then they will know that I am lord

“Then they will know that I am the LORD.” The sad reality of this statement by God is this statement must come to pass before many will realize; or should I say, accept their grave mistake. “Then they will know that I am the LORD.” What Am I talking about here?

Broad and easy versUs narrow and difficulT

​In the book of Matthew, chapter 7, verses 13 and 14, Jesus talks about two distinct roads that people will choose to travel. One road is “broad and spacious,” - easy to travel. We can perceive that people who choose to travel along this path in life, will find life’s many pleasures. The kind of pleasures that would satisfy anything one may desire to have without any restrictions or accountability for your choices. This is why most love the market and culture exchanges that exist along this path. For just like Eve was deceived in the Garden of Eden by Satan’s tricky and lies that the fruit that God forbid them to eat was good for them to eat. (See Genesis 3:1-6). So too, is Satan deceiving many today who have opted for this broad path and all of its luxuries and pleasures of life.

Satan is confident in the things this broad road has to offer in entertainment, comforts, and pleasures. That he even told Christ Jesus, “… all these things I will give to you if…” (Matthew 4:9). It's important we understand what's behind the "if."

You see, Satan can offer lifestyles and pleasures of any kind to anyone who is willing to sell their soul in exchange for full access to the pleasures that exist along this path. But you have to be mindful of that catch 22 that grants you access to this path. For full access to this broad and spacious road has its conditions. For Satan boldly says to Jesus in extending a personal invitation to him to this exclusive path. “IF.” That’s the catch or key password that grants you full access to the broad and spacious road - that "IF". 

IF simply means “on the condition that”. The condition that you give Satan something he wants. In turn, he will grant you access to everything the broad and spacious life has to offer with no penalties, restrictions, or limitations. So to satisfy that "IF" or the condition, one must “… fall down and worship..." Satan (Matthew 4:9). Simply put. Satan was asking Jesus at Matthew chapter 4 verse 9 for Jesus' soul and livelihood, in exchange for full access to Satan’s broad and spacious path.

The narrow and cramp road of life is the path that Jesus highly recommends. But many choose to avoid this path because this way requires one to make many personal sacrifices, to do away with all forms of sinful pleasures, and to get rid of all forms of idol worship. To add, this path often time demands a lot from the one who opts this journey. The Scriptures say, “… who has been given much, much will be required” (Luke 12:48). As a result, far too many may choose the life of the broad and spacious road because it allows them to freely lie, cheat, steal, murder in word or deed, gossip, commit orgies of all kinds. There is no accountability. There is a constant lack of faithfulness and kindness. And deception is rampant for one’s own selfish benefit and gain.

But the highlight of Satan’s preferred broad and easy path is that one is allowed to eliminate God or better yet. Create your own demi-gods that best suits your preferred pleasure and entertainment. Buddha, Ra, The Universe, Muhammad, Baal, Ashtoreth, Chemosh, Mardak, Satan and other false deities are fashioned to exalt and please the person that created and serves (worships) them without any resistance, restrictions, or accountability for how one lives. They can do as they will. Or as Aleister Crowley has coined it – do what thou wilt. 
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THERE WILL BE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL BATTLES

God’s Word tells us that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). This is why God’s Word is so beneficial to us today. Because it was written as an example, warning for us as to how we should live (1 Corinthians 10:11). Meaning, if we, as God’s people, are living according to the prescription of the Holy Writings. We are being purposefully about living on the narrow and straight path that requires us to be accountable for all we say and do and how we live. We know, at times, this life is not easy. It should be expected for our King, Jesus the Christ. His life was not always easy. He had his share of challenges too. (Compare to Hebrews 4:15).

Therefore, it should be expected that we will have our share of internal as well as external battles in our faith. For one, we are constantly contending with our own flesh. This flesh of ours wants what it wants. For some of you, that is same-sex attraction. For others, it may be drugs (yes, this includes weed), alcohol, and other unrulily sexual pleasures like sex outside of marriage, sex with multiple partners, sex with an individual that is not your spouse, etc. The list of sinful pleasure is far too long. Therefore, I cannot list them all here.

The point is, whatever IT IS for you, your flesh wants it. BUT! If you are faithful about staying on the narrow and cramped road of life. Paul urges us, whenever your flesh starts to demand what it wants. You have to take two courses of action. 
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1. Beat your flesh into submission. Tell it NO! No means no (Matthew 5:37). 
2. Then you must discipline, or train your body to receive and accept that "no" like an Olympic athlete trains for a world-class international race. (Compare 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; 1 Timothy 4:8). If you want to finish your leg of the race, you must discipline your body by training, which will include but is not limited to, extreme workouts, eating certain foods, avoiding certain foods and drinks, getting enough sleep, etc. If one fails to follow a very strict training schedule, you only set yourself up for failure – not being able to finish your race. 

This is no different when we are trying to walk right for and with Christ. As Paul said, we must “fight the good fight of faith…” if we want to finish our race of life in the safe mighty hands of Christ, we must fight for it! (1 Timothy 6:12).

But as you know, it is just not your flesh that you have to contend with. Satan is always throwing personal trials and tests before you to see if you are really serious about serving God FAITHFULLY. He is also constantly bringing up legal charges against us in order to force God to hold us in contempt and guilty in the courts of heaven. (Compare to Job chapter 1; Revelation 12:10).

And then there are people. People are instruments of Satan (inside and outside of church) that he will use to test your loyalty to God. And then there are people on the broad and spacious road that is within your scope of view. As we watch them live out their lives, it may seem, they got it not only easy. But they got it all. And this can be discouraging to us. Especially if we are really trying to live right. But here is Susan over here with all her satanic rituals and living well. I mean really well. But you got to remember. She too was brought at a price. For everything God does for His people to prosper and bless them, Satan does times two with a distorted twist to it. Hence, why Matthew describes the two roads this way. 

You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

god is lord!

Here’s the point. For those who choose the broad and spacious road and their life seems like it is more fruitful and an easier path to live, we must understand that there are no long-term benefits for those on this path. Only short-term gratifications (luxurious cars, more money maybe than they ever had in their life, nice home, clothes, etc.). But the conclusion of their life, whenever that time frame comes is no different from yours or mine. They must come to know and face God. Not Buddha, Ra, The Universe, Muhammad, Baal, Ashtoreth, Chemosh, Mardak, or any other false deities like these. These gods have no power or authority. They are useless gods, which the Scriptures say concerning them and those who choose to follow them.  

Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and mouths but cannot breathe. They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and throats but cannot make a sound. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.
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Everyone who follows and puts their trust in them will become just like these false deities.

BUT! Not before they all, each one of them, come to know the LORD. This is what this means. Between chapters 7 and 15 of the book Ezekiel, Ezekiel states at least eight times. “Then you” (referring to those who chosen to worship idols, false gods, and take the broad and spacious road instead of serving and following God with their whole soul, heart, and mind). (Jeremiah 29:13; Mark 12:30). Eight times God says to Him, “Then you will know that I AM the LORD!” Why did the LORD of the universe repeat this statement so frequently to Ezekiel? Because these peoples' end was approaching. God was about to cast His final judgment upon these people for their evil ways (Ezekiel chapter 7). He declared that in doing so, He was not going to feel sorrow for them because the people had plenty of warnings and time to change their ways and to get right with the LORD. (Compare to 2 Peter 3:9). But these people did not care about what they were doing nor how they were living. As a result, God showed Ezekiel all the secret things the people were doing in the dark, behind closed doors (Ezekiel 8:6-18).

It was because of the peoples’ lack of faithfulness and disobedience toward LORD God. It was because of all the abomination they were doing in secrecy. It was because of their dark secrets that they refused to repent and turn away from, that God declared to Ezekiel. “They will know that God is the LORD.”

Now, God knew, that some of them will contend and contest such judgment by declaring such things that we even hear today. “Touch not God’s anointed.” Now, we are not talking about faithful anointed, legit servants of God. And let’s make this clear – God knows who they are. We are talking about those men and women today who is doing some of the same things God was showing Ezekiel in the book of Ezekiel.

This is how God responded to Ezekiel concerning any and everyone that fit this category. God instructed them to go and slay every person for their sins but “don’t touch any man on whom is the mark” (God’s remnant). And then He tells them when they go and slay the people for their disobedience, they must “… start from MY Sanctuary. So, they started with the elders” (Ezekiel 9:5-6; 6:8-9). God always starts His judgment inside His House first. He removes wicked, false, and disobedient leaders by means of the 

• Sword (destruction of) – instruments used to destroy. Today, a sword may be represented by many different types of weapons that are used to cause a deathblow.
• Famine (hungry) – sent as an effect of God's anger against a guilty people. In times like these, the righteous or godly (His remnant) is always preserved by God – that is a special mark of the divine favor and power.
• Plague – sent as a divine chastisement. These are pestilence, or diseases or sufferings that can come in the form of viruses 

(Compare to Ezekiel 6:11-14).

So, we must be aware that those who look like they are prospering, it is not to their benefit or advantage in the long run. For as Matthew 7:13-14 declares concerning them, this life they have chosen will eventually lead to their destruction. And as Psalms 115 declares, they all will become nothing.

BUT! For those who stay on the path that God has carved out for all mankind, no matter how difficult it gets (hence the narrow and cramp road). The end results will lead to eternal life (John 3:16). As well as a peaceful and comforted heart when considering Jesus’ words – “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:1-2).