Blog
The Narrow Path
Friday, July 26, 2024 by Rick Stockwell
The Narrow Path
READ Matthew 7:13-14
“But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
- Matthew 7:14 (NIV)
One morning, I discovered a construction project had blocked my normal running route. Forced to take an alternate path, I came to a fork in the road. If I turned left, I’d have a shorter and easier run home, while if I turned right, I’d have a longer and more challenging run, but would complete my planned mileage for the day. I immediately thought of the passage in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), which illustrates the choice we each have to make about following God. Do we take the easy, broad road of conforming to the world’s standards, leading to eternal separation from God, or do we follow the hard, narrow road of following Jesus without compromise, leading to eternal life with God?
The sobering fact of Matthew 7:14 is that, according to our Lord Jesus Christ, only a few will discover and follow the narrow path. Most people think they’ll get into heaven because of their good works (i.e., if the good things they’ve done outweigh the bad things they’ve done, they’re in). While performing good deeds is an important indicator of where our heart is focused (James 2:18), and Christians will be rewarded for their good works (2 Corinthians 5:10), we can’t earn our way into heaven (Ephesians 2:8-9). Compared to God’s standard of perfect holiness, all our good works are as filthy rags before him (Isaiah 64:6). The only thing that will enable the Christian to enter heaven and stand before God one day is that the perfect righteousness of Christ had been transferred to their account after they had placed their trust in him.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The narrow path isn’t always the easy path
Prayer: Father in heaven, please keep us on the straight and narrow path.
Prayer Focus: RUNNERS
Rick Stockwell
Rick Stockwell is employed as an IT Program Manager. He teaches Sunday school for kindergartners, is an elder at his church, and is the author of two Christian novels: THE WALL and THE BATTLE. He's been married for thirty-four years, and has two children and five grandchildren.
Book link: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07HQ8G3MJ
Previous Posts
Post-Retirement Planning
Rick Stockwell
1/31/2025
Twin Parallel Truths
Rick Stockwell
1/24/2025
I Will Be With You
Rick Stockwell
1/17/2025
Deny by Default
Rick Stockwell
1/10/2025
Living Water
Rick Stockwell
1/3/2025
Marriage Proposal
Rick Stockwell
12/27/2024
What is Truth?
Rick Stockwell
12/20/2024
Success
Rick Stockwell
12/13/2024
Crumbs
Rick Stockwell
12/6/2024
TV Turnoff
Rick Stockwell
11/29/2024
Thanksgiving
Rick Stockwell
11/22/2024
Burning Brightly
Rick Stockwell
11/15/2024
One-Way Mirror
Rick Stockwell
11/8/2024
Time
Rick Stockwell
11/1/2024
My List
Rick Stockwell
10/25/2024
Bronzed
Rick Stockwell
10/18/2024
Anti-malware Software Needed
Rick Stockwell
10/11/2024
A Real Miracle
Rick Stockwell
10/4/2024
Forgotten God
Rick Stockwell
9/27/2024
Version 2.0
Rick Stockwell
9/20/2024
Chasing Shadows
Rick Stockwell
9/13/2024
Red Scribbles
Rick Stockwell
9/6/2024
The One I Esteem
Rick Stockwell
8/30/2024
Swimming Lessons
Rick Stockwell
8/23/2024
Hard Heart
Rick Stockwell
8/16/2024
Racial Healing
Rick Stockwell
8/9/2024
Are you Listening?
Rick Stockwell
8/2/2024
The Narrow Path
Rick Stockwell
7/26/2024
Go Save Someone
Rick Stockwell
7/19/2024
He Knows What You Need
Rick Stockwell
7/12/2024
Bleach
Rick Stockwell
7/5/2024
Firm Foundation
Rick Stockwell
6/30/2024
Impressions
Rick Stockwell
6/21/2024
Running Uphill
Rick Stockwell
6/14/2024
Are We Listening?
Rick Stockwell
3/31/2021
Go Save Someone
Rick Stockwell
3/31/2021
He Knows What You Need
Rick Stockwell
3/31/2021
Firm Foundation
Rick Stockwell
3/31/2021
Bleach
Rick Stockwell
3/31/2021
Impressions
Rick Stockwell
2/15/2018
Running Uphill
Rick Stockwell
11/29/2017
Racial Healing
Rick Stockwell
2/9/2017
Start Each Day With Prayer
Rick Stockwell
5/10/2016