From Eliyahu
Consider this:
Life in the Kingdom is
meaningful, fulfilling and, yes, challenging. It is the narrow way that
leads to eternal life. The broad way: Life dedicated to pursuing selfish
interests of this world, seems appealing, can be fun sometimes, but it is
very deceptive. Yeshua said that broad way "leads to destruction."
Usually when people read what
Messiah said in Scripture about the two ways, they think it is referring to
the afterlife. This is one reason some people, most people, choose the broad
way to destruction. Many of them doubt that there is an afterlife. Others
think that God loves everybody, so no worries. A lot of others just don't
care.
Actually though, Yeshua's
teaching of the two ways originates in the Torah, is clarified in the
Psalms, and is demonstrated in the Prophets. In all of those places the two
ways refers to this life, and only secondarily to the afterlife. In
this sense the narrow way to life is referring to the abundant quality of
life and blessings that come to those who choose to live in Messiah's
Kingdom right now by walking in His way. It is this excellent way
that we are teaching as we delve deeply into Yeshua's words and deeds in the
Gospels.
Yeshua also warn us about
another way, the broad way of this world that most people choose for their
life. He calls it "the broad way that leads to destruction." Is this
'destruction' literal - in this life?
Actually, very often the way of
this world is not the big party some hope for, but is the fast track to
misery, destruction, and death - all too real. Scripture tells us not to
fall in the trap of loving the world:
"Don’t love the world,
neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the
Father’s love isn’t in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of
the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn’t the
Father’s, but is the world’s. The world is passing away with its lusts,
but he who does Elohim’s will remains forever." 1 John
2:15-17
When you set your heart on
acquiring the things of the world, even with the best of intentions in mind,
you have chosen the broad way that leads to destruction. The Father is not
in that choice, according to Scripture. In affluent countries such as the
USA many people start out thinking they are going to 'live their dream.'
Some attain what they are after, but only after sacrificing a great deal of
far greater value to get it. Many people start out with high hopes on the
world's road, only to end up disillusioned, suffering loss, and feeling
depressed.
According to the CDC, 15,000,000
physician office visits occur each year with depressive disorders as the
primary diagnosis. This number probably does not include most of the people
addicted to drugs or alcohol, since they are usually using their substance
abuse to cope.
Substance abuse is a deadly path
to take. In fact, CDC researchers found a staggering 110,236 people
died by overdose in the single 12-month period of 2022, a stunning new
record. Further, people suffering from depression have approximately a 10%
lifetime suicide risk. When combined with substance abuse, the suicide risk
rises to about 25%. |
 
Realize, a person can endure a
lot of turmoil, trauma, and destruction in their life without ever turning
to suicide. By definition suicide is the last resort. When a person gets to
the point that they hate their life so much that they want to end it, that
is beyond sad - it is tragic. This should never, or almost never, happen. In
the USA today this is happening with staggering frequency, as the latest
numbers confirm.
Yes, many millions of deaths by
things like substance abuse and suicide are horrible, probably the worst
case scenario to prove that the broad way of this world leads to
destruction. However, look at all we have left out of the discussion. Broken
homes, domestic violence and abuse, homelessness, the many diseases caused
by risky behaviors and vices, not to mention things like wars, pestilence
and famine, violent crime, and much more - all man-made afflictions. Don't
be fooled. The world's way IS the broad way to destruction, just as the
Proverb says:
"There is a way which
seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs
14:12
Compare that headstrong
insistence to go one's own way, with this observation:
"The way of a fool is
right in his own eyes, but he who is wise listens to counsel." Proverbs
12:15
The Son of God came to earth to
bring counsel to the wise (see Lk 1:17). In the sermon on the mount He tells
us about the way of life that most people never find - only the truly wise
ever find it. It is the way to a quality of life that cannot be obtained by
any other path. It is not popular, because it demands qualities of character
that most people never develop. In fact, those very qualities are scorned by
the world. Most people would rather go after what they want, with little to
no thought about what their Heavenly Father wants for them. Yeshua's narrow
way requires exactly the opposite attitude - an attitude of giving up your
own life to live the life He has planned for you. Who is going to do that!
"Few" He says, and few it is.
To those few who actually find
the narrow way, a whole new domain opens up. Yes, they still walk on the
same ground the world walks on, complete with its troubles. Yet, before them
an entire Kingdom presents itself, which surrounds them, and is in them,
everywhere they go, in everything they do. It is a Kingdom filled with the
Life of the Son of God, Divine Life, now their life.
This is the Life of Yeshua's
Narrow Way. Are you one of the wise? Ask, Seek, Knock, and it
will be opened to you. Join us for our live-stream broadcast tonight,
August
8, at Tsiyon.Net
at 8 PM, Central, for Life in the Kingdom.
In His Name,
Eliyahu
Tsiyon.Org
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