The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity… Plans are established by seeking advice. So if you [undertake important things], obtain guidance… A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way? (Proverbs 11:3; 20:18,24) Pastor Octavius Winslow (1808-1878) warns, “Beware practical atheism which excludes God from …
Getting God’s Guidance (Part 4)
Hear my cry, O God. Listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to You, I call as my heart grows faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I… Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should …
Getting God’s Guidance (Part 3)
Lead me, Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies. Make Your way straight before me… I will praise the Lord, who counsels me. Even at night, my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (Psalm 5:8, 16:7-8) We continue our studies, building on my …
Getting God’s Guidance (Part 2)
Show me Your ways, LORD, teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long. (Psalm 25:4-5) We contine our study on this important subject, drawing on my notes from J. I. Packer’s message years ago in Philadelphia. I have expanded upon his …
Getting God’s Guidance (Part 1)
You are my rock and my fortress. Therefore, for Your name’s sake, lead me and guide me. (Psalm 31:3 NKJV) Many people ask about getting the Lord’s guidance on questions like: Who should I marry? Or shall I stay single? Which church should I join? Where should I live? What job shall I apply for? Should we have another child? …
Planning and Productive Paranoia (Part 1)
God is the Master Planner The Lord (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) maps out His eternal plans of creation, providence, and salvation and then He carries out those plans in His perfect way and timing. Scripture says: The plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations… I will instruct you and teach you …
Joy in Jesus: The God Who Hung on the Cross
Jesus said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected. And He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life….No one takes My life from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.” (Luke 9:22; John 10:18) …
Hope in Jesus Christ
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the Holy Spirit’s power….We wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself …
Think and Practice Whatever is Lovely and Loving
Jesus said: The Father Himself loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God….Think about and practice whatever is lovely, loving, amiable, attractive, beautiful, gracious, kind, peaceable, and winsome. (John 16:27; Philippians 4:8-9, my expanded paraphrase) An Example of Jesus-like Love Peter Miller (1710-1796) was a Baptist pastor in Ephrata, Pennsylvania during the American …
Three Uses of God’s Law
I desire to do your will, my God. Your law is within my heart….The unfaithful ones did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live by His law…..Blessed is the one You discipline, Lord, the one You teach from Your law….The Lord brought out His people with rejoicing, His chosen ones with shouts of joy…that they might keep His precepts …