Traveling with Jesus will take us through a narrow gate to a narrow path. Truth of the Spirit with Patti Brunner presents words of the Lord from Sacred Scripture and personal revelation (shared with discernment) like a GPS to guide us on episode TOS190, Is There a GPS for the Narrow Path of Jesus? To watch or listen to this episode or to read the blog please continue reading.
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A GPS is a Global Positioning System that provides accurate worldwide navigation. In the famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave us some very specific GPS guidance in living our lives by following Him. Since we have been given the gift of free will He also pointed out the alternative route that many choose. Matthew recorded it in Chapter7 verse “13 ‘The gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. 14For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” When we hear these words perhaps we think, “Doesn’t Jesus want everyone to go to heaven? Why doesn’t he give everyone an easy road to follow? How long can we take the easy road before we need to recalculate our journey?”
Welcome to Truth of the Spirit and “Is There a GPS for the Narrow Path of Jesus?” I’m your host, Patti Brunner. Is it time to “recalculate” your journey? If we consider the concept of time versus eternity, there is so little “time” to use our talents, to live the Beatitudes, and to choose the narrow path. The journey of life is unique for each of God’s children and the children of the world. God has given us the scriptures to use as a ‘road map’. Today I will use public and [private] personal revelation from the Lord like a GPS that can explain the facets, the points of interest, and the necessary rest stops along the way where we pause for nourishment or to ‘fill the tank’ or to replace what has broken.
Recently, I felt that I was dragging an anchor that seemed to constantly hang up. If you have ever gone boating or fishing, you can understand how that feels. The tempter kept telling me to just cut it loose and hop over to the wide channel of open water without looking back! But the Lord, in his kindness, reminded me to pray. As the struggle continued, the Lord, in his generosity, reminded me to offer thanksgiving for the struggle. I realized that a benefit would come as I remained on the narrow path.
I then found this word from the Lord in my book Advent Pearls that really encouraged me to stay true to the Lord’s Way. It is a word for you today! The Lord says to you and to me, “My child, come before the Lord in all things. My blessings await you. I await to shower you with Grace.” The Lord said, “In thanksgiving, you will know Me and my generosity. Continue to look for the path I have laid for you. I will not allow others to defeat my purpose. The path has many twists and turns and joyful, delightful surprises. I place within your heart my love for safekeeping: My love that is to be shared with all mankind.” The Lord says, “Dearest child, continue to seek my face—you will see Me. Continue to walk towards my Light—it will engulf you. Continue to love my people. My love will magnify within you and provide all that you need.” There is an old song that says, “All you need is Love.” The Lord says, “Love has created the world. Love has created Man. Love has provided the Savior. Love will bring mankind back into the Kingdom of God.” The Lord says, “The hard times will not affect those who trust Me. This world, as you know it, may pass away but my kingdom will never pass away.” The Lord says, “Step with Me, child. Come into the Water of Life. Come into the Glory of my Grace. Each man may accept or reject Me. Each man, woman and child may choose Christ and Christ will come into their hearts. I have opened the gates to the flow of Grace. It is for an anointed time only.” The Lord says, “Open the hearts of my people so that they may be filled with the Grace of everlasting life in my Kingdom. The time is near for all to hear my voice within their hearts. Listen, my people! Open you ears! Listen to my Voice. The Lord says, I have come into the world to share the Good News. Listen and be saved.” Jesus says, “Respond and enter into my Kingdom and sit at the right hand of the Father with Me. You, too, are sons of God. ‘Our Father Who Art in Heaven’ has adopted the children who will come to him in baptism. Rinse the world from your lives. Stand in the light. Desire my love and compassion and mercy—and it is yours.” The Lord says, “I give it. I give it. I give and continue to give. Will you not accept my gifts?” Hearing these words it is easy to respond with Psalm #119: Verse 105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” NRSV
The Holy Spirit inspired the writer of the Book of Hebrews to remind us that the Lord still has the best for us even when the narrow road is really tough. When the Lord chooses a difficult path for you, it will have a special benefit. Hebrews Chapter 12:5 says, “You have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children—‘My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, or lose heart when you are punished by him; 6 for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts.’ 7 Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? 8If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. 9 Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. 11 Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.” NRSV
What if the road you are taking is not the one chosen by the Lord? The Old Testament Book of Proverbs Chapter 4 warns us, “14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evildoers. 15 Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. 16 For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. 18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. 19 The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what they stumble over. … 24 Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. 25 Let your eyes look directly forwards, and your gaze be straight before you. 26 Keep straight the path of your feet, and all your ways will be sure. 27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.” NRSV
Last month I attended a retreat for the Arkansas Charismatic Conference team. One of my favorite parts was the prophetic prayer session by the team including 3 priests. One of the visions they had for me was a wall on one side and a cliff on the other, with me on a narrow path like a mountain goat trail with my angel leading the way. This excited me because that’s one path I know I can follow! The Prophet Isaiah Chapter 35:8 says,“8 A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way;the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God’s people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray.” “9b the redeemed shall walk there.” [NRSV]
Remember your Guardian Angel travels this road with you. The Lord says, “There are many crossroads that can either be a distraction or a super highway that makes the journey easier. At times you will not travel in comfort. These times allow you to remove the burdens of sinful habits, hurtful memories, and wrong thinking in order to purify and better prepare. Even when the journey involves suffering, this can provide a clearance of the road’s obstacles.”
The Lord constantly is breaking the barriers that cause us to stumble. So why do we continue to stumble? Crooked paths can appear even after Jesus makes the path smooth. This is evident in the Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 : when a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, 7was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God. 8But the magician … opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9But Saul, also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10and said, ‘You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?” NRSV At these times we are called to pray Psalm #5:8 “Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.”
Proverbs Chapter 3 says, “3 Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them round your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favour and good repute in the sight of God and of people. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.” NRSV
The Lord says, “My Child, I keep the truth burning brightly for all those who seek the truth with justice and love. My righteousness sets before you as a beacon in rocky waters. The beacon sets a warning but my goodness shines upon a narrow path to eternal joy of heaven where the glory of God is revealed in its fullness and when the final glory will be revealed to the faithful. The Lord says, “My child, look not upon the false gods of this world. Do not let them beckon to you. Keep my Word forever on your lips and lift your voice in praise and honor of your King and savior Lord Jesus the Christ true God and true man. He will lead you home and provide for all of your needs.”
It’s easy to blame the devil for everything. It’s easy to blame others for everything, and to think that traveling in the vicinity of Jesus is the same as traveling beside him. Jesus told us in the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 7: 21-23 “21 ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?” 23Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.” NRSV
In the Gospel of Luke Chapter 6, Jesus explains,“41Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? … 45The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks. 46 Why do you call me “Lord, Lord”, and do not do what I tell you? 47 I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. 48That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, immediately, it fell, and great was the ruin of that house.”
The Lord says, “Each day, through free will, you may accept or deny Me a hundred different ways. My grace is sufficient for the narrow path, yet many fail to remain true to course. I call to them; they respond and fullness of life is restored through the forgiveness of sin.” The Lord says, “My child, the decision to follow Christ has always been yours.”
In the Gospel of Luke Chapter 13: “22 Jesus went through one town and village after another, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23Someone asked him, ‘Lord, will only a few be saved?’ He said to them, 24‘Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. 25When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, “Lord, open to us”, then in reply he will say to you, “I do not know where you come from.” 26Then you will begin to say, “We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.” 27But he will say, “I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!”” NRSV
Are there times you too wonder, ‘Lord, will I be saved?’ Jesus answers you in the Gospel of John Chapter 14:6 “‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4And you know the way to the place where I am going.’ 5Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ 6Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’” NRSV
The Lord says, “Enter into the narrow gate.” The door is opened by love. Love your children, your family and friends. Love your enemies. Do unto others as you would hope to be done unto, these things will open the door to the lost. The Truth set free the slave, the prisoners.
“Continue on the road to salvation: the Way of the Cross, the Way of Hope, the Way to Everlasting Life.” The Lord says, “My joy is in the hearts of those who love Me. My joy surrounds like a ‘swaddling clothing” binding in joy not control – to protect not to punish. When you are left without a sense of direction – wait on the Lord. The reins of the Lord move not too slow or too fast.” The Lord says, “Walk with Me upon this earth, healing the sick and mending the hearts of the ones in need.”
You have been listening to Truth of the Spirit answering the question, “TOS190 Is There a GPS for the Narrow Path of Jesus?” You can read the script of this and all Truth of the Spirit episodes at PatriarchMinistries.com/190. You can access our free YouTube channel by clicking on our icon in the YouTube description and choose videos or playlists. And then we invite you to come back for more. With the Holy Spirit there’s always more! Amen.
