Staying Strong in the Faith…Walking Down the “Narrow Way” — Via the Wayfaring Gal (9/6/2023)

Staying Strong in the Faith…Walking Down the “Narrow Way” — Via the Wayfaring Gal (9/6/2023)

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; (Rom 4:20)

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. (1Cor 16:13)

When I look around at the world it’s still hard to tell when the end might be; but then, we as individuals are only given one day at a time, so perhaps that’s all that really matters.

Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. (Prov 27:1)

Each of us has an appointed time here in this world (Job 7:1, 14:14) and then we move on to our eternal destination, of which there are only two (Ps 139:7-8).

Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling? (Job 7:1)

If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. (Job 14:14)

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? (Ps 139:7)

If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. (Ps 139:8)

I pray the Lord that you strengthen me and increase my faith each and every day that you give me to search you out.

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Heb 11:6)

Better for me to keep busy finding the Lord then, and not dwell too long on the things of this world.

But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. (Deut 4:29)

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: (Isa 55:6)

Lord, my conscious mind and the Scriptures tell me, You are a God of Your Word (Titus 1:2); and would never take a follower down a way they know not (Isaiah 42:16), to just leave them in the darkest of darkness, floundering to find their way out all alone. (Luke 14:10; Prov 25:7; Job 10:21; Ps 88:6)

In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; (Titus 1:2)

And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. (Isa 42:16)

But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. (Luke 14:10)

For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen. (Prov 25:7)

Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; (Job 10:21)

Yet, there is still that tiniest bit of unbelief and rebellion I suppose, that causes me to wonder and doubt as time passes on, but then I hear the Lord’s words:

And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: (Matt 6:28)

And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (Matt 6:29)

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? (Matt 6:30)

And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. (Luke 12:29)

And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. (Mark 9:24)

The dry spells along the way are the hardest to deal with. It is at these times when I am most vulnerable and find it easiest to listen to the whisperings of Satan:

All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt. (Ps 41:7)

Then the Holy Spirit reminds me daily, if I continue to submit myself to God, and resist the devil, he will flee from me (Jas 4:7); and also remember that, with God all things are possible (Matt 19:26).

We hear the phrase “Resist the devil” a lot, but the OBEDIENCE part of the verse is so oftentimes left out!

It is the most important part!

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (Jas 4:7)

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. (Matt 19:26)

These promises and words of wisdom are what help me to stir myself up (Isa 64:7), so that I quench not the Holy Spirit in these dark times (1Thess 5:19), especially late at night.

And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. (Isa 64:7)

Quench not the Spirit. (1Thess 5:19)

Even though I know modern-day Christianity’s instant salvation doctrines are not right, I still sometimes marvel at their HEAD faith and belief. God’s word says they have a zeal for Him without knowledge and they are ignorant of the obedient, SAVING faith required.

For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. (Rom 10:2)

For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. (Rom 10:3)

And even with that, it seems to be such a great zeal, like I had in the very beginning of this adventure.

Perhaps that’s what the “old man” of the flesh wants; to feel good again. (Eph 4:22-24; Col 3:9)

Seems to be another whisperer…

Because how can I do that when I know what lies ahead for the vast majority of mankind, which includes most of the people I am acquainted with regularly?

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (Eph 4:22)

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; (Eph 4:23)

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Eph 4:24)

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; (Col 3:9)

They stick their collective heads in the sand and refuse their only way of real escape. But then, Jesus did say He prayed not for the world, but for those His Father gave Him.

I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. (John 17:9)

All I can do is try to sound the alarm about the false ways, but few seem to be truly interested.

I was so very restless one night trying to fall asleep for hours; I started listening to my audio Bible.

Alexander Scourby’s readings that night included the Book of Luke and when I was finished listening, as I laid there, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee” continued running around in my head.

And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. (Luke 12:19)

But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? (Luke 12:20)

This made me think of today’s “prepper” movement, and for me to beware of trusting in possessions; and where my focus needs to be; on my own journey to the cross as I continue to follow Jesus.

It’s almost as though living in these end-times is a distraction; getting so caught up in world events as Bible prophecy is being fulfilled right before our eyes, rather than searching for the Lord.

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

It can be very exciting watching Bible prophecy come to pass; after all, Jesus did tell us all to Watch:

And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. (Mark 13:37)

But then again, as Paul wrote, if ye have not charity (divine agape love) we really have nothing at all, no matter what else we might do.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. (1Cor 13:3)

The narrow way is a long road, with many winding turns, but ultimately we know where it leads.

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matt 7:14)

The path the Lord has taken me on reminds me of the dream I had so many years ago about the narrow way.

Traveling down the narrow way is directly related to the commandment of Jesus when He said, “Ye must be born again” or you’ll never see heaven.

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6)

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:7)

One of my favorite verses, hanging framed on my wall for years, states it perfectly:

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)

With all the challenging circumstances in my life since becoming a Christian, this must be the right track the Lord has me on, because the Scriptures mention a “fiery trial which is to try you” and Peter tells us to REJOICE because of it! (1Pet 4:12-13)

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: (1Pet 4:12)

But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (1Pet 4:13)

Very interesting and strange indeed…when his glory shall be revealed…what might that mean?

Scripture says the way of salvation is actually a race (1Cor 9:24; Heb12:1); that I have found to be a marathon rather than a sprint.

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. (1Cor 9:24)

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (Heb 12:1)

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:2)

When I started this journey I had no idea how long a road race this would be nor how much patience (Luke 21:19) it would take to travel down it; and with that, the trial of my faith also (1Pet 1:7).

In your patience possess ye your souls. (Luke 21:19)

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (1Pet 1:7)

“Slow and Steady Wins the Race”

Until I come to the end of the narrow way road, where Jesus Christ is waiting for me (John 14:21), I am encouraged by these verses in Hebrews, 10:36-39:

For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. (Heb 10:36)

For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. (Heb 10:37)

Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. (Heb 10:38)

But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. (Heb 10:39)

So I continue to press on, by the grace of God, for the mystery of all mysteries, to be BORN AGAIN, at the revelation of my Lord and my Saviour Jesus Christ:

Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, (Rom 16:25)

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (1Pet 1:13)

~ Wayfaring Gal ~

For a most-helpful guide (pdf) to the narrow way and true, Biblical salvation—by a man who walked it to the end—click here: BeSureYouAreSaved.com

SOURCE   <– Thank you for reading! Please visit and subscribe/follow if you are of a mind!