I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go: I will guide you with My eye. 

Psalm 32:8 (NKJV)

God who knows us perfectly is saying, “I will guide you” 

God who knows us perfectly is saying, “I will instruct you”

God who knows us perfectly is saying, “I will teach you”

He is going to counsel us wisely, we would have to be complete fools to reject all of what He is promising us. Well, wouldn’t we have to be? 

To think we could go the course in this wayward world without His guidance, protection, instruction, and forbearance, is akin to walking blindfold on a tightrope that extends across the Grand Canyon.  Most would say they wouldn’t do that because we know ultimately the outcome would be devastating…it would be final.

With God in our life, and our will and surrender to Him, He is our safety net for life!

He leads us, guides us, and brings us sure footed into roads and paths that are best for us. Amen!

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him. Psalm 32:10 (NKJV)   

Even when we falter, and fail in the flesh, “His promises are kept” and all the more powerful due to His forgiving nature and unconditional love. He doesn’t break promises, we do!  He stands waiting for us to amend our ways, do penance and move back to the path of which we should walk.

David’s confession, (Psalm 32)  of sin with Bathsheba was written after his encounter with the prophet Nathan, and more appropriately, after he spent time alone with God in prayer, and heart felt repentance.

Sin blocks our connection and stops our intimacy with the LORD, our fellowship cannot be fully compassed with it in our way. Psalm 32 is entitled, “The Joy of Forgiveness”  — which comes from David’s heart.  He had a true heart for the LORD, and admitted His error in “not listening” when God was telling Him to choose another path concerning Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband.  We all know the story, Uriah died, Bathsheba’s child with David died…but David repented, and continued on to be one of our greatest kings, and ruled for many years.  All of which was in following the path God had for him.

We will all have ups and downs in life.

We will all have moments when we “think” we know what’s best and might “ignore” God’s warnings, but we have to push that aside and “listen” to God.  He knows what’s best for us.

God loves us.

He knows the paths we should walk.

There are two paths, one is wide and open and worldly, which ultimately leads to destruction.

One is “narrow” and spiritual and peaceful and  leads to Him.

Question: “Which path have you chosen?”

“Father, I love You and choose Your path for my life, in all that I do, in all that I say, I trust You with my life, and know that You will always guide me, instruct me, and lead me, Glory be to God in Jesus name, Amen.”

“…And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:13 (NKJV)

Have any of you ever felt tempted to “give up?”

Perhaps some of you right now might feel forgotten, lonely, overlooked or disregarded; and feeling like “what’s the sense?”  I might as well just “quit.”

Well, the enemy and his goal is to get you to do just that. He waits and salivates at the prospect of you throwing the towel in and listening to his lies. Discouragement is one of his favorite pastimes, he loves bringing you down.  In fact, the lower the better.

However, and I say this emphatically in fact, “Jesus reigns Victorious” and He defeated death, and is the Author of peace, and He encourages us, and builds us up…and always has our back! Amen!

Disappointments are a great piece of life, we all have ups and downs, we all walk through the valleys, and shadow of death…but as the 23rd Psalm says, “Your rod and staff are with me, they comfort me...” so do not fear, nor give up.

God often uses such days, trials, or tribulations to bring us to greater blessings.

He always has our best in mind. He desires we see Him as our sole source of salvation, and blessing.

When you get discouraged, or anxious, go to the LORD is prayer. Speak to Him directly, from the heart, and ask for His help.

For God is the only one that knows the direction your life “should” and “will” take with each and every circumstance you face.  And although we differ vastly in size, shape, background and such—we are ALL God’s creations, therefore, His children, and so…He wants what’s best for all of us.

He wants us to focus on Him, relying fully on His Sovereign nature, and power, after all we live in a “fallen world” that is creeping with evil and turmoil.  But, we can overcome it, by going to the LORD earnestly, with all of our heart, and soul.

If you’re battling something in your life, at this very moment, maybe it’s health issues for you, or a loved one, or anxiety and emotional angst, or uncertainty, at what’s happening in the world, I encourage you, dear brothers and sisters, to turn to the ONE, that can help. Ask Him, to reveal the will and plan for your life, and then fully commit to Him, and pray to obey, whatever His will may be.

If you go this route, and approach God with a contrite and true heart, then God will provide for you in ways that will truly far exceed all human understanding.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope..”   Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)

Remember God is always near, He will never leave nor forsake us.  He loves us!

“Am I a God near at hand,” says the LORD, “and not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret place; So I shall not see him?” says the LORD; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the LORD.   Jeremiah 23:23-24 (NKJV)

Did you seek the LORD today? 

If so, isn’t it wonderful to “find Him?” 

If not, may I ask “what are you waiting for?”

“Dear Father, thank You for loving me, and protecting me, during times of strife, stress, and mayhem, thank You, for the joy of loving You, each and every moment of my life; knowing You are with me, always brings comfort, and love , that supersedes all else, in Jesus name, Amen.”

“…these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me…”

Isaiah 29:13 (NKJV)

God isn’t impressed with lengthy words or passionless prayers and ritualistic overtures.  He doesn’t like them, for to Him it is “dead devotion” and has no interest in “outward” appearances.  He wants full compliance with inward desire and heart, that is what pleases Him; not empty words, deeds or possessions.

God instructs us and brings us into accountability because He wants to bring us higher into the realm of Spiritual growth, in others words to grow closer to Him.

“…In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” Isaiah 30:15 (NKJV)  God expects us to work hard and dilligently for His Kingdom, and He doesn’t want us to give in to anything that might take us from Him, or apart from Him, and from teh empowering of His Spirit.  He encourages full “surrender” and “dependence upon Him” which leads to a quiet and confident spirit.

Trust in Him now and always, and go to Him with a heart filled with love and honor, and all else will precede in the fashion in which God intends.

Love Him with all of your heart and might and mind and body and soul, and then wait for all great paths to be opened for you.

Are you ready for the love of a lifetime?

“Dear Father, I love You fully, totally and completely, my heart belongs to You, may I never lose sight of You and Your ways, please guide me, lead me, touch me, in Jesus Christ’ name, Amen.”

“…but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” Daniel 11:32 (NKJV)

Our amazing and loving Father above, has the power and wisdom and resolve to equip each of us, fully, for whatever we tackle, or whatever task we take on; we will never fail in a God-given task, because God deems it so.

Godly obedience begins with an absolute commitment to honoring the LORD above everything, and everyone; and when we pursue all else, with hearts for Him; which means putting Him first… no temptation, or challenge, is too daunting, or insurmountable, for us to handle.  Why? Because God has us in His vision, and for us to prosper, in all we do.

How we live, and what we do, has to be according to His plans, and purpose for us.  It has to be in full blown obedience to Him. It has to be a fully and inherent trust that goes deeper than Words, it has to be a complete, and utter submission, and surrender to Him, and His doctrine. It has to be a contrite heart that  yields to Him, and a heart that loves Him without any doubt.

Daniel did all of that and more.

He is the subject of many Children’s books, but those accounts of what Daniel’s life, and ministry, was over the entire seventy years, of the Babylonian captivity, is too important, and relevant, to leave it exclusively to Children’s books.

The book of Daniel, was important then, and it is as important today, and tomorrow.

Our intimacy with God, is our highest priority, and what we do, or don’t do…determines the impact of what happens here, tomorrow and for all eternity.

Once we decide to obey Him, we can probably expect challenges along the way, and it takes an overwhelming type of strength, and courage,to do that in the face of adversity; and the courage to give up what we have to, in order to achieve what we have in line of our vision, that comes from above.

Strength through Christ.

Courage through Christ.

Steadfastness through Christ.

Love through Christ.

When God becomes our priority in life…rest assured, that we’ll be able to take on the “lions” in our life, because God, has us in His hands, always and forever.  Amen!

So, what are your priorities?

“Father God, thank You for Your strength, Your wisdom, and Your peace and rewards, that can only come to me because of You and Your grace; in Jesus name, Amen.”

God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Daniel 1:17 (NKJV)

For every house is builded by some man; but He that built all things is God. 

Hebrews 3:4 (KJV)

My couch, my bed, my house, my clothes, my life…all have something in common, they were made by the LORD.

How is it you say, that my bed, house and clothes…were made by the LORD?  Yes, you might say, “I was created” by the LORD, but everything else?  YES…everything else.

You see, the materials for the couch were gathered by things that the LORD created, same as my bed, home, and so on and so forth.

The earth, soil, rocks, sea, sky, compliments of the “Master Himself.”

So, too is life.

He created us for His purpose and pleasure (Rev 4) and the question is, “are we doing things to please Him?”  Do we recognize all that we do as unto Him and give Him the glory in the process?

No matter the circumstances, and regardless of the scenario, we need to please Him in our choices, our thoughts, our actions, and our ways.  The example of which should be a “reflected image” of Christ.  After all, He dwells within, and He “died for us” — an act that is still spoken about to this very day, a altruistic and overwhelming act of unconditional love, and an act that saved us from sin and eternal damnation.  An act that freed us from “death.”  He after all defeated death, He is victorious over it.

So, today…wherever you go, whatever you may be doing, please remember your Creator, the One that created ALL things, and the One that loves you more than words can ever begin to define.

Glorify Him, give Him thanks and praise at every thing you do.

And, most important of all…Trust and love Him with all of your heart, body and soul.

And, finally, “Listen to His voice and follow” — because, we all want to be living in His pastures forever and always, Amen.

“Father, God…thank You for all of which You created, may I always give you all the glory and honor, and may I always seek Your face, and please You in all I do, in Jesus name, Amen.”

Numbers 14:11 (KJV)

And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for the signs which I have shewed among them?

One of the best gifts in life from the LORD (among many) is the gift of our faith. For without faith, we can suffer consequences that are so dire, and so bleak, which invariably could be harmful and toxic to our very existence.

When we read Numbers, especially passages, 13:1 – 33 –we see that God promised them all a “land of milk and honey” and told them to go up and possess the land.  Did they obey?  Did they believe?  No, they came back and said there is “a land of Giants and we are mere grasshoppers in their sight” — a false report from “the men” who went up to spy the land.

After the endless miracles seen, time and time again, “Pharaoh’s army defeated, swallowed up by the parting of the red sea; manna falling from heaven to feed His children; a pillar of fire by night to warm them; a cloud by day to shield them from the desert sun and heat; and quail to eat...” they still weren’t convinced, and still chose to believe “man” and therefore, suffered the consequences of their actions.  So as a direct result of their actions; the generation was “killed off”  leaving only Joshua, and the younger generation, that were allowed to partake, and see the “land of milk and honey”  — the rest, due to their disbelief, and lack of trust in the LORD and His Word, were not allowed to go any further.  And, so they died after all the years (40 years) of being in the desert, without reward.(Numbers 14:26-39) 

Faithlessness, is a serious offense in the spiritual realm of our life. Listening to the wrong “voice” and fear of failure, at times can paralyze our thinking, along with our spiritual growth, which can be stunted,  if not, stopped altogether.  Faithlessness, sometimes can be the “fear of failure” and fear, has no place in a Christian’s heart. ( 2 Tim 1:7)  But, being human it is a characteristic of flesh, it’s up to us, to listen to the Spirit dwelling in us, to overcome the battle we face.  Remember, Jesus defeated death and conquered the world, and Greater is He that is in us, than the one in the world!  (1 John 4:4)

Believing in the LORD, and His Sovereign power, and unsurpassed and unconditional love, to provide for all our needs, no matter the circumstances in our life, is vital to life.   Going forward, knowing God, is in control, is a matter of discipline, but most important, it’s a matter of “faith,” given to us by the Almighty God Himself.  It’s a gift!

God, will supply all of our needs, based on our relationship with Him. He will supply eternal rewards, and provisions, based on our relationship with Jesus. And, our obedience to Him and His Word.  Our trust, and our surrender.

Keep your eyes on Jesus, because in not looking to Jesus, we can get into all kinds of trouble, and the enemy may start whispering lies to our ears, not “to believe or trust” in Him. Be strong in Christ!

We must do all things through Christ, that strengthens us, each and every one of us! (Philippians  4:13)

Embrace the LORD, even when it doesn’t make sense to us and when we can’t grasp the understanding of what He wants us to do, TRUST Him fully and completely. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Don’t miss out on your rewards, and living the way the LORD wishes us to live, He has nothing but great plans for us, and for our eternity.

Remember this is the same God since the beginning of time. The same God that placed you in your mom’s womb, the same God with us at birth, with us when we turned 21, and with us when we turn 81, and with us as we take our last breath.  He is always the same, yesterday, today, tomorrow, always!

Listen! 

Do you hear His voice and His alone?  

Have no fear, God is always near, and remember...HE IS IN CONTROL!

“Father, God, thank You for being the foundation of my life, and for the gift of faith, for opening eyes, opening ears, and for never leaving me, or forsaking me, it is to You and You alone, I listen, obey, and walk in confidence, all the days of my life, in Jesus name, Amen.”

1 Samuel 10:9 (NASB)
Then it happened when he turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart; and all those signs came about on that day.

When someone says, “I’ve had a change of heart” a familiar and fairly popular saying, it doesn’t hold the same meaning as that of when the LORD “changes one’s heart.”  No, in fact…quite different.

God, in His infinite Sovereign power, He alone can change all things, and that includes an individual’s heart.  That is to say, entire perspective of belief, a conviction from deep within.

Sometimes, being human, people have a tendency to put limitations on various aspects of our life. But, those limitations are unfounded when it comes to the power of God and His will in circumstances or scenarios.

Compassion is limitless and unsurpassed in God’s heart, and He reaches out to all of His children. No matter if they’re poor, or if they are minorities, rich, famous or unknown…they are ALL KNOWN and LOVED by our amazing Father, LORD of lords and Creator of the Universe.

God alone is judge to all things.  Nothing is covered that shall not be uncovered, nothing that is in the dark, shall not come to the light.  No matter where we are, there is GOD with us too!

Our hearts, each one beating in a pattern, only God knows how long it shall beat.  One day it will stop, and we will be with Him forever.

But…that’s where faith, and hearts, are combine to lead us, to being in the Lamb’s book of life, and at His table for all eternity.

God changes all things for the better.

Some of us may have tendencies to have preconceived prejudices placing limitations of what we’re capable of.  But, we can do it all through CHRIST!

We need to understand that in those moments when we place our judging minds on pause, we realize there is room for the Spirit of Christ to change our hearts. That is when the conviction to move forward in a “new creation” comes apparent, and when our existence becomes a vast reality of LIFE!

And, it’s only through the LORD that we’re able to go forward cleansed and fresh and alive in the Spirit of Christ.

Do you have a changed heart?  If so, Hallelujah!

“Father God, thank You for a heart that was created by Your hands, and for Your compassion and mercy and grace, thank You for Your word, and Your unapparelled love that provides, nourishes and supplies all things, in Jesus Christ name, Amen.”