Order My Steps

I have been singing the song 'Order My Steps' all day long.  While walking through the courtyard I thought about the words to this song.  It took me back to my days at True Vine Independent Baptist Church and Vacation Bible School when we would recite the Pledge to the Bible.  It went like this:

I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God's Holy Word, I will make it a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path and will hide its words in my heart that I might not sin against God.

There is one sure fire way to know the will of the Father and that is to read His Word.  And not just read it out of duty but to truly meditate on it day and night.  The Word contains wisdom and knowledge that is necessary for us to live a life that is pleasing to God.  Psalm 119:11 says, 'I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you'. The Word should be stored up in our hearts as a treasure, the most valuable thing we possess. One cannot fight against sin in his or her own strength.  You must be guided by the precepts in the Word of God.  As I continued to hum the song when I got back to my desk, I thought about all the times I had turned to others for advice, guidance or direction.  I also thought about how listening to that advice got me in a world of trouble.  This trouble could have been avoided if I had listened to the Holy Spirit directing me to look up.  I have found that is what makes the difference between the right and wrong path at the crossroads.  For it is in the Word that we are told to 'Be ye holy as I am holy'. (I Peter 1:16) It is in the Word that we are instructed to 'Put on the whole armor of God so that you will be able to stand against the wiles of the devil'.  The Word is our best antidote against sin.

So what does this mean for you today?  It is not enough to just read the Word, but you must receive it into your affections; mix it with faith, lay it up in your mind and memory for future use.  Why?  Because the devil is real.  When God asked Satan where he had come from, he stated, ""I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that's going on."  He is watching and waiting for that moment of weakness in your life.  That time when you have become to busy to read and study the Word.  When you are distracted by life.  It is during that time when you need to be able to pull from your treasure chest.  Remembering verses like: "But my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory". (Phil.4:19) "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up on wings as eagles.They shall run and not be weary.  They shall walk and not faint". ( Isaiah 40:31) Verses like "I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears". (Psalm 34:4) God has given us the tools you need to live a victorious life.  All you need to do is use the tools provided.  Allow the Word to be that lamp unto your feet and a light unto your pathway. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your Word.  Thank you for not leaving me here all alone to fight the devil and sin by myself.  Help me to make reading and studying the Word a priority.  Today let me put on the whole armor of God that I may be able to stand against the wiles of devil.  Help me to love my sister and my brother, to let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight O God, for You are my strength and my Redeemer.  I realize that it is in You that live amd breathe and have my being.  I will forever give Your name the praise.  In Jesus Most Wonderful Name I Pray Amen. 

Revived and Renewed

Yet, the strength of those who wait with hope in the LORD will be renewed. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and won't become weary. They will walk and won't grow tired. Isaiah 40:31 (God's Word Translation)

I had an interesting discussion with a classmate of mind on faith.  As I was listening to her describe what 'having faith' means to her, it became obvious to me that faith for her was telling God her request and waiting for Him to make it happen.  There was no regard for 'the will of God'.  It was all about 'the want of my classmate'.  Of course I did not totally agree with her.  I asked her one simply question.  "What happens when you tell God what you want and He doesn't do it?  Or better yet, He does something totally opposite of what you asked?  I went on to talk about what happens when He takes His time?  Do you then lose hope?  Turn your back on God?

There is a very specific hope that a Christian should possess.  This hope is an 'expecting' hope.  No matter what the situation you believe that God is going to work it out.  Go ahead and make your request.  Just no that ultimately you want God's will to be done.  There may be some detours in your life.  There may be some dry places along your path.  Those things don't matter.  Because you have placed your security, not in man but in God, you can rest peacefully knowing that the situation will work out for your good.  The past two weeks have been rough for me.  I have been overwhelmed with life.  I know that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. (Phil. 4:13)  I know that these are light and momentary afflictions. (II Cor. 4:16-18)  The biggest disappointment I had was that some of my obligations have been keeping me from writing, which is where I get my joy from.  Writing for me is my sanctuary.  I have still been able to give my time to God but there are just not enough hours in the day to get everything done that I need to get done.  Sometimes I just want to throw my hands up in the air and give up.  But I can't.  So at this point what do I do? 

I look to the hills from whence cometh my help.  Where does my help come from?  Not the White House.  It comes from the Lord!  I will hope in the Lord.  It is not an option.  It is my only alternative.  It is the advantage I have over those who do not believe.  (Side Note:  You do know that you have an advantage.  It may appear that they are prospering.  That their lives are void of the problems you face on a regular basis.  Let me tell you that they are not.)  It still amazes me how the word can bring life to my dead circumstances. How hope in the Lord  brings about change.  I am revived!  Renewed!  My spirit which was down is now revived.  Once again I am strengthened to run on a little while longer to see what the end will be.  Instead of me looking at my bucket as half-empty, I now see it as half-full.  I could not have done this on my own.  But when I think about the goodness of Jesus....and all He has done for me...I can't help but trust Him.  Life can take its toll on you.  I am a giver.  I love to encourage others.  The sad part about this is that I cannot always depend on others to encourage me.  But I always receive encouragement from the Word.  When I spend time talking with my Heavenly Father, He gives me what I need to make it.  My attitude may have been bad.  I may have been feeling sorry for myself.  No more.  There is nobody but God who can bring about an attitude adjustment. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your Word and the privilege of prayer.  When life takes a turn and my spirit takes a nose dive, I am grateful that I have you as the source of my strength.  Things just don't always work out as I plan.  I may have to spend a little bit more time in a situation than I would like.  But Lord I thank you for the valleys and the mountaintops.  I thank you for those experiences that have grown me up.  I trust you Lord. Have your way in my life.  I submit to your will.  And I will forever give you all the glory, honor, and the praise.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 

While You Wait

Waiting on the Lord is my theme for the upcoming new year.  I don't want to move from the left to the right without that blessed assurance that the directions have come from the Lord.  But man have I been tempted to try and take back control during these last few days of  2010.  In fact just this morning when I woke up I sat and contemplated on some different options. Just a few ways to help me get to my desired destination a little faster. I stopped for a second walked over to my dresser and saw that my devotional calendar hadn't been changed in a few days.  I changed the date and this is what it said...

'Lord, I put my future in Your hands and ask that You would give me total peace about it.  I don't want to be trying to secure my future with my own plans.  I want to be the center of Your plans, knowing that You have given me everything I need for what is ahead'. 

Time to wave the white flag. Yes Lord I hear you loud and clear. I will wait on You. I bet you didn't realize that we spend the majority of our lives waiting. When we were a child we couldn't wait to grow up.  It seemed like it took forever.  We fell in love and couldn't wait for him to ask us to marry him.   On Monday we are waiting for Friday.  At eight o'clock in the morning, at the beginning of the workday, we are waiting for five o'clock.  We go to bed at night in anticipation of the morning. We wait in traffic.  We wait in line at the bank.  And let us not forget the line at Wal-Mart.  At some time during any given day we are waiting for something.  So why have we not mastered this thing called waiting?    Part of the reason is because we don't know what to do while we wait.  We spend most of our time focusing on whatever the problem is.  If we are stuck in a dead end job, we spend all our time waiting for some relief.  If we don't have a job, we spend all our time waiting for a call on that one application.  If we have been to have some tests done at the doctor's office, we spend all our time waiting for the doctor to call.  None of this behavior coincides with what the Word tells us about what to do while waiting on the Lord. 

Isaiah 40:31 says, 'but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint'.  Waiting does not imply inactivity.  According to this verse some activity should take place.  This is not an activity that includes taking back control. Instead it means to relinquish control completely.  So what is it you must do? I don't know about you but my attitude is not the best when I have been waiting a long time without results.  It becomes a bit sour and far from hopeful.  The first thing you must do is to 'renew'. Change.  Alter your way of thinking.  The joy of the Lord is the believer's strength.  That joy comes from the confident hope we have in God.  Where do we find this hope?  We find it in the Word of God.  Verse after verse gives testimony of how the Lord has delivered those before us.  I would almost bet if I sat down and did an interview with you about your life, you could give your own testimony.  Once you change your way of thinking, you must 'mount up'.  Change your position.  Focus your attention upward on the Most High God. You are not a turkey.  You were divinely designed to soar.  This changing of position may mean to change your surroundings.  Change the people you hang around with.  A concept I believe most Christians don't get is that when God had destined you for greatness, you can't take everybody with you. The waiting implied in this verse also means 'to bind together'.  It is like taking a thin strand of thread (you)  and hooking it up to a steel cable (God).  How else do you think we are able to run and not grow weary. You won't even feel fatigued.  You exchange your weakness for His strength.   Your foolishness for His wisdom.  Your misery for His joy.  You must search the Word.  You must seek His face.  You must surrender to His will. The result - youth soaring, middle age running and old age walking.

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I  lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help, my help comes from You O Lord.  Today I surrender to You.  I relinquish all control and submit to Your will.  I know that alone I am a thread that can easily be snapped but with You I am strong.  I want to live a life that is pleasing in Your sight.  I know that only comes through obedience to Your Word.  My future is in Your hands.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen.