Friendship! - Narrow gate or Wide gate Highway!!
Let's make this very important point clear, There are two distinct paths in this life. In every friendship these paths can be seen. "the path that leads to life and the path that leads to destruction."
Listen to what Jusus said “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. "(Matthew 7:13-14 NIV)
The popular crowd or attractive friend might not be the best option.
Thus, in every friendship you are either being pulled into the narraw gate or away from it into the wide gate.
Do you know your inner circle friends and where they stand in faith? In today's world people seek friendship for many reasons. No matter the reason these two stand out.
Wide gate friendships will never want you to get to know them personally. There are conditions for deeper friendship. The devil's scheme in deceiving, destroying and dragging them into the wide gate. All the flashiness and attractiveness of such friendships lead to death.
Watch out for those friends that always want to fit into the popular crowd. All the friendship lies and promises of discount rates when you join certain clubs. Oh! you will meet people of authority and the upper class. You will have connections and business opportunities etc,... all these are signs to watch for and will lead you into the wide gate.
The narrow gate club is free to get in. It is the way of salvation and there is no salvation without the cross. All we need is repentance at the foot of the cross. God in Christ Jesus has already forgiven us and all we need is to receive the finished works of the cross. It is a done deal with Christ, His yoke is easy.
Once you realize you are an anointed child of the Most High God and work according to his plan and purpose for you, he will open every door that needs open. You won't have to join friendships that lead to destruction. God will bring the right people along your narrow path at every step of the way. You won't try to get to know certain people, they will want to get to know you.
The narrow gate club is free to get in. It is the way of salvation and there is no salvation without the cross. All we need is repentance at the foot of the cross. God in Christ Jesus has already forgiven us and all we need is to receive the finished works of the cross. It is a done deal with Christ, His yoke is easy.
Once you realize you are an anointed child of the Most High God and work according to his plan and purpose for you, he will open every door that needs open. You won't have to join friendships that lead to destruction. God will bring the right people along your narrow path at every step of the way. You won't try to get to know certain people, they will want to get to know you.
Those friends that when you ask them about whom they serve their answer is " my parents are Christians and I grew up in a Christian home and went to a christain school. I go to church every Sunday and support charities. I'm doing really good compared to others." My advice is not to go around blinded. Be on your guard and be watchful!
If you pay close attention they don't go to the root of the question. They go by works, what is attractive to the world. Thier faith is not on Christ but in what they do. Yes, they are not saved by the blood of Christ.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV)
For you to maintain such friendship is detrimental to your enjoying all the blessings available for free in Christ. They may pull you away from your gate. The devils scheme to kill, to steal and destroy you slowly.
Are you standing up for your faith? With all the distractions of this world, most believers are ashamed to witness to the lost.
Standing up for your faith is pulling you further into the narrow gate, making you firm and stronger. This gate comes with lots of trials and testimonies yet, it's victorious.
“So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.”
Mark 10:29-30 NKJV
The Holy Spirit leads and gives us strength to go throught this path. It is worth the trials and gives peace like no other. It may seem rough to the natural man but has present blessings and an eternal glory.
Standing up for your faith means dropping off certain friendships. Note that these friends will stay away from you because light has nothing to do with darkness. The light of Christ shines through you and is what makes you different. They become uncomfortable around you and can't look at you in the eye.
Such friends will say you are judging them. No, you are not. Professing your faith to your friends is standing up for what is true. It is taking your stand and accepting that you are weak but made strong because of he that lives in you, the Holy Spirit.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. (Romans 1:16 NIV)
These friends will either be drawn to your faith or away from it. You will be pulling them into the narrow gate, life eternal.
Wide gate friendships may breakup but you gain a family of believers that help to build you up. Followers of Christ not fans of Christ. Eternal narrow gate friendships.
My prayer for all reading this is that " May the almighty God open your eyes to see the unseen in your friendships. May you stand up for the absolute truth of Christ. May you be able to share your faith with others so that they may be drawn into the narrow gate."
If you are uncertain about where you stand in faith, ask God to reveal himself to you. It is simple, just say "God!! if you truly are who you say you are, then reveal yourself to me. I want to make you my personal God. I want to enter into the narrow gate and be a narrow gate friend."
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