Which Way Do I Go?

Where do you seek advice?  Who do you go to when you have a big decision to make and your unsure of the path?  There are many avenues we can take to seek counsel.  We may have a close friend, a spouse, or maybe someone in the clergy.  These are not necessarily wrong avenues.  We are instructed in proverbs to surround ourselves with wise counsel (Proverbs 13:20).  This scripture is clear to say that if we hang out with the wise, we will be wise but if we are hanging with fools we will be destroyed.  Your relationships/friendships matter!

Psalm 25:4-5(NKJV) Says this:

Show me your ways O Lord; Teach me Your paths.  Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On you I wait all the day.

In this passage from Psalms we see that the writer is consulting with the God of His salvation.  He is asking Him three things

·       To Show

·       To Teach

·       To Lead

All three of these requests are verbs that indicate a passage of time must.  It takes time to be shown something, it requires a method and skill to be learned.  If you are to be taught, we know that unless you’re are a prodigy of some sort it will take time to learn.  And if you are to be led you have to be willing to follow.  The last part of the verse says, “On You I wait all the day.”

We don’t like to wait. We make a mistake to think that anything of any value is gotten quickly. We would like to have it yesterday.  Fast Food is quick but it is not nearly as satisfying as a home cooked meal.  A baby takes nine months to grow, develop, and arrive.  A College degree takes time.   For us to grow up as Christians it is going to take time, which means we are going to have to submit ourselves to discipleship.  We are going to have to be willing to be shown, taught, and led.  God has given us his Holy Spirit to guide us if we will allow him.  He has given His word as a guide, but we will have to read it, study it and let it become written on our heart.

Do you desire to be shown, taught and led of the Lord?

When I was a little girl I loved to go everywhere with my dad.  I was so proud of him, I wanted to be just like him.  So, every chance I got we were talking, and walking.  I was holding his hand.  Whenever we got in a busy crowd of people and he was afraid that he might lose me he would say “hang on to my belt loop” and I did.  By doing so I would walk exactly where he had walked.  I believe if we are going to be like daddy God, we are going to have to desire to be with him, to want to be like Him. We are going to have to hold His hand, hear his Words and be willing to follow holding fast to His truth.  Only then will we know His way, His path and His truth. 

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, I pray in Jesus name that you will stir in my heart a sincere desire to know You and to be like You.  Show me your ways and teach me your paths. Let me be willing to wait as You lead me in Your truth for You are the God of my Salvation.  Amen

The Swag

The swag, the limp, the hobble, the stagger, the stumble, the lurch the tiptoe or the stroll.  Walking can take many different forms and style.   The manner in which we walk has the capacity to tell a story not only about our physicality but also about our emotions and attitude. Walking can be reflective of where we’ve been or where we might be going.  For instance, the joy of a child can be seen in the skip, or the pain of an injury might be seen in a limp or the shuffle of the elderly might reflect long life and hard work. Then there is the walk of shame, when your returning from something or somewhere you regret and knew full well had no business with.  I could go on and on here but my point is that it is difficult to masquerade your walk.  Without deliberate thought you naturally will walk in the way that is indicative of who you are.

Ephesians 5:8-9 AMP

For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [live as those who are native-born to the Light] (for the fruit [the effect, the result] of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth)

Your walk is a visible attribute and the world is watching.  What does your walk say about who you are, where you’ve been and where you are going?  Does your walk(life-style) reflect the fruit of your new life in Christ Jesus.  Does it reflect light or darkness?  At first, we may be like a toddler learning to take first steps.   We may stumble and fall, we may sway and lurch.  But we get back up, we practice the walk.  We submit to learning and we soon get the feel of it and it becomes more natural each day. 

Ephesians 5:10-11 tells us this:

Finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

Galatians 5:22-24 Says this:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.  And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit

We have the potential, by the Spirit of God within us to produce a mighty harvest of fruit. The truth is we can be gentle when the way is rough, we can be faithful when we would rather run away, we can suffer long when the road in front of us is trying every bit of patience, we can have joy when sorrow is overwhelming, we can be kind when the other person is rude, we can have peace when the storm rages and yes,  love beyond our capacity.  Why?  Because the Holy Spirit lives within us.  Because He knew we could not do it on our own so He gave us His supply. 

 Will you surrender and “let” Him work in you today?  As you walk, worship, and live in His presence you will become a natural reflection of the light within you, Jesus will be seen, your walk will be the tell-tale sign of who you are.   

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, I come to you in Jesus name.  Forgive me for any tendency I have to walk in my old nature and act in ways that are contrary to your Word.  I surrender my walk to you.  I pray that I will produce fruit worthy of you and reflect you Jesus in all that I say and do.  Amen.