Defender of the Faith / The Strait and Narrow by D. James Kennedy

Today’s devotional reading for: MONDAY, JUN 27, 2016

Defender of the Faith The Strait and Narrow

. . . Always be ready to give an answer to every man who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, with gentleness and fear. —1 Peter 3:15 Devotion: Some years ago, I heard Dr. Somebody-or-Other taking calls from Christians on a radio show. They were calling in and challenging him on various things, and he was chewing them up and spitting them out. Not one Christian could answer any question he asked them. They would explain why they believe with statements like, “Well, because I’ve got it down in my heart.” This atheist answered, “Well, I don’t have it down in my heart, and I don’t believe it either”—and he hung up. The Scripture says that we should always be ready to give an answer as to why we believe anything we claim that we believe. The Bible is not based upon blind faith, but on God’s acting in history, past and present. Just to give one example: when Jesus was born, carried out His ministry, was crucified and raised back to life, He fulfilled hundreds of prophecies that were written hundreds of years before He came. Only God knows the future. Only God could have written that story. All around us, we have unbelievers today challenging us on what we believe. We hear challenges on television, radio, books, magazines, motion pictures, and the internet as to why we believe any of this “stuff” we say that we believe. Let us always be ready with reasons for our faith. Question to ponder: How can you prepare to give a good answer to people who challenge your faith? Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. —Matthew 7:13-14 (KJV) Devotion: We live in a time when the majority report is virtually always ungodly, unchristian, immoral, and defeatist. We hear it all the time. It blares at us from our radios, our television, our newspapers, and magazines. The majority report is ever before us, which is: Forget about what God has said. Forget about Him altogether. This is the “popular” way. Sometimes we have agreed with the majority and said, “Yes, God’s way is too hard.” Nevertheless, His way is the “strait and narrow” road that leads unto life. It is the wide gate, the broad way that the Bible says leads to destruction. Every one of us has to decide whether we are going to go with the popular view, the majority view, or we are going to follow the minority report, which is a report of faith. Are you able to face the real difficult things of life, to stand for Christ when it is unpopular to do so? God has a special blessing for those who stand firm for Christ and the truth, even in the face of great unpopularity. Question to ponder: How can you stand for Christ, when it is unpopular to do so?