At The Crossroads???

Jesus or the World - The Choice Is Yours....

Like most writers, I enjoy reading. In particular, I really enjoy poetry. While I was in high school, I studied literature during Year 11 and 12. One of the authors that we studied was Robert Frost (which seems like an odd choice for a public school in Australia) and I enjoyed his work and much of it resonated with me - especially due to its country and natural themes. But there was one poem that truly resonated with me and it would be years before I realised that both Frost and this poem were as famous as they were.

The poem in question was the quintessential Frost poem “The Road Not Taken”. In it Frost utters these words to end the poem…

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."

For me personally, these lines resonated with me because of my faith in God, in the death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ from an early age - and having to live in places here in Australia where being the local pastors son is not conducive to having a peaceful and uneventful life. When I looked around at the world I saw myself as different, as having taken a path that few take, a path that while less travelled, and seemingly leading to nowhere important - well…well it has made all the difference.

So, when I was thinking and praying about the name of my blog/substack - those years ago when I started on this journey of writing for the Lord - I felt the stirring of the Holy Spirit lead me to Frost’s poem and my connection to it once more.

Every person faces one significant choice in this life…to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that HE died and rose again, and that HE is the Messiah. Every other choice we make in life ranks below this…by a very long way.

Hence, they will face that crossroad in their life at some point - which is where the name of this substack comes from. That point in a person’s life when they come to a crossroad where they choose to worship themselves and “Do it my way” - or - they choose to worship Almighty God, and do it HIS way.

Matthew 7:14 tells us that…

“…small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” 

This statement by Jesus HIMSELF shows us that many people will fail to choose to believe in HIM and will refuse to walk the path that HE sets out for them - the path that leads to eternal salvation, and eternal life.

Romans 3:23 - "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard." 

Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." 

Romans 5:8 - "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." 

Romans 10:9-10 - "If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved." 

Romans 10:13 - "For 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

These verses reflect the crossroads that each one of us must stand at - at some point in our lives.

If we do not believe we are sinners, then we won’t accept a saviour because we see no need for salvation from the consequences of that sin.

God (Yahweh) is standing there before you, a gift in hand, the gift of an eternity restored to HIM - eternity free from pain, free from struggle, free from the all consuming stain of sin. But the choice to accept that gift - that is yours and yours alone.

The challenge to you today is this…

Do you dare to take the road less travelled?

Do you dare to take the narrow road that leads to God?

Or are you going to take the wide path, the easy path, the well trodden path? The path that everyone else takes because letting go of our sinful pride is too hard, and doing things our way seems easier.

The choice is yours…what will you choose - who will you choose?

Will you choose the world, which seems to be tearing itself apart at the seems?

Or will you choose Jesus? Will you choose the ONE who can forgive your sins, heal your heart, mind and soul?

Jesus loves you, not for who you are now - but because HE made you, and HE made you to have an eternal relationship with HIM. HE loves you despite your dark heart, despite everything that you’ve ever done wrong, despite all your self-centredness.

If you are willing to take that road less travelled - then call out to HIM. Ask Jesus to be the LORD of your life - ask forgiveness for your sins and give your life to HIM. Call out and say that you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that HE died and rose to life - paying your debt (and my debt) for our sins.

I pray that if you are searching for the truth, and are searching for more than what this world offers, that you call out to Jesus - HE will hear you, and HE will respond to you. I pray that HIS Holy Spirit draw you to HIM.

And I pray that if you have already made this choice - that you be a living sacrifice to HIM, and rededicate your life in all its fullness to HIM and the purpose of HIS Kingdom. Life fully for HIM, laying aside our own earthly desires so that we may do HIS will, and be HIS light in this dark world.

If you have family or friends who you have been ministering to, and need guidance to lead them to the LORD, and don’t know where to go to help them - please use the scriptures above, they are a good guide to understanding why John 3:16 is true.

May God’s peace, joy and salvation be upon you all!!!