Don't look for shortcuts to God

Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way of life - to God! - is vigorous and requires total attention. Matthew 7:13-14 MSG

Our western world is indeed 'flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life'. A quick search on the internet for 'how to have successful life' will show you that! In fact, when I did that search this morning, google returned 408,000,000 results! Indeed it does require our total attention to remained focused on God and God alone.

The Amplified Bible describes it this way, which some of you may be more familiar with, 

Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it. But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it. Matthew 7:13-14 AMP

The way that leads to life "is straitened and compressed". Straitened, a new word for me today, means, restricted in range or scope. Compressed, meaning, having a narrow shape as if flattened, especially sideways.  So the way to live God's life, is to restrict the range or scope of influences in your life. Limit them only to Him and His word. Don't go looking for alternatives, side paths. In terms of where you seek your answers to life, keep you world narrow, let there be one source alone, God. His way of living is the best way of living your life. His plan for you is for good.

We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labour] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.  Romans 8:28 AMP

We have to make a choice. A choice to be vigorous and give God our total attention. A choice to seek him and all that He is.

Seek, inquire of and for the Lord, and crave Him and His strength (His might and inflexibility to temptation); seek and require His face and His presence [continually] evermore.  Psalm 105:4 AMP

Question for today, is there something in your life you have been seeking an answer for? Have you been seeking God for the answer, or looking elsewhere? Take time today, to spend time in His presence today and seek the Lord's answer and wait expectantly. The Lord is good to those who wait hopefully and expectantly for Him.

The Lord is my portion, or share, says my living being (my inner self); therefore I will hope in Him and waiting expectantly for Him. The Lord is good to those who wait hopefully and expectantly for Him, to those who seek Him [inquire of and for Him and require Him by right of necessity and on the authority of God's word]. Lamentations 3:24-25 AMP