A Sure Path

God's desire is that we know Him, love Him above all others, and trust His guidance from day to day. Prov.3:5-9 As we do this, all else follows. If each of us had nothing but Him, and yielded to His control, it would be easy. But our struggle comes from all the other choices and options along the way that He allows us to experience.

As the earthly realm is enlarged, Satan works his ways to distract us from God's original purpose...a changed life, a truly holy life, motivated in our hearts by the great love we have for Him.  We love Him because He first loved us. We serve Him, because He first loved us. We have faith in Him because He first loved us. Complete trust is fully based on the awareness that the Lord has always loved us, loves us now, and will continue to love us. Not for what we do, but because He created us to love and be loved by Him. Our loyalty and love for Him should reign supreme in our lives, and as it does it clarifies our view and gives us the right perspective.(Rev.4:11)(Ps.119:1-4)

  In my life, knowing God's will for me is not always about knowing what I should do, in a particular circumstance. In fact, many times, as I ask for guidance, He reveals or reminds me of the things I know I shouldn't do; the things He clearly reveals in His Word to me. He does not always show me the choice to make, He often shows me a choice I shouldn't make, or a better way. This type of direction depends on a day-to-day desire to be close to Him and to please Him..(Ps.119:133)

Jesus Christ is my enduring leader. Although every human relationship is different, and every personal circumstance new, Jesus Christ is the same as He was yesterday, is today, and will be tomorrow. (Heb.13:8) The sheer wonder of such consistency and His promise!  It inspires me to trust Him to lead me through life. Circumstances of life can often seem ambiguous or confusing. He says in His word, He knows the end from the beginning. This means the Lord also knows the order of things that He planned! Therefore,  I can trust Him to lead me through to that end, can I not?(Deut.31:8) (Rev.22:13)

 Jesus is my enduring lover.  I am promised an everlasting love, not based on my character, or what I do, but on His Divine Eternal character and the Holy Spirit within me. Not only will He always lead me; He is also there with me loving me as He guides and leads me. He is my true and faithful friend above all others. I realize an awareness of His presence and His love(Jer.33:3)(Heb.13:5)(John 13:1)
 
Jesus is also my enduring example of excellence.  He embodies precept, promise and power. He is the best example I can follow. He will never falter or fail. He will never disappoint. He will always bless and accomplish His purpose through me as I obey.(John 13:15) (Matt.4:19)(Phil.2:12,13)

 In summary,My Lord is good, wise and unchanging. He knows the end from the beginning and has the wisdom and power to lead me from that beginning to that end.  He gives me the enduring promise of His undying love.


GTD2/17/14








 

The Strongest Tower

From my favorite seat in the house I see the American flag wave gently today, moving as it will with little opposition from any contrary wind outside.Yet our country, which it represents, in truth is struggling against many very boisterous and contrary winds. Breezes, gusts, gales, storms, and fronts of all types from the local, national, and international scene. Never in my lifetime have I perceived such turbulence against the Land that I Love. "The name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous runneth into it and is safe." Prov.18:10  from My thoughts today gtd 4/7/13

ANEW!

Pondering this morning the concepts of remodeling, reconstruction, renewal etc. All are processes that can be either voluntary or involuntary. IE. by choice or by constraint. These circumstances may or may not always be under my control or timing I would choose.

Several scenarios come to mind... a shattering or sudden violent destructive occurrence, a gradual deterioration, or a desired plan to replace the present with something better...Sometimes it may start with one and involve all of the others!

(Thinking especially of the hurricane this week even though I penned the above about a month ago! Wow I marvel when God does the timing!)

In the case of a natural disaster, we think of roads, homes, businesses, and buildings and facilities of all kinds that are affected. The outreach of such devastation is unimaginable and so laborious, time-consuming, and expensive!

But what about the people connected to this devastation?! How will they react to a destroyed or heavily damaged home or business. Perhaps even an injury or death may occur as a direct or indirect result of this disaster. There may be a prolonged time of grieving or inconvenience that is almost unbearable!

How about those, like one I heard of, who are already in a very difficult personal situation that is out of their control? Those in the process of rebuilding their personal lives from heartache or physical illness, or financial ruin may reach the depths of despair. Or...? what is their alternative?

Amidst the overwhelming circumstances of life, there are steps to be taken. We will start here to lay out a plan for overcoming the "quitter or bitter factor" in such situations that we may face.

1. Survey the damages! LOOK at the true devastation! You may want to run away or look away or not think about it, but truly you must examine it in all its facets to know what the real situation is! You cannot make any progress toward "anewal" without this first step. Decide what is broken. No situation is without hope, but the only answer is to really look and see what needs to be removed, replaced, or repaired. Most people who cannot recover from devastation have refused to look hard at the problem and make assessments.

FACT: It is alright and actually normal to be upset about times of devastating disappointment. But it is not alright to refuse to deal with what you have personal responsibility for.

You know that I am going to remind you right now that you don't need to be alone facing your devastation whether it is intensely personal and painful, or openly revealed to others. GOD has the power to give restoration or renewal. He will help you do the things that you need to do to bring this about. His love will be revealed by guiding and giving inspiration and strength. If there is anything you need to do, you will know. And HE will never leave you or forsake the project. Because His project is You. Ask for His help. Slowly but surely you will see Him working in your life. If you don't know or trust God,this is your opportunity to become acquainted with His ways. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!!!

To be continued: Today's assignment : Survey the damages. Pray for GOD to help you through this painful task. Here's some promises:

• "Call unto me and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not!" Jer.33:3
• "Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you". I Pet. 5:7
• "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made Heaven and earth. Psalm121:1,2
• "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Phil.4:13
• "Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God:I will strengthen thee; yea I will help thee; yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isa.49:10

My prayer: "Dear GOD, there are so many suffering people at this moment. They may be confused and bewildered. They may be disappointed and angry or bitter. LORD help them now to realize that you are there and wanting to help them. I think of your grief when you looked out over Jerusalem and wept, because your people would not accept your help. They were like sheep without a shepherd or chicks without their momma hen. Totally without guidance or direction and no one showing them the right way. Lord I pray right now that you will prove yourself to those that read this. May they take you at your Holy word and accept the above promises. Make you their Shepherd. Make you their Lord. Show yourself to them and may they know you as I do. A loving, wonderful, and true God that they can depend on. For those that have little faith, may they be strengthed after reading this. In Jesus Name, Amen".



Writings on My Heart

PART 1 

 

I cannot believe that I have not shared anything here since last Christmas and here we are into the autumn of our year 2012. The only way I can explain this is that perhaps I have had to put down the pen while GOD engraved some things into my own heart!

At times I have read or listened to someone try to explain something which they really did not understand themself. How frustrating for them as well as those trying to learn or at least try to get their point!

After much prayer and consideration, I will begin to share some of what GOD has been showing me these months.  Remember GOD teaches in several ways.

1.Through His Eternal Word   2.Through Life itself and our experiences  3.Through the Biblical counsel and teaching of Godly people 4.Through the guidance and leadership of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Word of God is Supreme and anything God teaches through any means will never contradict His Word. So the undergirding of all my life is the truth that God tells me in His Word.

The events that have unfolded in my life this year were not anything I could have imagined the likes of. Much was unexpected, unwanted and at times unbearable.  A wilderness, an untravelled and perplexing pathway to an unknown end. At the very beginning, the Lord reminded me of two things:
His unending love for me. And His knowledge of my circumstances. He told me from His Word in John 13:1...."Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them to the end...".   Then in Deut.2:7,  "...for the Lord Thy God knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness."  Promises of God to me!

         On the authority of the truth of God's Word I can tell you that whatever YOU are facing, HE loves you and always will. Do not doubt His love ever, whether sunshine, shade, or darkest night! Believe Him!

 

92212gtd