It is very interesting that Jesus is known as the "way", which means, "highway". John the Baptist main job which he received from God was to "prepare" a highway for the Lord and make straight his path.
Mar 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Mar 1:2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way (highway),
Mar 1:3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way (highway) of the Lord, make his paths straight,"
How does one prepare a highway? There is only one way, and that is through "repentance". This is what John preached every where he went.
Without repentance no one can get on this highway.
I have been looking at the Word for a few years (Man, time goes by quick)
I use to be KJV only because I started off reading Peter Ruckman. Fight with anyone who wanted to read any other translation.
Thank God for Peter Ruckman. One thing instilled in me is that God's Word is perfect and without contradictions. So, I did not care for his book about Tongues and why the ceased, but still, a good teacher.
I have learned there are some really bad translations out there, but not all of them are "REALLY" bad. The KJV which I use has lots of issues, but is the most consistant in Wording to look things ups.
anyway.
The Word is a person, it's alive, it is God, the Same as God is the Word.
"I am not saying Jesus is the Word of God and 1/3 of some God system"
God is the same as the Word though.
So, reading the Word, you read the Word as your listening to a person that you know and have a realationship with.
Jesus said.......... Narrow is the Path........ Straight is the Gate.
Only one path, only one Gate. There is no other way, but on that path, and toward that one Gate.
Joh 10:7-10 kjva 7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Jesus said, I am the Door, and the sheep come in through that one door and get saved. Not only that, but the sheep Go in and out that door and find Pastor. The Sheep Hear his voice and come back in, go back out. Following the good shepard, He gives them protection from the wolf, the theif that came to kill, steal and destory. He gives the sheep life, and gives it abundantly.
Joh 10:5 kjva And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him:[/B] for they know not the voice of strangers.
Joh 10:12 kjva But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not,
seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
The Wolf.................
This guy is the strangers voice, He calls out to sheep to lead them away from the door.
Back to Matt 7
Mat 7:14-17 kjva 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way,
which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
The sheep that hear his voice, and follow, doing all the shepard says, and come when He calls, are fit to be used by the Shepard, and He leads them to life abundantly. The Lord is my shepard, I shall not want, He causes me to lie down in green Pastures.
15
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Beware of the false prophets, the Wolves who come as sheep to get the sheep off the narrow path, and away from the gate.
Many are called, few are choosen............... Why? They want to do their own things and not stay on the narrow Road, some following after the teachings of the Wolf.
Pro 4:18-19 kjva 18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
So, staying on the Narrow road, Hearing the Good shepards voice keeps us on that narrow path. The path of the just gets better and better, and life abundantly now in this time.
Off the path, away from the good shepard, it gets dark, and people run into problems that don't make sense. They get confused as to why God has them go through the things they have to go through.
On God's path, we miss sicknessville, we miss Calamity town, and things get better and better. Staying on the Narrow path, and focused only on the Door Jesus opens, the only Gate, we find life, and find it in great measure.