Right Paths

 

"I have led thee in right paths" (Proverbs 4:11)

"We only go this way once." Life is brief and life is precious. It is desirable that we live it that one time so as to hold no regrets. God instructs us, "Ponder the path of thy feet" (Prov. 4:26). Our paths should receive earnest attention from us.

A variety of paths seems open before us. Some live one way, some another; and it would appear that we can do as we please. Yet a clear analysis of the situation reveals that there are really only two kinds of paths out there ahead of us: right paths and wrong paths.

The Hebrew word translated "path" in our text really means the furrow made by a wagon or other vehicle. It is plain and visible to the eye, easy to follow. The first half of the text says, "I have taught thee in the way of wisdom," which means that the paths in which the Lord will lead us will always be wise paths and therefore right paths. Conversely, right paths will always be wise paths, and wise paths, plain ones.

If the Lord's ways are always right and wise, then it can never be a mistake to go the way He directs. It is never foolish, not a defeat to genuine personal interests or potentials. God wants to lead and we ought to follow. He will "establish" our ways if we follow Him. Right ways can be established, i.e., made permanent, because they are for the good of all and for the glory of God.

All the way my Savior leads me; Oh the fullness of His love! Perfect rest to me is promised, in my Father's house above. When my spirit, clothed immortal, wings its flight to realms of day, This my song through endless ages: Jesus led me all the way. ---Fanny J. Crosby

Let us pray daily for discernment to recognize practical application and wisdom to walk in "right paths."

--Rev. Roger J. Andrus

A Prayer of Thanksgiving

 Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we, your unworthy servants, give you humble heartfelt thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all people. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life, but above all for your limitless love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace and for the hope of glory. And, we humbly request, give us a sense of all your mercies, that our heart may be openly thankful, and that we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips but in our life, by giving up ourselves to your service and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Ghost be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen.

adapted from the Book of Common Prayer

The Lord's Name is Majestic

 

O Lord, our Lord, the majesty of your name fills the earth! (Psalm 8:9)(NLT)

A person's name is more than just a label. It represents who they are. Hearing someone's name often brings to mind that person's character, abilities, and appearance. So, too, with our God, whose name is above all names. When we hear the name of the Lord, we should reflect and marvel, as David did, that the God whose glory fills the earth has lavished such affection upon us human beings. In a small way, he has allowed us to share in his majesty, granting us dominion over his creation. Our wonder at the majesty of his name will then give way to heartfelt worship.

MAJESTIC GOD, as we hear your name, we are reminded of your presence and power. Forgive us when we misuse your name or fail to appreciate the greatness of the One it represents. We are grateful that you have called us by your name, and so we ask you to glorify your name by our life. Amen.

(from the Praise and Worship Study Bible--Tyndale House)

A Prayer for Guidance

 

O Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We pray you allow us never to stray from you, who are the way, nor distrust you, who are the truth, nor rest in any one other thing than you, who are the life. Teach us, by your Holy Spirit, what to believe, what to do, and how to take our rest.

Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536)

The Path of Pleasing God

 

"When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him"          (Proverbs 16:7)

Human behavior patterns can please the Lord. A servant can please his master. A son can please his father. A student can please his teacher.

"Without faith it is impossible to please him." Hebrews 11:6 does not say that it is improbable but that it is impossible. It is totally outside the realm of a possibility that a man can please God without first trusting in Him. He wants to be believed, for one thing. The one who doesn't trust Him is virtually saying that God is not trustworthy. Then again, man cannot know God's will about the ways that please Him unless he believes what God has said.

When He is pleased He makes human enmity to melt and turn to peace. This is a general truth but not a universal one or else Christ would have had no enemies, for He wholly pleased the Father. Also, there would have been no martyrs. In the main, however, when a man pleases God, other men seem to like him and want to have a good relationship with him.

But the greatest reward to such behavior is the knowledge that we give God pleasure. This is an astounding thought and yet is exactly what our text teaches. Man can give God real pleasure. That is not to say that He is satisfied and seeks no further growth, development, or obedience from us. He is easy to please although hard to satisfy.

"The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, on those that hope in his mercy" (Psalm 147:11)             "For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation" (Psalm 149:4)

-- Rev. Roger J. Andrus

Praise to the Healing God

I will exalt you, Lord, because you have lifted me up and have not allowed my enemies to triumph over me. Lord, my God, I cried to you for help, and you healed me. Lord, you brought me up from Sheol; you spared me from among those going down to the Pit. Sing to the Lord, you his faithful ones, and praise his holy name. (Psalm 30:1-4)(CSB)

I want to give praise to my Lord---Jehovah-Rophe---God my Healer. 

It was a little over two months ago, when my wife, Lisa, and I began to feel a little sick. It began with her coughing, then to me coughing, then to both of us running a low-grade fever over night. The next morning we went to the doctor to get checked out. After looking us over and giving us a couple of tests, we were told that we were positive for the coronavirus. We were a little dismayed, because we thought we had been careful around others, but we got our prescriptions and went home to quarantine. 

The next week and a half were pretty rough for us. In fact, there was a time or two when I felt like I may need to go to the hospital because of difficulty breathing, but each time we prayed, things seemed to get better. After we each got past that phase, then we started wondering if we would ever regain our strength again. But each morning as we prayed for God to heal us, we began to slowly feel better and regained our strength little by little. We had our loved ones, and our church family checking in on us and praying for us, and it made a big difference. Through all our fears and pains, the Holy Spirit was there calming us. We continued to improve until finally we were restored to normal (or some might say "abnormal") again. We still had to deal with the isolation and boredom from being quarantined, but it was obvious to Lisa and me that our God had answered our petitions and healed us.

I share all of this to give praise to our Lord, the Great Physician, and to hopefully encourage others. You may say that all the medical statistics and reports show that most people recover from this virus, and you would be right. But I have no doubt that God heard our prayers--our cries for help--and healed us. As in the above passage from Psalm 30, God spared us and lifted us up from the pit of sickness that we had fallen into. And just like verse 4 encourages, we want to be faithful by continuing to sing to the Lord and praise His holy name. Our Healing God is so much more than worthy!

Joey Culpepper

A Prayer During Times of Trial

 

O my God, your loving providence transforms sorrows, difficulties, trials, and dangers into means of grace, lessons of patience, and channels of hope. Grant us good will to use and not abuse those privileges. By your great goodness, keep us alive through this dying life, that out of death you may raise us up to immortality. For his sake who is the life, Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

-Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)

How Do I Know if My Heart is "Divided"?

 

Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. (Psalm 86:11)(NIV)

Throughout the Psalms, the word heart refers to the center of the human soul or spirit. From this center flow all a person's emotions, thoughts and attitudes. An undivided heart means that these expressions reveal a heart that is pure and unselfish, not corrupted in any way (Ps. 24:3-4).

The prophet Jeremiah wrote in a similar vein, telling us that God wants us to return to him with all our heart (Jer. 24:7). He called this concept singleness of heart and action (Jer. 32:39). Ezekiel also spoke of God giving an undivided heart and ....a new spirit (Ezek. 11:19).

Only God can give someone an undivided heart; it's not something we get on our own. Still, we must accept God's offer; we must want an undivided heart. The surest way to know whether one's heart is undivided may be to echo David's prayer: Search me, O God and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts (Ps 139:23). Only God can tell whether or not our hearts are pure.

                                                                                                                                                                              

       (from the Quest Study Bible published by Zondervan)

God Heals His People

 

If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.  (2 Chron. 7:14)(NLT)

Under God's covenant with Israel, there was a strong connection between sin and sickness. When the Lord commanded the Israelites to obey his laws, he promised to reward them by keeping them safe from many diseases. But these diseases were spiritual as much as physical. So here the Lord promised first to forgive his people, then to heal their land. We have also sinned against God in our thoughts and actions. But if we turn from our sin and humbly follow him, he will forgive us as well and heal us as his people. Let us praise God for healing and restoring us.

MERCIFUL GOD, we have harmed ourselves and others by neglecting your Word and living according to our own desires. Please forgive our sins, and help us to turn from our wicked ways. We thank and praise you for healing us. Amen

(from the Praise and Worship Study Bible by Tyndale House)

A Prayer for the Morning

O God, the King eternal, who divides the day from the darkness and turns the shadow of death into morning, drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our heart to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when night comes, rejoice and give you thanks. Amen.

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