“A man’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?” Proverbs 20:24

Imagine you’ve signed up for a race, but when the day of the race arrives, you notice that there is no starting line. No map. No indication at all where to run, because the road forks off in many different directions. Before you can ask where you’re supposed to run, the starting gun fires, and people dash in all different directions. What would you think of such a race?

Without God’s guidance, that’s what life is like. Our lives become ones of abject freedom. That is, freedom of a terrible kind. Not godly freedom of being set free to become the kind of people God always meant us to be.

Rather, without God’s guidance, we have freedom in licentious lack of restraint. In other words, anarchy. The laws by which polite society functions are, without God’s guidance, actually just social constructs which can be torn down at any moment by forceful power of convincing personality. Unrestrained freedom is another word for anarchy. Paradoxically, the kind of “freedom” that anarchy provides will result in less real freedom, not more. The freedoms that we cherish, such as being treated fairly, the right to speak and vote, to treasured possessions, to worship our God freely … none of these are guaranteed when society attempts to build its foundations in mid-air, lacking the solid ground of God’s Word.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105

Does God direct your steps? Or do you direct your own? Have you made a conscious decision to follow God’s light, as he lights the way for your steps? Or do you continue to stumble in darkness? Will you be able to honestly say along with the psalmist,

“My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not slipped.” Psalm 17:5

God’s wonderful truth is that it is never too late for anyone to turn and follow Him. Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection embodies enough forgiveness to cover any sin. If we are told to forgive our brothers & sisters “seventy times seven” times when they have wronged us (Matthew 18:22, ESV); essentially an unlimited number of times) how much more will our merciful Father in Heaven forgive us when we repent and ask Him to turn our steps back to His path?

God’s Word is our guide to the race of life. My prayer for you today is that you will be able to say along with the apostle Paul,

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

Father, forgive us when we ignore the necessary guidance your Word. Help us to gain full understanding of your truth. Guide us so that we will walk your paths and finish the race in simultaneous triumph and humility by the power of Your Spirit at work in us. In Jesus name, amen.

By Darren Hewer
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

• When God Interrupts
• The Christian and the Bible – do you believe it is the infallible truth?

Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/

The post Our One and Only Guide appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and constantly loves those who love him and obey his commands” Deuteronomy 7:9.

After traveling in our sailboat for three months, we were all excited to have a rental car and be heading off to town in Puerto Rico to gather the supplies we needed. We had a makeshift map and spotty Wi-Fi and we were off.

Much to our astonishment, we had driven for twenty minutes and not found a single street sign! How were we to know where to turn? Which direction should we go? What a frustrating experience. We were lost without proper directions.

In the same way, I can get lost each and every day if I don’t look to the road signs that God puts out for me. When I hear that still, small voice nudging me to hold my husband’s hand, to give an extra-long hug to a child who needs it, or to make that long overdue call to a friend, I need to follow those directions. These are the road signs God puts out for me in order to show His love to those around me. Now, isn’t that what we are called to do?

When we listen to God, He will pour out the spirit of wisdom upon us and make us wise. He will let us live in peace and safety, unafraid of harm. When we listen and obey, our paths will be straight and we will not question which way to go. He will guide and direct us at every turn.

Thank you God that you know the way. You ARE the Way, the Truth and the Life. You guide and direct us and show us the path we should take. Please help us to remember to follow your directions each and every day and not rely on our own understanding. Amen.

By Corice Peters
used by permission

FURTHER READING

Our Steps

He Will be My Guide

Set Your Compass in the Right Direction

The post Where are the Road Signs? appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” Proverbs 16:3

God does not exist to rubber stamp our plans. Notice how the proverb starts: “Commit your work to the Lord.” When we choose to put God at the center of our day and all that we hope to accomplish, we are recognizing that He is the most important, and that if anything we do is to matter eternally, it is because of His involvement.

But we have a part to play too. A large part! Notice the emphasis on our responsibility: “your work to the Lord, … your plans….”

Our success is not all up to God. Those who center their lives on Him must use their God-given intellect, physical strength, and resources well, working hard toward the achievement of thought-out, wise plans.

The result is that God will establish our plans. Not necessarily according to how we think things should turn out: success often looks different to God than it does to us. But God loves to honor daily, intentional work when it’s being done, above all else, for His glory.

Have you hit dead ends in life lately?

If the answer is yes, you may want to ask whether you’ve been committing your plans to God and using all of the resources at your disposal. If you’ve been doing all of that, then the road ahead is to trust that God will establish His good purposes for you in His perfect timing.

God, I don’t want to run ahead of You and end up planning my own life without Your involvement. I choose to put You at the center again today. Give me the wisdom to plan effectively and the strength to work hard for Your glory, amen.

By M. Jantzen
Used by Permission

www.thelife.com/dailydevotions

FURTHER READING

• We Plan – God Directs
• God’s Plan or My Plan?
• Keep On Keeping On

The post No Rubber Stamps appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Lord, you are to be blessed and praised;
All good things come from you:
You are in our words and in our thoughts,
And in all that we do.   Amen”
St Teresa of Avila

How often do we think like St Teresa?  Knowing absolutely that everything we are saying and doing comes from God?  I know, speaking for myself  that it is not easy to praise and feel blessed when things are not going well, especially when I find myself faced with the problems and trials of everyday living.  It is very easy to count blessings and see God in everything when things are going well and going the way we wish them to, but it is so hard to feel blessed and want to praise when they aren’t.

One of the things that I have learned to do when things seem the darkest is to look around me and see the many blessings that are right there beside me.  The blessing of sunshine, the rain falling on parched land, the excited voices of small children playing, the many colors of the flowers or trees that are so close to me,  or even the food that will sustain me throughout the days that are to come.  If I am lucky enough to be near the ocean all I have to do is look far out to the horizon and realize that God is to be blessed and praised and that just as He is in midst of the tides He is also in me.  There are so many blessings around us and all we have to do is recognize them.

Blessed One, sometimes it is hard for me to see the blessings that are all around me.  Enable my eyes to be opened to the beauty and the joys that surround me.  Help me to see the blessings in every situation and respond with thanks and praise, just as St Teresa did.  Amen

Receive the blessings and guidance that God is offering you and give thanks.  Even if you don’t feel like praising, or you feel God’s presence and his blessings are far away, simply sit and feel His presence which is one of the most beautiful blessings.  He will understand.

by Terry Stead
Used by Permission

Further Reading

•  How to be fill with the Holy Spirit
•  Stepping Into a Personal Revival
•  Salvation Explained

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The post Blessings, Praise and Guidance appeared first on Thoughts About God.