The Way

Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life...

As I have been pondering John Mulinde's word shared at IHOP on March 1, I have rested on a few scriptures concerning the ways of God.  Jesus is the ONLY Way!  There are no other options that lead to Life and Life eternally.  God, in His awesomeness and all-knowing-ness, gave us the ultimate example of life in the ways of God in Jesus.  Yet, we that call ourselves the church seem to have only taken the ways of the world, spiffied them up a bit with religious terms and overtones, and determined that we are walking in the Way.

Believe me, I know I'm guilty!  My heart cries out for the Truth to reveal Himself to me in greater measures so that I can understand His ways.  We, as believers, should be setting the tone and realities of what Life is really about, but instead, we follow the path of least resistance and adjust the ways of the world to suit our fancies and relieve our consciences of failing God.  Enough is enough!

There is a way which seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death.

It seems that I have, at times, been walking the way that seemed right, and only when I reached the end did I realize that it led to death.  Of course, I am talking about certain situations, circumstances, dreams, and courses; I'm not talking about the finality of this mortal life.  Many, however, are headed down this very way of death thinking they are on the right path because it "feels" right and "looks" right and "moves" right, but when they get to the end, they will find death and death of the worse kind: final death that ends in eternal misery and torture.

Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it.  But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it.

Just because it "feels" right or "looks" right or "moves" right doesn't mean it's right.  The right way is narrow and contracted by pressure; it may not always "feel" the best.  Because it is compressed, it may not "move" the best or "look" the best.  Sometimes, the right way seems scary, unfamiliar, and non-sensical.  Yet, we must trust the Way!  He's walked it before us.  He knows every turn, every bump, and every obstacle.  Can we trust Him to be our faithful guide?  Hello?  The Holy Spirit is the best guide we could possible want because He's been there, done that.  He will not fail us or shame us.

...so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way...

There should be a "code of conduct" that depicts those of us who call ourselves Christian.  I'm not saying a list of do's and don't's but a "way of living" that depicts a true follower of Jesus Christ.  Our hearts should be so in tune with the Holy Spirit that whatever we do brings glory to God.  Of course, as believers, we are not all at the same place in the Lord.  Yet, we are all in the same Way, belonging to the Way.  Therefore, no matter how long you've been on the Way or how much you know of the Way, your "way of living" should depict a genuine follower of the Way.

Meanwhile, there was a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, who came to Ephesus.  He was a cultured and eloquent man, well versed and mighty in the Scriptures.  He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and burning with spiritual zeal, he spoke and taught diligently and accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he was acquainted only with the baptism of John.  He began to speak freely (fearlessly and boldly) in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him with them and expounded to him the way of God more definitely and accurately.

It doesn't matter what you know or don't know, or what you think you know or think you don't know - there's always more!  Apollos taught "diligently and accurately" what he knew.  That's good; real good!  BUT, there was more.  Not because he wasn't living right or teaching right, but because God is more.  God had more freedom, more understanding, and more work for Apollos.  God is infinite.  We get to know Him line upon line, precept upon precept.

Yet, what we live now, even though we don't know everything must be in the Way.  We cannot base our way of life on the conditions of the world, strength of the economy, words of the wise, or results of past experiences.  Our way of life must be in the Way.  We must become know-ers of the Word so that we understand the Way.  We must study Jesus so that we can walk in His ways.

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

We must seek His ways, not the world's ways with a gloss coat of religion over the top.  I'm game for this journey into understanding His ways no matter the cost.  Are you?

Scriptures for reference and study:  John 14:6; Proverbs 14:12; Matthew 7:13-14; Acts 9:2; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Acts 18:24-26; Isaiah 28:10