Proverbs 16:9, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.”
We all have our ideas of what direction we think our lives should go in just about every area of our life, but it isn’t always the Lord’s plan to do it our way. This is such a perfect picture of a parent/child relationship. We think we know what is best as children and yet as our Dad He knows better. My daughter Danielle has been babysitting a little boy that has just learned to walk and this morning he wobbled into my bedroom to check things out just as I was getting ready to leave so I grabbed him by the hand and headed him back out to the living room where some toys were. All the way out my bedroom door he was jabbering and pointing back in my bedroom, like I just didn’t understand that he had plans for in there and I was ruining them. I have been that very same way with God at different times throughout my life, how about you. He is holding my hand trying to get me where He knows I will be happiest and safest and I am pulling in the opposite direction trying to explain why I need just a few minutes over there instead. The Bible says in Isaiah 55:8, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. His heart is for us, so it is always best to let Him determine our steps and follow Him.
Extra Time In The Word: Proverbs 16
Wednesday, April 30th, 2008
Written by Janet Trstenjak
Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”
As the old saying goes - Rome wasn’t built in a day - and you know what? God doesn’t work everything out for you in a day. We all like the “quick fix”, we live in what they call the “microwave society” but God is still on His time, not ours. Boy do I wish He would fix “it” in my time, but I have yet to see Him do that! Most of the time we spend a LOT of time screwing things up and then we want God to just fix it - NOW! We don’t think about how long it took to get to where we are we just know we certainly don’t want to wait any longer for Him to fix it. But if we trust Him and don’t try figuring it all out for Him and acknowledge the fact He is in control and we are just walking with Him not taking over again, He will “direct” our paths or “make them straight” again. We are the ones who take the detours all over the place making the winding road, God can and will take over when we give it to him but more than likely it isn’t going to happen overnight. Be patient, learn what He is trying to teach you this time so you aren’t back here again. When I get to this place the thing I am finally learning to beg Him to do quickly is show me what I am suppose to be learning from this situation. The quicker I learn the faster things seem to work out, the more bull headed I am to continue to do it my way the longer everything seems to take. So, this week I challenge you to trust Him, don’t try to figure it all out on your own, be quiet, let Him work it out and take the time instead learning what you need to learn from Him to be the Godly person He has called you to be.
Extra Time In The Word: Proverbs 31
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Need Prayer? Feel free to email us your prayer requests and we’ll have students from around the world pray for you by name. prayer@xtrlive.com
Monday, April 28, 2008
Written by Janet Trstenjak
John 16:13, “But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all 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.”
We all want to make sure that what we believe is truth! We want it to all be believable and simple but the Bible is a very “deep” book. We need the Holy Spirit’s guidance to guide us so we know the truth and we understand what the Bible is saying in verses where something seems vague or beyond our comprehension. God wants us to understand Him and to have a close relationship with Him that is why He has sent the Holy Spirit to show us. Some things you will just never understand on your own, you will have to pray that God will reveal it to you and He will! It isn’t some big secret that He is hiding and doesn’t want you to find. The Bible says in Jeremiah 29:13, “And you shall seek me and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.” He wants you to pursue Him and to want to get to know Him more, just like you want to be loved and pursued. He made us in His image that is why we have those desires to be loved and pursued. Seek God now, while you are young, let Him show you all He wants to show you about Himself and you! If you aren’t young, well it’s never too late, start today!
Extra time in the Word: John 16 (NIV) John 16 (The Message)
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Need Prayer? Feel free to email us your prayer requests and we’ll have students from around the world pray for you by name. prayer@xtrlive.com
