"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" (Matt 7:13-14) When is the last time you stopped and asked yourself what road you are on? It's a simple question that maybe we don't ask ourselves enough.

Wouldn't it be foolish to not know what road you are on, or worse to be on the broad road and not make a u-turn back to the narrow road? Jesus, in this statement, declares that most people will choose destruction over life. Do you find that hard to believe? Well most people do. Most people want to go to Heaven and believe that they will go.

A 2005 edition of the CBS news magazine 60 Minutes (Wednesday, April 30, 2005) reflected the ambivalence many Americans feel about Heaven. On the program Dan Rather interviewed Jack Welch, the outspoken former CEO of General Electric. As the interview ended, Rather asked Welch, "What the toughest question you've ever been asked?" Welch replied, "Do you think you'll go to heaven?" Rather followed up and asked him how he answered that question. Welch said, "It's a long answer, but I said that if caring about people, if giving it your all, if being a great friend counts. I haven't done everything right all the time. I think I've got a shot. I'm in no hurry to get there and find out any time soon." Welch wants to go to Heaven, but not now, and he thinks he has to wait till he dies to find out if he's going. But by then it's a little too late! People have lots of ideas about Heaven, but with little or no reference to Christ and the Bible. People create personal belief systems by cutting and pasting various views from a variety of different sources.

We should all want to go to Heaven. Jesus said these words in the middle of a discourse about Heaven and how to get there. "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6) Jesus also said these words. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." (Matthew 7:2 1)

We need a desire to go to Heaven, but we must also be willing to do what the Lord directs us to do in His Word. Now, let's ask ourselves again. What road am I on? If it's the one that Jesus laid out for us, then we WILL go to Heaven! ! I'll end this bulletin with these words from one of our songs. When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the victory! !

Eric