“Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did — with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength…” 2 Kings 23:25a

Have you ever met someone that amazed you?

Josiah was someone who has amazed me. He lived in dark days. His evil father was assassinated, so Josiah was made king when idolatry was prominent throughout the land. He didn’t have a godly example to follow, and the world around him was facing judgment. He relied on God to direct him.

During his reign, Josiah got rid of idols. He implemented a Passover Celebration to honor God. He was a whole-hearted follower of God who made a difference.

We all have a choice at how we view life. Focusing on all that is going wrong in our world can be defeating. Sometimes in the darkness, it can be difficult to see what God is doing. Things can look bleak with the pandemic and the disunity currently existing throughout our world.

When we feel disheartened, do we look inward or upward? We can choose to be like Josiah, who decided to turn to the Lord. If we truly believe in the Lord with all of our heart and all of our soul and all of our strength, then we can choose to change our focus from the day’s troubles and instead remember the blessings. God is doing a work in these dark times, and he is looking for men and women who will follow him.

Lord God, help me to trust in you with all of my heart, soul, and strength. When the world around seems full of evil, help me to remember the blessings that you have given. Amen.

By Jan Stewart
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

• Hope for the Hopeless
• Good News for You
• God’s Love for you
• Did You Know that You are Someone Special?
• A Poem of Hope

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The post Living Beyond the Darkness appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

Where shall we go today? To far-off lands of intrigue? To clear blue lakes? To lovely mountaintop vistas?

How can we get there? We arrive at our destination by the daily choices we make.

We all make good decisions. And on occasion, we also make bad ones. But, if we’re smart, we choose to make good ones because we want the good results. I know I do.

With all the choices that pop up like a whack-a-mole game every day, each opportunity of choosing will take me on a journey – a journey either to walk in submission to God’s will or to walk in disobedience. Each preference will have its own path with its own outcome.

I can choose to take the path of self-destruction or self-preservation. I can fill my thoughts with negative thoughts. I can choose to tear others down. I can choose to get even with the one who stabbed me in the back. I can choose to be hateful to my spouse for whatever reason.

Or…I can choose to do the opposite: to be positive and kind, to be forgiving and loving.

Whether it’s a decision about my finances, my physical well-being, my relationships, or whatever, I have the opportunity to make a choice. It’s my decision. And ultimately, my journey of outcome.

What’s your decision path look like lately?

…feeling alone? …on the brink? …dashed dreams? …lost? …rejoicing? …at peace? …in God’s Light?

What does God say about His plan? “I know the plans I have in mind for you…they are plans for peace, not disaster, to give you a future filled with hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 (CEB)

Is your journey of choice one that agrees with God’s choice, or is it one of your own making? What are the results of your daily decisions?

~Prayer: Lord, I know Your plans for me are more excellent than anything I can devise. They are for my good and my benefit. Help me to remember to consult You with each choice that confronts me every day. May my choices bring honor and glory to Your name. Amen.

By Lynn Mosher
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

Choices – by John Grant

Today I Have a Choice – by Linda McCutcheon

The post Journey of Choice appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Proverbs 3:5:-Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (ESV)

There was a time, before I trusted in Jesus knowing better than myself, when everything worldly seemed up for grabs. It was a time of exploring our coming-of-age freedoms.  For me this included a girlfriend.  Latterly I realized this relationship was not for me.  I struggled to let go, but did so because I knew God was calling.  God led me into something totally different, ending up in my going to Bible College in 1983!

Since then I have learnt that: just because you can – does not mean that you should.  All the self-centred pride, success, heartache, guilt, embarrassment and shame that I accrued during this time souled-out to the world, left me with baggage to carry.  Not that I was aware of it then, because of the times we lived in.

I had a telephone call recently, from an old friend.  We have not spoken for years, as our correspondence had been reduced to the annual letter enclosed with a Christmas card.  However, because of our past closeness our chat was like it was only last week we had been out on the town, so profound was the connection, which took me off guard.

This dialogue allowed the memories to come flooding in, bypassing my caution.  It was, in effect, a free pass to my soul, despite our subsequent differing paths we had taken.  In our comradery I found myself curiously asking about my ex-girlfriend which was an error of judgement!

After the call, I realized I had lost my inner peace and felt sad and wistful for times past.  I lacked the deep down conviction to put the genie back into the bottle because I was enthralled.  Then I cried out to God to help me to let go of my curiosity, and move on, not to get sucked into reliving the memories of the past again, or worse be tempted to go digging!

When I reached a place of submission, God’s peace came flooding back.  With the Peace came a picture of a lake in a barren wood. In front of the still, dark water was a warning sign that read: NO FISHING!

With the picture subsequently came the word: repentance. Repentance, is an oft overused word in Christian circles, means to turn around away from sin, an action.  Here it was a statement about a completed action.  Having set my back against the lake of past memories I was warned not to return or even wonder, but to look upwards, moving forwards out of danger with Jesus!

I share His solution for all who are caught out looking back wistfully: NO FISHING.

Psalm 32:1-2:- Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity… (ESV)

GLORIOUS!

PRAYER: LORD how sweet is the sound of Jesus’ love and forgiveness to a sinner’s ears, amen.

by Roderick Marshall
used by permission

FURTHER READING

Dealing Wisely with Temptation – by Charles Stanley

God’s Help during Temptation – by Joshua Lim

The post All That Glisters Is Not Gold appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples. You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. No wonder the Scriptures say, “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.” Romans 2:21-24 (NLT)

As children of God, we are free moral agents.

However, this freedom comes with great responsibility. Even though we are free to do what we want to do, we still have a responsibility to behave in a way that does not lead others astray.

“Christians are not perfect, we are just forgiven,” is a cliche that is often used to justify our wrong choices. We should in no way take advantage of the grace and the forgiveness we have been extended.  We have been given a responsibility to carry ourselves in a manner that brings God glory. We have been given a responsibility to respect the rights and the choices of others. We have been given a responsibility to use restraint in our behavior and not give ourselves over to every desire. Yes, we must bridle our passions.

Despite popular opinion, God does care when we use our freedom carelessly.  Make certain to consider the consequences that may follow your actions. Will my decision cause others to stumble?  Will my decision bring glory to God?  These are questions we should ask ourselves daily.

 Be responsible and choose wisely.

It is much better to exercise the discipline we have to make the right decision the first time. We have a responsibility to carry ourselves not only in a way that will honor our Father but in a way that will also encourage those around us to pursue holiness and right living. What choice will you make today?

Lord, forgive us for taking advantage of your grace in our lives. If anyone that we have encountered has been affected by our wrong decisions, please restore them to truth. Teach us how to honor you in our decisions. Teach us how to set great examples of Holy living by pursuing You and Your way of doing things. May we use your Word as a compass to guide daily along the path of righteousness. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Thoughts: This is a general rule of thumb to live by: If my behavior is going to be a stumbling block to others maybe I need to reconsider the choices I make. How are your decisions affecting your children, co-workers, or family and friends? Take a few moments and reflect. It is not too late to get it right. Ask the Lord for forgiveness and the grace and strength to move forward.

By Mary Pinckney
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

• Where Your Choices Can Lead You– The Frank Krause Story

•  Being a Chooser

•  Choices 

The post Be Responsible appeared first on Thoughts About God.