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, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

A couple of years ago, my bride and I were in Albuquerque for a meeting that was at the same time as the annual Hot Air Balloon Festival. It was an incredible sight to see all of the multi-colored balloons glistening against the crystal blue New Mexico sky.

My friend asked us if we had ever ridden in one and we both said no. He said that then was the time and the next thing I knew, we were crammed in an oversized laundry basket with two other friends and a young pilot barely old enough to shave and we were trusting our life to him.

Always wanting to know how things work, I started asking questions as I watched the hot air from the burners fill the balloon. There was a brisk wind from the South and I asked how we could ever expect to get back where we started. As we lifted off and began a rather swift ride North, the pilot answered my question.

It seems that the wind, much like the currents in the ocean does not run uniformly at all altitudes. The trick to piloting a balloon is to find out which way the wind is blowing at different altitudes and raising or lowering the balloon’s altitude to catch a ride in the desired direction.

A lot of people run their lives that way, following whatever is the path of least resistance. We take great pains to put ourselves on its path. We’d do anything to keep from waiting in traffic, standing in line at the bank, post office, or grocery store. We’d come back another time when the place is not as busy.

If Noah, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego, Joseph, Joshua and Caleb, Esther and others had taken the path of least resistance, would we be reading about them in the Scriptures? Probably not, because God’s way is not always the easy way.

Sometimes we fail to realize that the struggles and challenges in life, the trials and adversities that we face day to day are just what we need to grow in Christian grace. Matthew talks about the narrow gate and the broad gate. One is easy to pass through and the other takes effort, but the rewards are greater. Which way do you choose?

So, as we go through life, let us not follow the easiest way, but the way of highest calling…. God’s way.

Is your home spiritually lead? Learn more about Christian leadership with a life lesson.

“So this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some strength of iron in it…partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle…so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united any more than iron mixes with clay”   (Daniel 2:41-43).

Daniel was interpreting the King’s dream of a statue that was gold at the top, then silver, bronze and finally iron and clay. One well placed rock broke it and it crumbled. He was prophesying about Babylon, but it seems the description fits our country, doesn’t it? We were founded one nation under God, but no longer.

It was once a golden nation. A nation founded on the God-given rights of all men created equal in the sight of the Creator, each of value and worth.  Of course, that was the ideal- slavery, indentured servitude, the east coast work houses, the mistreatment of the native Indians, the lawlessness of the Wild West was the reality. Still our country remained a beacon. Churches were the center of town life. Freedom rang.

Now as our legislature has made God unpopular and banned Him from our schools and His principles are no longer taught, we are a nation divided.  We are partly strong, yet our morals, our economy and our  ethics are crumbling like clay. God’s remnant is the iron. We hold these truths to be self evident – in God we will continue to trust. Our God will provide and protect His people:

- If we pray and return to Him.

-  If we continue in our homes to teach our children of His power and promises, of His grace and our sinfulness.

-  If we continue to treat people with love and dignity and reach out to be His hands and feet and teach our kids to do so also.

-  If we teach them that honesty is the best policy and confession is good for the soul.

Then, they receive Christ as their Savior.

Jesus said He was not interceding for the world, only those the Father had given to His care. (John 17:9) As believers, we are the children of the King destined for the streets of gold. Our children will see the path we are headed down and eventually make the decision to follow long after they demand we let go of their hand and claim independence. Proverbs promises if we teach them God’s way when they are young, they will return to Him.

Mothers, as the old song from Crosby Stills and Nash says, remember to teach your children well. Grandmothers, aunts, bigger sisters- you are not exempt. If you are not teaching the children you know about Jesus, who is going to?

One home school mother I know bought wallets from the dollar store. She and her kids put religious tracks  and numbers to call for financial assistance in them, then dropped them in parking lots near stores and watched  to see if people would snatch them up, or turn them in. What did her kids learn? One, some people are not honest. They are greedy. Two, Jesus loves them, too and we need to help them discover who He is. Great lessons, right?

Question: What children in your life could use a lesson about Jesus’ love? How can you demonstrate that to them?

Hurting from the pain of losing a baby? We want to stand in the gap for you.

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere” (Ephesians 6:18 (NLT).

The Bible describes prayer as “standing in the gap” or “bridging the gap” – the channel through which God’s will is brought to earth. We are going to look in God’s Word to see some examples of people he used to stand in the gap so his purpose could be accomplished.

God chose or appointed Moses to stand in the gap between His people, the Israelites and Pharaoh. Esther stood in the gap for her people, the Israelites with prayer and fasting when Haman wanted to destroy the Jews.

After God created the earth, He said, “It was very good” (Genesis 1:31). There was no gap between God and the earth, however, after Adam and Eve sinned, sin created a gap between God and what He had planned for the earth.  Fortunately, God stood in the gap for us by sending His Son, Jesus to the earth to live as a man, die for our sins, and arise from the dead so we could have a personal relationship with Him.

God is our source of power and He chose us to be intercessors, a channel for His power to bridge the gap between himself and the earth. Daniel knew that prayer was the means that would bring God’s will from heaven, causing His will to be activated, releasing His power for His purpose on earth.

God chose us, as parents and grandparents to partner with Him in behalf of our children, grandchildren, and future generations to share in His work and blessings. Jennifer Kennedy Dean writes in her Bible study, Live A Praying Life, “Prayer is the most aggressive, offensive, pro-active, invasive work you can ever engage in.”

Paul writes in Ephesians 6:10-18, we are to be strong and firm in our relationship with the Lord. We are to stand firm against Satan’s well- thought-out plans and agenda for our children, grandchildren, and ourselves.

Just as Jesus, Moses, Esther, Daniel and many others in the Bible stood in the gap, we as parents and grandparents have the privilege to stand in the gap with prayer for our families. Satan is very active in the world today; he knows his time is short. Let us urgently and intentionally pray for God’s will and protection for our family members.

As parents and grandparents, let us be the channels through which God’s will is brought down to earth for our children, grandchildren, future generations, and ourselves.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP: How to pray for your kids

Questions: How can you best stand in the gap for your family and for others? Can you name some examples of people who stood or are standing in the gap today?

About the Author Lillian Penner

1 Jennifer Kennedy Dean, Living A Praying Life, (Birmingham, AL: New Hope, 2003). p 60.

Is your spouse addicted to porn? This study will help to find strength to face life’s challenges.

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly place”  (Eph 6:12, NKJV).

Every day over every city there is a war going on in the spirit realm. Darkness and light are battling it out for the souls of the city, and the results are evident in the natural as we see both godliness and evil manifested in the lives of the people. Mankind participates in that war by giving power to darkness through sin, or by giving power to the light through prayer, fasting, and righteous living.

Even though Daniel’s prayer for his nation was heard the very first day, and his prayer was immediately responded to, it was three weeks before the angel was able to get through the spiritual battle with a message for Daniel.  Daniel’s fasting and continued prayer contributed to victory for the angel and ultimately for his nation. (Daniel 10:12-14)

If we want to see change in the natural, we first have to have victory in the spiritual. Be confident that when you engage in prayer, fasting, and righteous living, you are using weapons that will impact the spirit realm and change the atmosphere in your city, preparing a way for a greater openness to the gospel among the people.

“Blessed be the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle” (Psalm 144:1, NKJV).

Questions: There is a spiritual war going on continuously. What is the battle about? How are you participating in this war?

About the Author Emmie Stanley

        Every day over every city there is a war going on in the spirit realm. Darkness and light are battling it out for the souls of the city, and the results are evident in the natural as we see both godliness and evil manifested in the lives of the people. Mankind participates in that war by giving power to darkness through sin, or by giving power to the light through prayer, fasting, and righteous living.

           Even though Daniel’s prayer for his nation was heard the very first day, and his prayer was immediately responded to, It was three weeks before the angel was able to get through the spiritual battle with a message for Daniel. Daniels fasting and continued prayer contributed to victory for the angel and ultimately for his nation (Daniel 10:12-14).If we want to see change in the natural, we first have to have victory in the spiritual. Be confident that when you engage in prayer, fasting, and righteous living, you are using weapons that will impact the spirit realm and change the atmosphere in your city, preparing a way for a greater openness to the gospel among the people.

“Blessed be the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.” Psalm 144:1 (NKJV)

 Prayer points:

• That the people of God would be united in prayer with an eye to impact their cities for Christ
• That we would understand the battle at hand and engage to empower victory in the spirit realm
• That we would grow in understanding our role as the church to impact our world

Please open your Bible and read:(Daniel 1:1 -16)

Being a godly influence means helping others comprehend who Jesus is, grow in their understanding of the Word, and make God – honoring choices. To be such a person, we must have strong conviction, solid commitment, and steady courage.

In order to have a godly impact on others, we must first be convinced that Scripture is true. The Israelite Daniel knew the biblical prohibition against eating meat offered to idols. As a captive in a pagan country, he faced a dilemma. Since his meals were offered first to idols, he had to decide whether to obey the law and risk punishment from men, or adopt Babylonian ways and displease the Lord.

What convictions do you have? Do you believe the following?

1. The Bible is the inspired, infallible Word of God. There are no mistakes in it; “discrepancies” are just things we do not understand yet. (2 Timothy 3:16)

2. God is Three – in – One: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each member is fully divine. (Matthew 28:19)

3. Eternal life is received only through faith in Jesus – there is no other way. (John 14:6) Salvation cannot be earned, even by good works. (Ephesians 2:8 – 9)

4. Jesus will one day return for those who believe in Him, and He will take them with Him to heaven. (John 14:2 – 3) But unbelievers will remain under divine wrath. (John 3:36)

Daniel believed what the Scriptures said, and God granted him favor. Our Father is also pleased with us when we trust in His Word. How firm are your convictions?

Question: How do each of these convictions inform your life?

About the Author:  Charles Stanley

Please open your Bible and read: Daniel 4:1-27

The prophet Daniel faced some tough situations. His unflattering interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream could have cost him his life. And one of the Bible’s most popular stories recounts the man’s decision to pray even though the punishment was a one – way trip to the lion’s den. (Daniel 6:6-10)

Those hard circumstances arose from Daniel’s own commitment to his convictions. The king might never have known if he had received a false interpretation of his dream. And Daniel could have stopped praying, or at least made his daily prayers less public. But dishonoring God seemed far worse than death. While his convictions often put him in a vise, his principled life was also rewarded by the kings he served.

Today, we have the same choice to live by conviction or preference. Do other people know you as principled – someone who cannot tolerate dirty jokes or gossip, who refuses to pad his time sheet, and who responds to hurts with forgiveness? This is not an example of a super – saint; this is the God – honoring role believers are called to fulfill every day: we are to know Scripture and consistently model righteousness.

Some days, while trying to live out our convictions, we will feel like Daniel facing the lion’s den. But God provides courage. If we are willing to make right choices, our determination intersects with His divine bravery at just the right moment. The result is a life full of godly influence that will earn these words from our King: “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21)

Question: How were Daniel and his friends able to endure when their situation seemed hopeless?

About this Author: Charles Stanley

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”  (Jeremiah 33:3, NIV)

I love meeting people who are not highly educated, but have found a wisdom higher than the world’s wisdom.  You know in meeting them that somehow they have found a sort of hideout with God where He reveals to them His secrets.  Somehow, they have understood that God’s ways and His thoughts are higher and so much better, able to overshadow any wisdom of the world.  The wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.

Daniel acknowledged God as the revealer of deep and secret things.  He sought mercies from the God of heaven and King Nebuchadnezzar ‘s dream was revealed to Daniel in a vision.  I love how he acknowledged that the secret was not revealed to him because he had more wisdom than anyone living!

What’s amazing is that when Daniel revealed this secret, it persuaded King Nebuchadnezzar, and caused him to fall prostate declaring that Daniel’s God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets.  He then promoted Daniel, gave him gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.

I can only imagine how those that didn’t worship the God of Daniel must have thought about him being their overseer.  The magicians, sorcerers and astrologers couldn’t tell the King a thing.  They had nothing to offer, but Daniel could.   It wasn’t because Daniel had more knowledge, or more education that he was promoted.  It was because he acknowledged God as merciful and went to Him for the answers.

I believe this is a perfect picture of what God is doing throughout the earth.  He is raising up those that have spent time in the secret place with Himself; those that have humbled themselves before Him, knowing that it is only by God and through placing their hearts before Him that they have anything of value to offer.  It is in spending time with Him in His chambers, in His presence that He will share with us things that have not yet been revealed; ideas, cures of diseases and ways to even transform nations.

It is encouraging to me to know that “not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.  But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Corinthians 1:26-28, NIV).

Know that as you spend time with Him, He will share with you His secrets and reveal to you deep things.

Heavenly Father, I thank you for Your mercies and Your grace upon my life.  Thank you that it is You that I can come to for the answers and You alone that will bring me true fulfillment and satisfaction.  I want to know You more and spend more time with You in Your Presence.  Come and dwell deeper within me.  I love You Lord.

Questions: Are you spending time with the Lord and drawing closer to Him?

About the Author Brigitte Straub

Have you ever stopped to realize how many of God’s special people had lowly backgrounds?  Consider the following:
Joseph was a slave and prisoner.
Moses and David were shepherds.
Esther and Daniel were displaced persons of a despised race.
Joseph was a carpenter, and Mary a small-town girl.
Simeon and Anna were little-known prophets.
Peter, James, and John were fishermen.
Dorcas was a seamstress.

Because these people put God first in their lives, consider how God raised them up and used them:
Joseph became second to the Pharoah in ruling Egypt (Genesis 41:40-41).
Moses and David became rulers of Israel (Exodus 3:9-11; 1 Samuel 16:1, 11-13).
Daniel became prime minister of Babylon (Daniel 2:47-49).
Esther became queen of Persia and saved God’s people from extermination (Esther 8).
Joseph the carpenter was chosen to be the “stepfather” of the Son of God;     Mary was His mother (Luke 1:26-35).

Simeon and Anna were used of God to prophesy over the baby Jesus and proclaim who He was and what He came to earth to do (Luke 2:25-38).

Peter, James, and John became Jesus’ foremost disciples and intimate friends.  Peter and John wrote books of the Bible by inspiration of God (Matthew 17:1-3).

Dorcas was raised from the dead; many came to Christ because of this (Acts 9:36-42).

And then there was Jesus.  Although He was the Son of God, He was born in the lowliest of circumstances, in a manger, to a couple with little money.  There was neither fine hospital nor worldly acclaim such as given when a prince is born in England.  Only humble shepherds knelt by His manger to give Him homage.

Philippians 2:5-7 says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”

When God came as a man, He lived in no great palace as other kings do.  Instead, He said the foxes have holes and the birds nests, but He had no place to lay his head (Matthew 8:20).

Then He gave Himself into the hands of His enemies to be viciously lashed, mocked, and spit upon.  He let them nail Him on a cross.  He, the Almighty God (Isaiah 9:6), humbly allowed this because He loved us and came to save us.

He is coming again to earth–as King of kings and Lord of lords.  And those who have humbly followed in His footsteps shall reign with Him!

Fill my heart with humble gratitude today, Lord. Thank you that You use the ordinary and the un-spectacular. Fill me with Your amazing Holy Spirit today and use me to accomplish Your will. In Jesus’ name I ask this, amen.

Questions: Why do you suppose God used so many “lowly” people to help fulfill his wishes here on earth?

About the Author Muriel Larson

Daily audio podcast: Hear today’s daily devotional, God’s Lowly People, read aloud on the Men’s Devotional Blog