SHE Walks the Narrow Path | Heather Snowzell | Chase Down Jesus

00:31:36
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC4DuPRAA8g

Summary

TLDRIn a heartfelt message, the speaker emphasizes the significance of remaining on the narrow path of faith. They share personal stories reflecting the challenges faced, such as navigating narrow roads and encountering God's word for the first time. The talk encourages the audience to expect God's surprises in the new year while also highlighting the two paths presented in biblical teachings: the narrow path leading to life and the wide road leading to destruction. A focus on loving God wholeheartedly, staying obedient to His word, and supporting one another in community is stressed as essential for maintaining one's journey along this path. The speaker invites everyone to surrender their hearts and embrace the challenges of 2025 together, reinforcing the idea that God is faithful and guiding us every step of the way.

Takeaways

  • 🌟 Embrace God's surprises this year!
  • 📖 His word is our guiding light.
  • ❤️ Love God with your whole heart.
  • 🤝 Support one another on this journey.
  • 🚶‍♀️ The narrow path leads to life!
  • 🌈 Expect limitless possibilities!
  • 🙏 Trust Him for your decisions.
  • 💡 Stay in His Word for clarity.
  • 🚀 The narrow path offers true freedom.
  • 🛤️ Choose daily to walk with Jesus.

Timeline

  • 00:00:00 - 00:05:00

    Welcome to the series 'She Walks the Narrow Path'. The focus is not just on finding or starting the path but on staying on it throughout the journey. The speaker shares excitement about growing church attendance and conversions, reflecting on the new year as a time of limitless possibilities. The setting in Hertfordshire, England is described as beautiful yet the roads can be narrow, requiring careful navigation. A personal anecdote about the challenges of driving on these narrow roads highlights the theme of navigating life's challenges with the help of God.

  • 00:05:00 - 00:10:00

    The speaker reminisces about receiving a Gideon Bible at age 11 from American missionaries, a pivotal moment in her spiritual journey. She describes how this gift deeply impacted her, contrasting her gratitude with classmates who disrespected it. Despite moving many times, she has kept that Bible, reflecting on it as a seed of faith planted in her life that has flourished over the years, even as her family now contributes to faith in America. This leads to a discussion about the Narrow Path as the way to meet Jesus and the choices one makes between paths of destruction and life.

  • 00:10:00 - 00:15:00

    The narrow path is defined as the one that leads to life, contrasting with the wide path that seems easy but leads to destruction. The speaker emphasizes that while the wide road appears exciting, it can be deceptive and ultimately unfulfilling. Through personal reflections, she shares the importance of recognizing the value of the narrow path as full of life, purpose, and divine possibilities, urging the audience to understand that true freedom and fulfillment come through Jesus, despite the tempting allure of the wider path.

  • 00:15:00 - 00:20:00

    The distinction between casual faith and committed pursuit of God is highlighted. The narrow path requires continual choices to follow Jesus, including recognizing when one might drift from it. Examples from the speaker's life illustrate the distractions that can lead one off course, emphasizing the need for vigilance and intentionality in staying spiritually aligned. Additionally, she calls for a focus on the eternal perspective rather than being consumed by temporary distractions.

  • 00:20:00 - 00:25:00

    The speaker encourages the audience to actively pursue a relationship with God, comparing following Jesus to being in a wheelbarrow that requires trust. She calls for believers to be proactive in their faith, seeking God in all aspects of life. This commitment to trust and acknowledge God leads to staying on the narrow path and allowing God to guide one's life. The narrative underlines the significance of obedience to God's call and its potential impact on the lives of others, especially in community contexts.

  • 00:25:00 - 00:31:36

    Concluding, the speaker stresses the importance of love, alignment of one's whole being with God, and the necessity to support each other in following the narrow path. Empowering the audience to shine their light in the world, she invokes a sense of collective responsibility in pursuing God's path and encourages a realignment of hearts and minds at the start of 2025. The message ends with a call to journey together in faith, echoing the sentiment that Heaven and Jesus cheer on those walking in faith.

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Mind Map

Video Q&A

  • What is the narrow path?

    The narrow path is the way of faith that leads to life and signifies a relationship with Jesus.

  • What does God's word represent for those on the narrow path?

    God's word is described as a lamp unto our feet, guiding us on our journey.

  • How can we stay on the narrow path?

    Staying on the narrow path involves trust in God, obedience to His word, and seeking His guidance in all aspects of life.

  • What are God's surprises mentioned in the talk?

    God's surprises refer to the unexpected blessings and opportunities that come when we walk in faith.

  • What is the significance of realigning our hearts with God?

    Realigning our hearts with God allows us to love Him fully and walk the narrow path with purpose and clarity.

  • How should believers view the choices between the narrow and wide paths?

    Believers are encouraged to choose the narrow path which leads to life, despite the seemingly easier or more attractive options of the wide path.

  • What role does love play in the narrow path?

    Love is essential; we are called to love God with all our heart and love others as ourselves.

  • What challenges might one face on the narrow path?

    Challenges include distractions, temptations, and the influence of society, which can draw one away from the path.

  • What is the broader impact of following the narrow path?

    Following the narrow path influences not only one's life but also the lives and destinies of others within the community.

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  • 00:00:00
    so we want to welcome you to this new
  • 00:00:02
    series we want to welcome you to she
  • 00:00:06
    walks the Narrow Path because it's one
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    thing finding the path and it's one
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    thing getting on the path but we want to
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    stay on the path don't we we want to we
  • 00:00:15
    want to have that staying power so we're
  • 00:00:17
    going to look a little bit at that
  • 00:00:18
    tonight but I am speaking to you from
  • 00:00:21
    England because we are filming around
  • 00:00:23
    the world we have many locations in fact
  • 00:00:25
    we've had many other sisters joining us
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    this last year we have seen more women
  • 00:00:29
    come in to our church and more people
  • 00:00:31
    getting saved than any other year I
  • 00:00:34
    believe so it's been an absolute Game
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    Changer over years so and now we're in a
  • 00:00:38
    new year of Limitless so I'm so excited
  • 00:00:41
    for that so I'm speaking to you from
  • 00:00:43
    England from a place in Harford in
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    Harford Shire it's one of the shers and
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    if you've ever seen Lord of the Rings or
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    um The Hobbit you will have a little um
  • 00:00:55
    idea of what the sh is like it's very
  • 00:00:56
    green very pretty very rural and some
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    times I think I see billbo Baggins
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    walking across the fields um but it is
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    very you know our lanes are very narrow
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    our roads when people come from other
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    countries especially in America where
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    youve got the big highways they come
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    over when you're driving in the car
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    they're like this because they're like
  • 00:01:15
    surely not two cars could pass on this
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    little tiny path and um it is quite
  • 00:01:22
    precarious isn't it and so I remember my
  • 00:01:25
    very first time I got taken out for my
  • 00:01:27
    driving lesson my cousin took me out in
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    his car and we were on this narrow road
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    and uh it was also going uphill I don't
  • 00:01:34
    know what he was thinking it my very
  • 00:01:36
    first time out in the car and uh and so
  • 00:01:39
    this guy sees me coming and so what we
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    do we have to we have to give way to
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    each other in England on these little
  • 00:01:45
    paths uh in these little country lanes
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    because there's not enough room so we
  • 00:01:50
    sometimes find ourselves right up in the
  • 00:01:51
    hedge or we have to be really good at
  • 00:01:54
    reversing and I don't know about you
  • 00:01:56
    ladies but that's not my uh gifting um
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    so anyway this guy he must have seen me
  • 00:02:01
    coming I think he saw the out plates he
  • 00:02:03
    was like I'm getting out of her way so
  • 00:02:04
    he pulled over in the hedge row for me
  • 00:02:07
    which was I was so grateful so I was
  • 00:02:09
    driving by and I thought I was so kind
  • 00:02:11
    so I put my hand up took my hand off the
  • 00:02:12
    steering wheel to say thank you so much
  • 00:02:15
    sir and with that I drove him to the
  • 00:02:17
    side of him it was I know it was a
  • 00:02:20
    terrible moment it was really awful I
  • 00:02:22
    was so sorry but that was my first time
  • 00:02:25
    I went out in the car I haven't improved
  • 00:02:27
    much since then um but another story
  • 00:02:31
    about the narrow path is when me and G
  • 00:02:33
    first got married we lived in this
  • 00:02:34
    little cottage and it was at the end of
  • 00:02:36
    this Narrow Path and it had trees on
  • 00:02:38
    both sides and it was a little bit Eerie
  • 00:02:40
    because um I used to have to walk up
  • 00:02:42
    there after work because we didn't have
  • 00:02:44
    a car then so my I used to work in the
  • 00:02:46
    city and um my lift would drop me off at
  • 00:02:49
    the end of the lane and it was almost a
  • 00:02:51
    mile long so I used to have to walk up
  • 00:02:53
    there and it was quite Eerie and you
  • 00:02:55
    know when it was starting to get dark we
  • 00:02:57
    didn't have mobile phones in those days
  • 00:02:59
    can you believe it so I didn't have a
  • 00:03:01
    torch or anything like that and there
  • 00:03:02
    was trees either side and I could hear
  • 00:03:04
    these noises and I'd walk up then
  • 00:03:06
    sometimes if Gary was there at home he
  • 00:03:09
    would um come and meet me on this Narrow
  • 00:03:11
    Lane which is so sweet I mean you're
  • 00:03:13
    probably thinking that's so romantic and
  • 00:03:15
    that's so lovely but no it wasn't
  • 00:03:19
    because he used to climb up a tree and
  • 00:03:22
    wait there and hide in the tree until I
  • 00:03:25
    came near and then he would jump out on
  • 00:03:27
    me from the middle of this tree and it
  • 00:03:29
    would absolutely scared me half to death
  • 00:03:31
    especially the first time he ever did it
  • 00:03:33
    so I did get my own back a little bit
  • 00:03:35
    when my neighbor came up one day and she
  • 00:03:37
    said would you like a lift up the lane I
  • 00:03:38
    was like yes please and she said there's
  • 00:03:40
    something moving up in that tree it's
  • 00:03:42
    quite big she said can you see it I was
  • 00:03:44
    like don't worry it's my husband and and
  • 00:03:47
    she was like why you are weird so that
  • 00:03:51
    is my little story of The Narrow Path
  • 00:03:53
    but I want to say as we're on the Narrow
  • 00:03:56
    Path this year get ready for the god
  • 00:03:59
    surprises
  • 00:04:00
    not that he's going to jump out of you
  • 00:04:01
    out of trees but get ready and be
  • 00:04:03
    expectant because I believe that God has
  • 00:04:06
    got some absolutely fantastic surprises
  • 00:04:09
    for us this year and I'm excited for it
  • 00:04:11
    so 2025 the year of God's
  • 00:04:17
    surprises so I'll tell you another
  • 00:04:19
    little story now um years ago when I was
  • 00:04:22
    about 11 years
  • 00:04:23
    old these two guys they traveled all the
  • 00:04:26
    way from America to England and um their
  • 00:04:29
    Nar Narrow Path LED them to my Narrow
  • 00:04:32
    Path well I wasn't even on the Narrow
  • 00:04:34
    Path at that point it led them to my
  • 00:04:35
    school and um they were from the Gideon
  • 00:04:38
    society and they presented me with this
  • 00:04:42
    Gideon Bible and I still have it today
  • 00:04:44
    all these years later it's the New
  • 00:04:46
    Testament and Psalms and I treasure it
  • 00:04:48
    it was the first time that every anybody
  • 00:04:50
    ever introduced me to the word of God
  • 00:04:53
    and um it was presented to Heather Mills
  • 00:04:56
    I was then in September 1972
  • 00:05:00
    and I know some of you are trying to
  • 00:05:01
    work at my age now just add another one
  • 00:05:03
    cuz it's my birthday tomorrow but
  • 00:05:06
    so so years so these guys they traveled
  • 00:05:09
    all the way from America to England I
  • 00:05:11
    wasn't a Christian then but I remember
  • 00:05:13
    being so chuffed that they gave me this
  • 00:05:15
    little Bible and um and I was so Chu it
  • 00:05:19
    because I wasn't from a Christian home
  • 00:05:20
    and there were other girls in my class
  • 00:05:22
    and they were like oh I don't want this
  • 00:05:24
    and they were throwing them in the bin
  • 00:05:25
    and you know just being really
  • 00:05:27
    disrespectful and I was like how rude
  • 00:05:29
    these guys have come all the way from
  • 00:05:31
    America and they've given you this free
  • 00:05:33
    gift and you're turning your nose up at
  • 00:05:34
    it um but I remember being so chuffed
  • 00:05:37
    and apparently there's about 7 billion
  • 00:05:39
    in the world today which is incredible I
  • 00:05:42
    mean what a vision to do that and it it
  • 00:05:44
    used to be that you go into any hotel
  • 00:05:46
    room and you would find a Gideon Bible
  • 00:05:49
    in the draw and um I've got to say I've
  • 00:05:52
    moved many times uh over the years from
  • 00:05:56
    house to house and from Caravan to house
  • 00:05:58
    and other places
  • 00:06:00
    and I've never lost it I still have my
  • 00:06:02
    Gideon Bible and that was really the
  • 00:06:04
    beginning of my Narrow Path because his
  • 00:06:07
    word is a lamp unto our feet I mean I
  • 00:06:10
    didn't even realize that then but it was
  • 00:06:12
    amazing to me to think that these guys
  • 00:06:15
    they came all the way from America and
  • 00:06:18
    sewed that seed into my life when I was
  • 00:06:21
    11 years old before I was a Christian
  • 00:06:23
    before I'd met Gary before I knew
  • 00:06:25
    anything about being a pastor or being
  • 00:06:27
    or churches or anything else
  • 00:06:30
    and um and you know they came in
  • 00:06:32
    obedience on their narrow path to my
  • 00:06:35
    school and now I find it absolutely
  • 00:06:37
    amazing that my boys three of my boys
  • 00:06:41
    live in America right now and it's just
  • 00:06:44
    such a picture of God's faithfulness and
  • 00:06:46
    fruitfulness and that seed that was sown
  • 00:06:49
    has flourished and grown and it's just
  • 00:06:52
    amazing to me that there over there now
  • 00:06:54
    building Church sewing seeds into other
  • 00:06:57
    people's lives and little did I know you
  • 00:06:59
    know it's just amazing to me God's
  • 00:07:01
    faithfulness and fruitfulness and that
  • 00:07:03
    my boys three of them live there now and
  • 00:07:06
    I love that story I just think it's so
  • 00:07:09
    powerful so let's have a look what is
  • 00:07:12
    the Narrow Path what is the narrow path
  • 00:07:14
    we talk about in the Bible Well it's the
  • 00:07:17
    path that we we meet Jesus on we meet
  • 00:07:20
    Jesus on the narrow path in fact we're
  • 00:07:22
    walking on the other path of Destruction
  • 00:07:25
    we're walking along this way and then
  • 00:07:27
    all of a sudden Jesus we meet him don't
  • 00:07:30
    we and we have a choice and it's like am
  • 00:07:32
    I going to carry on this path or am I
  • 00:07:35
    going to invite Jesus into my life and I
  • 00:07:38
    remember meeting Jesus and he said
  • 00:07:40
    follow me he said follow me and so what
  • 00:07:43
    happens is we repent and we turn we do
  • 00:07:45
    that big U-turn in the road and we walk
  • 00:07:48
    and turn and go completely in the other
  • 00:07:51
    direction from the world and from
  • 00:07:53
    everything we know we start our journey
  • 00:07:55
    with Jesus on the narrow road and that's
  • 00:07:58
    so it's when we begin our journey with
  • 00:08:00
    him and ask him into our life and what I
  • 00:08:02
    love about God is he always gives us two
  • 00:08:05
    choices you know he gives us two trees
  • 00:08:08
    at the beginning in the garden with Adam
  • 00:08:09
    and Eve there's two gates and there's
  • 00:08:12
    two paths and we have free choice to
  • 00:08:14
    choose which which path we take and it
  • 00:08:18
    talks in the Bible about Jesus being the
  • 00:08:21
    gate it's a funny thing isn't it to
  • 00:08:23
    think of Jesus being the gate but Jesus
  • 00:08:25
    is the gate to the Narrow Path and he
  • 00:08:28
    walked the Tim path for us to the Cross
  • 00:08:32
    he walked that cross that narrow road
  • 00:08:34
    and he became the gate For All Mankind
  • 00:08:37
    to enter onto the Narrow Path and the so
  • 00:08:41
    the cross is the Gateway we enter and we
  • 00:08:43
    put our faith and trust in him and it
  • 00:08:47
    but it all starts with repentance and us
  • 00:08:50
    being sorry and I know some people in
  • 00:08:53
    this room made that decision on Sunday
  • 00:08:54
    for the first time they made that
  • 00:08:56
    decision to walk the Narrow Path and I'm
  • 00:08:59
    so excited that you're here tonight you
  • 00:09:01
    know he is the way the truth and the
  • 00:09:05
    life and it all begins and finishes with
  • 00:09:08
    him everything and you know before we
  • 00:09:11
    were even called Christians it talks
  • 00:09:13
    about um Christians back in Acts but we
  • 00:09:16
    used to be called followers of the way
  • 00:09:19
    uh because Jesus is the way and we
  • 00:09:21
    follow him don't we so let's have a look
  • 00:09:23
    in Matthew it says enter through the
  • 00:09:26
    narrow gate which I've just told you is
  • 00:09:28
    Jesus for the wide gate and the broad
  • 00:09:31
    road is the road that leads to
  • 00:09:36
    destruction and many enter through it
  • 00:09:39
    but small is the gate and narrow is the
  • 00:09:42
    road that leads to life and only a few
  • 00:09:45
    find it so the wide path it almost seems
  • 00:09:49
    attractive doesn't it it seems almost
  • 00:09:51
    like full of opportunity and there's
  • 00:09:53
    loads of people on that road and maybe
  • 00:09:55
    it's buzzing and there's lots of noise
  • 00:09:57
    and it's exciting and May maybe it seems
  • 00:09:59
    like the easy route cuz sometimes the
  • 00:10:01
    the wide Road seems like the easy route
  • 00:10:03
    it's the one maybe with less resistance
  • 00:10:06
    because everyone's on it so it kind of
  • 00:10:08
    makes you feel safe it's like well how
  • 00:10:10
    how could so many people get it wrong um
  • 00:10:14
    you know and sometimes I think we're a
  • 00:10:16
    little bit like Lemmings as people where
  • 00:10:17
    we just follow the crowd and we think
  • 00:10:20
    you know there's safety and numbers um
  • 00:10:22
    but the narrow road sometimes it appears
  • 00:10:25
    like it seems maybe a little bit lonely
  • 00:10:27
    at first only only at first though and
  • 00:10:30
    it seems maybe a little bit limiting and
  • 00:10:33
    it seems like the harder route to take
  • 00:10:36
    but it's the path that leads to life and
  • 00:10:39
    not just any old life but life in
  • 00:10:41
    abundance life in all its fullness
  • 00:10:43
    eternal life that is what we have on the
  • 00:10:46
    narrow road and so the wide Road it
  • 00:10:49
    represents people going their own way
  • 00:10:51
    doing their own thing making up their
  • 00:10:53
    own mind having their own plans and it's
  • 00:10:55
    a heavily traveled crowded road but it
  • 00:10:58
    leads to
  • 00:10:59
    destruction and I think if people knew
  • 00:11:02
    that they were on the road to
  • 00:11:03
    destruction they would like no I don't
  • 00:11:05
    want to be on that road but they don't
  • 00:11:06
    realize it because they're deceived into
  • 00:11:09
    thinking it's the road that's great fun
  • 00:11:13
    maybe you know and even when I've said
  • 00:11:15
    to people and I've shared Faith with
  • 00:11:16
    them I'm like there's a different way
  • 00:11:18
    there's a narrow Ro there's a way you
  • 00:11:19
    can walk it's different and it's with
  • 00:11:21
    Jesus and they're like yeah but you have
  • 00:11:23
    to give up so much to go on that road
  • 00:11:26
    you have to give up your life kind of
  • 00:11:27
    thing to go on that road and they don't
  • 00:11:30
    want it um and it seems limited but
  • 00:11:33
    really it's full of Limitless
  • 00:11:36
    possibilities and when we first stand
  • 00:11:38
    out on that road we don't realize the
  • 00:11:41
    limitlessness of that road and it's
  • 00:11:43
    almost the opposite because in Matthew
  • 00:11:45
    it says if you cling to your life if you
  • 00:11:48
    cling to your life you will lose it but
  • 00:11:50
    if you give up your life for me you will
  • 00:11:54
    find it that's a beautiful scripture and
  • 00:11:57
    it makes me think of my boys actually
  • 00:11:58
    when we first started the church about
  • 00:12:01
    36 years ago we were raising our boys in
  • 00:12:03
    this little place called lempster and um
  • 00:12:06
    you know that when they got to about
  • 00:12:09
    teenage years you know all their friends
  • 00:12:11
    were like what are you doing you know
  • 00:12:13
    giving up your life going to church you
  • 00:12:15
    should be coming out with us come and
  • 00:12:17
    have a drink you know there's loads of
  • 00:12:19
    girls out there you're missing out on
  • 00:12:21
    life you know and and they it was full
  • 00:12:23
    of Temptation and full of things that
  • 00:12:26
    they were tempted by and you know and
  • 00:12:28
    the and the sad thing is is that I go
  • 00:12:30
    back to lempster now sometimes and I
  • 00:12:32
    still see the same boys that said those
  • 00:12:35
    things that my boys were missing out
  • 00:12:37
    they weren't playing sport on a Sunday
  • 00:12:39
    they weren't going out to all the
  • 00:12:40
    parties they weren't getting drunk and
  • 00:12:43
    um and I still see them sometimes and
  • 00:12:46
    that it looks like the life has been
  • 00:12:48
    sucked out of them and sadly they're
  • 00:12:50
    living in Brokenness some of them sadly
  • 00:12:52
    some of them are living an addiction and
  • 00:12:54
    and they're just doing the same thing
  • 00:12:56
    day in day out and then I see my boys
  • 00:12:58
    all around the world they started on the
  • 00:13:00
    Narrow Path and it's it's taken them and
  • 00:13:02
    given them Limitless possibilities and
  • 00:13:05
    it's opened the world right up to them
  • 00:13:07
    and it's incredible what God can do when
  • 00:13:10
    we step onto the Narrow
  • 00:13:12
    Path but the world is full of
  • 00:13:15
    distractions isn't it Temptations that's
  • 00:13:17
    what the enemy loves you know and I
  • 00:13:19
    remember when I started walking on the
  • 00:13:20
    Narrow Path The Voice from the other
  • 00:13:24
    path the big wiper this is me on the
  • 00:13:25
    moonwalk now from the I do doing all
  • 00:13:29
    right um but the path of Destruction
  • 00:13:33
    kept calling me back it's like come back
  • 00:13:35
    over here look there's this lad over
  • 00:13:37
    here and he really likes you he's not a
  • 00:13:39
    Christian but he's so goodlook and he's
  • 00:13:41
    the kindest guy you could ever meet he's
  • 00:13:44
    so kind he's not a Christian but you
  • 00:13:47
    know you wouldn't meet a nicer person
  • 00:13:49
    and I fell into that trap for a little
  • 00:13:52
    while because the path called me back
  • 00:13:55
    and sometimes it's subtle sometimes it's
  • 00:13:57
    the enemy with this suggestion
  • 00:13:59
    and lies but there's also we're
  • 00:14:02
    contending with the spirit of the age as
  • 00:14:03
    well aren't we which has brought such
  • 00:14:05
    confusion to our world it's so confusing
  • 00:14:09
    you know even to the point of identity
  • 00:14:12
    and you know people don't know they
  • 00:14:14
    don't know what's truth and what's lies
  • 00:14:16
    anymore and it's so sad to see but it's
  • 00:14:19
    all designed to pull us from the path of
  • 00:14:22
    life to rob steal and destroy and you
  • 00:14:26
    know even as Christians sometimes I
  • 00:14:27
    think we're looking more to the
  • 00:14:29
    created actually than the Creator and
  • 00:14:33
    we're looking more to man than we are
  • 00:14:35
    sometimes to God and reading some of the
  • 00:14:38
    books that influence us and think
  • 00:14:40
    there's you know it's the spirit of the
  • 00:14:43
    age and sometimes I think we need to be
  • 00:14:45
    like those horses they used to plow the
  • 00:14:47
    fields with they used to put blinkers on
  • 00:14:48
    them and it was so they wouldn't Veer to
  • 00:14:50
    the right or the left but they would
  • 00:14:52
    stay on the Narrow Path and they would
  • 00:14:54
    stay in their Lane um but we just need
  • 00:14:57
    to keep our eyes fixed we need to keep
  • 00:14:59
    our eyes fixed on Jesus we don't need
  • 00:15:01
    blinkers we just need to fix our eyes on
  • 00:15:04
    him and keep walking the path ahead
  • 00:15:06
    because he's the author and perfector of
  • 00:15:09
    our faith and we got to remember as well
  • 00:15:11
    keep an eternal mindset because the
  • 00:15:13
    world that we're in it's we're just
  • 00:15:15
    passing through it's only temporary and
  • 00:15:19
    we have to remember that we're in the
  • 00:15:20
    world but not of the world but also the
  • 00:15:24
    wide path to destruction that is the
  • 00:15:27
    path you know that we we live for
  • 00:15:29
    ourselves don't we we're self-centered
  • 00:15:32
    but the narrow path is god- centered we
  • 00:15:34
    need to put God at the center of our
  • 00:15:39
    lives and when I was thinking about this
  • 00:15:42
    planning this um message I couldn't stop
  • 00:15:45
    thinking I couldn't shake the story of
  • 00:15:47
    the prodal son because you know he was
  • 00:15:49
    there with his Dad he was almost like
  • 00:15:51
    knew everything he wanted his
  • 00:15:53
    inheritance early and there was in a way
  • 00:15:56
    perhaps nothing wrong with that and I
  • 00:15:57
    don't think it was Sinister I think he
  • 00:15:59
    just wanted to go off on an adventure he
  • 00:16:01
    wanted to just go and see the world he
  • 00:16:03
    wanted to go on the big road and he
  • 00:16:05
    wanted to perhaps get away from the
  • 00:16:07
    voice of his father and make his own
  • 00:16:09
    decisions and so off he went on this
  • 00:16:11
    adventure to have some fun with his
  • 00:16:13
    friends to explore but a step at a time
  • 00:16:17
    where did it lead him to because it's
  • 00:16:19
    only a step at a time it doesn't happen
  • 00:16:21
    straight away and it led him on the path
  • 00:16:23
    to destruction you know I don't think he
  • 00:16:26
    ever planned sleeping with prostitutes I
  • 00:16:28
    don't think he ever planned gambling
  • 00:16:30
    away all his money and inheritance I
  • 00:16:33
    don't think he planned any of that but
  • 00:16:35
    he ended up you know eating with the
  • 00:16:38
    pigs I don't think that was his plan of
  • 00:16:40
    good fun and Adventure he didn't sign up
  • 00:16:43
    for that and he got so lost didn't he
  • 00:16:46
    got so lost but people don't get lost on
  • 00:16:50
    purpose you know that happens
  • 00:16:52
    accidentally and I remember you know
  • 00:16:54
    even with me I ended up where I lost my
  • 00:16:56
    way and it sometimes it's hard to return
  • 00:16:59
    onto the Narrow Path so it's not just
  • 00:17:02
    getting on the path it's staying on the
  • 00:17:06
    path so let's have a look at what gives
  • 00:17:07
    us staying power and helps us stay on PR
  • 00:17:11
    track um it's his word isn't it his word
  • 00:17:14
    helps us stay on track and I know we say
  • 00:17:16
    this a lot you know be in his word be in
  • 00:17:19
    his presence you got to keep reading his
  • 00:17:20
    word just you know and not just read it
  • 00:17:24
    be but be obedient to it and it says
  • 00:17:27
    that the word his word is a lamp unto
  • 00:17:30
    our feet so here's my little
  • 00:17:32
    lamp
  • 00:17:35
    and yes it's working it's got batteries
  • 00:17:37
    it's not a very bright lamp but you know
  • 00:17:42
    it gives us enough light doesn't it just
  • 00:17:45
    for our next step because we can't see
  • 00:17:48
    the path ahead so I'm going this way
  • 00:17:50
    aren't I the road to life let's remember
  • 00:17:52
    that for a minute I'm going this way and
  • 00:17:55
    we we got to remember that as we take
  • 00:17:57
    our next step there's a little bit more
  • 00:17:59
    light to take the next step we don't see
  • 00:18:02
    the whole road ahead we just see a
  • 00:18:04
    little bit because it's a it's a journey
  • 00:18:06
    of faith on the narrow path we got to
  • 00:18:08
    remember that but as we read his word it
  • 00:18:11
    directs our path and so if we're not in
  • 00:18:13
    his word we're going to be walking
  • 00:18:15
    around in darkness and so keep looking
  • 00:18:19
    at his word because it is a lamp unto
  • 00:18:21
    our feet and little did I know when I
  • 00:18:24
    first went on the Narrow Path where it
  • 00:18:26
    would lead me it lead led me into Green
  • 00:18:30
    Pastures it led me on the path of life
  • 00:18:34
    and it led me I never knew that all your
  • 00:18:36
    faces would be here on the other side of
  • 00:18:38
    the camera or in this room and that I
  • 00:18:40
    would be speaking to you right now I
  • 00:18:42
    thought I was on a small little narrow
  • 00:18:44
    path with not much opportunity but God
  • 00:18:47
    opened up the pathway and now we've got
  • 00:18:50
    like churches all of the over the world
  • 00:18:53
    and so make sure you're not walking in
  • 00:18:55
    the darkness but you're in his word and
  • 00:18:58
    listening to what to his voice and what
  • 00:19:00
    he's speaking to you don't walk in the
  • 00:19:03
    dark because his word is like our GPS
  • 00:19:06
    isn't it can have the lights back on now
  • 00:19:09
    thank you um but you know when me and G
  • 00:19:12
    used to go off on a journey together a
  • 00:19:14
    long way um I wasn't very good at
  • 00:19:17
    driving but I also wasn't very good at
  • 00:19:18
    nav navigating either I I can't read a
  • 00:19:21
    map to save my life so we would always
  • 00:19:23
    get lost on a journey we would always
  • 00:19:26
    get lost wherever we went and um we we
  • 00:19:29
    would quite often fall out about it and
  • 00:19:31
    um but you know his word is like our GPS
  • 00:19:34
    and if we've got our GPS we're not going
  • 00:19:37
    to get lost are we so we need to realign
  • 00:19:40
    our life to his word and not just read
  • 00:19:43
    it be obedient to it there's no point
  • 00:19:46
    just reading his word you got to do what
  • 00:19:48
    it says it keeps it
  • 00:19:50
    simple that will give you staying power
  • 00:19:53
    the other thing that gives us staying
  • 00:19:54
    power is trusting him and I know we say
  • 00:19:57
    this a lot as well and it says in
  • 00:19:59
    Proverbs trust in the Lord with all your
  • 00:20:02
    heart and lean not on your own
  • 00:20:04
    understanding on your own mind in all
  • 00:20:07
    your ways acknowledge Him and He Shall
  • 00:20:10
    direct your paths see the difference
  • 00:20:13
    between believing and trusting years ago
  • 00:20:16
    there was a guy called Charles blondon
  • 00:20:19
    and um he would I mean talk about
  • 00:20:21
    walking the Narrow Path he walked across
  • 00:20:23
    the tight RPP across the Niagara Falls
  • 00:20:26
    so he was like doing these acrobats and
  • 00:20:28
    all kinds of crazy things and he walked
  • 00:20:31
    right across the Niagara Falls quite a
  • 00:20:33
    few times and he drew the crowds in and
  • 00:20:35
    this one day he walked with a
  • 00:20:38
    wheelbarrow right across ni this is a
  • 00:20:40
    True Story by the way I'm not making
  • 00:20:42
    this up he walked across the tight rope
  • 00:20:45
    with a wheelbarrow and the guys when he
  • 00:20:47
    got to the other side cuz people were
  • 00:20:49
    like waiting in anticipation when he got
  • 00:20:51
    to the other side there was this huge
  • 00:20:53
    Roar and they were like that was amazing
  • 00:20:55
    they cheering and clapping and um and he
  • 00:20:58
    said who believes that I could go back
  • 00:21:00
    the other way with a person in the
  • 00:21:03
    wheelbarrow and they were like yeah you
  • 00:21:05
    can do it we know you can do you're
  • 00:21:07
    amazing we've just seen you seen what
  • 00:21:08
    you can do and he was like who's going
  • 00:21:10
    to get in the wheelbarrow then as you
  • 00:21:13
    can imagine it went completely silent
  • 00:21:17
    and nobody
  • 00:21:19
    volunteered um well I don't think they
  • 00:21:21
    did anyway but that's a difference you
  • 00:21:23
    know God wants us to get in the
  • 00:21:25
    wheelbarrow with him
  • 00:21:29
    so in all of our ways it says
  • 00:21:31
    acknowledge Him in all of our ways we're
  • 00:21:32
    making big
  • 00:21:34
    decisions even little decisions we need
  • 00:21:36
    to be praying to him we need to be in
  • 00:21:38
    conversation with him need to be
  • 00:21:39
    listening to his word so in all of your
  • 00:21:42
    ways when you acknowledge Him in your
  • 00:21:44
    friendship ways your career ways your
  • 00:21:46
    marriage ways your parenting ways
  • 00:21:49
    acknowledge Him in all your ways and he
  • 00:21:51
    will keep you walking on the Narrow Path
  • 00:21:54
    and take you where you need to go you
  • 00:21:57
    know our lives are made up part they of
  • 00:21:59
    a series of steps and choices that is
  • 00:22:02
    what our whole life is made off up of
  • 00:22:04
    and we talk a lot in Freedom Church
  • 00:22:06
    about God's Dot to Dot and I love that
  • 00:22:08
    because you know God's painting a big
  • 00:22:10
    picture or he knows what the bigger
  • 00:22:12
    picture is and we're just stepping onto
  • 00:22:15
    the next dot each time in that step of
  • 00:22:17
    faith on the path but there's always a
  • 00:22:19
    bigger picture at play but as you walk
  • 00:22:22
    in obedience it impacts other people it
  • 00:22:25
    impacts their lives it impacts their
  • 00:22:27
    destiny and uh it makes me think of Luke
  • 00:22:30
    one of our boys in America he was in um
  • 00:22:33
    New York City and then over covid he
  • 00:22:35
    came back for a year um recovered and
  • 00:22:38
    then he he was like I don't think I'm
  • 00:22:40
    going to go back to America and then he
  • 00:22:42
    got called again to go back to America
  • 00:22:45
    but this time to sweet Alabama very
  • 00:22:47
    different from New York City he finds
  • 00:22:49
    himself in sweet Alabama and when he
  • 00:22:51
    gets there he's like oh my gosh it's a
  • 00:22:53
    sleepy town and he's like Mom I don't
  • 00:22:56
    know what I'm doing here like why am I
  • 00:22:58
    here and I said well you've been
  • 00:23:00
    obedient to the core you're here for
  • 00:23:01
    such a time as this and it's amazing to
  • 00:23:04
    me that Luke is there now and um back
  • 00:23:07
    last year he went to a conference so
  • 00:23:09
    he's part of Highlands Church in America
  • 00:23:11
    and they have a connect a very close
  • 00:23:13
    connection with Ark which is an
  • 00:23:16
    association that plants churches and he
  • 00:23:18
    said I've been to one of their
  • 00:23:19
    conferences and you need to come you
  • 00:23:21
    need to hear what they're doing and so
  • 00:23:23
    we went along and it's been an absolute
  • 00:23:25
    Game Changer so although Luke doesn't
  • 00:23:27
    come to our Church his obedience has had
  • 00:23:30
    a huge impact it's been a GameChanger
  • 00:23:32
    we've seen more people come into Freedom
  • 00:23:35
    Church this year than ever before we've
  • 00:23:37
    seen the most amazing launches through
  • 00:23:39
    using some of their principles from Ark
  • 00:23:42
    and uh we have seen like more salvations
  • 00:23:45
    than ever before it's been amazing so
  • 00:23:48
    I'm so glad that Luke was obedient in
  • 00:23:50
    that way and he's also involved in the
  • 00:23:52
    prison ministry over there which is very
  • 00:23:55
    exciting because um I won't go into it
  • 00:23:57
    now but some of you know the story of um
  • 00:23:59
    my son Luke that he nearly ended up when
  • 00:24:01
    he was younger going to prison himself
  • 00:24:04
    and now he's over there you know helping
  • 00:24:07
    in the prison ministry he just bought
  • 00:24:09
    them all slippers for Christmas and uh
  • 00:24:11
    they absolutely lost their mind so don't
  • 00:24:14
    don't you know underestimate the seed
  • 00:24:16
    you sew into people's lives the fruit
  • 00:24:19
    that can come from it even though maybe
  • 00:24:21
    you can't see it straight away I just
  • 00:24:23
    want to encourage you in that so the
  • 00:24:25
    narrow path is also the way of love
  • 00:24:28
    isn't it it's the way of love because
  • 00:24:30
    God is love and you know one of the
  • 00:24:33
    first and greatest Commandments is that
  • 00:24:35
    we love God with all of our hearts our
  • 00:24:38
    mind and our soul and that is one of the
  • 00:24:41
    greatest Commandments not just a bit or
  • 00:24:44
    most of our heart but all of our heart
  • 00:24:47
    wholehearted and what about loving
  • 00:24:50
    others as ourselves that means we've got
  • 00:24:52
    to love ourselves in order to love
  • 00:24:54
    others well and so that's the two
  • 00:24:57
    greatest Commandments to love our
  • 00:24:58
    neighbor as ourself so let's start there
  • 00:25:02
    at the the start of 2025 and the start
  • 00:25:04
    of this series realigning our hearts our
  • 00:25:08
    minds and our souls you know I know that
  • 00:25:10
    many of you in this room have given your
  • 00:25:12
    heart to God and many of you have given
  • 00:25:15
    your soul to God but sometimes I think
  • 00:25:17
    we like want to keep hold of our
  • 00:25:19
    thoughts and our mind to ourselves and
  • 00:25:22
    we almost like think well I don't know
  • 00:25:24
    if I want to give the whole of my mind
  • 00:25:26
    over to God because I want to reserve
  • 00:25:28
    res ve myself for the last word and if
  • 00:25:30
    we reserve oursel for the last word over
  • 00:25:32
    God's word do you know what happens
  • 00:25:35
    that's pride and we're going to come off
  • 00:25:38
    the Narrow Path so we need to we need to
  • 00:25:41
    really um you know look at whether we're
  • 00:25:45
    loving God with all of our heart with
  • 00:25:47
    all of our mind and all of our soul
  • 00:25:49
    because that matters it's our posture
  • 00:25:51
    isn't it so let's start there and
  • 00:25:54
    realign that so following him following
  • 00:25:58
    Jesus on the Narrow Path it is not a
  • 00:26:00
    casual walk it is not a leisurely stroll
  • 00:26:04
    do you know what it is it says the
  • 00:26:06
    Hebrew word translated for follow so
  • 00:26:09
    when he says follow me it it means in
  • 00:26:11
    the Hebrew radav and it means to chase
  • 00:26:15
    him down to chase him down and to be hot
  • 00:26:18
    on his heels you're not on a leisurely
  • 00:26:20
    stroll just like yeah I'm following you
  • 00:26:22
    Jesus no we need our trainers on we are
  • 00:26:25
    chasing him down we are hotting his
  • 00:26:27
    heels and we need to be running the race
  • 00:26:30
    that he intended for us running the race
  • 00:26:33
    that Limitless race and uh in Relentless
  • 00:26:36
    Pursuit not just wandering behind him
  • 00:26:38
    willy-nilly but you know so are you
  • 00:26:41
    casually walking behind him or are you
  • 00:26:43
    pursuing him with everything that you
  • 00:26:45
    are are you just believing or are you
  • 00:26:48
    actively pursuing him there's some great
  • 00:26:51
    questions there are you actively
  • 00:26:54
    pursuing him with everything so
  • 00:26:56
    following Jesus is not a casual War
  • 00:26:58
    it's an allout Chase and I love that
  • 00:27:01
    it's an allout chase after him so
  • 00:27:04
    following in his footsteps you know what
  • 00:27:05
    should happen when we follow him in his
  • 00:27:07
    footsteps is we become more and more
  • 00:27:10
    like him and I want you to ask the
  • 00:27:13
    question am I like
  • 00:27:16
    Jesus ask yourself we need to be asking
  • 00:27:19
    this question on a regular basis am I
  • 00:27:21
    like
  • 00:27:23
    Jesus sometimes I see a little Glimpse
  • 00:27:25
    but I've got a long way to go on the
  • 00:27:27
    Narrow Path I can tell you and you know
  • 00:27:31
    maybe some of you this last year maybe
  • 00:27:33
    you lost your way maybe you lost your
  • 00:27:35
    way even over Christmas you know it only
  • 00:27:37
    takes a little degree off and it can
  • 00:27:40
    take you on a whole differenta I can't
  • 00:27:42
    say that word on a whole different path
  • 00:27:45
    um you know what I'm saying but it can
  • 00:27:47
    take you off course and I just want to
  • 00:27:49
    say to you get back on the straight and
  • 00:27:51
    narrow you know what it's like every New
  • 00:27:54
    Year we're like going to eat healthy I'm
  • 00:27:56
    going to do all the exercise is and we
  • 00:27:59
    fall off the wagon don't we we've all
  • 00:28:00
    been there and what do we say we need to
  • 00:28:02
    get back on the straight and narrow it's
  • 00:28:04
    hard but we know it's better for us and
  • 00:28:06
    it's the same in the natural you know
  • 00:28:08
    get back on the straight and
  • 00:28:12
    narrow some of you might have found
  • 00:28:14
    yourself in the valley the valley of
  • 00:28:16
    disappointment the valley of failure the
  • 00:28:19
    valley of sadness and loss maybe but I
  • 00:28:23
    want to tell you tonight don't camp out
  • 00:28:25
    there God never intended us to camp in
  • 00:28:29
    the valley he knows that we have to go
  • 00:28:31
    through the valley sometimes and
  • 00:28:33
    sometimes it's you know it's when we
  • 00:28:35
    learn the most actually is going through
  • 00:28:37
    the valley but is to go through the
  • 00:28:38
    valley it's not to camp out in the
  • 00:28:40
    valley so don't get stuck in bitterness
  • 00:28:44
    don't get stuck in bitterness offense
  • 00:28:46
    disappointment you know Sons and
  • 00:28:48
    Daughters Destinies they're at stake and
  • 00:28:52
    you know if we camp out in the valley we
  • 00:28:54
    need to be there and leading the way for
  • 00:28:56
    them so keep moving forward Generations
  • 00:28:59
    are at stake legacies are at stake and
  • 00:29:02
    it will impact them if we stay camped in
  • 00:29:05
    the valley keep Mo moving forward even
  • 00:29:08
    if it's just one step at a time in the
  • 00:29:11
    right
  • 00:29:12
    direction it that's all it needs is one
  • 00:29:15
    step in Isaiah 42 it says this I will
  • 00:29:19
    lead the blind by a way they did not
  • 00:29:21
    know I will guide them in paths they
  • 00:29:24
    have not known I will turn the darkness
  • 00:29:27
    into light in front of them and rough
  • 00:29:30
    places into level ground this is
  • 00:29:33
    miraculous stuff this is what I will do
  • 00:29:36
    for them and I will not abandon them he
  • 00:29:38
    will not abandon you he is with you on
  • 00:29:40
    the Narrow Path and I feel like some of
  • 00:29:43
    you have been searching in the dark
  • 00:29:44
    you've been bumping into things you
  • 00:29:46
    haven't had your lamp switched on you
  • 00:29:48
    haven't been reading his word you
  • 00:29:49
    haven't been listening to his voice come
  • 00:29:52
    to him tonight he is the light of the
  • 00:29:56
    world and he gives you enough light for
  • 00:29:59
    your next step he will walk with you
  • 00:30:02
    through every problem that you're facing
  • 00:30:04
    through every Valley through every storm
  • 00:30:07
    he will never leave you or forsake you
  • 00:30:10
    and he is the light in you we must
  • 00:30:12
    remember that that's why he's the light
  • 00:30:13
    in you 2025 we need to shine brighter
  • 00:30:17
    than we ever have before ladies we need
  • 00:30:19
    to shine bright because we need to
  • 00:30:21
    illuminate the path for others to follow
  • 00:30:23
    as well and to show them the way so will
  • 00:30:27
    you join join me tonight will you join
  • 00:30:29
    me in realigning your heartbeat with his
  • 00:30:33
    heartbeat
  • 00:30:34
    tonight because his heart it beats for
  • 00:30:39
    you it beats for you he loves
  • 00:30:42
    you can you hear
  • 00:30:45
    it can you hear his heart beating for
  • 00:30:49
    you the beginning of 2025 let's
  • 00:30:53
    surrender our hearts to him our minds to
  • 00:30:57
    him
  • 00:30:59
    and our souls to him his heart beats for
  • 00:31:02
    you daughter you are so
  • 00:31:04
    precious you are so precious to him I
  • 00:31:07
    don't think you realize he went to the
  • 00:31:09
    cross for you because he loves
  • 00:31:11
    you let's realign and surrender our
  • 00:31:15
    hearts minds and soul and let's walk the
  • 00:31:17
    path that leads to life together as a
  • 00:31:21
    Sisterhood cheering each other on you
  • 00:31:23
    know Heaven is cheering us on Jesus is
  • 00:31:26
    cheering us on and we need to cheer each
  • 00:31:27
    each other on as we walk the Narrow Path
  • 00:31:31
    and let's chase him down with everything
  • 00:31:34
    that we are amen
Tags
  • narrow path
  • faith
  • God's surprises
  • obedience
  • love
  • community
  • spiritual journey
  • trust
  • guidance