1. There is a
path of Life.
"You will show me the path of life; in Your
presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore"
(Psalm 16:11).
If there's a path of "life," you can bet
there's a path of "death" or destruction. One of the best ways to know which
path you're on is by your measure of peace.
When you think of joy, you might first
picture someone ecstatic, jumping up and down in delight for some reason. But
joy comes in many packages, and one of the best is in the form of sheer
peace.
What a joy to have no fear. God has
promised to show us the path of life. So first question to ask yourself: Am
I in peace and joy?
If not, you're not on the right path.
2. God's name is
at stake.
"He leads me in paths of righteousness for
His name's sake" (Psalm 23:3).
Notice it's "for His name's sake" that you
and I are led in paths of righteousness.
This whole blog is dedicated to helping you
understand the many aspects of God's righteousness and His view of you and I.
But never forget, it always goes back to Him.
As Christians (children of God), we
represent Him in this world. We are the light shining on the dark side of the
world. So all the more why God would want to lead us in paths of righteousness
and not destruction.
If you're life is headed in a wrong
direction, God didn't lead you there. He's not trying to teach you a lesson.
God's desire is for you to be on HIS PATH for HIS NAME'S SAKE.
3. The exits off the wrong road
are full of mercy.
"All the paths of the Lord are mercy and
truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies" (Psalm
25:10).
No matter how turned around you get, or how
far down the wrong road you find yourself, the exit back is full of mercy.
Maybe in the natural, you took the wrong
road and someone in the car yelled at you, but that's not how God operates. The
Holy Spirit is a voice of compassion, not condemnation.
When you realize you're headed the wrong
way, find the nearest exit and don't be afraid. God is merciful and ever-ready
to help you get turned around.
4. We need the guidelines
enforced.
"Make me walk in the path of Your
commandments, for I delight in it" (Psalm 119:35).
When we were children, it was rebellious to
say, "Make me." But in real life, we forget that all the guidelines are set up
for our protection.
Think about a highway with the speed signs,
yield signs, or stop lights. You might be mad if a police officer pulls you over
for turning when it wasn't your turn, but on the other hand, you might be
grateful if these same rules keep someone from crashing into you (and your
babies) in their negligence, right?
In the same way, it's a good thing when God
puts a little pressure on us to do right. I personally want Him to
"make me" more like Him and keep me on the path of life. And so should you.
5. The path is clear when His Word
is known.
"If you receive my words... Then you will
understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path" (Proverbs
2:1,9).
The only security we have for staying on
the right path is our adherence to God's Word.
It has the unique ability to show us where
we erred. It continually reminds us of God's unfailing love and promise to help
us in our time of need.
His Word keeps us on the path of
everlasting life, and as a bonus, uses our "light" to show others the way
also.
But only if we receive and keep it...
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