The Way

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope  and a future.  Jeremiah 29:11

GEICO, Allstate, State Farm, Liberty Mutual, Fidelis; there are many different insurance companies. There are many different kinds of insurances.  There’s life insurance, health insurance, car insurance, flood insurance, house insurance, pet insurance, and there’s even now car maintenance insurance.  People feel safer when they know they insured.  Amen but, how safe can this type of insurance really make you?

Life insurance can only be benefited from in the event of your or someone’s death.  Something would actually have to happen to your car for your car insurance to take effect, and health insurance is there for when your heath fails. Whether it’s just a cold or if it’s full blown cancer, you still have to be in a bad way to benefit from the insurance.  And what’s the best thing that could happen with these insurances, the best case scenario?  Well if you’re not dead, your car is not wrecked and you and your family is not sick…..you get to pay the insurance company, and feel safe.

But, how would you really like to be “in good hands.”  I mean the best hands.  Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I would like to present to you….a better than life insurance….the eternal life insurance established over 2,000 years ago.  An insurance that you can benefit from whether you are sick or well.  Those other types insurance talk about constant coverage but don’t pay your premium and see how constant that coverage is.  With our plan you’re covered under the blood of Jesus Christ our savior and redeemer.  But wait—there’s more; regular life insurance ends with the physical death of the policy holder. It provides for his or her funeral expense and may even give saved up money or possessions to loved ones.  I tell you that there is an insurance that provides your sweetest benefit after your physical death.  Membership and compliance guarantees eternal life in heaven in the presence of our Holy Father.  I’ll let that sink in for a moment.

This type of life insurance—or a better term might be life assurance, is insurance for your soul.  It works great not only in the hereafter but right now.  You’re able to have joy, peace, and contentment houses and land, the whole nine.  Our Father owns all of this and if you only believe with your heart and confess with mouth that our elder brother and savior Jesus Christ died for our sins on a cross and resurrected himself on the 3^rd day you too can become a policyholder.  Let me apologize because in my excitement I’m getting ahead of myself.

Let me tell you a little bit about our organization.  The name of our organization is called The Way.  Our founder is all mighty God who resides in heaven.  Our C.E.C. and co-founder is Jesus who currently resides in heaven at our Father’s right hand.  Our vice president and co-founder in charge of training and also runs the help desk, our comforter the precious Holy Ghost.  Down my chain of command or my upline are Bishop Frazier, Elder Campbell and finally Pastor and Deacon Robinson.

Our instruction manual or standard operating procedure (S.O.P) for short consists of 66 books and as of 2007 approximately 7.5 billion have been distributed world wide.  Talk about a best seller.  All or a part of it has been printed in over 2.370 languages.  Our members today,  number between 1.5 and 2.2 billion believers.  Some famous retirees in our organization consist of Brother John, Brother Matthew, Brother Timothy and Bishop Fuller.

The way is available to everyone, all nations and all races.  Our Master’s plan is so elegant,  yet so simple that even the most educated and smartest person couldn’t mess it up by over thinking things.  In fact,  in Matthew 18:4 of our instruction manual Jesus said this (And he said “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.) The way was not always available to us all; up until approximately 2,000 years ago the way was a hand to adhere to system called the Law and only God’s original people the Jews had the rights to it.  Even when Jesus came down to earth to simplify the system it still wasn’t available to us.  But thanks to one of our pioneering representatives, Brother Paul (and the Jews rejection and crucifixion of our savior and C.E.O. Jesus) we are all, worldwide, privy to this pearl of great price.

You may by now be thinking what is the cost for something so wonderful.  Well worry not, for the premium has been paid in blood no less by our Lord and savior (our C.E.O if you will).  All you have to do is believe on Him, believe that he actually did pay that price for us and do this while the blood is still running warm in your veins.  And with that belief comes membership and with membership your name will be written in the Lamb Book at our corporate headquarters in Heaven.

Let me give you a few examples by way of personal testimony, what the way can do for you.  When I was a younger man I could end up in places and situation that make the hair stand on the back of my neck but whatever situation that was lurking m never revealed itself.  How many people know that before you ever enroll in this great plan, someone who already knows the way will put you on their policy?  All they have to do is bring your name up when they’re on their upline communicating with our C.E.O.  No doubt our pastor and deacon had a group policy for most of us back then.

My daughter gave us cause for concern with headache and a disturbing prognosis from her doctor.  It resulted in a couple of trips to Chapel Hill.  I myself got sick in 09; my condition could have had serious consequences.  In both cases we used a medical insurance through my job called Medcost.  I was lucky to have it but how many of you know that medcost was just my supplementary or secondary insurance.  The way was, and is my first to go.

Now as I’ve said before, the cost of membership has been paid in full.  As I ‘m sure you’ll remember someone said; salvation is free but it costs to keep it.  You must supply a sanctified life a godly life.  You must stay in contact with your C.E.O. on your upline constantly.  You must read your instruction manual daily.  And you love your brother as you love yourself, maybe better.  Our organization is a lean green efficient company. We keep advertisement costs down by using word of mouth, in fact every member is compelled to go out into the hedges and hi ways and tell people about our C.E.O. and the way.

As I conclude, keep in mind being on someone else’s policy will not get your name written in the Book of Life.  You need to secure a personal policy.  If you do not know the way tonight you are in a good place at a most opportune time. If you wish to secure for yourself a policy of peace that surpasses all understanding all you need to do is come down to the alter and you name can be added right now.  So don’t be without coverage a minute longer get yourself a peculiar policy.  Become one of us a royal priesthood come with us, on the way.

-Brother Darrin Johnson

Two Gates- Two Paths

Two Gates-Two Paths
By naomi Cassata

When I was 4 years old, I was swimming at the beach with my family. I was in knee deep water when all of a sudden I stepped into a hole that went over my head. It turned out to be an undertow. The suction was so strong; I could barely keep my head above water. I struggled to get out but nothing seemed to help. I was terrified that I was about to drown! Right when I thought I couldn’t stay above water any longer, a couple nearby spotted me. The man reached his hand out and pulled me from death’s grip. I was exhausted and scared, but so very thankful for this stranger’s saving hand.

This horrible experience is a constant reminder of how fragile life is. When I think back, I can still feel the anxiety I felt back then. Thankfully though, there was a rescuer nearby who saved me from what appeared to be the inevitable. As bad as this whole ordeal was, there is an even worse type of drowning that millions are experiencing every day. It has nothing to do with water; but rather, the state of their spiritual lives. After death there is an eternity waiting every soul, and how we live our lives here will follow us into that forever. Unless we cling to our Rescuer, Jesus Christ, we will end up in an eternity of despair.

THREE PERSPECTIVES ON LIFE

Many look at life and exclaim “Life is Good!” as if their existence is simply about having a good time. They go on living each day without any concern for their eternal destination as they engage themselves in the world’s current affairs. Throwing themselves into the pleasures of the world has become their reason for living. Their only gratification comes from their weekend leisure. Conviction is thrown by the wayside and they lash out at anyone who disapproves of their immoral choices.

Still, you have others who acknowledge their depravity and realize there is a bigger picture than this temporary world, so they begin to search. They find God with only momentary delight. They learn that a life devoted to God requires separation from the lusts of the world, but their indulgencies are much too delicious to let go of. They juggle the two throughout their lives never fully giving themselves over to God. They attend church, associate with church people and know the church lingoes. From the outside, they look like “normal Christianity.” Yet, at the end of their life, they will look back with much regret: knowing the truth, and yet not living it. This group is actually in a much more pitiful state than the first.

Then you have, as the Bible describes, the “few” that turn to God with all their heart. Their lives are not one of worldly indulgencies because pleasing God has become their number one passion. Laying down their lives, to be more like the Good Shepherd, is their daily ambition. Their character is one of forgiveness, servant hood, meekness and sacrifice. Their honor for God is lived out in their daily lives, and is not based on their weekend church attendance. They are true reflections of their Master.

Which group do you belong to? Only one will make it to Heaven.

TWO GATES

Life offers two separate paths to walk down. The first is a broad one. This is the one that most of the world is strutting down. The gate you must enter to reach this path is just as wide as the path is. It invites various religious groups and has many enticements along the way. This broad path offers a variety of entertainments, lusts, luxuries, self indulgencies and the best part is without any conviction. If it feels good, then it is welcomed on the broad path. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. (Matthew 7:13) The people on this road do not see the end of their lives. They are the first group I talked about that goes through life enjoying every moment along the way, taking no thought to what lies ahead at the end of the path. This is the most popular road because it is the most fun with minimal restraints.

The second gate is less appealing. It is so narrow and the path isn’t any better. It is not an easy one to follow. Once you’ve stepped through the gate, you will find a path much different from the previous one. It requires self denial, which is why so few will be willing to enter. Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. (Luke 13:23-24) It is a difficult path to walk down because it requires lots of sacrifice on our part. Many will be intrigued by this path because at the end of the road is eternal life. But not many will be willing to walk down it. Only those that are willing to surrender their lives to follow Christ will be allowed to venture down. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24) If we aren’t willing to deny ourselves, we aren’t worthy of Christ.

The second group we talked about sees this narrow gate and knows the reward at the end. The reward interests them and they claim to have found the “Light.” Yet, when you examine their lifestyle, it is not any different from the first group. They watch the same movies and television shows, listen to the same music, laugh at the same dirty jokes, gossip behind others backs, hold grudges against those that have wronged them, do not honor God with their choices and even go as far as mocking those that are on the narrow path for their “narrow mindedness.” They see themselves as non-controversial Christians who can blend Christianity and the world together as one without being too radical. Sure they attend church every Sunday, can quote the most popular scriptures, they may even wear a cross around their necks, but none of these are true fruits of Christianity. Through their actions it is obvious they do not know Him.

WALKING AS JESUS WALKED

The world is full of darkness (sin). Sin is no longer called what it is. Society calls them “personal choices,” and for anyone to oppose them would get them labeled intolerant or judgmental. Despite what others think of us, we are to live like Jesus lived. Jesus described Himself as the light of the world, and as His followers, we too must be lights in the darkness. (John 8:12)

Salvation is not a mere ticket out of hell. Rather, it is a gift to those that while on earth, took the narrow path during their pursuit after Christ. Being a follower of Christ is not just a claim to His name. It is living as He did.

Copyright 2009

Naomi Cassata

iluvjc079@yahoo.com

I am 30 years old and have been writing since I was 19. It is a gift and a passion that God has given me. I have been married to my husband James for 6 years and we have 2 small children.

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