God Gives Specific Directions    

Isaiah 30:21 (New International Version)

²¹ Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."

Need direction??  Don’t we all—about one thing or another—about big things and even about little things.

God wants us to ask for His directions.  When we aren’t sure which way to go, we can waste a lot of time trying to figure it out ourselves—and in the end we can’t even be sure we went the right way.

God is calling us to develop our ability to dialog with Him.  He listens when we speak to Him and He wants us to listen for what He has to say.  That’s the way a conversation works.

One way that He speaks to us is through His Word.  That’s why I give you the “GPS (God’s Directions).”  The Word of God is like a roadmap for your life—a GPS that speaks into your life, showing you which way to go.

Dialoging with God takes practice.  If you consistently have a meeting with God, you will get to know Him more personally.  The result will be that you will recognize when one of your thoughts is from God.  You will know that your thought is from God because it will be bathed in peace.

GPS  (God’s Directions)

• Proverbs 16:3  Amplified Bible
• Matthew 7: 7-8
• Jeremiah 33:3

Prayer Focus:

If God were sitting across from you at a table, what question would you ask Him?  Be sure to thank Him for meeting with you!!

I AM Your God

Isaiah 41:10

New Living Translation (NLT)

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.  Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Can you imagine?  God Himself saying, “Don’t be afraid, for I AM with you….I AM your God.”  Two times you see, “I AM.”  

Another place that we see “I AM” is in Exodus 3 when God had just instructed Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and escort them into the Promised Land.  

Have you ever had to face something that felt bigger than you?  I am sure everyone can answer “yes” to that question.  Thankfully we have a Father who is bigger than the situation before us.  When we stand with Him, the two of us together are bigger than anything we are facing.  No need to fear with God at our side.

Here are His promises:

I AM more than enough for you.

I AM there with you.

I AM your very own God.

Whenever we feel alone, we can go back to the arms of the great I AM.  It’s there that you will experience His love.  He wants to help His children through any “bigger than life” assignment or problem.

GPS (God’s Directions)

Exodus 3:14   Amplified Bible

Romans 8:31, 37

Psalms 27:1

Prayer Focus:

Spend time thanking God that you are not alone and that He is more than enough for you.

 Finding Rest For Your Soul

Jeremiah 6:16   New Living Translation (NLT)

This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it.  Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls."

Our soul is the “house” where our thoughts and our emotions “live.”  Out of these thoughts and emotions, come the choices we make.  If we are abiding in the Vine, our soul lines up with the plan of heaven and we have peace.  If not, confusion leading to defeat results.  Despair sets in and the slippery slop is near.

If this is a place that you recognize, what should you do?  When we reach the crossroads where a choice needs to be made, our verse says “look” and “ask.”  Look around and ask for the “old, godly way.”

To keep it simple, this means to look back when you first came to the Lord and began your relationship with Him.  Spend time thinking about your original journey and “ask” God where you deviated from His plan for you.  Our verse says that it is time to make a choice.  Either proceed on your own or go back to where you left God and walk with Him, and you will “find rest for your souls.”

GPS  (God’s Directions)

• John 15: 4-5
• Jeremiah 31:25  The Message
• Psalms 116: 6-7 

Prayer Focus:

Go to your heavenly Father today and ask Him where you might have gotten off track.  Perhaps it was just earlier today——with maybe a wrong attitude—-or maybe it was years ago.  In any case, God has rest for you today.

NOTE:  if you are not sure that you are part of God’s family, continue to read on.

How To Receive Jesus Christ As Savior

Maybe you are thinking, “I don’t feel like I am a part of this.  It’s like I am outside looking in.”  I want you to know that Jesus’ arms are wide open to you.  They were opened at the cross because of His overwhelming love for you.  (John 3:16)   Right now He is calling you unto Himself.  He knows that you are not perfect.  You don’t have to be to come to Him.  That’s why He went to the cross in the first place---for your sins.  Yes, for the sins of the whole world, but personally for your sins.  You can come into His outstretched arms and find rest for your soul.  You can put your head upon His chest and hear the beating of His heart of love for you.

We’ve all sinned and He died for all of us.  Some of us come to Him and some do not.  This is your time to come!!  You are not reading this by accident.  God is calling you to come right now!

Take a few minutes and meet Him at these verses below.  Let Him speak to you through them.

We are all sinners:

Romans 3: 10, 23,    Romans 5:8,     Romans 6:23

We can ask God to forgive us:

Romans 10:13,    Acts 3: 19

We can put our trust in Jesus and become His child.

John 1:12

We can confess that Jesus is our Lord:

Romans 10: 9-10

As you ask forgiveness of your sins and express your desire to live for Him, you will enter the family of God and never feel on the outside again!!

It’s time to pray.  Let me help you.

Prayer:

Father, I understand that Jesus Christ went to the cross and shed His blood for me.  I also understand by the scriptures that I am a sinner.  Jesus, forgive me for all my sins. 

 (Let them come to mind.  Then see yourself giving them to Him.  As soon as they are in His hands, they disappear forever!!  Amazing!!)

 Be my Lord and my Savior.  I commit my whole life into Your capable hands.  Father, help me to hear Your instruction and direction,  and help me to live for You all the days of my life.  Thank You.  Amen.

    My Soul Is Anchored In God 

Hebrews 6:19 (New International Version)

¹⁹We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. 

Our souls are made up of the choices we make (our will), the thoughts we entertain (our mind), and how we feel (our emotions).

We have thoughts and feelings spinning around inside of us and these produce choices.   If the feelings and thoughts are wrong, we will make wrong choices.  

The Word of God is the “anchor” that keeps our feelings, our thoughts and yes—our choices stabilized so that we do not get out in the dangerous waters of confusion and defeat.  

The Word of God provides us with hope and much needed direction for our situation.  Peace floods our souls when we have God’s word on it.

The Bible says we can ask for wisdom and He will give it to us liberally.  We can go to God as a little child and ask for a scripture for everything we are going though.  He is a good “Daddy” and He wants to help us and He wants to keep us in perfect peace.

GPS  (God’s Directions)

Isaiah 26:3

James 1: 5-8 New Living Translation

John 14:27 New Living Translation

Prayer Focus:

Talk to your “Daddy” about the things that have you confused or depressed.  Ask Him for a scripture so that your thoughts and your emotions will be anchored in Him.  And be sure to watch for His answer!

            The Triumphant Procession

Mark 11:4-10 (New International Version)

 ⁴They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, ⁵some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" ⁶They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. ⁷When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. ⁸Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. ⁹Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
   "Hosanna!
   "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
 ¹⁰"Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!"
   "Hosanna in the highest!"

We can hardly describe Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem as “triumphant.”  He was on the way to the cross and He knew it.

However, the Bible says that even in this horrendous trial, Jesus had joy.  Why?  Because he knew God and he kept his eyes on the finish line.  

Jesus knew the cross was not the end but a means to the end.  The end was victory!  The end was joy!

If we submit ourselves to Him in our trial, we too will come out on the other side triumphant—because Jesus made that possible for us.  He wants to take us by the hand and walk us through our situation and He wants to bring us out on the other side—victorious!

GPS  (God’s Directions)

• Hebrews 12:2
• Psalms 34: 19
• Deuteronomy 3: 6,8

Prayer Focus:

Thank Him that He went before you and made a way for you.  Ask Him to walk with you today—and lead you into peace and into joy.

      He Freely Gives us All Things

Romans 8:32 (New King James Version)

³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Sometimes we think that God is holding out on us, but this scripture says that “freely gives us all things.”   Any well-meaning earthly father loves to give to his children.  How much more would our Father God want to give to His children.

And what do we do when God blesses us?  We tell of His love and His goodness.  It’s this kind of testimony that draws others to Christ.

Here’s some encouraging words from Ephesians 3:20 (Amplified Bible)….. God wants to”do superabundantly, far over and above all that we dare ask or think—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams…”

And why??  Because His love for us is amazing!

GPS (God’s directions)

Ephesians 3:20 The Message

John 10:10 Amplified Bible

James 1: 17 

NOTE:  All the versions of the Bible can be found at:    http://www.biblegateway.com

Prayer Focus:

Spend some time thanking God for His love, for His generosity and for His goodness.

NOTE:  if you are not sure that you are part of God’s family, continue to read on.

How To Receive Jesus Christ As Savior

Maybe you are thinking, “I don’t feel like I am a part of this.  It’s like I am outside looking in.”  I want you to know that Jesus’ arms are wide open to you.  They were opened at the cross because of His overwhelming love for you.  (John 3:16)   Right now He is calling you unto Himself.  He knows that you are not perfect.  You don’t have to be to come to Him.  That’s why He went to the cross in the first place---for your sins.  Yes, for the sins of the whole world, but personally for your sins.  You can come into His outstretched arms and find rest for your soul.  You can put your head upon His chest and hear the beating of His heart of love for you.

We’ve all sinned and He died for all of us.  Some of us come to Him and some do not.  This is your time to come!!  You are not reading this by accident.  God is calling you to come right now!

Take a few minutes and meet Him at these verses below.  Let Him speak to you through them.

We are all sinners:

Romans 3: 10, 23,    Romans 5:8,     Romans 6:23

We can ask God to forgive us:

Romans 10:13,    Acts 3: 19

We can put our trust in Jesus and become His child.

John 1:12

We can confess that Jesus is our Lord:

Romans 10: 9-10

As you ask forgiveness of your sins and express your desire to live for Him, you will enter the family of God and never feel on the outside again!!

It’s time to pray.  Let me help you.

Prayer:

Father, I understand that Jesus Christ went to the cross and shed His blood for me.  I also understand by the scriptures that I am a sinner.  Jesus, forgive me for all my sins. 

 (Let them come to mind.  Then see yourself giving them to Him.  As soon as they are in His hands, they disappear forever!!  Amazing!!)

 Be my Lord and my Savior.  I commit my whole life into Your capable hands.  Father, help me to hear Your instruction and direction,  and help me to live for You all the days of my life.  Thank You.  Amen.

    Daily God Guides Us

Matthew 7:14 (The Message)

 ^13-14"Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention." 

The words “total attention” that God’s is talking about is just meeting with Him each day.  God is the source of all wisdom, all instruction and all guidance.  As we meet with Him on a daily basis, He instructs us in His ways.

He takes stress, confusion and indecision and simplifies everything so the air is clear and we can hear from Him.  He loves to get rid of our “clutter” and He rearranges things so there is a better flow for our day.

God wants things to go well for us.  He not only wants to de-clutter and rearrange but He wants to beautify, so that our lives are a testimony of His peace and His joy.  In a world where that is in short supply, God will use you to shine for Him. 

GPS  (God’s directions)

Psalms 25:5    

Psalms 78:72

Psalms 139: 10

Prayer Focus:

Ask God to “de-clutter” your mind of negative thinking and ask Him to show you the way to your future.

   I Have A Promising Future

Psalm 31:14-15 (New Living Translation)

 ¹⁴ But I am trusting you, O Lord,  saying, “You are my God!”
 ¹⁵ My future is in your hands.  Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.

God’s hands are big enough to hold anything that concerns us.  There is room for our entire future there.

When we are tempted to worry or fret about what lies ahead, it would do us well to acknowledge once again that our future is in His hands.  I think God loves it when we repeatedly bring our future (our seasons, our days and even our hours) to Him because He understands that it is our flesh that wants to take it in our own hands.

God is there waiting for us because He wants to show us how much He loves us and that He is well able to take care of anything that concerns us—just like any well-meaning earthly father would—only way better! It’s a matter of us letting Him do it and being patient while He does.  He wants our trust and our love and then He knows He will have our heart. 

GPS  (Direction From God’s Word)

• Deuteronomy 3:24 NIV
• Psalms 138:8 NKJV
• II Timothy 1: 12

Prayer Focus:  

Father, I am fully persuaded that You are able to take care of what concerns me.  My future, O God, is in Your big strong hands.