THE NARROW PATH

Matt. 7:14:For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

If you’ve ever played Bud Hill in Memphis, Hole #1 is a great visual example of this verse. The basket is out in the open and a straight shot from the tee pad. It looks easy and it is, except for the first few yards! The first part of the fairway is tree lined on both sides and fairly narrow. Playing this hole is similar to our walk with Christ and trying to lead a Christian life.

So here you are on the Tee Pad, you’ve visualized the flight plan for your disc, your stance is set, you reach back-run up, and let it rip! You just know this is an easy deuce or possibly an ACE shot. Then all of the sudden your disc nicks a branch overhanging the fairway and now you’re in the parking lot. OUT OF BOUNDS with a penalty shot. It happens to us all, I’ve seen some of the best players mess up this easy looking hole because of its narrow gateway.

As in Disc Golf our life can quickly go from being a Duece to a Bogey. We make all kinds of plans and preparations and then something we don’t plan on happening seems to make everything go bad. It happens to everyone, we make mistakes, pick a wrong path in life, or just simply decide to disobey God. I personally have made those wrong decisions and got off course, but through the forgiving love of Jesus he changed me and got me back on course. I still struggle with things in life everyday, but when I choose the straight and narrow path Jesus has provided for us I can overcome these struggles.

What do we find we take the narrow path and step through the small gate? We find Eternal Life in Heaven. There’s only one way to receive this awesome gift. We must first repent of our sins and ask Jesus to be our personal Savior. Once we’ve accepted Jesus we find that getting through that narrow fairway in life is a lot easier and more rewarding.

[Menoux]

Unless a man is born of the water and the Spirit he can not enter into the kingdom of God. Kind of like an entry fee into the tournament. There are certain steps we have to take before we can play in the tournament. We have to be sure our discs are prepared and clean and not too beat up. We have to pay the registration fees and sponsor fees (if we want to help in that way). We also have to show up for the players meeting to find out who is playing which tees, what the OBs are, as well as finding out about lunch. If we don't read the scriptures daily and study God's word and attend services when the church doors are open, we won't know how to live (play God's game). Some golfers don't pay attention during players' meetings and then don't know where the OBs are or which tees are played. Same with our walk with the Lord. The scripture says "forsake not the assembling of yourselves together". In other words, we need to be there when the man of God is instructing us in our walk. I hope this makes sense and I am not just rambling. M.

[Stewart]

Great comments! I just want to say that God uses all those failings and trails to mold us more into His image and to purge out the impurities of our hearts. Also, in my experience (and the Bible confirms this) is that the straight path is the only one with true joy, peace, happiness and true freedom. The errant pathways that look good at first, only end up leading to the rough or the parking lot etc. where we then have to get all scratched up getting back to the FAIR -way. The Christ centered journey is indeed that - fair and beautiful (not always easy, but worth it in the end), when we arrive at the basket at last!

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. "
James 1:2-4

[Hycard]

Born of the water symbolizing what?
Born of the Spirit symbolizing what?

The answers are vital to grasp what is intended by the scripture referenced in Menoux's reply.

In context, John chapter 3 where Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus, how to enter the Kingdom of God is the issue. No spiritually dead person may enter. Man is made from the dust of the earth yet in Genesis the punishment for disobeying God was having the ground (earth) cursed. Doesn't this represent our struggle not to obey our flesh (cursed ground).

So, if we are born into the "cursed" flesh, how do we enter the Kingdom of God?

By being "born again" as referenced in John 3:3. Nicodemus asks, "How can a man enter again into his mother's womb?"
He misunderstands Jesus as speaking to a literal birth. His meaning is of a spirit birth.

Praise God, we receive the Spirit of God poured upon the beleiver once accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior. New birth (spiritual) and new creation. Praise God.

Death overcome by life. Now we are redeemed and will enter.