guidance

Row Harder!

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future Jeremiah 29:11

“Row harder! More to the left! Don’t stand up! Just be careful!” Who hasn’t heard all these instructions as you began your first solo voyage in a kayak? You might have been feeling a little nervous, but then just as you launched out, barely ten feet from the shore it seems you were sinking under waves of advice.

p1020189

The Jewish people as they arrived in their new home in Babylon were in very much the same situation. Some people were so depressed they just literally wanted to hang up their harps and give up. There were also some “Prosperity prophets” around telling the people to cheer up because God was going to destroy Babylon any minute and they would soon be back in their own land (PS send a big offering to me) Last of all, there were folks with their hands just itching to pull out their swords because they hated the foreign rulers and wanted revenge. With so many voices pushing and pulling at them many ordinary people were plenty confused.

That was exactly when God sent Jeremiah with this word of encouragement and guidance. No matter the situation you are facing today, the first person to listen to is God! Only God knows the plan. He knows which way to go and how long it will take to get there. But the best part is that no matter how far we have to go, He does not just want to tell us the way.  His desire is to get right in the boat with us and help with the rowing. He already knows the way but we need to be willing to listen and if we ask he’ll pick up the oars and go with us to the other side!

p1020190

God’s Critical Updates

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.           Psalm 25:4-5 NKJV

Have you ever turned on your computer and discovered that you need to download the most recent critical updates? I confess that sometimes I hurry on, and out of impatience begin work  hoping that nothing will go wrong. In the same way God offers each of us daily the guidance and protection we need to walk with Him. He is trying to protect me from my spiritual enemy in the same way as my software is alerting me to the dangers of malware, viruses or other electronic ne’er do wells.

kimg0032

The Bible tells us to download God’s latest spiritual updates to help us navigate today’s pathway. Sometimes it is the malware of our own ways that pops up in the operating system of our minds. Sometimes it is the temptation to fit in with the world around that is shouting  for our attention. But no matter the source of the malware we have the opportunity to ask God to overwrite it with a download of His truth.

Our daily spiritual battles will no more disappear from our  lives than will spam from our e-mail accounts. But every day we can make a new determination that since God alone is our salvation then we will wait take the time to download His updates and call Him up on His customer support line called prayer. He is eager to hear from us and He wants to walk with us through every valley no matter how dark! imported from phone 157

Is That a Trumpet?

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet.             Revelation 1:10 NRSV

It might seem strange that God’s voice sounded like a trumpet, but in John’s day the trumpet was commonly used for a number of things. The trumpet was actually a ram’s horn called a shofar and was blown at the beginning and end of religious festivals. The trumpet also called the public together for meetings and was sounded for armies to advance in battle. We should not be afraid when God blows a trumpet in our lives because is a sign He loves us and has a message we need to hear.

Shofar

The apostle John had been deported and imprisoned on an island as far from home as he had ever been. But in his isolation, rather than surrendering to despair John worshiped. Few of us experience those circumstances, but like John, in our own times of difficulty God is with us and, we can hear his voice.

Prayer: Father recently I have been battling fears and feelings of isolation. Thank you that You remember where I am and are blowing a trumpet so I can hear your voice in my life today!