...But God

Matthew 7: 13-14

Creators & Guests

Host
Chad McBeam
Business Leader, Foster Advocate and Fighter of Human Trafficking, Chad enjoys hosting this podcast channel as a way to spread and highlight the great examples of those who live out their faith daily. He can also be seen on occasion on your TV or Film Screen or be heard narrating one of your books as his love of acting has stuck with him since his childhood.
Writer
Aaron Marcarelli
After getting his under-graduate degree from Cal State University San Bernardino where he played college baseball and received all American honors. he was a graduate assistant baseball coach at both Trevecca Nazarene College in Nashville, Tennessee, and at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington.  He received his master’s degree in Teaching from Whitworth, with plans to someday be a head baseball coach at a university.  However, God had other plans.  Aaron started teaching English and History and coaching baseball and other sports at the high school level and found out how much he loves high school kids, and he has been doing that for the past 27 years.     Personally, heI has been married to his wife Sharon for 32 years, they have one daughter, Amanda Parrish, who has been married to Austin Parrish for 2 years. Aaron also has two grandsons Travis age 2 ½ and Aden who is 13 months and are blessed to have another on the way due in May. Aaron loves reading, golfing, and spending time with his wife and grandkids.
Designer
Linda Cowen
Linda Cowen of San Antonio Christian School is our gracious and talented art designer for the But God, weekday morning devotional series.

What is ...But God?

A weekday morning devotional series written by Aaron Marcarelli and hosted by Chad McBeam

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
Matthew 7:13-14 NASB2020
In this passage, Jesus describes a comparative, a wide gate leading to wide way, or a narrow gate leading to a narrow way. Once again it is important to look at the order of things. This time it is the order of gate and way. The order suggests the gate is the entrance to the way.
Also when we go through the gate first it means we are going into a place. In this case Jesus is speaking of entering into relationship with Him. It is symbolic of a believers initial experience with Christ. This experience introduces them to the life of love and forgiveness. Interesting to note, the first Christians were called “those of the way.” Because the way to God is through a narrow gate and a narrow way and the majority of people do not follow that way. It’s just too difficult. It interferes with their comfortable, easy life.
Therefore they take the Broadway, (because the neon lights are bright on broadway), because they follow the neon lights of the broad way instead of the light of Christ they follow a path that leads to destruction. Therefore it is God who provides Christ, who is both gate, and way which causes us to find the portal of life here on earth and the portal to eternal life with Christ. Once again Jesus uses a contrasting parallel to point out that we don’t need to follow the masses. The broad way they follow only leads to death and chaos. However, if we follow the light of Christ we can begin on the road of His way which is by no means easy, but it is sooo worth it!
Lord we praise your Holy and perfect name. Thank you for helping us find the narrow gate into the narrow way which leads to abundant life both now and for eternity with you. We know that this narrow way is not easy and it’s uncomfortable but it’s oh so worth it. Lord give us strength and peace to follow your way so that we can do your will always. We pray all these things In Jesus name amen…
Shalom Shalom blessings! Press in and Press on!