Matt. 7:13 You can enter God’s Kingdom ONLY through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is VERY NARROW and the road is DIFFICULT, and only a FEW ever find it.
This is one of those verses that we should all remember and meditate upon all the time. It brings something that the church wants nothing to do with today and that is the FEAR OF THE LORD! God forbid that we repeat the words of Jesus in the sermon on the mount where He makes it plain for everyone that it is a narrow way and it has a narrow gateway.
One of the battles that the church is fighting in futility is to prove to the world that we are not narrow minded. I often say that most accusations made by religious spirits are true and this is proof yet again. When we say that people of any kind that are still wallowing in the mire of sin are going to hell people rant and rave with unrighteous indignation that we dare condemn someone for being on the broad way. The church of today seems paralyzed by the simple accusation that we are narrow minded. This age-old trick of the enemy has worked for thousands of years and why abandon it now when it seems to reak havoc on the church of today?
When I hear that someone has called me narrow minded it strikes me as a compliment. The alternative is to be broadminded which speaks of someone who thoroughly understands the broad way of destruction and remains open to possibilities outside of God’s Word. A broad minded person is not someone who is passionate about the narrow way! James 1:6 says a double-minded person is unstable in ALL their ways.
The narrow gate is the Cross and you cannot bring anything with you through that gate. Sin cannot pass through that gate and neither can a broad mind. A person who is open to other ways to heaven is not a person with revelation of the Cross and the narrow way. A person who believes that despite the obvious fruit of wickedness and evil a person is still eligible for heaven is someone lacking the conviction to travel the narrow way. Those who insist that the love of God is broad enough for homosexuals and atheists are those with no relationship to Jesus and have formed an idol in their minds of who God is.
So, lets quit denying this goofy religious and worldly accusation that we the redeemed of God, washed in His Blood, and obedient to His Word are narrow minded. I say we cant help it! It is a narrow way and it does not befit those with a broad mind. Let the world continue in its deception of being broad minded and let the real church press forward in the narrow way. Remember: the true bride is most single-minded in her pursuit of the heavenly Bridegroom!
The Spirit and the Bride say COME! Rev. 22:17
So good….so true!
This is very good and encouraging. Keep up the great work.
Pastor Joel I just wanted to say that this is real good and challenging. Everything u blog about challenges my walk with God but it always strenghtens me. This blog is so true because people now a days go to church to feel good about their sins, meaning that they sin n they go to church just to feel good and be forgiving. That is definetly not a way to remove ur wicked ways. Pastor Bryan See in Cenrterton, AR says that we think salvation is a fire insurance to heaven. For does that are reading this blog u cannot have a relationship with God and the world. If you still have a worldly mindset pray for mind renewal, dnt be carnaly minded. Pastor Joel thanks for the passion u have for this generation God bless u n b with u.
WOW….so very true Pastor Joel…wow…this one makes ya think!
Amen !! Its a narrow way and yes let the church press forward!! Amen!!!!! :)
I think labeling people in general is probably an age old trick of the enemy; especially when words have different connotations & personal perceptions, it is a good way to create strife & build barriers between the lost souls & the laborers of the harvest. Narrow-minded can mean “rigidly adhering to a particular sect or it’s doctrines”, but to some it just means bigoted. Satan always wants to put us up in arms against each other with whispers suggesting hate so the listener will never hear the message of love & concern for humanity that is so clear from ministry teams who dedicate their time & energy to bringing people to Christ.
All kinds of ideas about semantics could be knocked around here, but I think the heart of the matter might be mind vs spirit. I might be open-minded in some ways, but since born again, if the Bible says it, I believe it. Someone who doesn’t understand or believe in Holy Spirit conviction will see that as unreceptive to new ideas. Someone who hasn’t experienced walking in total peace before stepping a little out of line, and the miserable coldness that follows might say I am simple-minded or any number of things. Let my testimony focus on how I learned fear of the Lord, & if they laugh, let a seed fall from another direction.
The Lord has tweaked my thinking a lot just since Easter, so as I continue to learn to walk in the spirit, I might lose patience with my own opinions & just say Amen. Thank God for mercy, longsuffering, & growth. If I can pull some others who lack desperation along with me on the way, even better.
Thank you Pastor Joel for all of your blogs. I love every one of them. This particular one really spoke to me and encouraged me spiritually to press on no matter what people say about me or who disagrees with me. I don’t know you personally, but I just want to thank you for being true. Thank you.
When I think of being narrow-minded, I think of Anna and Simeon. Simeon – had a burden of God for his people and would not have peace until he saw the birth of thier Savior and a woman Anna who was abandoned (widowed) as a young wife. Both embraced their burden and disappointment and turned to God and were rewarded by seeing Him with their very eyes. Out of all Israel these two were chosen to recognize the baby and were even there at his dedication. What an awesome invitation. The Holy Spirit is the strongest with people who are narrowminded. It is the only way to singleness of mind.
I was shocked and saddened by the man who interrupted your message today at church. I liked that you stopped and had everyone pray for him….surely he needs prayer. I’m glad you have men who watch out for you. I pray for you daily as I’m sure many believers do. I’m curious about that man’s intention. Can you share what you found out?
Thank God for His protection.
Love in Christ,
Mrs. W
AAAAAMEENN!!!!!! Shout out to all the narrow minded peeps all aroud the world from New Mexico!! whoop! whoop! :o) Phil. 3:10
Amen! Love you Pastor Joel
What an awesome revelation! I love it! I am narrow-minded, walking down a narrow-path. Thank you Jesus!
We were engaged in a family discussion about this topic just this past weekend. You have provided clarity that I hope to be able to share the next time we get together. I often tell my children and others about the boldness that you bring forth in your teachings. It is what we need at such a time as this. God bless you, strengthen you, and continue to walk with you daily.
AMEN PASTOR!!!!!!!!
Pastor Joel, I just read your blog, and I do have an honest question about it… Sort of? If I don’t agree with everything that you say, am I still considered a Christian to you? No offense, but I’ve found Bethany to be quite unloving at times. I agree with the words and messages, but sometimes, I just think that maybe it’s too harsh for me. I have another mentor who had told me the same things that bethany has, but in a different way and tone. So, I truly want to know what your opinion is. I am not, by the way, trying to suggest anything… Just curious.
Britt, I’m not gonna “answer for Joel.” I’m just gonna tell you what I know about him and his family. I’ve been going to Bethany since 1993 and Brother Larry has always laid out Truth. He doesn’t water it down or add anything to the Truth. Pastor Joel is a born prophet. Prophets are not kind, nor or they popular, but they get the job done. Go look at Jeremiah, Elijah and several others in the Bible. They were imprisoned and they didn’t budge. Why? Cuz they bring order to the church. They speak hard, tough truth. Personally, it irritates my flesh to hear some of the Truth they speak but you know what? I’m so glad! My flesh will take me to hell. And that’s what these messages carve away at. If we look for kindness and gentleness all the time, that’s not the Kingdom of Heaven. Cuz the Bible says the violent take it by force. I’ve been through enough pain in my life to know that the only way to Heaven is on the warpath. Warring against the devil cuz he’ll come any way he can to tell you the Bible is too harsh or this church is too harsh or that pastor is mean. Don’t give an ear to him. And if this mentor is accomplishing making holiness changes in your life, great. If it brings you closer to the Lord, great. If you always attend where nothing offends you then real changes can’t happen in your life I believe. Cuz the Bible is the Truth that is the Sword that cuts away at offensive flesh. Cuz people will love you straight to hell. Go where radical changes happen to you! Go where you know if you’re in a struggle, someone will talk to you with complete Biblical truth. It’s really not about being comfortable. God never wants us comfortable. He wants us ever reaching, ever growing, ever increasing in our knowledge of Him, letting go more and more of the world’s influence in our lives and Bethany with Pastor Joel and Pastor Larry is where that happens for me. Hope this helps a lil Britt :o)
1 Corinthians 14:27-28 (New International Version)
If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.
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