiah prophesied: “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

 

  • Prophet Zechariah prophesied: “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.” (Zechariah 12:10)

 

  • Prophet Malachi prophesied: “Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 3:1)

How did Jesus fulfill the Law?

The sacrificial law/religious law was the major law fulfilled by Jesus on the Cross. No more slaughter of sheep to cleanse our sins because the blood of Jesus on the Cross had delivered us from the bondage of sin.

Revelation chapter 1 verse 5 says: “and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.”

So, Christians are no more under the religious law of sacrifices. Ephesians chapter 5 verses 2 say: “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”

Are You Under the Law?

I won’t be shocked if this topic is not acceptable by the majority! I realized that a typical human being does not want to be under any law.

For instance, Adam and Eve were only given a single law and they could not stick to it. “…but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die…

So, when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” (Genesis chapter 3)

Also, the Israelite disobeyed God’s law while the Pharisees and teachers of law twisted the commandments for their selfish interest.

Jesus says in Matthew chapter 5 verses 19: “Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

So, the “rule breakers” shall not be recognized in Heaven (least). Only the obedient children of God would be recognized in Heaven (Great). Thus, Christians are not lawless entity. Yes! We are not under the bondage of sin, but we don’t have the liberty to behave anyhow.

Beware of false teachers or pastors who present the Grace of Jesus to you as a license of liberty to break the essential laws!

Jesus did not give us the impression that we have no law to obey. The second part of this article will show the law of Jesus and its importance to the children of God.

Narrow Gate: Is the Way to Heaven a Rough One?

Posted by Jul 31, 2016 Holy Word, Church, Gospel Evangelism Leave a Comment
Narrow Gate: Is the Way to Heaven a Rough One?

Jesus Christ used the word ‘narrow gate’ to describe the ‘tough’ process involved in staying fit on the track to Heaven. 

When One of the faithful followers of Jesus compared the popular lifestyles of people to the teachings of Jesus Christ, he asked Jesus: “Lord, are there few who are saved?” Jesus was not surprised about the question and He replied: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you will seek to enter and will not be able”. (Luke 13:23-24)

Is the Narrow Gate an Easy Task?

The message on many pulpits contradicts Jesus’ response in Luke chapter 13 verses 24. Some preachers made statements such as: “You have nothing to do once you give your life to Jesus”; “Your heaven is secured no matter what you do”; “You are under the dispensation of grace, so you have the liberty to do anything you like”…

All these and other similar quotes are ‘pleasing messages’ from the false preachers. The misconception of Paul’s statements is their references. Please test all preaching with the Word of Jesus, so that you won’t be carried away by the fake news about Heaven.

Jesus Christ did not give us the impression that the narrow gate to heaven is easy and He did not tell us that our journey to Heaven is free of hard times. Narrow gate means discipline, endurance, steadfast and denying yourself the pleasure of this world.

What did Jesus Mean by the Narrow Gate?

Jesus said: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate…” The word strive means; to try to achieve a result; to make a strenuous effort; to try earnestly and persistently.

The gate is narrow because it’s holy features are unpopular and not generally acceptable by the people.. The other gate that leads to destruction is wide because it’s sinful features are attractive and many people enjoy it so much.

GOD oversees the narrow gate while the Devil controls the wide gate.

Jesus gave an advice to us in the book of Matthew chapter 7 verse 13: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it”.

The narrow gate is a symbol of Uniqueness, Exceptional Quality and Premium!!

Prophecy of the Narrow Road

God is so powerful in His Majesty and He knows the end from the beginning. The Lord had prophesied in the book of Matthew chapter 7 verse 14 that narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. The present situation of this generation tends towards the fulfilment of this prophecy.

As of 2010, Christianity had an estimated population of 2.2 billion adherents, which was nearly 31% of the 6.9 billion people on earth (according to Pew report). And the future predictions are not encouraging.

If the human counting (31%) is so low, I wonder what the LORD’s figure would be in the Book of Life…

Many people will go to heaven, but if the figure is compared to the total number of human beings on earth, the outcome is few.

So, the word ‘few’ mentioned by Jesus did not contradict the description of John in Revelation chapter 7 verse 9 to 10: “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Few people will pass through the narrow gate because a lot of people are not ready to pay the price of discipleship.

The Trend of Narrow Gate

The trend of few people surviving through the narrow gate started in the generation of Noah. After Noah preached for 120 years, only 8 people passed through the narrow gate.

The Lord said to Noah: “And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark-you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.”

The generation of Sodom and Gomorrah would have survived the fire if they obeyed the late night warning of Lot, but only a few survived the hot judgment.

Genesis chapter 19: “…So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Get up, get out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city! But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking. When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, “Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city… Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens.”

It was only 2 men of Moses’ generation that entered the promised land because majority practiced rebellious lifestyles.

Numbers chapter 32 verse 10 to 12 says: “So the LORD’S anger was aroused on that day, and He swore an oath, saying, ‘Surely none of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and above, shall see the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they have not wholly followed Me, ‘except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the LORD.’”

Thus, we must not take the love of God for granted. Jesus loves us, and He does not want us to perish. The only way to enjoy His love is for you to obey His instructions and walk through the narrow gate. God’s love for you does not allow disobedience or rebellious acts.

How to Strive your Way to Heaven

1. Give your Body, Soul and Spirit to the LORD

You cannot achieve the outcome of gaining heaven without the Power and Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. John chapter 14 verse 6 says: “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

2. Get the Road Map

The Holy Bible is the only authentic map you need for a successful trip to heaven. It is wise you test every word you hear with the Bible.

The common error I noticed in our generation is less zeal for personal Bible Study. Some Pastors won’t preach on the narrow gate because it is not an interesting topic that makes people laugh in the church.

Don’t hesitate to obey the word of God when situation is bearable or unbearable.

3. Be Focused on the Narrow Gate

There are lots of distractions out there. Distractions can steal your precious time for prayers and personal Bible studies. Examples of distractions are; parties, movies, video games, social media etc.

4. Love Endurance

The acceptance of Jesus Christ into your life does not imply a challenge-free life. So, you don’t have the freedom to live a careless lifestyle, but endure every trial that comes your way. Don’t give excuses for stumbling into temptations. It’s good you always seek God’s Power to overcome sin and He will give you.

Thus, don’t look for “better life” through the Broadway. The end of such “better life” is destruction. Always remember the promise of Jesus in John chapter 16 verses 33: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

5. Be a Faithful Follower

Your work on the route to the narrow gate is to love God than all the things of this world. Luke chapter 9 verse 23 to 25 says: “Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?”  

 

God cannot force you to do the right things, but spend all your power of choice to follow Jesus on the path of the narrow gate that leads to Heaven.