Today's Passage - Matthew 7:13-14

Matthews 7:13-14 "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.     Lord said that the door to eternal life is narrow.  Why is it narrow?  Because if it by our flesh, we will not prefer it.  Jesus says, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.' The road of cross is a road that denies oneself. It feels narrow because if by our own will, none of us is willing to follow. Why does it feel so narrow?  Because people are self-centered, which is the origin of sins.  Had we not followed the Lord, and still lived in the past with ourselves as the center, no matter how wide our road is, it eventually will lead to destruction.  So the Lord says in verse 13, 'wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction'. A man can live according to his flesh, walking down a wide path, a path that look as if everyone can walk down.  However, down this path, the conflicts brought upon by our self-centered behavior will lead us to the road of destruction.        On the contrary, when one walks down on a narrow path, at first he feels that the road is too narrow, because it is painful to abandon his own will.  As he keeps walking, he will find a road that gets wider and wider.  He starts to understand God's will on all things. His inner path gets wider and wider. The road of denying ourselves starts out a road of sacrifice.  But it ends at the road towards glory.   As Lord said, "unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds."  Our Lord has walked on the path that denied Himself, and died for us on the cross.  By His sacrifice, a new and living way opened for us.  He's leading His sons and daughters to enter God's glory. The road of the cross is the road to victory, narrow at first. But it gets wider and wider, brighter and brighter. The road of self-centeredness starts wide but gets narrower and narrower, darker and darker.  We face this choice daily - should I follow the path in my heart, or should I follow the path that denies myself?  We pray that Lord helps us to make the right selection, choose to deny ourselves and walk towards the path to glory. Pray with Pastor Tong Liu   Lord, thank you for sacrificing yourself for us, leading us to a path of glory.  We pray that you help us understand how to deny ourselves in our daily lives, so that we can experience your victory in us.  This road starts out narrow, but you will lead us into a wider and wider path.  May you give us confidence and strength to follow you. Prayer in the victorious name of Jesus Christ, Amen!         Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!