Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:13-14 KJV)
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 13:24 KJV)
The message of those passages tells us the Way to everlasting life is a small entry. So much so until not many will find it or be worthy to enter. A strait (tight) Gate and narrow (difficult or challenging) way is not what most people prefer to deal with and will go for the wide (easy) gate and the broad (more comfortable) way. The majority will take that easier path, but it leads to destruction (spiritual death). Much of the world's religious system today, that entity we Christians call church, does not sufficiently stress the point of this scriptural truism. Instead, we get a plethora of prosperity gospels, weak scriptural exegesis and good sounding, self-affirming psychology with a religious spin. The sobering reality is that Christianity actually is a tight and narrow experience in many ways. A true Christian journey can be a difficult and challenging lifestyle. Understanding this should encourage us to examine our own spiritual states. What do we experience and expect, a spacious entry and smooth journey or an entrance to a sometimes-complicated path? Which gate did we go through and what road are we traveling down? The Holy Bible in addition to prayer and Holy Spirit guidance helps us figure this out and hopefully, if needed, puts us on the strait and narrow.
SGKO is a nondenominational Christian site pursuing God and seeking clear, in-depth biblical Truth. This outreach's primary purpose is to promote the Gospel of Christ Jesus and advance God's Kingdom in this world. Its secondary purpose is for documentation of what the Holy Spirit reveals to me. The goal is to dig a little deeper without being stuck in preconceived notions and get those nuggets of Truth that may have escaped me. This is an online, one-person endeavor as service to Jesus Christ. I'm just putting it out there as best I know how. The site exists for the enlightenment of the Body of Christ as well as evangelizing to the staunchly unbelieving world and any people who want more information about Christianity. Upon God's Word we build our faith and doctrines which help us to mature in our spiritual walk and enrich our relationship with our Creator and Savior. On this site manmade traditions and popular beliefs and practices are sometimes questioned with the hope of unearthing God's Scriptural and revealed intentions. Research will be from the Word of God first as well as other sources of relative information. But the primary and final word on anything would be from correct interpretative reading of Scripture. Let me be perfectly clear, I'm not an academic Theologian or Biblical expert. I do not carry a lot of those high-end credentials from the Christian community. I'm just a saint who has been called to write for the Kingdom in various ways. So, I write.
This online outreach will hopefully help people wanting to expand their biblical insight and walk more worthy in their Christian journey. It is for Truth seekers, God's Perfect Truth, not the world's weak subjective truth. There is a lot of debate with varying views on many Christian tenets which can make it confusing and off-putting to try to understand or embrace the Faith. Perhaps, this site will help, to some small degree, unravel matters we need to prayerfully ponder and clarify.
WHAT I BELIEVE
Salvation from sin is only through Christ Jesus' sacrifice on the tree (cross) at Calvary and His resurrection and ascension. His sacrifice undisputably defeats sin's consequence of death. Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, mankind's Savior, the Son of Almighty Yahweh (FATHER GOD) as well as the Son of man. The Savior Son now sits at the right hand of the FATHER. His supernatural conception, ministry, death and resurrection are called the Gospel, the Good News.
There is One True God and He manifests Himself in three entities, FATHER, Son and Holy Spirit. This is called the Trinity. YAHWEH is a Triune God
The Holy Bible is the Inerrant Word of Almighty God, both First (Old) and Second (New) Testaments.
God created the heavens, the earth and everything on and in it and around it. He created man and woman, instituting marriage, and for them to procreate instituting the family.
YAHWEH, FATHER GOD, the Great I AM is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing) and omnipresent (all over or everywhere). HE is Sovereign Ruler of all things in our world and beyond.
Water Baptism and Spiritual Baptism are both biblically validated.
The Holy Spirit is indwelt and active in born again believers.
Those who are born-again constitute the Assembly of Christ Jesus, Christ's True church or the Body of Christ.
The existence of so many Christian denominations is not consistent with the doctrine of the Word of God as a unified Body of Believers.
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Ephesians 4:4-6 (BSB)
Humankind exists solely in a time constrained physical world which gives us certain limitations. Scripture clearly teaches there is another dominion, a spiritual one, which we cannot perceive but definitely exists. This spirit world has a direct connection to our natural reality. The ongoing war of good versus evil (God vs the devil) starts in that unseen realm and its repercussions filter down to our physical realm. Scripture tells us GOD is spirit. We human beings, like our Creator, are spirit encased in physical bodies. GOD lives above, beyond and outside of our natural world in the realm we cannot see. There are spiritual enemies against HIM and against humankind that manifest their evil intentions on earth in both our spirit and physical being.
The people of God who've read the Book of Revelations already know their final and eternal fate and who wins this longstanding spiritual war. There is no doubt that Christ Jesus, our Savior and King, the Messiah and Son of YAHWEH is going to return. He will judge, rule and reign for all eternity.
I'm not a celebrity or anyone of particular interest. My name is Marlene and I'm just an ordinary person in most ways. However, I do have a calling on my life which prompted me to put up this website. The most significant thing about me is that I'm a born-again Christian, a woman of faith in the Gospel of Christ Jesus. I am also a Kingdom writer and word warrior. A Kingdom writer because I’m called to write for the Kingdom of God, and a word warrior by having an innate warrior’s spirit with my weapons of warfare being words, the Word of God and my humble writings.
I firmly believe words (and language) matter; they are an important component of our natural and spiritual lives. Words are more than just a system of communication among human beings. Words are powerful spirits in the heavenlies and on the earth; be it rhema (spoken words) or logos (written words). This is demonstrated in the book of Genesis as Scripture chronicles Yahweh speaking this world and everything He put on the earth into existence. Through His Omnipotent Rhema, He created the atmosphere, the earth, plant life, sea creatures, birds and animals out of absolutely nothing. Now try to fully wrap your mind around that.
To us in the Family of Christian Faith the Holy Bible is an anchor and like any anchor it holds us steady in our spiritual life. Scripture was given by God to teach, persuade, correct and direct us in Christlikeness. So, words are extremely valuable to me. I take my God-given gift of writing serious. I pray to walk worthy in my calling because I feel grateful to be entrusted to serve in this most honored fashion. To date I've written multiple novels, novellas, short stories, essays and articles, hopefully, all to the Glory of God. In reference to my novels, novellas and short stories, I’ve often stated, “Christ Jesus is author and finisher of my faith and my fiction.”
It is my sincerest hope that whatever I write, be it fiction or nonfiction, in some way has a Christly ministering effect; that I write what I'm supposed to write to the Glory of Almighty Yah and furtherance of the Gospel of Christ Jesus.
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