A Condition of the Heart: Growing Beyond Church Doctrine

By Daniel Hoffman and Arlene Engelhardt

This book offers compelling evidence that the true Church of Jesus is not of this world (John 18:36). The writers have collected a convincing body of factual information (using both biblical as well as secular references) that clearly reveals the true nature of God's kingdom in the earth.

Never before has the gospel been made clearer!

Have you ever thought about what you believe and why you believe it?
Have you ever wondered if organized religion is the way to get to heaven?
Do you know that there are over twenty-five thousand different Christian denominations?
Is it possible to grow in the Lord without attending church?
Do you desire a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?
Do you want to know who the antichrist is?

If you want to know what the Bible says concerning these things, you must read this book. Find Jesus Christ for yourselves and learn to follow him!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 21, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524501082

Daniel Hoffman

Led only by a conviction in their spirits, the authors take you on a personal journey as they begin their walk with Christ. Separating for a season from their local churches, they venture out to spend time alone with the Lord, seeking the truth of the Bible. What he reveals to them will amaze you.

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Copyright © 2016 by Arlene Engelhardt and Daniel E. Hoffman.

Cover Design: Arlene Engelhardt.

Editor: Daniel E. Hoffman.

ISBN:      Softcover         978-1-5245-0109-9

                eBook               978-1-5245-0108-2

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

Scripture quotations marked TNIV are taken from the Holy Bible, Today's New International Version®. TNIV® Copyright © 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society®. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission.

Some Scriptural quotes are also taken from the Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments and are noted (KJV) when used within the text of this writing.

Word translations are from:

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible by James Strong, S.T.D., L.L.D. Published by Hendrickson Publishers.

Word definitions are from various dictionaries (see Bibliography).

Paraphrased by the authors.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 05/19/2016

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

A message to the Un-churched

My Journey

Part One: A Condition of the Heart

Chapter One: What is Truth?

The Strait and Narrow Path

Knowing God

My Journey

Chapter Two: Denial

Denying Christ

Desperately Wicked

Chapter Three: Breaking Through Denial

Testing the Spirits

The Formula

Chapter Four: Through Spiritual Eyes

The Spirit of God

The Fine Art of Deception

The Bread of Life

The Weeds Among The Wheat

MY JOURNEY

Chapter Five: The Tabernacle of the Holy Spirit

MY JOURNEY

The Womb

The Barren Womb

Eternal Security?

Chapter Six: The Law of Love

What is Love?

True Love

MY JOURNEY

Chapter Seven: A Condition of the Heart

The Pure in Heart

My Journey

The Sheep and The Goats

Part Two: Growing Beyond Church Doctrine

Chapter Eight: Holidays... The Ways of Men

Christmas

Easter

Halloween

Thanksgiving

The Truth

Witches in the Sanctuary

The Temptation of Jesus

Chapter Nine: Church Does Not Equal Christ

What is Church?

Coming to God

Corporate Worship

J.C. Pennies

Chapter Ten: The New Covenant

The Law

The Priesthood

Chapter Eleven: Symbolism And Ceremony in the Church

Baptism

Holy Communion

Foot Washing

Tradition

Chapter Twelve: The Catholic Church

Our Father

My Lord and My God

Intercession

The Mother of God

The Blessed Virgin Mary

The Ten Commandments

The Rosary

Baptism and Confession

Deceiving Spirits

Holy Days of Obligation

The Mass and Holy Communion

The Communion of Saints

The Beatitudes.

Circumcision

Taking God's Name In Vain

The One True Church

Binding and Loosing

Forgiveness of Sins

Chapter Thirteen: The Protestant Churches

Faith Alone?

The Liturgy

Chapter Fourteen: False Prophets

The Apostasy

The Thief: Who is Guarding the Hen House?

The Antichrist

Greater is He That is In You

The Magic Arts

Chapter Fifteen: History His Story

The Doctrines of Demons

Church... The American Way

Land of the Free?

Manifest Destiny

Our American Heritage

Chapter Sixteen: The Deceitfulness of Riches

Capitalism or Christ?

Rugged Individualism

The Prosperity DoctrineandThe Protestant Work Ethic

May You Prosper:

The Law of Sowing and Reaping

Biblical Economics

The Tithe

The Storehouse

Divine Healing

Divine Destiny:

The Anointing

Speaking in Tongues

Chapter Seventeen: The World Church

Selling God

Church Unity

Christ Divided

Chapter Eighteen: Practicing Christianity

DoingThe Will of God

Holiness

Forgiveness

Conclusion

Afterword

Epilogue The Pope's Apology

Bibliography

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the Lord

and to all who desire to

faithfully follow

Him.

_________________________________

________________________________________

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Lord

for His guidance throughout the writing of this book.

We would also like to thank our children

for their patience with us as we devotedly studied

and prepared this writing over these past ten years.

A special thanks to all of the friends

who have crossed our paths along the way

and contributed to our growth in the Lord.

God Bless You All!

INTRODUCTION

Some years ago the Lord challenged us to take a closer look at what we believe. Although we had both come from similar backgrounds and had grown up in the Christian faith, we longed for a deeper union with the Savior we confessed to love. Our quest led us on a life-changing journey down a one way road into Truth. Little did we know when we began seeking the Lord through the study of His Word that He would draw us into a totally new Reality.

Things are not always what they seem. In fact, we have discovered that nothing is what it once seemed to be. Many people go through life blindly accepting whatever this world has to offer them, never questioning what they believe, or even thinking about why they believe it. Perhaps we would have too, if the Lord hadn't called us out of the traditional way of doing things, into His Way. Now, we no longer take anything for granted.

We have written this book in an effort to challenge you to take a closer look at what you believe and why you believe it. Our goal is simply to get you to think for yourself, instead of blindly following worldly leaders who may or may not be pointing you toward Heaven. As Christians, we all desire to spend eternity with our Creator. Yet many people are putting their destinies into the hands of (as Jesus called them) strangers (see John 10:2-5). Are you willing to trust your soul to someone else? Someone other than Jesus? This is exactly what many people are doing when they form their own personal religious beliefs or follow someone else's. (I have discovered that, often, what we like to think of as our own private convictions are, in truth, merely bits and pieces of other people's opinions that we have collected over time and strung together to form our own brand of personal faith. It is amazing to me the number of people I've talked to who say they are confident that they are going to Heaven although they never asked God how to get there).

Did you know that there are over 25,000 different denominations (religions) within the Christian faith? Each one of them teaches different ways of getting to Heaven. Each has different practices, traditions and beliefs. How can any of us be sure which one is the right way to God? Which of them teaches truth? How can any of us be sure that our church is the right church? The Bible says that there is only one way into Heaven and that way is through Jesus Christ. So, why have we chosen to go through other men (or ourselves) to get to God? Why aren't we putting our faith in Jesus Christ instead of trusting in our many different theologies? How can any of us be sure we are on the path that leads to God?

Don't you think it's time you start taking your relationship with the Lord seriously? What does God's Word say? Do you really know? Have you read His Book to find out what His plan for your salvation is? Have you ever relied totally upon the Holy Spirit to counsel you and lead you into understanding? Who has interpreted the Bible for you? God or Man?

Imagine for a moment that Jesus Christ came back to earth in human form. Now imagine that He is walking down your street, looking for someone, anyone, who has listened to His voice and who knows Him. Would you be the one He called to by name? Do you know Jesus? Personally? Intimately? Have you allowed His Spirit to guide you into Truth? Whose disciple are you? To whom have you been listening?

Although we spent our entire lives in church, it wasn't until we made a conscious choice to listen to God that our lives changed. We set out in 1995 to study the words of Jesus Christ, in hopes of finding Truth. What we found astounded us. Now, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we have attempted to share our journey with you in the hope that you too will find Christ.

Our time on this earth is temporary. God has a plan for each and every one of us, if we'll only ask Him. The plan is simple and it is reachable to anyone who takes the time to listen to His Word and then live it. God made the universe we live in but He dwells in the Kingdom of Heaven. If we ever hope to be with Him, we need to take a closer look at His Word in order to find the path that He set forth for us to follow. If you will just listen to His voice and allow Him to teach you, it is then that you will find Eternal Life. You, too, will be amazed at what He teaches.

It is our hope that this book will lead you to read His Book so that, from that moment on you might be free from the teachings of men. As John the Baptist said, so we also say; I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of him ... He must become greater; I must become less (John 3:28). We are not the Light. We can only (as the Book of John says of John the Baptist) bear witness of that light (John 1:8 KJV).

When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming, he pointed his followers to Him, saying:

LOOK, THE LAMB OF GOD!

When the ... disciples heard him say this, ... they followed JESUS (John 1:36).

It is our belief that Jesus Christ is coming back soon. Like John the Baptist, we wish to direct God's people back to Him. Our only desire is that those who read our message will do as John's disciples did ... and follow Jesus!

BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD... (John 1:36 KJV).

A MESSAGE TO THE UN-CHURCHED

Many people create their own religions; they choose what they want to believe. I have often seen this happen with those who are not members of a particular faith. Many are ex-church members, often ex-Catholics. What happens is that they become disillusioned with their faiths. In many cases, they have either become aware of inconsistencies in the church's doctrines or else they have experienced instances of hypocrisy committed by members of their churches (often their parents or the clergy). Sometimes, however, there is simply an unwillingness to accept what is actually written in the Bible. In any case, having become dissatisfied with what is often referred to as traditional religion, these people drop away from the Church altogether, forsaking not only it but also forsaking the God the church was supposed to represent.

What is interesting is that many who reject their churches often deny that they have rejected God as well. The reason for this is that they still cling to God after they leave the Church. Actually, they often are merely clinging to a concept of God (though it is rarely the God of the Bible).

I have spoken to many people who do not go to church but still consider themselves to be Christians. The problem is not that they don't go to church but that they don't go to God's Word to find the truth. Many of them believe that the Bible (like the Church) is merely Man's invention and that it is full of errors and untruths. They are skeptical of anything that has passed through the hands of the men but what they don't consider is this: Whatever they believe in has already passed through a fallible human being - if only themselves! If they can't trust in anything that Man has created (like the Bible), then how can they trust so confidently in their own conclusion about God? Their religious beliefs are a result of what they (mere mortals themselves) believe that they know about God.

The problem with their logic is this: Part of what they know about God is derived either from their church's doctrines or from the Bible itself. How can they even know about Jesus Christ and His Father (God) unless they learned about them from the Bible? How could they even be a Christian if they didn't accept Jesus Christ? And how could they accept Christ if they had never heard of Christ? And where else could they learn about Christ except through the Bible -- the very book they have chosen to mistrust?

By rejecting the truth of the Bible and forming their own opinions about who they think God is and what they believe He taught, they are unknowingly ending up in the very same condition they thought they had left behind ... they are serving a man-made form of religion.

Either God wrote the Bible or He didn't. If He did then we need to believe it (not the doctrines of the churches -- or even our own). If he didn't write the Bible then there is nothing left for us to believe in. Why believe in the Christ of the Bible if the Bible itself isn't true?

Most people do not really think about what they believe; they just believe it. But if they were to actually read the Bible, they would find that God is not pleased with those who trust in religions of their own choosing. In fact, this is a major theme throughout the Scriptures.

Some, for example, would say that God is so good that He would never send anyone to Hell (unless he truly deserved to go): If you are more good than bad, they say, you will not go to Hell. This is a common belief. But Jesus says that very few find the way to Heaven. So whom are you going to believe ... yourself or Jesus? Your word or His? This is the choice that we all have to make ... whether to believe others, ourselves or God. It was the same choice that Adam and Eve had to make long ago in the Garden of Eden. Will we trust in Man, in Satan, or in God?

MY JOURNEY

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Then you will be able to test and approve what

God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will."

(Romans 12:2)

It seems there is no end to the changes a person can go through in a lifetime. At forty, I am only now beginning to comprehend the effects of choices I had made in my youth. Not all of these choices were good ones and yet they have worked together for good and have served to alter my perception of reality.

I have always been analytical by nature and am inclined to look deeper than the surface to find the truth. Although I had often done this with other people, I recently chose to turn my focus onto myself.

This journey has not been an easy one. Taking a close and honest look at myself was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. But I knew it would be harder to stay the way I was. More than anything, I was determined to grow. I was determined to find out the truth about myself and about my God whom I had loved for so long.

What is truth, anyway? Have you ever wondered why we do the things we do, or considered the ways that we do them? After reading the Scripture above, I realized that I'd been conforming to the ways of the world instead of God. I began seriously thinking about doing things differently.

As for me, I realize that I had always wanted to be loved and accepted by other people. My self worth depended on gaining their approval. I felt that if people liked me, then I had value. So I went out of my way to please everyone, never realizing the cost. Now I believe that being real is far more important than making good impressions. I no longer feel the need to conform to other's standards just to fit in and be accepted by them. I am more concerned with whether I am pleasing my Creator.

I was taught to conform since the day I was born. I was told there's a right way and a wrong way of doing things. Conformity may have allowed me the privilege of being accepted in society. But is it society that I really want to be accepted by? Society can be a very unfriendly place. What if conforming to the ways of the world goes against the Lord? As a Christian, I began thinking, isn't it God I should be pleasing? The Bible says not to be conformed to the pattern of the world.

I've spent most of my life listening to and learning from others. It wasn't until recently that I began thinking for myself.

When I did, I questioned the things I had been taught by others, instead of simply accepting them as truth. I began to consider things I had never thought about before.

How we develop depends on where we grew up. We are conditioned by our environment -- a process few of us question.

Had I been born in India, I may very well be Hindu. Had I grown up in the house next door, I may have become Lutheran instead of Catholic. But am I merely to remain what I've been conditioned to become? Is this my lot in life? If so, am I not a victim of my environment? It seems to me that this puts great limitations on who I am and who I can become.

Many people cling to their heritage, their culture, and yes, even their religion, as though these represent some kind of ultimate truth. And yet all of these are relative, depending upon where we were born and how we were raised. To some people, the idea of roots is a wonderful thing. But a root is stuck in the mud and unless it is nurtured and grounded in the Lord, it cannot produce His good fruit.

As Christians, our heritage should be in Christ. Yet, our foundation is really rooted in our traditions and not in the teachings of Christ. Even when I thought I was rooted in Christ, I have found that I was not. My roots were really mired in what I had been taught by others through my family, my church and my culture. And, although many have claimed that their teachings are from God, I now realize that I must look very closely to determine for myself if they really are. Often, I've found that they are merely based on the Word of God. The two are not the same.

This revelation came to me as I stood in prayer at a Sunday morning worship service in August 1995. Reflecting back on my own walk through Catholicism and several other denominations, I realized that each denomination teaches its own version of truth. So I began questioning what truth really is...

This book is an attempt to relate to others my journey with the Lord as He revealed His Truth to me.

Part One

A Condition of the Heart

Growing Beyond Church Doctrine

Chapter One

WHAT IS TRUTH?

"'What is truth?' Pilate asked.

With this he went out again..."

(John 18:37-38)

There was a time in my life when I didn't really want to know what truth is. I may have asked the question but I never waited around long enough to find out. I accepted what was presented to me as truth or I made up my own version of it. But the Lord brought me to a place in my life where I began to question everything I once believed, including the teachings of my church.

While doing research for the writing of this book, I discovered that there are over 25,000 different denominations within the Christian faith. How can all of the world's different Christian religions possibly be leading us on what Jesus called the strait and narrow path? How can we know which of them (if any) teaches the Truth as written in the Bible?

In order to find truth, I reasoned, I would have to seek it. And that is exactly what I did. I began reading the Bible, as if for the first time, looking for answers. When Pilate asked Jesus what truth is, he didn't wait for Jesus' answer. He turned and walked away. I realized as I read the verse that I had done the same thing many times in my life, without even realizing it. I no longer wish to do so.

As I meditated on the question of truth, it occurred to me that whenever we talk about truth, we say the truth, indicating that there is only one truth or one body of truths. Yet, there are many lies. In most cases we say, "the truth and a lie." I found this interesting. If there is only one truth, then I owe it to myself and my God, to find out what that truth is. I purchased a Strong's Concordance, which is a book that translates the original writings in the Bible into English. I also purchased a dictionary, a King James Bible and a New International Version Bible. Then, I set out to find the truth through the study of God's Word. I wanted to know God's Truth.

The word truth is defined as follows:

Strong's Concordance says:

truth: true, truly, truth, and verity

The Greek word truth comes from a root word originating from the Hebrew. The word is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and it means:

a.) the letter A pronounced alpha

b.) the first; alpha

In the Book of Revelation, Jesus says of Himself, I am the Alpha and the Omega ... the Beginning and the End. He is everything that is real and actual and true. The first and the last.

When Moses asked God what His name was, God answered, I AM WHO I AM (Exodus 3:14). Then God told him to tell the people that he was sent by the God named "I AM." The word am, in Hebrew, literally means to exist. To exist means "to be, to live, have reality, or actual being." So, God is what is real. God is what is. Which means, God is Truth. Just as truth is what is (or what actually exists) so God tells us that He is what is. Truth is His name. After studying the definition of truth, I realized that in order for me to know God's Truth, I would need to study His Word.

The Book of Revelation says:

"He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself...

and his name is the Word of God." (Revelation 19:12,13)

Taking a closer look at this Scripture, I became aware of two things:

1. God has a name that no one knows but He, Himself.

2. God's Word is His name.

So, if I want to know the character and identity of God, I need to go directly to His Word. God's identity is disclosed in the pages of the Bible. In order to know Him, I would need to read the Scriptures. Jesus said:

"Sanctify them by the truth; YOUR WORD IS TRUTH." (John 17:17).

God is the only one who knows His name and He reveals it to anyone who seeks Him to find Truth. I felt a quickening in my spirit as this revelation came to me. It was as if God were nudging me to continue. I looked up the word seek, and this is what I found:

In the Hebrew culture a name identifies the character of a person. So, when God tells us to seek Him, He is telling us to literally try to find Him. He wants us to go to His Word to find Him. The Strong's Concordance defines seek as follows:

seek: (literally or figuratively); specifically (by Hebrew)

To Worship God or endeavor, enquire (for), require, (x will) seek (after, for, means).

To seek God means to worship God! I never knew that! In order to worship God we must seek Him. This revelation stunned me. I realized that I had not been worshipping God. He wants me to go after Him literally ... personally!

I wondered if I had actually been plotting against God all my life. I didn't know any better. I hadn't been taught to go directly to the Word to find God. Deep sorrow filled my heart, and then anger. I had spent my whole life claiming to love God only to find out that I wasn't loving Him at all. I had never really known God ... only what others had told me about God. I had never sought His true identity, His true nature, through the study of His Word. I had never allowed God to reveal Himself to me. I hadn't even realized that this was possible without the guidance of my pastor!

I resumed my study in the Book of John 18:37.

...in fact, for this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world, to testify to the truth.

Everyone on the side of truth LISTENS TO ME." (John 18:37)

Through the Scriptures, Jesus confirmed His message. The reason God sent Jesus to us was to tell us the truth about God. Everyone on the side of truth must listen to Jesus!

In order to walk in truth, I realized I must listen to Jesus and walk in His Truth. I had always listened to my pastor preach about Jesus. But after the next step in my journey, I found that I had not been listening to Jesus at all.

Although I had always paid close attention to the preacher in church, taking careful notes so as not to miss anything ... I had never paid close attention directly to Jesus' teaching.

I had made a conscious effort to listen to my preacher, but not to Jesus. It was not the Lord's advice that I had taken ... it was the advice of the leader of my church. Listening isn't the same thing as passively hearing. It involves conscious effort. We must attend to Jesus very carefully and take His advice ... which means doing what He tells us to do.

In the weeks following my initial Bible Study, I continued to receive new revelations. Everywhere I turned, Jesus confirmed this message over and over again. As I searched the Scriptures I realized that Jesus often began His teachings with these words: I tell you the truth, or verily, verily, (truly, truly) I say unto you..." He also said, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). If I ever hope to find the Truth of God, I must go to Jesus Christ (the Word) to find it and, ultimately, to find God Himself. I will never doubt this again. Having declared that Jesus Christ is the Way, and the Truth, and the Life, He continues...

No one comes to the Father except THROUGH ME. (John 14:6)

These words hit me like a bolt of lightning! Many people claim to know the way to God, but they are all pointing in different directions. And, as God had already shown me, there is only one truth but many lies ... and one narrow path beside a broad, wide one.

The opposite of truth is lies and the opposite of true is false.

lie: noun: a false statement intended to deceive. Falsehood.

verb: to deliberately give false information.

false: [...to deceive..] 1. something, such as a statement, person, object etc., that is not real or true.

2. untruthful or dishonest. Examples: a false witness, false testimony etc.

3. unfaithful. Example: a false friend

4. deceiving or intending to deceive; misleading...

5. not real, fake, counterfeit. Example: a false prophet.

6. something that seems to be one thing but is actually something else.

Example: a hypocrite.

I couldn't help but wonder if attending church had only led me farther away from Jesus Christ. The Bible clearly says that there are not many ways to the Father, but only one way ...and that way is through Jesus Christ.

We all take many things for granted. Words are one of them. I found this out when I began studying the Bible. Going through Jesus means:

through: [to go across or cross over] denoting the CHANNEL of an act...

through: to go in one side and out the other. To go in at one place and come out at another. To move from one point to another.

A means by which something is accomplished. Example: "I am the way way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through through me." (John 14:6)

After considering these definitions I realized I had begun with Jesus (when I received Him in my heart) but had not remained in Him. I had not gone through Jesus to find eternal life. I had gone through my church to find truth and had relied upon the church's teachings to lead me into Heaven. I had never gone directly to Christ to find truth. I, in fact, did not know Jesus. He, alone, is the channel through which we must go.

I had begun, like many others, learning the teachings of the church. Later on, when I decided to give my life to the Lord, I had a new beginning, but an old way, which was like what Jesus said about putting new wine into old wineskins (Matthew9: 17; Luke 5:37,38; Mark 2:22).

I realized that Jesus was not the channel that I had been going through. The path I had been on channeled me through the ways and teachings of the church. Although my desire was to draw closer to Christ, I had actually ended up in the midst of religious beliefs and the teachings of men. I had never allowed His Holy Spirit to teach me.

Before I could listen to Jesus I would have to begin tuning out the voices of all the others to whom I had been listening. As soon as I did, He began revealing His Truth to me just as Jesus prayed that He would: Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth...

(John 14:16,17).

Jesus told His disciples:

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - The Spirit of Truth... (John 14:16,17).

When I was obedient and began listening only to the words of Jesus Christ, I began hearing ... as if for the first time ... the voice of my Shepherd.

As I prayed and waited on the Lord, the voices of all the other teachers began slowly fading away and I could finally hear the quiet whisper of the voice of God speaking clearly to my heart. Like echoes in a hidden chamber, I heard His voice calling over and over again:

Come Follow ME.

The Strait and Narrow Path

Make every effort to enter through the narrow door...

(Luke 13:24)

More than ever, I desired to learn the way of Christ. I felt like a child as I began gathering bits and pieces of God's Truth. What does it mean to walk the way of Jesus? How do I go about getting on the strait and narrow path? And what is this strait and narrow path, anyway?

As I continued I began looking up the meanings of all the words God gave me so I would understand what He was saying through the Scriptures. The next word I looked up in the dictionary was strait. (Not straight as some people would say).

strait: [to draw tight]... STRAIN...STRINGENT...restricted or constricted: a tight, narrow space or passage (like a CHANNEL); confined...strict; rigid; exacting...difficult; distressing.

In the concordance it means, narrow (from obstacles standing close about). I was amazed again. The Way of God is strait. It is narrow. It is difficult and exacting. It is distressing. This is not what I had learned in many of the churches I had attended. The way of salvation was either a one-time confession of faith (according to the Protestant version) or else a lifelong devotion to rituals (according to the Catholics.) In the Protestant churches, I was taught to simply believe in Jesus. That's all there is to it! But not according to Jesus Himself. Jesus expects us to follow HIM, not just give Him a nod and wait for Him to come back for us one day. I began to realize that occupying a church pew once or twice a week in one of the many different denominations I had attended was not enough. If it were, Jesus would not have said:

"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 13:24)

Or as the King James Version says:

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. (Luke 13:24KJV)

In Matthew, Jesus says:

"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)

Jesus says in John 10:9:

I am the Gate; whoever enters THROUGH me will be saved."

The way is narrower than Christianity.

The Way is Jesus Christ Himself! Jesus' words had never been this clear to me before. For the first time in my life, I began to take my relationship with Jesus seriously ... more seriously, in fact, than anything else in my life. I began to live for eternal life, instead of this temporary life on earth. My relationship with Jesus slowly developed into a personal one and I felt as if Jesus, Himself, were teaching me. Each day, He revealed more and more truth to me, offering only as much as I could understand. I grew excited about studying and often stayed up all night learning. I didn't take anything for granted. (Every word Jesus speaks in the Bible is significant and shows us the way to God). I felt (and feel) extremely blessed to have found this new path with Jesus and my desire is to follow Him forever. The word follow is defined like this:

follow: (as a particle of union (a road); to be in the same way with, i.e. to ACCOMPANY (spec. as a disciple): follow, reach

accompany: (From a word meaning companion) To go with as a companion. To associate with. To be together with. To do, say or believe what another believes or says or does. ATTEND.

Reflecting back over the past, I recalled the times I believed that I had walked through the gate by getting saved in church or by joining in the ceremonies. I had ATTENDED the churches when I should have ATTENDED to God. Although (at the time) I believed in the ways of the churches, none of their teachings had ever touched my life the way that walking with Jesus has. The Church had no power to change me the way that Christ has. Before Christ, my past still haunted me and my failures left me drifting on a sea of guilt. But now I feel a change inside me that I cannot deny. God's Word stands in direct opposition to everything I once believed to be true. Having studied, I now realize that the requirements of men are not the same as the requirements of God. If I had not stopped to listen to Him I never would have known this.

It frightened me to even consider that I had been misled by the teachings of men. Had I continued in their counsel, I never would have turned to God to find His instruction. How can it be that others don't know what I know? Is it possible that we have all been walking down a path of destruction without even realizing it?

In the beginning of my journey, I often doubted my own understanding of the Scriptures. But each time doubt crept in, I prayed for the Lord's guidance and asked Him to reveal the truth to me. Every single time, the Lord led me to Scriptures that confirmed His Word. My doubts, I soon discovered, were born of fear ... fear of being unfaithful to the

Church ... but everything the Lord was showing me led me further and further away from the things of this world (including the Church) and closer to Him.

Often, fear caused me to worry about what others would say or think of me. I also felt concern for the ones that I love because, if what I now believe to be true is actually true, then the world is being misled ... and that means that many people may not find the salvation they are hoping for. The burden on my heart became heavy; so heavy in fact, that I felt I must do something to tell others what I know. No one will believe me, I thought. No one will want to hear this. But, deep in my heart I felt the Lord urging me to continue.

Whether or not other people listen I had chosen to listen to God, and I must be obedient to Him.

Picking up my Bible and holding it close to my heart, I began to pray for discernment in my understanding of His Word. If my understanding is wrong Lord, please show me.

With my eyes closed, I opened the Bible to this verse:

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate (love less)

his father and mother, his wife and children,

his brothers and sisters -- yes, even his own life --

he cannot be my disciple.

And anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me

cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:26,27)

Tears stung my eyes as I placed my Bible on the desk. The Word is True. Jesus means exactly what He said. His Words have captured my heart. What He wants is for us to love Him more than anyone or anything else in the world. The walk with Him is not an easy, comfortable stroll into paradise. He is talking about a very strait and narrow way.

A hard way. It's hard because we must put Christ before everything in our lives. In doing so we often lose friends (and even family members) because of our faith. This is a path I surely hadn't been following and I'm afraid very few Christians follow. Jesus said, Make every effort to enter... As He told the people, ...unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20).

My studies clearly showed me that being a disciple of Christ isn't something I could attend classes to learn. A disciple of Christ learns from Christ. It's as simple as that. Being a believer or a Christian is not enough to save us if it isn't Jesus we are believing in and Christ that we are following.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the