"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way,
which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."
- Matthew 7:14

He did everything he could do to force the man off of the road.

It was one of those detective books that I loved to read during my teenage years.  A criminal was being chased by  the detective as they both sped down a narrow, seldom  traveled road.

Of course, the criminal didn't want to be caught, so he tried one dirty trick after another trying to force the  detective off of the road, into the ditch.

He started with a smoke screen.  With the flip of a  switch a thick fog of black smoke poured out of his exhaust pipes engulfing the detective traveling close behind.   Although he couldn't see clearly ahead of him, the 
detective continued on down the narrow road.

The criminal resorted to Plan B.  He pushed a button  and oil gushed out of a container onto the road, causing  the detective to slip and slide.  Although the road became  hard to travel on, the detective persisted and continuing  driving straight down the narrow road.

Becoming a bit more desperate, the criminal began  hurling objects out of his car in a last ditch effort to force  the detective off of the road.  The detective wasn't about to  give up, so he dodged the obstacles as quickly as they  came at him, somehow managing to stay between the  lines on the narrow road.

Finally, after doing everything in his power to force the  man off of the road, the criminal surrendered.  He knew he was beaten.  The detective was victorious for one reason  and one reason alone...

...he stayed on the narrow road.

My friend, there is likewise a criminal, the devil, at work in our lives each and every day.  Now, you and I aren't out  chasing the criminal.  We don't have any desire to catch  satan.  But, know this.  He's always out ahead of us, with  his bag of dirty tricks, trying his best to force us off of the narrow road Christ called us to travel on.

Think about it.  Doesn't he send us smoke screens?   You know, things that make it difficult for us to see.  Why is  it that there are always interruptions when we should be  having our daily quiet time in prayer and Bible study?  Why  is it that when we are trying our best to be faithful to Christ  that everything around us seems to go wrong?  Why is it  that discouragement comes when God has something  wonderful planned for our lives?  Satan is trying to force us  off of the narrow road, that's why!

And, he's got a Plan B, if that doesn't work.

That's right, he pours out the oil in our pathway, hoping  to cause us to slip and take a fall.  Maybe it's an  obnoxious, rude co-worker that he wants us to blow our  tops in front of so our testimony will be ruined.  Or, perhaps he pushes our buttons with an enticing offer that  will take us away from our families or our church.  Still yet,  it could be a hostile response from someone when we try  to share the Gospel.  Anything at all to render us 
ineffective in reaching the lost for Jesus Christ...

...he wants us off of that road!

And, if we're still on it, desperation begins to set in.  So,  what does he do?  He starts throwing things at us.  Yep.   He starts hurling lies.  Things like, "You've blown it now.   God can never use someone like you with your past" or  "No one else is remaining faithful.  Why should you miss  out on all of the fun.  It won't hurt just this once." or "God  isn't going to answer your prayer.  Just give up.  It's  hopeless."

Christian, does that sound about right?  He's out there,  everyday, he's out there ahead of us doing everything in  his power  to force us off of the narrow road that Jesus  called us to travel on.

But, Praise God, there is coming a day when the  criminal will surrender.  His defeat is just down the road.   He's desperate because he knows that victory is ours,  Christian, because we belong to the King of Kings.

And so, my friend, as he tries his best to force you into a ditch today..

...continue on, persist, stay between the lines...

Have a "Wonderful DAY in Christ,"
Jimmy D. Brown
\o/ Praise Jesus!