Directions

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2 Kings 5:12 Being Unwilling And Missing Out

“Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage. 2 Kings 5:12

Getting directions from someone else does not always make sense to a person. Since the directions do not always make sense, many people choose to not follow them and do their own thing. Pride gets in the way and causes them to go their own way. In the process of going their own way, many will often miss out on the goal that they were seeking.

Naaman had leprosy and had gone to Elisha to be healed. Elisha told him to dip in the Jordan River seven times. Naaman was angry and did not want to dip into a dirty river and stormed off in a rage.

People are very quick to put God in a box and expect Him to work a very specific way. If God does not work in the expected way, they get angry.

This is commonly seen when it comes to healing. Many want to see God heal a very specific, miraculous way or they feel God did not listen to their need and meet it.

God’s ways are so far above the ways of man, that often they can appear as ludicrous. Sometimes in order for God to provide what one desires, God has him do something that is out of the ordinary and does not make sense.

Many believers often miss out on blessings when they choose to not follow God’s commands completely out of pride or just not believing and trusting. They go away angry and miss what God has for them.

Believers need to do everything God says to do, regardless of how little sense it may make.

There may be something in your life that you are seeking God to take care of. God may be asking you to step out in faith and do something that sounds ridiculous and makes no sense to get the situation taken care of.

Do not let your not understanding or pride get in the way of God meeting your need. If you don’t step out in faith, you may never know what God was going to do. Trust that God knows what He is asking of you and that He will do what He has promised.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know what God is asking you to do; that you will step out in faith and obey God’s commands to you; that you will allow God to remove any pride in your life; and that you will see God’s hand of provision and miracles in your life.

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Isaiah 7:14 God Loves To Give Signs

Street signs on pole

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 

People use and need signs all the time. Signs let a person know when something is coming up or where it is at. Signs also let a person know what to do or not to do. They can also let a person know when a change is about to occur.

They are a great guidance for people in nearly every area of life.

There are two things that people can do when they see a sign. They can heed the sign and obey it, or they can ignore the sign and keep moving in their own way. Signs are there for a reason. To ignore the sign will often mean danger or going the wrong way.

Israel had been rejecting God, yet God was out to reach them and bring them back. God tells them, nearly a thousand years early, that He will give them a sign. This sign will be the sign of a virgin giving birth to the savior with the name of Immanuel–God with us.

Even believers in God need signs to know what is occurring or what is going to happen. God loves to give a sign to guide the believer in the right path.

Just as God gave a sign of Jesus coming the first time, He is giving signs of His return. Even today people can see signs of God’s hand at work in their lives or in the lives of others. One can see signs of God’s control in situations in life or His presence in their lives. There will also be signs of a changed life of one who begins to believe in and follow Jesus.

Search through the bible and see the signs God has already given you, the promises He has made and how He has already fulfilled many of them. See how God is already working in your life.

Once you see the signs God is giving you, follow and obey those signs. Do not ignore the signs in your life. There can be signs that things are not right between you and God, make a change. There can also be signs that you are on the right path with God, keep going forward and don’t give up.

I pray today that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will see the signs of God’s work in your life; that you will see signs of where you stand with God; and that you will heed the signs God has given you for your life. 

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Proverbs 24:10 Slipping When In Trouble

Walk on snowy path

If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength! Proverbs 24:10 

During times when there is no trouble people appear to be strong and able to do what needs to be done. They are able to focus correctly and often make good choices.

There are also times of trouble, times when everything that can go wrong seems to go wrong. Those days when a person is having a bad day. It is during these times that there is a challenge in how a person walks his life. He must make a choice to walk correctly or choose a wrong path.

Very often during times of trouble, people will make very poor choices. Some choices will not be very drastic, while others will be extreme. When a person has been laid off and evicted from his house, that is when some will turn to crime to get the needed money.

Solomon calls this faltering and one of small strength.

Believers can often have this same challenge. Theirs is slipping into sin. It is when a person is having a bad day, is alone or among non-believing friends, that one often chooses to step into sin. He is faltering during the time of trouble.

Yes, a believer is weak in and of himself, but he has God at his side in the Holy Spirit. The believer is to turn to God for the needed strength.

Jesus said that He would give the believer all the strength and power needed when needed to be His witness. Slipping into sin during times of trouble is not being His witness.

God is at work at building the believer up in Jesus, to become more like Him every day. Jesus walked in strength, not weakness. Believers need to daily walk in the strength, including days of trouble.

You will have days that are filled with trouble and struggles. During these days work to turn your focus upon God and not the troubles. Do not allow the devil to get a foothold into your heart and mind, causing you to make a poor choice and slip into sin.

Lean on the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit in your life to keep you from all sin. Allow God to build and strengthen you each day and in each trial that you go through.

This is becoming more like Jesus and being His witness each day.

I pray today that you will know the power of God’s Holy Spirit in your life; that you will keep your eyes on God at all times; that you will know God is beside you in times of trouble; and that you will allow God to guide your every action. 

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Psalm 48:14 Who Is Your Guide?

GPS guide

For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end. Psalm 48:14 

Walking down a path or through a museum, people are often offered a guide to lead them. This can be with a pamphlet or someone actually leading them. This is to give them the best experience of what they will see and do.

Some people do not like to be guided. They feel as though they can find their own way through anything and everything. They ignore what others have to say about any situation that they are in and go their own way.

Often as a person goes his own way, he fails or falls short of his desires and goals.

Many other people will seek out some guidance. This can be found in many different ways. Guidance is found in books, online articles or videos, GPS, talking to others, reading horoscopes, watching others, and many other ways.

Some of these ways lead a person in correct ways, while others will lead them down false paths.

The sons of Korah write that God is their God and He is their only guide. He is not only their guide for right now, but all the way to the end.

The best guide is the one who has been down the path or the one who knows the path from the beginning to the end. He has to have the experience to know how to guide another person correctly.

God is the only one who can see the end from the beginning. He knows the path perfectly well and knows how to guide people on it.

Jesus guided the disciples while He walked on the earth. When He left, He sent His Holy Spirit to continue guiding the disciples. Today every believer can have His Holy Spirit to guide him on the path in following Jesus and becoming more like Him.

You can also have God’s Holy Spirit in you and guiding you. As you read and study God’s word you will be guided by His Holy Spirit in how to live your life.

You are on the path towards becoming like Jesus in every way. It is a lifelong path, that will end only when God calls you into heaven for eternity.

Instead of looking towards temporary help that this world gives, and that will fall short, look towards God’s guidance. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you in every area of your life for ever.

I pray today that you will know God’s guidance; that you will hear His Holy Spirit telling you the way to live; that you will live by God’s ways; and that God will be your God forever. 

 

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1 Chronicles 14:13-14 Getting Clear Directions

Once more the Philistines raided the valley; so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, “Do not go directly after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the poplar trees.” 1 Chronicles 14:13-14

The Philistines had chosen to raid a valley in Israel again. David chooses to go to God to find out about attacking them. God gives very detailed instructions on how to defeat the Philistines.

People go to college and get a degree and often feel that they are now an expert in some field. Others have worked in some field for many years and feel that they are the expert in that field. They feel like they know how to do everything there is to do in that field and no one can do better or teach them anything.

This not only happens in the world, but also inside the church. There are people who have grown up in the church, studied and taught the Bible in many different classes, who feel that they know everything there is about the Bible and the way God works. They don’t believe anyone can teach or help them anymore.

David was an extremely experienced warrior and a leader of armies. He had been very successful at defeating many different enemies since before he became a king. If anyone knew how to fight off an enemy, David would. Yet, David did not rely on his own knowledge and abilities, but went to God for answers. He sought God’s direction in how to defeat the Philistines. Although he was experienced, he did not try to do it on his own or in his own way.

As a follower of Jesus, you are to be just like Jesus. He had stated that He did nothing without the Father showing Him what to do. You, also, must follow God in the same way. When there comes a time when you have to do something, seek God first in how to do it. There will be times when God will remain silent and allow you to choose how to do it, while at other times, God may give you a different way to do it.

God knows what is the best way to get anything done. Are you seeking His guidance?

And are you trusting His guidance?

I pray today that you will seek God first in every area of your life; that you will hear God’s directions for your life; that you will walk in step with God; and that God will use you to reach this world for Jesus.