Guiding Light

Are you looking for a guiding light? Are you looking for you life’s pathway to be lit up like an airport runway? Are you simply asking for the next step to be revealed? Are you willing to see the light, if it is placed in front of you?

We often ask what our next step should be, even if we know what profession we believe is the right one for us. There are numerous options and we wonder which is best for us. We like to think of ourselves as being independent, and yet, we long for direction from someone else.

There are times when it seems as though we are going down a muddy path. It seems as though our feet are being sucked into the mud, making it nearly impossible to take one more step. The path isn’t clear. We can’t see the solid ground off to one side.

We may be missing the path we are meant to travel due to taking advice from the wrong people. We listen to advice given by someone who is selfish or doesn’t know the big picture. Perhaps we are listening to advice from someone who is also getting advice from the wrong source. After all, we are all seeking the path meant for us.

It can be very confusing seeking our path. There are many paths we can take. There are numerous forks in the road. When we make the wrong choice, it makes it harder to navigate our way back to the correct path—the path we are meant to be on.

So, how do we know what path we are meant to be on? We know when we are grounded in God and listening for His voice. Our path is lit by God, if we are willing to trust Him. God is patiently waiting for us to turn to Him, hear Him, and follow the path He has for us.

You may be wondering how you can hear Him. The first step is to spend time in prayer. As we spend time in prayer with God, both laying out our requests and listening, we will hear Him speak to us. He will provide clear guidance through His Holy Spirit. He will shine a light on the path meant for us—perhaps just the next step we are to take.

Isn’t it funny that we will trust someone we don’t know all that well but won’t trust God? We may ask for directions from a complete stranger because they live in the area, yet we won’t ask for directions from God who knows everything and His plan for us. Why not change our behavior today and start asking God?

I pray we all look to God to light our path. I pray we ask God to direct our lives. I pray each of us will spend time in prayer, both requesting and listening to God. Trust God to light your path. Ask God for direction. Listen for His guidance. Follow the path God has laid out for you.

Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp for my feet,

a light on my path.

Trust Me

Are you looking for something you can hold on to? Do you long for stability? Would you like to be able to count on something or someone forever? There is One you can count on from now into eternity.

We all want stability in our lives. We want to count on things functioning as they should. If we don’t, why do we get upset when the car won’t start in the morning? Why are we disappointed when a friend doesn’t show up on time? We all have the desire for dependability in people and man-made objects.

Unfortunately, we are disappointed more than we care for. Cars break down. Houses need repair. Clothes wear out. Jewelry loses its luster. Anything humans make will eventually fall apart and become useless to us.

People will disappoint us as well. They will be late for appointments, not make it to our sporting events, fail to return our calls or text messages, turn their backs on us, and fall out of love with us. People are broken, too.

Knowing the things we spend our money on will eventually fall apart and people will disappoint us can be depressing. However, there is One we can count on at all times. Oh, we may be disappointed in Him at times as well, since He doesn’t work exactly the way we would like. Yet, He is perfect and His timing is perfect.

God is our firm foundation. He is our Creator. He is everywhere at all times and knows everything. He set nature in motion. He created our human brains to think and understand. He put a spirit inside us that is similar to His Spirit, even if not perfect.

God is faithful to His plan. He is faithful to His children. He existed before creation and will continue to exist long after this earth is gone. He is the One we can count on now and for all time. Let’s put our hope in Him.

I pray we all put our hope in God. I pray we put our trust in God. I pray each one of us will stand on God’s promises and look to Him. Know that God is eternal. Know God as your Creator. Trust God in your situation. Stand on His promises.

Psalm 119:89-90

Your word, Lord, is eternal;

it stands firm in the heavens.

Your faithfulness continues through all generations;

you established the earth, and it endures.

Look Up

Do you ever look up at the stars at night? Are you amazed at how many there are? Do you wonder how so many were created? Do you know there are more stars being born, even today?

There are more stars than we can count. And, yes, there are new stars being born. According to astrophysicists, the Carina Nebula is 7,500 light years away, 300 light years wide, and birthing new stars. The birth of a star can take hundreds of years. Can you imagine?

It is believed the stars being birthed by Carina Nebula will continue for thousands of years. The new stars may not come into existence until our own star—the sun—has burned out and will last long after. This demonstrates God’s handiwork and that He continues to create.

It is amazing when you think about how large the solar system is. Scientists continue to discover new galaxies, new stars, and new exoplanets. Some of them are so far away, it’s completely possible those scientists are seeing history, meaning they are looking back in time to a degree due to the time it takes light to travel that distance and what scientists are seeing occurred hundreds or thousands of years ago.

We often call the stars the heavens. I’m sure this is largely due to our past and the inability to properly describe the stars we see in the night sky. Yet, there is a true heaven in which God lives and reigns over all creation. A place beyond what we see and far grander than the numerous stars and galaxies we currently know of.

We are told to look up, focus on spending eternity with God rather than on this earth. This does not mean that we don’t take care of things in the here and now. It simply means that we are not to allow them to rule our lives to the point that we forget we have a wonderful inheritance waiting for us.

By setting our minds on spending our eternity with God, we have hope and can make it through whatever this life throws at us. Focusing on Him provides a steady focal point. It provides us with a solid anchor on which we can stand in the face of difficulties.

I pray we all trust God’s promises. I pray we focus on the inheritance waiting for us. I pray each of us finds the hope we need. Set your mind on God. Trust in His promises. Know that being raised to Christ means you have a new life. Rise above earthly worries.

Colossians 3:1-2 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Actions Not Words

How do you love? Do others see your love for them? Do people you don’t know see the love you have for your family and friends?

We all show our love in different ways. When we look at some people, it is blatantly obvious they are loving people. Their actions are an example of an outpouring of love. Sometimes we translate their actions as caring for others—love must be the basis for the caring.

When our love is manifested through actions, it is not only an outward sign of our love, our love is also typically followed by words. Words without actions are often fleeting and empty. We’ve heard this for so long that it has gotten twisted by some.

You see, there are people who will think actions mean buying gifts for others. That is not necessarily a love action. It may be an attempt to buy someone’s affection. It may be an attempt to buy someone’s forgiveness. We need to ask ourselves our motives for buying gifts.

Yet, when we do something for another person, not only on occasion, but consistently and repeatedly, we show our love. We’ve heard the saying—a picture is worth a thousand words—our love actions are the same.

Jesus was our perfect example in demonstrating His love for us by laying down His life. We are not asked to give up our life for each other in a physical death sense. We are asked to give up our life for each other by doing for one another, putting others ahead of ourselves.

Having pity or feeling sorry for someone is not a demonstration of love. It may show your empathy for them. It may cause people to think you care. Yet, it is not an outpouring of love. Our love must go deeper than empathy to follow in Christ’s love.

Sometimes we are called to show our love by simply being there. We may need to do nothing more than sit quietly with someone. It seems simple yet is very difficult to do. Unfortunately, we want to say something when words won’t help.

I pray we all put our love into action. I pray we determine to do something for someone else out of love. I pray each one of us will demonstrate our love through actions each day. Love through action. Do for others. Show your love outwardly. Be an example of love. Speak only when necessary.

1 John 3:16-18 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Be Trustworthy

What does trust mean to you? Are you trustworthy? How quickly do you trust people you meet? Does your trust of people grow over time as you get to know them better? Do you think God trusts you with His blessings?

We all trust someone and typically multiple someone’s throughout our lives. We trust people at different levels and with different things. We may trust a few people we work with, trusting they will complete assigned tasks. We may even make friends with some of our co-workers and trust them with more important information.

We typically trust family members with more information than we do others. In fact, a husband and wife must have trust of one another or their marriage likely won’t last. As a married couple, they must trust one another with finances and bill paying. They entrust confidential information with one another, trusting it won’t be repeated.

We often tell our parents confidential information and trust them not to repeat it. As young children, we trust our parents to provide for us; buying our clothing, food, and paying for a place for us to live. In fact, children often blindly trust their parents, unless they are given a reason not to.

I believe we all are trustworthy to some degree or another. After all, even members of a criminal organization must trust one another in order to succeed in their criminal activity. The question for all of us is, how trustworthy are we?

God is looking to trust us as well. He wants to trust us with the riches of heaven. Yet, if we cannot be trusted with the His blessings here and now, how can He trust us with His richest blessing?

We don’t think of our homes, clothing, food, and all our belongings as blessings from God. We look at them as though we earned them. Yet, when we trace our ability to acquire them to the very root, God has blessed us with a skill that allowed us to get a job, which allowed us to purchase those objects. Everything is a blessing from God.

When we look at everything as a blessing from God and we look at them as God trusting us to take care of them, our attitude toward each object we have will change. We are to care for each little thing we are blessed with. God is looking to bless us with far more in heaven.

I pray we all care for our blessings from God. I pray we trust Him to continue to bless us. I pray each one of us will grow into a very trustworthy person. Trust God. Be trustworthy. Care for God’s blessings. See everything as a blessing from God.

Luke 16:1—11 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?”

Our Refuge

Quoted from my devotional—Thought of the Day.

Surely he will save you 

from the fowler’s snare 

and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers, 

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

— Psalm 91:3–4

Who do you run to? We might run to our parents in joy or sorrow. We might run to greet our friend, spouse, children, or parents after being gone for an extended period of time. We might run to a close friend for advice. There is One whom we should always run to.

We often find ourselves in a tough spot. It could be a decision looming ahead of us. It could be bills are due. It could be a relationship in trouble. It could be persecution for our faith. God is always there.

When we are feeling distraught, afraid, persecuted, or depressed, we should always seek God in prayer. Spend time with Him—read His Word. He is always there and will always get us through. Sure, we can seek our family and friends. In fact, God often uses our family and friends to be His hands or His voice. We must remember that God works through people around us.

Seek God to be your shelter, your protector during times of trouble. He will never leave you. Spend time with Him. He will grant you the protection, strength, courage, and peace you need.

Seek the Great Healer

When do you go to the doctor? Do you go for regular checkups? Or, do you only go when you are sick? Are you one of those that won’t go when sick until you have tried every home remedy you know? Do you dislike going to the doctor?

Some of us don’t like going to the doctor. We will avoid the doctor like the plague. We don’t like having someone poke and prod us. Some of us are afraid of what the doctor may tell us. Yet, if we are going to live healthy lives, we need to see a doctor.

Our spiritual lives are much the same. We need to see the Doctor on a regular basis. Thankfully, seeing our spiritual Doctor does not cost us money nor does it require us to have insurance. We can speak with Him at any time. He is always available.

One key difference between our spiritual Doctor and our medical doctor is our spiritual Doctor already knows exactly what we need. He knows the issue we face, our entire history, and has the perfect resolution.

Our spiritual Doctor is calling us to Him. We may not always hear Him. We may be using selective hearing to ignore Him. We may avoid His house at all times. Yet, He continues to call us through the various situations we go through in this life.

Many in this world don’t like to go to church. Yet, the church is the main place we can learn about the Doctor who will heal us. I like what I heard one older church member say a few years back, “The church is an emergency room and is to be open to those who need healing.” That has always been my goal, be an assistant in the emergency room, helping the Doctor attend to those who need it.

Here’s the thing, we all need healing, even those of us who are there to help. It is when we realize this, and see each other as someone being called by Jesus, that we become truly productive in His church.

If you happen to have had a bad experience at a church, don’t let that stop you from seeking healing. Jesus is still calling you. Go to an emergency room that will accept you and treat your wounds. Once you find that place, become an assistant, helping others to be healed. It is through this process that we can heal this world of its ills.

I pray we all answer the call of Jesus. I pray we seek the healing that only He can provide. I pray each one of us will seek a church that provides us with the assistance we need to accept the great Doctor and become an assistant of His. Hear His call. Accept His invitation for healing. Realize you need Him. Seek a church where you are accepted. Become an assistant to the great Healer.

Luke 5:31-32 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Seen Vs Unseen

Where do you put your trust? Do you only trust what you can see? Are you frustrated when you experience trouble? Do you have a short-term focus? Or, do you focus more on the long-term? Does your vision go beyond the here and now into eternity?

Most of us are focused on what is right in front of us. We have things to do and people to see. We have tasks at work, tasks at home, and tasks at church. We desire to do good for those less fortunate, and somehow, we fit that in, too. We juggle many priorities and tasks.

When we face a speed bump or a wall suddenly appears, we get frustrated. After all, we have all these things to get done. Perhaps we’ve lost our job and simply putting food on the table becomes a challenge. It could be we face a breakup of a relationship and we are lonely. We might face a death of a family member and wander how we will get along without them.

All our troubles in this world are temporary. That is easy to say and harder to remember when we experience troubles. Yet, if we can keep our focus on the eternal, remembering the trouble is temporary, we will get through it. How can we maintain our focus?

We need to prepare for troubles. Many of us will think about saving money for the rainy day. That can be a help, but it isn’t the only way to prepare. A significant part of our preparation needs to include building our relationship with God. Practicing relying on Him, even in good times, will help us maintain our focus on Him during bad times.

Think about it for just a minute. If you play on a baseball team, you don’t simply show up for the game. You put in a significant amount of time practicing the skills required to play at a high level. You keep telling yourself, “If we are going to win a championship, we have to keep practicing.” The same is true to face the troubles we see in this world.

Our spiritual practice must include prayer, reading God’s Word, and spending time with other Christians to strengthen our spiritual muscle. We must practice putting our focus on what is unseen in order to maintain that focus when the seen becomes chaotic. As we become stronger in the Spirit, we see more clearly the troubles of this world for what they are—temporary.

I pray we all spend time exercising our spiritual muscle. I pray we take time to pray, read God’s Word, and spend time with other Christians. I pray each one of us will commit to focus on the unseen—eternity with God. Maintain your focus on God. Spend time in prayer. Spend time reading God’s Word. Spend time with other Christians. Build a deeper relationship with God. Be prepared for the troubles that will come. Trust God to get you through this life.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Be in Wonder

Do you contemplate the heavens and the earth? Do you look upon the creation all around you and ponder the Creator of it all? Have you ever thought about the imagination and power it took to create the numerous intricacies you see every day?

I don’t know about you, but I often go through my day not even noticing all the wonderful things around me. I miss the flowers, trees, animals, and even the people. My mind is somewhere else, thinking of other things, and completely missing God’s wonderful creation.

I often have to remind myself to slow down, look around, and take notice of what I’ve been missing. When I do, I see so many things I’ve missed and wonder how I missed them before. Then, I remember, I’ve spent my time thinking about things that probably don’t matter that much.

My guess is we all do this. We miss the wonderful, awe inspiring creation of God. We miss seeing beyond the object and be in awe of what it took for Him to create. Have you ever thought about creating anything brand new then apply that to God creating a multitude of things?

My suggestion all of us, especially including myself, is to appreciate God’s creation. Slow down, meaning slow down your mind, eliminate the rush of thoughts, and simply appreciate what you see. Too often we are distracted by unimportant thoughts or things that we won’t remember in a week or two.

Another suggestion to appreciate His creation is to think about the process of creation. Try to imagine what it would take to create just one thing then multiply by as many of God’s creation you can think of. If you think about it just a short time, you will be utterly amazed.

I pray we all take a little time to appreciate God’s creation. I pray we look around ourselves each day and be amazed. I pray each one of us will slow down our minds, eliminate some of the distractions and think about what God has created. Be amazed. See the wonders. Appreciate God’s creation. Slow down. Eliminate the distractions.

Jeremiah 10:12-13

But God made the earth by his power;

he founded the world by his wisdom 

and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.

When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; 

he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.

He sends lightning with the rain

and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

Celestial Wonders

When was the last time you looked at the stars? Have you followed the different oddities in the positioning of the planets this year? Do you know there are different celestial events going on this year that only happen once in several decades or several centuries?

Here are list of a few of the oddities, in case you missed them. There are four supermoons this year, which happens when the moon is at its closest point to the earth. In March, we saw Mars and Venus both reach their best time for viewing from the earth on the same day. The newly discovered comet Atlas made its closest pass of the earth in May. In June, Mercury reached its best viewpoint from earth. Jupiter was in opposition in July, meaning it was at its closest point to earth. Saturn was in opposition less than a week later. A few days later, Mars was once again at its best viewing point from earth. Neptune was in opposition in early September. And, there have been several meteor showers.

This has been an odd year astronomically speaking. In some cases, it’s not that we wouldn’t normally see the single event happen, it’s that we wouldn’t see two events happening at the same time or just a few days apart. The perseids and geminids meteor showers this year are the best they have been in decades.

Should we not marvel at how the universe functions? The planets rotate around the sun. Meteor showers go on and on yet continue to miss hitting the earth. There are other stars with planets that circulate around them. We see all of this from a great distance, but the distance only enhances the view.

Do we marvel at what God created? Do we stop to think about the power He has? Do we ask ourselves why we wouldn’t trust Him when He has created the amazing universe we live in? I, like most of us, get caught up in my own life, my own worries, my own tasks and need the reminder that God is all powerful. I suggest we all need that. Perhaps we will take time one evening to marvel at His creation.

I pray we all look up and be in awe of God’s creation. I pray we take time to recognize what God has created. I pray each of us will trust God with our worries, knowing He is the Creator of all. See God’s creation. Marvel at the His wonders. Be amazed and praise Him. Trust Him with your worries.

Isaiah 40:25-26

“To whom will you compare me?

Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.

Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:

Who created all these? 

He who brings out the starry host one by one

and calls forth each of them by name.

Because of his great power and mighty strength,

not one of them is missing.