A Moral Compass
It’s easy to get lost when we travel in unfamiliar areas, and people have always needed a way to find the right route to travel. In times past, men would look to the North Star to guide them, or use a compass to aim them in the right direction. A map is always helpful in finding the right road to take or the best exit to leave the freeway to get to your destination. Today we can even use GPS to help us find our way along an unfamiliar route or in a new city. All of these things are helpful to find the right way to travel to get from point A to point B, but what about the more important paths in life?

What guide is used to find your way to eternal life or make moral decisions?

The moral decay in the world is appalling, and people seem to have lost their moral compass and can’t find the way to get back on the right track. We can be sure that people will become more confused as time goes on.

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise” (Proverbs 12:15).

Foolish people never seek after wise counsel but follow whatever path seems right to them. That’s a bad way to live and one that brings unhappiness, disease, and ultimately death. The wisest counsel is found in God’s word…the Holy Bible. Following God’s way will lead to moral uprightness and eternal life.

People choose the way they will go, but too often they make their choice based on wrong directions or ideas. They usually choose the path that looks the easiest to travel or seems like more fun. That’s how cults come about and grow into a blemish on society. You need to know what you follow so you can make a better choice in the way you go.

For instance, Joseph Smith said he was given instructions by an angel named Moroni to find some golden plates, which translated to the Book of Mormon. Today, we know the cult he started as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or simply as the Mormons. They make statements that almost sound as if they are Christians, but they deny the deity of Christ, among other mistruths. They follow religious works that are supposed to bring rewards, but the people who follow this cult are deceived.

Jesus is God, and He made it clear that He is the only way that leads to eternal life.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

People who follow Mormon teaching have a very different view of Jesus and are following the wrong way. They also add many things to Scripture that aren’t Biblical. A person who doesn’t study Scripture can easily be duped into this heresy.

“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8).

There are instances of an angel speaking with people, but Scripture wasn’t changed by what the angel said. For instance, Gabriel told Mary that she would give birth to the Messiah. This was a fulfillment of Scripture, not an alteration to it. The only protection against losing your way and following heresy is for you to know the truth, which is only found in God’s word.

Many people blindly follow the Roman Catholic teachings, which deviate sharply from God’s pure truth. Very little of the Roman Catholic teachings align with Scripture, but people continue to follow this way of men without question.

When you don’t have the proper road map, it’s easy to get lost and deceived. Scripture is our guide. Any path that leads away from Scripture is heresy.

Today, there are people who would have us believe that it doesn’t make any difference which path you follow. “All roads lead to Heaven” they say. They are deceived. Don’t get lost on this wrong path. Had there been another way, then Jesus wouldn’t have had to shed His blood for our salvation. He is the only path that leads to salvation.

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

Why do you think few people find the narrow way?

Many people are looking for a path that allows them to live a life of rebellion to God, but still want to make it to Heaven when they die. Salvation is by faith in Jesus alone, but if that faith doesn’t lead you to the strait gate and the narrow way, then you need to question yourself as to whether you have truly placed your faith in Jesus or if you just want fire insurance against the lake of fire.

Did you just say the words “I believe” and then continue in sin? The words mean nothing if you don’t mean them. If you follow the way of the world, then you aren’t following the way that leads to eternal life. Base all your choices in life on Scripture, and you won’t go astray.

We need to know how to make the right choices in life, and that’s where Scripture comes in. From the very beginning, Satan has tempted people to rebel against God by making the sinful way seem fun. It isn’t fun when sin leads to illness, prison, or deep emotional pain.

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12).

Be careful when you feel temptation calling to you. Many young people graduate from high school and look forward to going away to college. The temptations they face will be great. Many teens will be on their own for the first time and will face making adult choices; and many of those choices are moral ones. Since the Bible has been banned from our public schools, they no longer teach proper moral choice, but they do teach the way of the world. If parents haven’t placed their children’s feet firmly upon the narrow way that leads to life, the temptations may be too great.

The way of the world, which is ruled by Satan, can easily win. One choice to sin can lead to many more. Parties where alcohol and drugs are abundant will lead to sexual encounters. Sexually transmitted disease is devastating, and unwanted pregnancy can lead to abortion. This is a chain reaction in the way of the world. It may seem right to ignore God’s ways, but you will always regret not following that narrow path.

Temptation will always be there throughout our lives to draw us away from God. It’s important to study Scripture daily as a guide to stay on the right path. Reading a chapter or two each day or studying a devotional will help to keep Jesus in our hearts as we go into the world.

Going to a job every day can be challenging. You work with some people who aren’t easy to be around, and serving the public can be frustrating. There’s a daily need to choose to follow Jesus. It’s easy to get short-tempered with others or to take long coffee breaks or lunch breaks, which is stealing time from your employer. When tempted to veer from the way you know is God’s way, pray.

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil…” (Matthew 6:13a).

Jesus gave us a model prayer which is commonly referred to as The Lord’s Prayer. Don’t be afraid to use His words to guide your way. It is Satan who wants to get you off of the narrow path and onto the broad path of sin through temptation. The more sin you allow into your life, the farther you will wander from Jesus. The problems will snowball as you walk farther down the way that leads to destruction.

God’s love is eternal, and your sins will be forgiven if you ask.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness“(1 John 1:9).

Repent and get back on the way that leads to eternal life. Better yet, don’t get off of that narrow path.

To follow Jesus, you need to learn to hear His voice. We learn to hear Him by studying and applying Scripture. If you study His word, then you won’t have to really think about what is the right choice in the path to follow. If you come to a crossroad, you’ll know what is right in the eyes of the Lord, and you’ll follow that path. Making those right choices gives evidence that you’ve truly accepted Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for your salvation.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand“ (John 10:27-28).

We all make bad choices sometimes, but following Jesus is never a bad choice.

Which way will you choose? Will you follow Satan and go the way of the world? Many people choose that way and regret that choice for eternity. If you choose to follow Jesus, then you choose the way that leads to eternal life.

Don’t get lost. Choose to follow Jesus.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

www.straitandnarrowministry.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Ron and Nathele Graham’s previous commentaries archived at https://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

 

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What stops you from receiving blessings from Jesus? He desires to fill all your needs but He won’t force anything on you. You must be willing to receive blessings. A prime example of people not receiving what Jesus desired to give them is found in the Gospel of Mark. Jesus had returned to Nazareth and went to the synagogue to teach. Those who heard what He had to say were astonished because He taught something new and exciting. They had heard of the miraculous things Jesus had done for others but their reaction was skepticism.

“Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him“ (Mark 6:3).

The word “offended” comes from the Greek word skandalizo…they were scandalized! Can you blame them? After all, they knew He was Mary’s son. You know, Mary…the one who was pregnant before she was married. Their offense to this is understandable, but misplaced. They were very close to the situation and thought they knew facts, but they were blind to the truth. They only paid attention to the gossip. Their presuppositions hindered the blessings that Jesus wanted to give them.

This wasn’t the first time Jesus’ credentials had been questioned. John the Baptist had many followers, and he sent two of them to ask if Jesus was the longed for Messiah or if they should look for someone else. Instead of just saying yes, Jesus gave them evidence.

“Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me“ (Matthew 11:4-6).

All of the miraculous things Jesus had done for the people were evidence that He was the Messiah. The Pharisees should have recognized Him, but they chose blind ignorance. Some of the people who received healing understood who He was, but the people in His hometown were offended by Him. Jesus wanted to bless the hometown crowd as he had blessed others, but instead they hindered those blessings by holding on to the gossip and ignoring the truth.

“But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house“ (Mark 6:4).

In other words, they didn’t receive the blessings that others received because they saw Him as just a carpenter, and they were familiar with His human family. Jesus was fully human, but He was also fully God in the flesh, and they needed to meet that side of Him.

Jesus could have forced them to receive the blessings He wanted to give them, but He won’t force anyone to take anything they don’t want.

“And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching“ (Mark 6:5-6).

What Jesus offered wasn’t the “name it and claim it” heresy that we hear about today. He wasn’t there to give them more wealth, more status, or more material gain. He wanted to give them healing and truth that would lead to eternal life. They thought they knew Him too well to believe He had anything to give them.

Are we like them? Do we know Him too well to believe He has blessings for us? We hinder His work in us and through us if we take Him for granted.

I’ve noticed that many people who’ve been raised in Christian homes, have always done their devotional reading, and have habitually listened to tired old sermons miss out on blessings because they don’t recognize what Jesus wants to give. When people who’ve lead sinful lives and have come from very secular childhoods finally meet Jesus, they’re the ones who seem more willing to accept His blessings and are more apt to boldly witness to others and enthusiastically serve Him.

“There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him the most?“ (Luke 7:41-42).

Jesus gave this example to Simon the Pharisee during a dinner gathering. A sinful woman had entered uninvited and began to worship Jesus. The “holier than thou” Pharisee was offended that she was there, but Jesus forgave her sins.

“Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little“ (Luke 7:47).

Brothers and sisters, we need to understand that Jesus has forgiven all of us a plethora of sins. We need to love Him more.

Jesus traveled a lot, and everywhere He went crowds gathered. When He came to Capernaum, the people were excited that He was there. As always, He drew crowds of people who wanted to hear Him and ask for healing. One such man was ill with palsy and was bedridden. He had four friends who were willing to carry him and his bed to the house where Jesus was, but the crowds made it impossible for them to enter. The friends wanted this man to receive the blessing of healing, and they did nothing to hinder the blessing. They hoisted him and his cot up to the roof, pulled off the tiles, and lowered their friend down to Jesus.

“When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee“ (Mark 2:5).

Wouldn’t it have been wonderful if the people from Jesus’ hometown had accepted the blessings He wanted to give them? There would have been more than just a few people there who were healed. Capernaum is about 40 miles from Nazareth, and the people in Nazareth should have heard about the happenings in Capernaum. Still, they hindered the blessings that Jesus desired to give them.

There were many people who were willing to accept healing from Jesus and therefore His blessings. When Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, He passed through a village and encountered ten lepers. If a person contracted leprosy, they were doomed. They were outcasts who would never again be allowed to mingle with healthy people. Their skin would rot and fingers and toes would fall off. They could never hug their children, enjoy friendships, or worship in the synagogue. Leprosy was not and is not curable. They grouped together and stayed away from healthy people. When these ten met Jesus, they stood far off.

“And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us“ (Luke 17:13).

They weren’t offended by Him, but they cried out for mercy. They needed healing and knew that this Man could help them. Jesus didn’t make a big deal of healing them. He just told them to go and show themselves to the priests.

“…And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed“ (Luke 17:14b).

Can you imagine their joy? Can you imagine their gratitude? Well, that’s something else we need to remember. First, don’t be offended by Jesus, and second, be grateful.

“And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan“ (Luke 17:15-16).

Ten lepers, some Jewish and some Samaritan, but only one said thank You and worshipped Him. Brothers and sisters, always remember to give thanks.

Don’t confuse the blessings Jesus wants to give with having no trouble in life. Too often we think that when we come to Jesus our troubles are all behind us and life is a breeze. Think about this. The lepers had been quarantined from society. They couldn’t earn money through holding a job, so food and clothing were hard to come by. After receiving healing from Jesus, they had to earn their own living. They could now reenter society and be responsible for their own needs, but they first had to get past the stigma of what they had been. They had to allow people to see how Jesus had changed them.

The situation of every person who received healing was changed, and they had to move away from taking handouts to earning their own way. It’s the same today. When Jesus changes us, we need to move from what we were, following the way of the world, to living out our Christian walk.

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God“ (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

When you receive the blessing of eternal life from Jesus, you’ve been changed. Now, allow those changes to rule your life. You were once blind to Him but now your eyes have been opened.

Jesus didn’t withhold His blessings from anyone who would accept them. Demons were cast out of people, blind men received sight, lame men walked, and people were raised from the dead. Each of us needs to examine where we are in our relationship with Jesus. He still desires to bless us today. Does He offend you? Are you ashamed of Him? If so, you’re hindering the many blessings He wants to give you.

What do you seek? Riches? A bigger house? A faster car? These aren’t needs, but wants. Jesus will meet your needs, but your wants are the things that cause you stress and unhappiness.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you“ (Matthew 6:33).

If you’ve placed your faith in Him for salvation, then He’s already given you eternal life. Now, look for ways to serve Him. Look for ways to use His gifts to bless others. Don’t be offended by Him but seek Him every day.

Don’t hinder His blessings by taking them for granted. Whether you’re a new Christian or one who has been a part of the family for years, don’t be offended by Him but remember the joy of your salvation.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

www.straitandnarrowministry.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Ron and Nathele Graham’s previous commentaries archived at https://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.