Wide or Narrow
The Narrow and Wide Gates Matthew 7:13-14 NIV
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Matthew 7:13-14 NLV
13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.
The Narrow Way 7:13-14 NKJ
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Being a Granma for me has opened my mind to think, really think just how to think?
Each day awakens the reality of realistic thoughts, prayers and conversations to making sure as much as possible within my God Given ability to remind myself of these words, “You can enter…WOW! Share with others including my little one, You can enter God’s Kingdom…and just try and imagine the daily joys we will find there when we look for them!
A closed locked mind is like a closed locked gate!
thedailylily.com 
Seeing the photo of the open gate leading out and also into a lovely garden made me think of this from your book, Sara, “Dressing for His Glory”, Lesson 4, where you speak of an entrance to “The Garden of the Lord”. It says: “John 10:7-9 tells us there is a gate into the garden. Can you name it?” That scripture says, “so he (Jesus) explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” NLT
Your comment, Sara, “A closed locked mind is like a closed locked gate!” also reminded me of a description you wrote about in your book, “The Dance of Healing, The Ultra-Healing Spirit comes from within”. It says from “Step 2: The Sowing of the Seed”: “Sometimes it is difficult to face the Indwelling Presence. Many times we are not aware of this mystery. We do not feel the Indwelling Presence of God in our season of blindness. Our gates are closed. The light is out and it is very dark.”
I spent many years at the race track where my dad trained and ran horses. All races began with a starting gate. The gate was narrower than the track and contained several smaller gates within. Each horse had to enter an individual gate in order to begin and run the race…no exceptions! The narrow gate opened to the race course. The track was surrounded by a very broad area both outside and inside…but that was not where the race was run.
Each qualifying horse was ridden into their assigned gate by a jockey that directed them by a bit in their mouths. Some walked in willingly; others needed more urging; some resisted and had to be led in by a skilled gate attendant. If none of this worked on a horse who refused to enter, then they were not permitted to race. Once in the gate, it opened and the race began…all the way to the finish line.
This reminds me a lot of the scriptures Sara posted and the fact that there is only one Gate that gets us into the race.
And also of Hebrews 12:1-2: “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Debi gives us a look into a race horse and it’s jockey. The step that caught my mindful attention was, “Each qualifying horse was ridden into their assigned gate by a jockey directed them by a bit in their mouths.” Seems “mouth” not only determines the success of a horse but a human as well.
“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”
Proverbs 18:21 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/pro.18.21.NLT
In Debi’s response I found steps/points that I have incorporated into my morning Word mediation this week. Here is my second one,
“We do not feel the Indwelling Presence of God in our season of blindness. Our gates are closed. The light is out and it is very dark.”
What steps might one take to help?
[Agape love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”—1 Corinthians 13:7-8 (NIV)
“If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.”
1 Corinthians 13:3 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1co.13.3.NLT
The footnotes for Matthew 7: 13-14 (NLT) says: “The gate that leads to eternal life (John 10: 7-9) is called “narrow”. This does not mean that it is difficult to become a Christian but that there is only one way to eternal life with God and that only if you decide to walk that road. Believing in Jesus is the only way to heaven, because he alone died for our sins and made us right before God. Living his way may not be popular, but it is true and right. Thank God there is one way!”
Thanks for the footnotes, Tammy. And, look at the promise from Jesus when you enter the gate, and meet Jesus;
[Jesus said,] “I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest.”
—John 10:10 (CEB)
[“Jesus said,] “I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest.” I just had to repost this from Sara’s comment above. We have to let that “sink in”! 🙏🙏🙏Thank You Jesus for coming for all mankind!
This from Tammy’s footnotes, “Living his way may not be popular, but it is true and right.” And this from Sara’s, “I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest.” … brought to mind some other instructions that God said about entering His gate, what is true and right, and living an abundant life.
Psalm 100 tells us:
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.”