Discipleship – The Faith Travels

HI Faith Travelers,

As we wrap up the 3rd quarter of the year, I believe the Lord has shifted the topic for this month to stress the importance of walking out this thing called life with Him and choosing Him over the ways of this world.

The scripture, Matthew 7:13-14 states, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it.”

Let’s break this down…

There are 2 gates with 2 pathways, 2 destinations and 2 different groups of people who take them.

Let’s start with the gates and pathways…

The wide gate represents the easy, popular and least resistant approach to life. Because of the gate’s width you can take whatever you want through this gate because you are unrestricted. Its the gate that doesn’t require much growth or dying to your flesh. The gate the doesn’t require you to turn away from sin, come against fear or let go of pride. Its the gate that leads to living for you and only you.

The broad pathway through the wide gate makes this way unconstrained, full of the ways of the world that represent the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. ( See 1 John 2:16) This path is full of the desire for the sinful nature that Jesus Christ died for ( See 1Peter 2:24).

The small narrow gate represents the least popular, difficult and more intentional approach to life. This gate is narrow so you can’t take much with you. You have to shed the things that are not like God. This gate cost…because it requires you to live for something bigger than you. It requires you to live your life as a living sacrifice (See Romans 12:1).

The narrow pathway through the small narrow gate makes traveling this path difficult and full of enduring tests, trials and challenges that direct you to living in a way that is counter to the ways of the world. This way represents loving your neighbors & your enemies, forgiving those who wrong you and laying down idols to worship the true and Living God (See 1 Thessalonians 1:9).

Now lets take a look at the destinations of those gates and pathways…

The wide gate with the broad pathway leads the way to destruction and eternal loss. This represents ruin, spiritual death and a life apart from God (See John 15:5).

The small narrow gate with the narrow pathway, though difficult to travel, leads the way to everlasting life. This represents grace, redemption, abundance (See John 10:10), fulfillment and a forever intimate relationship with God.

Lastly, let’s examine the 2 different groups of people that enter these gates and pathways…

“Many” enter through the wide gate representing the majority of humanity who casually drift from the ways of God to take the easy and comfortable pathway with the crowd on the broad path to do whats popular versus what’s right and true in the eyes of God ( See 1Peter 3:12).

The “Few” who find everlasting life through the small narrow gate are the minority who are genuinely standing in faith, walking in obedience and following Jesus, even when its not popular nor easy (See Luke 9:23 & Mark 8:35).

Now this post is not to condemn anyone but an act of obedience to help open the eyes of understanding of those who don’t know or honestly don’t realize that their life may be drifting towards the wrong pathway.

God’s word in Matthew 20:16 and Matthew 22:14 says, “Many are called but few are chosen.” The Lord calls us all to live the abundant life with Him but few decide to actually choose Him. He doesn’t force us but just like a gentle loving Father, He gives us the option to choose what we want, even though He knows best. That is why He starts off Matthew 7:13-14 giving us the answer to the test before He breaks down the choices. We serve a God who is not slow about His promise, but who is extremely patient with us, not wishing for anyone to perish but for all to come to repentance (See 2Peter 3:9).

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If narrow is The Way then the answer is and will always be “Enter through the narrow gate”.

Until the next Faith Teaching…

To be a part of the movement, share your own faith journey Here!

Planting and Watering for God’s Increase

HI Faith Travelers!

I can recall the time when I would stress myself over wondering if I did what God asked me to do correctly. For instance, when God would lead me to pray for someone, encourage them, share my story or even buy them food, I would sometimes second guess if I did enough. I would think to myself, “Oh no I should have invited them to church, I should have given them my number so I can continue to talk and pray with them or I should have led them through the salvation prayer. I should’ve done more!” I can recall the internal battle I had after giving the loaf of bread to a family God led me to, as written in my blog post on Following the Voice of God. Even then God told me I could have gone to any house and He would have made it well. It was more about my obedience than anything so that He could continue to direct me in similar ways and use me as a vessel for His glory. Well I didn’t understand it then, but when God directs us to minister to someone whether through prayer, encouragement, providing a meal, etc., we don’t have to make sure we do everything in that one moment to disciple them especially if God has given specific instructions on how to minister to that individual. Consider seeing ministering as seed sowing/planting. For example, my encounter with the family I was led to give the loaf of bread to was a seed planted. I didn’t need to worry about not having done anything else during that exchange except what God instructed me to do which was just to provide the bread. That was the seed planted. I don’t know this personally but I trust that God sent someone else to water the seed that I initially planted and from there, God will give the increase and make it grow. This example is found in I Corinthians 3:5-7.

⁵Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? ⁶I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. ⁷So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.
I Corinthians 3:5-7

This scripture shows us that in this biblical scenario, Paul planted, Apollos watered and God gave the increase. So we never have to worry about trying to be a mini Jesus to someone or to a situation because God has already ordered the steps as He draws all men to Him (See John 12:32). Nothing is impossible for God, He can orchestrate a divine encounter that sets a person on the path of salvation and righteousness before they even realize. Just think back in your own lives. The people you ran into who gave you that encouragement in the exact moment you needed it. That person who just so happened to stop for you while you were stranded on the side of the road with a flat tire and before you know it, you two end up attending the same church and growing in God because of a seed they planted and someone else watered.

I can recall a friend from college and “my before living for Christ days” who used to throw these grand parties where I would bring my group of friends to hang out and enjoy. Well as I started truly walking in the things of God our connection phased out. Years later, he contacted me and told me he was struggling with faith and it was causing an issue in his relationship. He said he would watch my Facebook posts and figured I was someone he could talk to about this. God led me to share my testimony with him, sharing the faithfulness of God in my lowest moments of battling an unknown illness. I shared my story, sent a scripture, a local church option and a sermon a few days later and that was the extent of the conversation. He thanked me and told me he would continue to read and study what I shared. Fast forward 5 years to this year, he reached out for a professional contact he and his wife were looking for. I shared my contacts and he proceeded to tell me that I had been an extreme blessing in his life more than I knew. He mentioned how I played a part in getting him over the hurdle when he struggled with faith. He even shared that hearing my testimony gave him the mustard seed of faith that has grown so much that God has him and his wife on a journey doing things they could never have imagined. I recall reading the text and tearing up while thanking God for the reminder of why I continue to live my life for Him.

While I planted seeds into my friend, at some point in those 5 years the seed was watered and God gave the increase and is still increasing him and his family. Well, I also want to add that not only did I plant a seed for my friend but he watered a seed that God planted in me about this very blog of sharing faith to spread faith. Him sharing the impact of me sharing my testimony only gave me the full impacting vision of what God is trying to do through Faith Travels. My prayer is that each blog post and testimony shared is a seed sown on good ground in your hearts, that continues to be watered and cultivated for God to increase. Consider sharing your faith to spread faith, planting and watering seeds one testimony at a time.

To be a part of the movement, share your own faith story Here!

Until the next faith story…