Dear Sisters and Brothers in Jesus the Christ,

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life . . .”    Matthew 7:13 (NIV)

“Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.“   Matthew 24:12 (NLT)

Though sometimes subtle, there is an ever-increasing societal insistence that people engage every form of openness while simultaneously prohibiting deference to the things or the way of God. Turning sinful acts into habits of the flesh doesn’t negate the fact that such is still sin which God disdains. By the Word of God, we may be aware of nations which deemed acts of prostitution inside the very walls of a “place of worship” as well as the sacrifice of babies as norm (Dt 23:17-18; Proverbs 26a; Leviticus 20:1-3; 2Ch 28:3). Although those rendered sons and daughters of GOD by the blood of JESUS are to exhibit Agapaõ/Agap? – the God kind of love toward those who embrace sin we are still to hate sin itself (not the person manipulated by Satan & his cohorts). Nevertheless, whatsoever angers God the Father should be likewise to those reconciled as His children (Numbers 25:1-11). Therefore, those reconciled unto the Family of God by the redemptive work of Christ Jesus are never to minimize sin; for their entrance is through the narrow door (Luke 13:24). Although the Blood continually washes, it doesn’t license sin.

The Sovereign Lord God Almighty does the judging; His sons and daughters are expected to discern and resist anything contrary to the way of God. Abba Father has called us out of the kingdom of darkness (Colossians 1:13) to live a life that draws the lost to God’s Kingdom of Light. Sometimes, in a zeal to exemplify their own right standing, brothers and sisters “in Christ” can behave in an acerbic manner that functions in a way that repels as opposed to attract. That we are never to agree with the way of the world in every form of openness doesn’t mean we are called to hate. Rather, as ambassadors of Christ Jesus we are to reflect Love who is God. Sin has its own consequences which are often blamed on God which is a lie of the thief who comes to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10a). More specifically, the thief comes to steal the Word because what you don’t know will hurt you, and the wrong words spoken out of your own mouth will cause harm to self. Therefore, the Living Word advises in the way of God, and relays how to speak life (Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Proverbs 6:23a). “And don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you’ll get where you’re going; then you’ll succeed” Joshua 1:8 (MSG).

Speak the promise . . . Harriet