[size=14pt]The narrow Door[/size]

Let us locate the narrow door. The narrow door is all about a covenant that God established between Himself and mankind.

He. 9:15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance — now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

He. 9:16 In the case of a will, [Same Greek word as covenant; also in verse 17] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it,
He. 9:17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living.

Jesus Christ mediated a covenant between God and mankind. Since a covenant or will can only go into effect when the person who made it has died and because God cannot die, God had to represent Himself with His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus died in place of God, so that God’s will for man can go into effect. What are the terms of this covenant between God and mankind?

Jn. 6:28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
Jn. 6:29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
Jn. 6:40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

The terms of the covenant between God and mankind is that everyone who looks to Jesus and believes in him shall become an eternal son of God.

He. 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Lk. 9:23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

First of all, do you believe that this covenant between God and mankind is real? If you believe, then you realize that God has set before you an opportunity to be glorified. In order to attain the glory, you must fix your eyes on Jesus and endure the cross as he did. Well, you will not have to endure the physical cross like he did, but you will surely endure the emotional cross like he did.

Fixing your eyes on Jesus Christ means to seek to live the way Jesus Christ lived and to obey His words. Jesus began his earthly ministry by going to the man of God of his time, John the Baptist, for baptism in water and in the Holy Spirit. You must begin your journey to the kingdom of God exactly the same way: go to a real man of God and get baptized in water and then let the man of God pray the Holy Spirit into you.

Lk. 16:13 “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

Col. 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Col. 3:3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
Col. 3:4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

If you want to seek the kingdom of God, you must kill aspirations for worldly greatness. Consider yourself dead to worldly aspirations. Sometime in 1989, I was a young engineer with a new telecoms company in Lagos, Nigeria. Our MD left the company in the hands of we three young engineers and concentrated his attention on his Estate Surveying company. So, we three young engineers were jostling for prominence. Then I was a member of the Deeper Life Bible Church and Kumuyi was the Pastor of the only Deeper Life church in Lagos then. On a certain day I went for the weekly Bible Study. As Kumuyi was ministering, he suddenly shouted, “Some of you claim to be children of God, but in your offices you struggle for position.” The word struck my heart like an arrow and I immediately repented. My colleagues in the office noticed a sudden change in my attitude and the change became permanent. I now believe that Kumuyi’s word may have saved my life, because struggle for position leads to all sorts of things. That was when I began to practice dying to the ways of this world in order to become a real child of God.

[size=14pt]Win God’s approval[/size]

Make every effort to win God’s approval, that he may admit you into His kingdom. If you seek the world’s approval, you cannot get God’s approval.

Jn. 14:21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”
Jn. 14:23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

1Ti. 2:3 This is good, and pleases God our Saviour,
1Ti. 2:4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

God wants all human beings to know the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Are you participating in getting people to know the truth? That is a very important way to win God’s approval.

Mk. 16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
Mk. 16:18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

It is easy to know if you are progressing towards the kingdom of God. If you are making progress, the signs of Mk.6:17-18 will be visible in your life. In Jn. 14:21,23, Jesus promises anyone who loves him continual presence of God. You know if the presence of God is always with you. If you are making progress towards the kingdom of God, the presence of God will continually be with you. I am a witness.

[size=14pt]Closing of the door[/size]

Re. 12:1 A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.
Re. 12:2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.
Re. 12:5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron sceptre. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.

The sign of Re. 12:1-5 is an astronomical sign that marks the time of the adoption of the sons of God. Modern Astronomy has enabled us to know that the sign of Re. 12:1-2 will occur in the sky on 23rd September, 2017. The sons of God will be adopted in November, 2017; that is when the rapture will take place.

Make every effort to win God’s approval before the door closes.

Bookmarked.




Also
I Thessalonians *

5 For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness.

6 Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober.

7 Those who sleep go to sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night.

8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet that is hope for salvation.

9 For God did not destine us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with him.

11 Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do.

12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who are laboring among you and who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you,

13 and to show esteem for them with special love on account of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

14 We urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, cheer the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient with all.

15 See that no one returns evil for evil; rather, always seek what is good [both] for each other and for all.

16 Rejoice always.

17 Pray without ceasing.

18 In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

19 Do not quench the Spirit.

20 Do not despise prophetic utterances.

21 Test everything; retain what is good.

22 Refrain from every kind of evil.

23 May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it.

25 Brothers, pray for us [too].

yea,I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me