Are you on the Highway to Hell or Stairway to Heaven?

For a long-distance trip, would you rather walk or take a car? Most of us would say, take the car.

With those two choices, why would anyone choose walking?

Even though walking is good for our health, we’d choose the car because it’s a lot less work. And we’d get to where we’re going faster. Am I right?

There are two great analogies of truth in these classic rock song titles.

Take the Highway, It’s Faster and Easier

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Highway

Most highways and interstates are designed to be wide enough to accommodate a high number of travelers. And the speed limits are much higher than in-town. Because we want to get to our destination fast!

On a highway, individuals usually travel in vehicles where only the driver is doing the work. If we’re the passengers, we can sit back and relax. Maybe even get some shuteye. Even the driver has very little to do since the vehicle does most of the work.

Traveling down the highway is easy and we get to our destination much faster.

Stairs are Hard Work

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Stairway

On the other hand, a stairway is usually very narrow. And they only allow a small number of people to travel at any given time. Stairways also require a great deal of individual effort.

To climb up a staircase, you must make the effort.

Climbing stairs can be exhausting, especially if there’s more than one flight of them involved. Even on an escalator, you have to stand the entire way. To get to the top faster, some of us are bold enough to walk up the escalator.

Of course, climbing down them is easier. But the effort is still required. After all, if you miss one step, the rest come very quickly.

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

Which Would You Choose?

Whether we want to admit to it or not, in life we’re either on a path of doing what’s right or doing what’s wrong.

Knowing the difference between right and wrong is not political or religious. We, as humans, instinctively know one from the other.

Unfortunately, many have decided to ignore the internal prompting that tells us when something’s wrong. The desire to do what’s wrong outweighs the consequence(s) of the action.

Have you ever heard the saying, “you’re only guilty if you get caught”?

As a kid, I heard it said, “if you’re cheating, you’re not trying. If you’re caught, you’re not trying hard enough.” The cheating here is not referring to infidelity.

We can admit to it or deny it, but we know the truth. Whether we’re caught or not, if it’s wrong it’s wrong. That’s where integrity comes into play.

Even so, there comes a time in our lives when we may need others to help us make the right choice(s).

Life Is A Journey, Not To Be Taken Alone

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We’re in this together

Did you realize that you’re not alone? Perhaps you believe life’s all about numero uno (number one, me, myself, and I). I’m not here to judge whether you feel that way or not. It will be God that will judge each of us (Matthew 7:1-2, 2 Corinthians 5:10).

I just want you to know that you don’t have to do life by yourself.

There might be friends and family that you could turn to. Maybe complete strangers. Either way, God is always there for you (even if you don’t believe in Him).

In the book of Joshua, after Moses died and Joshua was feeling inadequate, God told him that He would be right there through it all. That’s how God will be with you as well.

“No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.” (Joshua 1:5)

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

Jesus Is the Only Path to God

During His ministry, Jesus told us, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:23-24)  

When Jesus replied to the Pharisees, in Luke 20, He was giving us a great view of the difference between what‘s man’s and what’s God’s. “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it? ‘Caesar’s,’ they replied. He said to them, ‘Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.’” (Luke 20:24-25)

Jesus further amplified His point when He said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and, in your name, perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21-23).

He clarifies this with the example of the wise man who built his house on the rock, while the foolish man built his house on sand.

In John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”

There aren’t multiple paths to God. There’s only one! And that’s through His son Jesus Christ.

Be a Doer Not Just a Hearer

What Jesus is telling us is to listen to Him and put what He has taught us into practice. Do not just be hearers of the word, but be doers of it as well. James covers this as well in his epistle (James 1:21).

We will inherit the kingdom of God if we follow His teachings. He told us to follow the two greatest commandments; “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

Then Jesus added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” (Matthew 9:13)

“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then He will fill your barns with grain and your vats will overflow with good wine.” (Proverbs 3:9-10)

Whether you agree with it or not, God has given you everything that you have.

“You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the power to get wealth, that He may confirm His covenant that He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” (Deuteronomy 8:18)

What’s Your Destiny?

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Headstone

As you know, we’re all going to die. Hopefully not anytime soon. But we don’t always know when that will be.

If you were to die today, do you know where you’d go? Will you be taking the highway to hell or the stairway to heaven?

Will you go with Jesus, like the thief on the cross in Luke 23? (Luke 23:39-43)

Or in the eternal lake of fire, like the rich man in one of the parables Jesus told (Luke 16:19-31)?

Did you realize that you’re a sinner? I’m here to be the bearer of bad news if you didn’t know that. We’ve all sinned (Romans 3:23).

Not some or most, all of us have sinned.

Perhaps you’re saying, “so what?” Romans 6:23a says, “For the wages of sin is death.”

Does it say certain sins? Nope! For the wages of sin is death. There’s nothing that you can do on your own to be exempt from that either.

Thankfully, the verse doesn’t end there. “…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:23).

It’s Your Time to Choose

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Jesus Christ – representation

If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, then today is the day to decide to follow Him. It’s a free gift that has already been paid for, by Jesus (when He died on the cross for your sins and mine). And it’s not too late.

No matter what you’ve done, or what you think, Jesus has His arms open wide for you. Stop buying into Satan’s lies. Instead, accept the free gift that is ready for you! (John 3:16)

And to do that, you merely need to believe in your heart and speak the words (vocally) and you will be saved (Romans 10:9-11).

The exact words you use are not necessarily important. It’s the context of what you’re saying and the position of your heart.

Prayer of Salvation (“The Sinner’s Prayer”)

If you don’t know what to say, then say this,

“Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. Please forgive me. Come into my life. I receive You as my Lord and Savior. Now, help me to live for you the rest of this life. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.”

Short Prayer of Salvation

Decide to follow Him today because tomorrow is not a promise. Once you take your last breath, you’ll no longer have the choice to choose.

Consider reading: A Bible Study of the Bible

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