No ears will be tickled with this article
That's exactly what's going on. Ears itch for somber, end-times, and/or fear and dread, fire and brimstone teachings. If they didn't, the temple of religious merchandise (esp. end-times related) wouldn't be the brisk business that it is. The statement I quoted is a subtle tactic to engender trust, but the obvious reality check is that humans tend to be all ears when it comes to gossip and bad reports in general.
Most people close their ears to bad news.
Not when it's about the other guy.
"Narrow is the way" means that the way is exclusive and focused.
It's narrow because it is the simple way, the "just" way, whereas complicated doctrinal teachings are all the rage. Nobody wants simple in plain sight, hence few find the way out and up.
adverb: just
1.
exactly."that's just what I need"
synonyms: exactly, precisely, absolutely, completely, totally, entirely, perfectly, utterly, wholly, thoroughly, altogether, in every way, in every respect, in all respects, quite; informaldown to the ground, to a T, bang on, dead; informal on the money
(What's on the money: In God We Trust, and Liberty).
If the Patriarchs had been bogged down by a swamp of expert religious teachings and endless warnings, they wouldn't have made it two feet out the tent door, much less to the Moon (symbolic of the Kingdom of David).
Matthew 7
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it:
Going, up! It's an... obelisk, representing the father (Patriarch) of the nation:
Matthew 16
1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
Jonas: "dove"; Columbia (CM): "dove"; Columbia (USA): "dove"
We've had liftoff. From Swamp City (the District of Columbia) already, so there's no excuse.
Matthew 7
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Thorns and thistles, oh nos:
We live in a darkened, cloak-covered world and it can be exceedingly difficult to tell truth from fiction, and reality from lies, but Christians must endure these attacks and learn to discern these wolves and the traps they set.
The wolves are the ones who can't find America in Bible prophecy. The typical scary reasoning that follows is that America must not exist, destined for the scrapheap of history (insert horrible demise devoured-by-a-wild-beast scenario here), but no worries, they have a convoluted Rapture theory in order to go up. With so many chapters and verses listed in parenthesis, it must be true!
Grapes and figs:
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
The Can-Do People can and do. Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.
Okay well Jesus was/is a great teacher, but not of the common NEA union variety, so really it boils down to his simple message:
Ye shall know them by their fruits.
Watch what the simple, whole-hearted and sincere "Can Do"-spirited people produced while the worthless religious experts peddled fear, paralysis and defeat disguised as a "Jesus saves" victory lap.
Will the real Jesus please stand up.
This is the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes.