His dad would jiggle his keys in his pocket while a young Tiger took his backswing on the tee box. He was training him not be distracted. 

 I read that years ago about Tiger Woods and how his father, an ex-military man, groomed his famous son to become the best golfer in the world. Say what you will about the guy and his well-publicized life of drama...but growing up as golfer and golf fan myself, I have never seen another golfer like him before. The guy was the most laser sharp - focused player to ever swing a club. (arguably, of course) 

 But I always remember that story about the keys in the pocket. If you are a golfer, you know. A few years back, I had the opportunity to go shoot the Colonial in Ft. Worth. It was a fun two days seeing many of the golfers I had watched play on TV. Even with my longer lens, I knew not to click the camera on their back swing. 

 It doesn’t take much to distract us, does it? -be it a camera click or jiggling car keys or whatever. 

 There’s a passage in Luke 9 where we read that the time had come for Jesus to be ‘received up, and that “He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem’. (51) Many point back to the prophetic utterance of Isaiah where He would ‘set His face like a flint’ linking these two verses. (50:7) To ‘set one’s face’ is a figure of speech implying resolute determination to fulfill a purpose. Jesus was on a mission. His primary goal and purpose was to please the Father and do whatever He was asked by Him. (John 14:31; 17:4) 

 So the past few days, we were combing through the first three stories or lessons there in Luke 13. It had to do with a sobering warning of consequences should one fail to repent and turn to Him, then a parable about a fruitless tree being cut down, and an actual event that revealed how God’s people can actually have a demon spirit afflict their bodies in a physical way, yet be healed by the power of God’s word. 

 As we read on in that chapter, at one point, someone asked Jesus: “Lord, are there only a few who will be saved?”(23) 

 That’s kind of an interesting question, is it not? And what would have prompted that question do you suppose? 

 I might add here that the word ‘saved’ in that passage comes from a Greek word that has several meanings- one of them being ‘rescued’. 

 I find it necessary to remind us all again, that Jesus was in fact, on a ‘rescue mission’. He did not come to condemn any of us; on the contrary, He came to rescue us. It was not the will of God for anyone to perish, but for all men to be saved. (John 3:17; Luke 19:10; 2 Pet. 3:9; 1 Tim. 2:4) Please...look up and mark those passages...Please? 

 Jesus has never stopped calling for us to come to Him...yet...we’ve been unwilling. (Matt. 23:37; John 3:19-21). And we cannot come to Him on our terms, rather we have to come on His. He demands total heart surrender to Him. As in, willing to forsake all...that we might truly love God with ALL our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Why in several place He makes the case that if we love even our parents/family more, then we cannot even be a part of His kingdom. (Matt. 10:37). 

 And you should be familiar now with the story of that young, rich ruler who only lacked one thing...yet was unwilling to let go of his love of wealth and power and turned and walked away from receiving eternal life. (Matt. 19). Seems that was a trend early on with others, as well. (John 6:66) 

 So when Jesus was asked about only a ‘few being saved’ there in Luke 13:23...listen to His response: “Strive...make every effort...to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” (24) 

 His words...not mine. 

 I feel compelled to interject something here that we need to hear once again. This is NOT...about ‘trying harder’ or ‘being more disciplined’ to do better. This has nothing to do with your strength and effort to ‘live right’. We are not ‘saved’ by ‘doing something’; we are saved by ‘dying to something’, as in laying down our old life. 

 It has everything...to do with surrendering to Him....humbling yourself before Him and giving Him your whole heart so that you might be empowered by His grace...to actually ‘do...the will of God’. Those...are the only ones who are ‘going to heaven’ according to Jesus. (Matt. 7:21). Again, His words, not mine. 

 You, nor I...can enter into the presence of His ‘Ark’ by our own efforts and merit. But many mistake this notion that we can take our wretched sinful hearts and somehow slip into some ‘Jesus-suit of Grace’ and walk right in. It does not work that way. 

 “Who...shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord? He that has clean hands and a pure heart’. (Ps. 24:3-4) 

 Want to read something interesting after that passage from the OT? Check out James 4:7-10, then underline vs. 8. Sound familiar? But then look at the promise there in vs. 10...where after we humble ourself...who ‘picks us up’? And guess how you will know He’s doing or done that? 

 You’ll be enveloped in perfect peace...a peace that will pass all understanding...and it will be peace that will rule and guide you in your heart...as you walk along this ‘path of peace’. (Isa. 26:3; Phil. 4:6; Col. 3:15; Rom. 3:17). Why is that? Because you have ‘set your mind’ on things above and not on things of the earth. (Col. 3:2) 

 That is something we do and are encouraged to do...’set our minds’. But when you enter in to this place of abiding in Him, you will discover this is much easier to do...because He is right there with you empowering...and encouraging you to do so...at every...step...of the way. 

 Here is where I think many have been led astray with ‘other gospels’ that I talked about yesterday. People treat this walk of faith like that old urban legend I heard about years ago where a couple of wealthy oilmen from the middle east traveled to the west coast and purchased an expensive motor home. As they started out along the scenic highway that hugs the coastline there, they set the RV on ‘cruise control’ and went to the back to have lunch. They never really enjoyed the meal as the motor home careened off the cliffs and into the ocean below. 

 I don’t care what kind of vehicle you are driving...if you take your eyes off the road for any length of time, you will encounter tragedy. You could end up permanently impaired, if not dead. 

 As you begin this walk of faith, surrounded by that ‘hedge of protective peace’, you will be ‘tested’. Think in terms of someone ‘jiggling the keys in the pocket’. 

 I bet this has happened to you before...you leave church...where the Holy Spirit sparked something in your heart to study further when you got home. In fact the ‘seed’ was already working into your thoughts and heart, wanting to take root and you almost were speeding anxious to ‘water that seed’. But when you got home, that TV got turned on...and you told yourself...’after the game, I’ll go look those passages up when the game is over.’ 

 Guess what happened? The ‘keys got jiggled’ and. ‘who came immediately to snatch that word from your heart lest you believe and are saved’? (Luke 8:12) 

 If only Tiger’s dad had better equipped him to deal with the other ‘distractions’ in life. IYKYN 

 One last thing for today...regarding this ‘path of peace’. Were you aware that people can walk in a ‘false peace’ or false ‘security’? Check out the warning by Jeremiah there in 23:16-26, paying close attention to vs.17. Then turn back to Deut. 29:19 and look what God said would happen to His people if they claimed to have ‘peace’ yet continued to ‘walk according to the dictates of their own hearts’. He said every curse in that book would come upon them. 

 Now go look at 1 Thess. 5:1-6 where Paul gives us a heads up as to what will happen to those who are walking in or preaching that message of false peace. 

 Friends...we were advised strongly to ‘guard our hearts and minds’ (Prov. 4:23; Phil. 4:7). Paul speaks of ‘bringing into captivity EVERY thought to the obedience of Christ’. (2 Cor. 10:5). This is only possible...if/when we are abiding in Him. Do you know what happens when we fail to do what the word says there? Not only are we deceived, (James 1:22), but those seeds of thought work their way back into our hearts when we welcome them...failing to ‘resist the devil. It can send the wrong message to God...suggesting we love other things more than Him. And that in turn opens the door...to more darkness, depression, discouragement, defeat, and yes...demons...who come to ‘steal, kill, and destroy’. (Matt. 12:43-45; John 10:10). 

 Have I mentioned before how this really is far more serious than most of us have wanted to believe? 

 Tomorrow?