God Directed Footsteps

God Directed Footsteps

It is the tendency of Christians to turn to God for guidance in the same way that a child eagerly seeks guidance from his/her father. There is more than one way to seek guidance from God. There are the options of seeking guidance from the Bible, or through prayer, speaking to a spiritually mature pastor or role model -or several other options. Turning to the Bible is a popular option, in fact the Bible was written to give us direction. 

      2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting  and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for very good work." 

Another popular option is prayer. Many Christians are taught how to pray as children, but some do not learn to 'be still' and meditate on the word to receive clear guidance through the Holy Spirit. This passage describes the Holy Spirit.

     John 16:13...when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

What if a person is doing it right? What if that person does pray, and reads the Bible, and he/she still has questions -for which that person has no answers? What if a person is about to make a very specific life changing decision, or has a very specific question and feels that the answer not written in the scriptures? Who, what, or where does a person turn to in search of these answers?

These questions are the ones that trouble me sometimes, but after searching for answers for this blog -I've found peace with them. I often have questions, at this point in my life, which I feel are not written in black and white in the Bible. The main ones are: Who do I choose as a partner? Which career course should I choose, and would it be one favourable to God? Finally, I worry about being a good person, and living a life that is favourable to God.

Lately, the more that I looked into the Biblically inspired materials to conduct research, the more I realized that these are normal questions for young individuals (...Well, I still consider myself young). I arrived on three Bible verses that really pacified my constant, nagging, concerns. I would like to illustrate them using an analogy. 

The first concern was a dual one, 'How do I choose a path that is favourable in God's eyes, which career should I choose?' I once read that 'the Bible is life's little instruction book', but it serves so many people that it is hard to make a specific decision based on its directions sometimes. For more than a week I have been meditating on the void that I feel when I seek distinct and specific directions from the Bible. I find that the scriptures can be very general. I find myself conceptualizing the Bible as God's way to give us directions when we're lost. When I'm really lost, and I stop to ask someone for directions, that someone may say, "Go south for two blocks, and then turn right." Those are very general directions, some part of those directions have to be sorted out while walking the path. The instructions do not guide every footstep that you take until you reach your destination. The road may be dark and scary, but you don't know that until you start walking. There may be a road block, or construction. There may be open manholes, or potholes that make the road rough, or other countless obstacles. Whichever way, you may find yourself wondering if you should reconsider the course you planned on taking. Such is true in life too. We don't know what we will encounter on a path until we have embarked on the journey. The Bible does tell us this, "The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps." (Proverbs 14:15, NIV) This tells us that God wants us to give thought to the steps that we take. He did not create us as simple creatures, but as complex ones. Regardless of the road, or the obstacles, or the instructions that we are given, He wants us to think about our steps. 

Through prayer, we don't have to think about our steps alone. We can call on the Lord like the Psalmist did in Psalm 119: 133, NIV and ask the Lord, "Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me."

As for my other concern about choosing a partner, life has taught me that the only true love, is that which embodies all the qualities of love that are exemplified in our creator. I can only hope to find a partner who reflects 'that kind of love', I truly believe that knowing God makes it that much easier to understand ‘that kind of love’. So, I hope the partner that I find knows God’s type of love. 

Finally, in meditation on finding direction, I had to remind myself what should drive me as a Christian. It is my duty, "(To) Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of mankind." (Ecclesiastes 12:13, NIV) Whichever, career course I choose, I have to remember what my ultimate duty is -in all that I do.

By: Leah J. 

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY...

People say that there are three things you never talk about with other people outside of your family: politics, religion and money. 

I want to break the rules a little bit and talk about, MONEY. Why are people, so funny about money?

For those that read the scripture know that we do not own this money, but are mere stewards of this resource given to us by God to do his work, however shape or form that may look like in our lives. So why are people so possessive over something they do not even own in the first place? I found myself thinking about this when I starting getting possessive about the money I make.  What are your thoughts on this?

Then I started thinking about how debt is such a big part of our lives here in North America. It is actually a social norm to have some kind of debt in your financial portfolio.  We pride ourselves as a nation for being a credit driven society. And yes, I know debt can be good, it is advantageous for starting up new businesses, purchasing real estate etc.  But did anyone take the time to count the cost? Also, are these Godly views or worldly views that we have been led to believe?

From a very basic and individual level, most people incur their debt from credit card purchases of things they don’t need, gets lines of credit to purchase a car etc. they don’t need or student loan debt for an education that may or may not guarantee success or financial prosperity in the future. All in the name of credit. 

I am not saying any of this to put anyone done. I, myself have done 2 of these 3 stupid things. I got into way too much student loan debt and put unnecessary expenses on my credit card.

But what does the scripture say about debt? There are many scripture verses on debt and money but I especially like Proverbs 6:4-5, which tells us:

                “Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids. Free yourself like a gazelle from the hands of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler” Proverbs 6:4-5

I particularly like this scripture because it has a lot of imagery in it. We are to “allow no sleep, or slumber” (aka, work our butts off) until we are financially out of the “hands of the hunter” (aka creditor).  Proverbs is a book of wisdom and what wiser advice can there be about money than this.

Another great money verse I like in Proverbs is:

                “The rich will rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender” Proverbs 22:7

I believe that God makes us stewards of his money so we can do three major things with it: save, spend and give.  But, how can we give what we do not have?  Those who are not in debt are able to spend more, save more and most importantly, give more to their church, community etc. I believe that this is what the scripture is trying to tell us.

After learning this information through scripture, reading, and following Dave Ramsey (a Christian financial advisor http://www.daveramsey.com/home/ ), I have taken a new perspective on debt, and want nothing to do with it.

I am trying with “gazelle intensity” to get out of every debt I have as soon as I possibly can. With God’s help and guidance, I know I can get there. How do you feel about debt, and money? What are your views on this topic according to scripture?

PQ

1 Corinthians 14:26

"1 Corinthians 14:26
What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up."

WIRTH stands for:
Word of instruction
Interpretation
Revelation
Tongue 
Hymn

Welcome Everyone! 

Hey Friends here is a new blog that we can write together in Christian fellowship. I am hoping it is a way that we can all open our bibles and share something no matter how busy we are.

There will always be that spare moment one day a week at least.

A sentence... a quote... it doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter what category you currently put yourself in your walk it is just a forum...

Please feel free to share.

Romans 7:14

Today I'd like to share my notes from a sermon on my favourite part of the bible Romans Chapter 7, Verse 14 (Rom 7:14)

Why is this one of my favourite parts in the Bible?

It is a part of the Bible that really illustrates the humanity in a Christian. I feel like I can connect to it as a human being. I also feel that is written like it is thought out. It follows the pattern that a person thinks in, and reasons in way a person's reasons. These verses make Paul into a real human being with desires, love for God, but also weaknesses. Through faith, he knows Jesus can rescue him and be his strength, his shield, and his salvation. It reminds me to believe that too. I think it displays the raw beauty that humanity can be.

"14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!..." (It continues up into ch. 8)

January 26, 2014

(Defying Gravity)

The sermon identifyed the interplay of 3 laws in Romans 7:14:
Revealing
Resisting
and Restoring...

There is the law of God Reveals the moral character of God
There is the law of sin, which Resists
There is the law of the spirit of life which Restores the moral character of God into people's life and experience

There is a comparison drawn between the downward pull of gravity with the direction sin pulls humans in.

"7:21 So I find this law at work; When I want to do good, evil is right there with me."

There is also the existence of a law that defies the law of gravity, The law of aerodynamics

Aerodynamics is the study of forces and the resulting motion of objects through the air.  

Studying the motion of air around an object allows us to measure the forces of lift, which allows an aircraft to overcome gravity, and drag, which is the resistance an aircraft “feels” as it moves through the air. Everything moving through the air (including airplanes, rockets, and birds) is affected by aerodynamics.
-https://howthingsfly.si.edu/aerodynamics

"8:1-4...There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

-----To me the sermon presents a question, 'Which law will we choose to be our ruler, the law of gravity that pulls us down, or the law of aerodynamics that lifts us up?'

By: Leah J. 

Aerodynamics | How Things Fly

howthingsfly.si.edu