A Sermon by Reverend Hollis Ray Mathis

reetings, holy children of God, in the wonderful name of our lord and saviour Jesus, the Christ. The sermon subject for today is:

The Strait And Narrow

GOD HAS SAID THESE WORDS, MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE. THE LORD JESUS COMMANDS ALL OF GOD'S CHILDREN TO ENTER INTO HEAVEN THROUGH THE STRAIT GATE. MT.7:13 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 IN THEREAT; MT:7:14 BECAUSE STRAIT IS THE GATE, AND NARROW IS THE WAY, WHICH LEADETH UNTO LIFE, AND FEW THERE BE THAT FIND IT. CHILD OF GOD, MEDITATE ON WHAT I JUST READ, THE LORD SAID, ENTER YE IN AT THE STRAIT GATE. THE WORD STRAIT IN THAT VERSE OF SCRIPTURE IS NOT SPELLED STRAIGHT AS A STRAIGHT LINE. BUT IS SPELL STRAIT. THE WORD STRAIT IS DEFINED AS DIFFICULT. IT IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO ENTER INTO HEAVEN. EVEN THE RIGHTEOUS ARE GOING TO HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME TO GET INTO HEAVEN. DID YOU NOTICE, THAT THERE ARE MANY MORE OF SATAN'S CHILDREN THEN THERE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD? THERE ARE MULTITUDES ON THE BROADWAY, AND ONLY A FEW ON THE NARROW WAY. THE APOSTLE PETER RECORDED THESE WORDS. 1PT: 4:18 AND IF THE RIGHTEOUS SCARCELY BE SAVED, WHERE SHALL THE UNGODLY AND SINNER APPEAR? THE BIBLE, THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD, MAKES IT VERY CLEAR THAT THERE ARE TWO PATHS THAT MEN TRAVEL ON THROUGH THIS PRESENT WORLD. THEY ARE EITHER ON THE BROADWAY THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION, OR THEY ARE ON THE NARROW WAY, THAT LEADS TO LIFE. EVERYONE ON THE BROADWAY, DOES THE WILL OF SATAN. EVERYONE ON THE NARROW WAY DOES THE WILL OF GOD. WHEN A CHILD IS BORN INTO THIS PRESENT WORLD, BECAUSE OF THE ORIGINAL SIN OF ADAM, THEY ARE ON THE BROADWAY. BUT IN THE FULNESS OF TIME, GOD CALLS HIS CHILDREN TO REPENTANCE, AND IT IS REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE. WHEN GOD CALLS HIS CHILDREN TO REPENTANCE THEY LEAVE THE BROADWAY. THEY ARE BAPTIZED OUT OF THE WORLD, AND INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST, AND WHEN THEY RECEIVE THE WASHING OF REGENERATION, AND THE RENEWING OF THE HOLY GHOST THEY BEGIN TO WALK THE NARROW WAY THAT LEADS TO ETERNAL LIFE. IS THE NARROW PATH VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE? NO IT IS A SPIRITUAL PATH THAT MUST BE TRAVELED BY FAITH. WE AS SAINTS OF GOD, WALK BY FAITH, AND NOT BY SIGHT. 2COR: 5:6 THEREFORE WE ARE ALWAYS CONFIDENT, KNOWING THAT, WHILST WE ARE AT HOME IN THE BODY, WE ARE ABSENT FROM THE LORD; 2COR:5:7 ( FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT;) WERE IS THE NARROW WAY? THE NARROW WAY IS IN THE BODY OF CHRIST. WHO ARE THOSE THAT SHALL WALK ON THE NARROW WAY? THEY ARE THE ELECT OF GOD, PREDESTINED FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, TO BE ADOPTED INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD. EPH 1:1 PAUL, AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST BY THE WILL OF GOD, TO THE SAINTS WHICH ARE AT EPHESUS, AND TO THE FAITHFUL IN CHRIST JESUS: EPH:1:2 GRACE BE TO YOU, AND PEACE, FROM GOD OUR FATHER, AND FROM THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. EPH:1:3 BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO HATH BLESSED US WITH ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST. EPH:1:4 ACCORDING AS HE HATH CHOSEN US IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, THAT WE SHOULD BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLAME BEFORE HIM IN LOVE: EPH:1:5 HAVING PREDESTINATED US UNTO THE ADOPTION OF CHILDREN BY JESUS CHRIST TO HIMSELF, ACCORDING TO THE GOOD PLEASURE OF HIS WILL, EPH:1:6 TO THE PRAISE OF THE GLORY OF HIS GRACE, WHEREIN HE HATH MADE US ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED. YOU MAY WONDER HOW I KNOW THAT THE NARROW WAY IS IN THE BODY OF CHRIST? ETERNAL LIFE IS IN THE BODY OF CHRIST. 1JN:5:11 AND THIS IS THE RECORD, THAT GOD HATH GIVEN TO US ETERNAL LIFE, AND THIS LIFE IS IN HIS SON. (KJV) IF YOU ARE A NEW CONVERT TO THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, YOU MAY NOT KNOW HOW THAT THE ELECT OF GOD GET INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST. WE, THE ELECT OF GOD ARE BAPTIZED INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST. GAL:3:27: FOR AS MANY OF YOU AS HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST HAVE PUT ON CHRIST. (KJV) CHILDREN OF LIGHT, ONLY THE PREDESTINATED WALK THE NARROW PATH THAT LEADS TO THE STRAIT GATE. ONLY THE ELECT OF GOD, THE PREDESTINATED SHALL BE SAVED. ONLY THE ELECT OF GOD THAT ARE ORDAINED TO ETERNAL LIFE BELIEVE THE GOSPEL. ACTS:13:48 AND WHEN THE GENTILES HEARD THIS, THEY WERE GLAD, AND GLORIFIED THE WORD OF THE LORD: AND AS MANY AS WERE ORDAINED TO ETERNAL LIFE BELIEVED. (KJV) AS THE EARTH IS IN AN ORBIT ABOUT THE SUN, AND IS IN A CERTAIN PLACE AT A CERTAIN TIME; SO ARE THE ELECT OF GOD AT A CERTAIN PLACE AT A CERTAIN TIME. SINCE THE NARROW WAY IS SPIRITUAL, AND YOU CANNOT SEE THE WAY, THE QUESTION MUST ARISE, HOW DO YOU KNOW WHICH WAY TO TRAVEL? THE ANOINTING THAT WE RECEIVED WHEN WE RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST WILL TEACH US THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, AND WILL BRING US INTO ALL TRUTH. 1JN:2:27: BUT THE ANOINTING WHICH YE HAVE RECEIVED OF HIM ABIDETH IN YOU, AND YE NEED NOT THAT ANY MAN TEACH YOU: BUT AS THE SAME ANOINTING TEACHETH YOU OF ALL THINGS, AND IS TRUTH, AND IS NO LIE, AND EVEN AS IT HATH TAUGHT YOU, YE SHALL ABIDE IN HIM. (KJV) WE, THE CHILDREN OF GOD, FOLLOW THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST, WE FOLLOW THE SPIRIT, AND LEAVE THE WORKS OF THE FLESH ALONE. WE KNOW THE VOICE OF CHRIST, AND IT IS HE THAT LEADS US UP THE NARROW PATH THAT LEADS TO ETERNAL LIFE. CHRIST JESUS SPEAKS TO US, WE ARE IN HIS BODY, AND WE FOLLOW HIS VOICE. JESUS SAID THESE WORDS. JN:10:27: MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE, AND I KNOW THEM, AND THEY FOLLOW ME: JN:10:28 AND I GIVE UNTO THEM ETERNAL LIFE; AND THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH, NEITHER SHALL ANY MAN PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY HAND. JN:10:29 MY FATHER, WHICH GAVE THEM ME, IS GREATER THAN ALL; AND NO MAN IS ABLE TO PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY FATHER'S HAND. JN:10:30 I AND MY FATHER AN I ARE ONE. YOU MAY WONDER SAINTS OF GOD HOW WE KNOW WHEN THE LORD SPEAKS TO US. GOD INSPIRED THE APOSTLE PAUL TO RECORD THESE WORDS, 2TM:2:15 STUDY TO SHEW THYSELF APPROVED UNTO GOD, A WORKMAN THAT NEEDETH NOT TO BE ASHAMED, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH. (KJV) CHILDREN OF LIGHT, WE ARE COMMANDED TO DO THAT WHICH IS GOOD, AND WE DETERMINE WHAT IS GOOD BY USING THE HOLY SCRIPTURES AS THE AUTHORITY UNDER CHRIST. WHAT CHRIST COMMANDS US TO DO IS GOOD, AND WHAT CHRIST COMMANDS US NOT TO DO IS EVIL. 1THES:5:15 SEE THAT NONE RENDER EVIL FOR EVIL UNTO ANY MAN; BUT EVER FOLLOW THAT WHICH IS GOOD BOTH AMONG YOURSELVES, AND TO ALL MEN. (KJV) SAINTS OF GOD, COULD A MAN BE A GREAT BRAIN SURGEON, AND NEVER OPEN A MEDICAL BOOK? COULD A MAN BE A GREAT FOOTBALL PLAYER, AND NEVER OPEN THE RULE BOOK THAT GOVERNS THE GAME OF FOOTBALL? I THINK NOT. AND, IF A MAN IS GOING TO BE A GREAT SOLDIER IN THE ARMY OF GOD, HE MUST STUDY THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE KING JAMES TRANSLATION. FOR I BELIEVE THAT IT HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME. BEFORE GOD LAID IT UPON THE HEART OF KING JAMES TO HAVE THE HOLY SCRIPTURES TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH; WE, AS ENGLISH SPEAKING PEOPLE WERE IN WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE DARK AGES. IS IT POSSIBLE FOR A CHILD OF GOD THAT IS WALKING THE NARROW WAY TO BE REMOVED FROM THE BODY OF CHRIST, AND DESTROYED? YES, IF A PERSON THAT IS ON THE NARROW WAY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST IS NOT FRUITFUL GOD WILL REMOVE HIM FROM THE BODY OF CHRIST, AND HE WILL BE CAST INTO THE FLAMES OF HELL. JN:15:1 I AM THE TRUE VINE, AND MY FATHER IS THE HUSBANDMAN. JN:15:2 EVERY BRANCH IN ME THAT BEARETH NOT FRUIT HE TAKETH AWAY: AND EVERY BRANCH THAT BEARETH FRUIT, HE PURGETH IT, THAT IT MAY BRING FORTH MORE FRUIT. JN:15:3 NOW YE ARE CLEAN THROUGH THE WORD WHICH I HAVE SPOKEN UNTO YOU. JN:15:4 ABIDE IN ME, AND I IN YOU. AS THE BRANCH CANNOT BEAR FRUIT OF ITSELF, EXCEPT IT ABIDE IN THE VINE, NO MORE CAN YE, EXCEPT YE ABIDE IN ME. JN:15:5 I AM THE VINE, YE ARE THE BRANCHES; HE THAT ABIDETH IN ME, AND I IN HIM, THE SAME BRINGETH FORTH MUCH FRUIT: FOR WITHOUT ME YE CAN DO NOTHING. JN:15:6 IF A MAN ABIDE NOT IN ME, HE IS CAST FORTH AS A BRANCH, AND IS WITHERED; AND MEN GATHER THEM, AND CAST THEM INTO THE FIRE, AND THEY ARE BURNED. JN:15:7 IF YE ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU, YE SHALL ASK WHAT YE WILL, AND IT SHALL BE DONE UNTO YOU. THE SECRET TO BEING FRUITFUL IS TO ABIDE IN THE BODY OF CHRIST, THE SECRET TO ABIDING IN CHRIST IS TO OBEY CHRIST, THE SECRET TO OBEYING JESUS IS TO LOVE HIM, THE SECRET TO LOVING JESUS IS TO KNOW HIM. THERE ARE FALSE TEACHERS THAT SAY ALL MEN ARE CHILDREN OF GOD, BUT THAT IS NOT SO, THERE ARE IN THIS PRESENT WORLD BOTH THE CHILDREN OF GOD, AND THE CHILDREN OF SATAN. THE CHILDREN OF SATAN ARE NEVER CALLED TO REPENTANCE. THEY WERE CREATED TO BE TAKEN AND DESTROYED. THE APOSTLE PETER SPEAKS OF THEM IN HIS EPISTLE. 2PT:2:12: BUT THESE, AS NATURAL BRUTE BEASTS, MADE TO BE TAKEN AND DESTROYED, SPEAK EVIL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY UNDERSTAND NOT; AND SHALL UTTERLY PERISH IN THEIR OWN CORRUPTION; 2PT:2:13: AND SHALL RECEIVE THE REWARD OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, AS THEY THAT COUNT IT PLEASURE TO RIOT IN THE DAY TIME. SPOTS THEY ARE AND BLEMISHES, SPORTING THEMSELVES WITH THEIR OWN DECEIVINGS WHILE THEY FEAST WITH YOU; 2PT:2:14 HAVING EYES FULL OF ADULTERY, AND THAT CANNOT CEASE FROM SIN: BEGUILING UNSTABLE SOULS: AN HEART THEY HAVE EXERCISED WITH COVETOUS PRACTICES; CURSED CHILDREN. THE LORD GOD INSPIRED THE APOSTLE PETER TO RECORD, THAT THE CHILDREN OF SATAN ARE CURSED CHILDREN. WHEN MEN ARE CURSED, THEY ARE UNDER A SENTENCE OF CONDEMNATION. IN A TIME OF WAR SOME OF THE ENEMY ARE EASY RECOGNIZED, BECAUSE OF THEIR UNIFORMS. BUT, SOME OF THE ENEMY ARE NOT SO EASY TO RECOGNIZE SUCH AS SPIES, TERRORIST, AND SABOTEURS. YOU SHALL KNOW THE CHILDREN OF GOD BY THEIR FRUIT. SATAN HAS PURPOSED IN HIS HEART TO SEND EVERY CHILD OF GOD INTO THE FLAMES OF HELL. SATAN AND HIS CHILDREN USE THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD AS A WEAPON TO DESTROY GOD'S CHILDREN. HERE IS HOW HE DESTROYS THE CHILDREN OF GOD. FIRST HE TEMPTS GOD'S CHILDREN TO TRANSGRESS THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD, TEMPS GOD'S CHILDREN TO SIN. FIRST COMES TEMPTATION, AND IF A CHILD OF GOD SUCCUMBS TO TEMPTATION, THEN COMES SIN, AND THEN COMES DEATH. FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH. ROM:6:23 FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH; BUT THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. SATAN FOUND ALL MANKIND IN ONE PLACE, IN ADAM. AND WITH ONE TEMPTATION, ONE SIN, DEATH CAME UPON ALL MANKIND. 1COR:15:22 FOR AS IN ADAM ALL DIE, EVEN SO IN CHRIST SHALL ALL BE MADE ALIVE. (KJV) AS SATAN USED THE SERPENT IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN, TO DESTROY ADAM, AND EVE. SATAN USES THE FALSE PROPHETS, AND FALSE TEACHERS AND THOSE THAT PRETEND TO BE CHRISTIANS, TO DESTROY THE CHILDREN OF GOD TODAY. SAINTS OF GOD, THE CHILDREN OF GOD ARE EASY TO RECOGNIZE FOR WE ASSEMBLE IN THE LOCAL CHURCHES. WE LOVE TO SING HYMNS, AND THE BORN AGAIN CHILDREN OF GOD, WILL NOT TRANSGRESS THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD. THE CHILDREN OF GOD ARE CALLED CHRISTIANS BECAUSE WE ARE "CHRIST LIKE." 1JN:3:1 BEHOLD, WHAT MANNER OF LOVE THE FATHER HATH BESTOWED UPON US, THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED THE SONS OF GOD; THEREFORE THE WORLD KNOWETH US NOT, BECAUSE IT KNEW HIM NOT. 1JN:3:2 BELOVED, NOW ARE WE THE SONS OF GOD, AND IT DOTH NOT YET APPEAR WHAT WE SHALL BE; BUT WE KNOW THAT, WHEN HE SHALL APPEAR, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM; FOR WE SHALL SEE HIM AS HE IS. 1JN:3:3: AND EVERY MAN THAT HATH THIS HOPE IN HIM PURIFIETH HIMSELF, EVEN AS HE IS PURE. 1JN:3:4: WHOSOEVER COMMITTETH SIN TRANSGRESSETH ALSO THE LAW; FOR SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW. 1JN:3:5: AND YE KNOW THAT HE WAS MANIFESTED TO TAKE AWAY OUR SINS; AND IN HIM IS NO SIN. 1JN:3:6 WHOSOEVER ABIDETH IN HIM SINNETH NOT; WHOSOEVER SINNETH HATH NOT SEEN HIM, NEITHER KNOWN HIM. 1JN:3:7 LITTLE CHILDREN, LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU: HE THAT DOETH RIGHTEOUSNESS IS RIGHTEOUS, EVEN AS HE IS RIGHTEOUS. 1JN:3:8 HE THAT COMMITTETH SIN IS OF THE DEVIL; FOR THE DEVIL SINNETH FROM THE BEGINNING. FOR THIS PURPOSE THAT SON OF GOD WAS MANIFESTED, THAT HE MIGHT DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL. 1JN3:9 WHOSOEVER IS BORN OF GOD DOTH NOT COMMIT SIN; FOR HIS SEED REMAINETH IN HIM;AND HE CANNOT SIN, BECAUSE HE IS BORN OF GOD. 1JN:3:10 IN THIS THECHILDREN OF GOD ARE MANIFEST, AND THE CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL; WHOSOEVER DOETH NOT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OF GOD, NEITHER HE THAT LOVETH NOT HIS BROTHER. HERE IS ANOTHER DIFFERENCE THAT SEPARATES THE ELECT, FROM THE CHILDREN OF SATAN. THE CHILDREN OF SATAN ARE FAITHLESS, THE CHILDREN OF GOD HAVE FAITH. WHAT IS FAITH? THE BIBLE GIVES A DEFINITION OF FAITH. HEB:11:1 NOW FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR, THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN. (KJV) WE, THE CHILDREN OF GOD, HAVE THE ABILITY TO BELIEVE WITHOUT SEEING. FOR EXAMPLE, WE DID NOT HAVE TO CLIMB MOUNT SINAI WITH MOSES AND SEE GOD GIVE HIM THE LAW; BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THE TESTIMONY OF MOSES'. WE, THE CHILDREN OF GOD, DID NOT HAVE TO GO WITH THE APOSTLE PAUL INTO THE WILDERNESS OF ARABIA, AND SEE JESUS CHRIST GIVE HIM THE EPISTLES THAT PAUL RECORDED. BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THE TESTIMONY OF THE APOSTLE PAUL. BUT THE ATHEIST, AND THE AGNOSTICS, THE SKEPTICS, AND THE DOUBTERS, AND THOSE THAT PRETEND TO BE CHRISTIANS, DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE IS THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD. EVEN THOUGH THESE WORDS ARE RECORDED IN THE BIBLE, 2TM:3:16 ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD, AND IS PROFITABLE FOR DOCTRINE, FOR REPROOF, FOR CORRECTION, FOR INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS; 2TN:3:17 THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE PERFECT, THROUGHLY FURNISHED UNTO ALL GOOD WORKS. (KJV) LET ME CONCLUDE WITH THESE QUESTIONS "WHY DID GOD CREATE YOU?" THIS IS THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, GOD CREATED YOU FOR HIS PLEASURE. IS YOUR LIFE GIVING GOD PLEASURE?


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