Why the Gate is Narrow

The gate in Matt 7 is not narrow because God is mean and put the posts really close together so folks would have to squeeze through while holding their bellies in. The gate is narrow by virtue of the things that are about it. The gate of prosperity is wide open before us at the end of this year but shopping networks, impulse spending and high-interest-rate credit cards are standing between us and the gate of prosperity. The gate of good health and fitness is wide open for us to go through this year but easily obtained carbohydrates, sugar, flour, salt and fats are boldly, challengingly standing all around that gate. Getting to the gate is a challenge and getting through the gate is not easy because of what we must pass through to get over its threshold. There are gates of life and gates of death, gates of blessing and gates of curses. Which gates we go through, if we go through them at all, are accomplished by beginning with a choice. To go through the gate of prosperity we must now save and/or invest money while cutting back on using easy-to-get, high-interest-rate credit. To go through the gate of physical fitness we must practice self-government and resist delicious sugar-loaded and fat-loaded foods and command our soul to follow after a good exercise routine.  (Fifth excerpt from Marty’s article “Doors and Self-Government”)

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