Devotional Song: Go to this link - Please take the time to meditate on this powerful song with Kathy Troccolli, singing I Will Choose Christ, … reminding us that finding God’s way and choosing Christ can be a daunting task in life. … But the opposite way is found by GOING TO THIS LINK – - to hear the old standard by Frank Sinatra, who sings, My Way, a lovely song but a direction which can lead us to hell if we seek our way over God’s.
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Highlight Passage: 2 Corinthians 1: 17 … [Finding God’s way down the road of life can be very difficult at times.] … [NLT]
17 You may be asking why I changed my plan. Do you think I make my plans carelessly? Do you think I am like people of the world who say “Yes” when they really mean “No”?
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Highlight Passage: 2 Corinthians, Chapter 1, Verses 12-24… GO TO THIS LINK … [NLT] …
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Reference Passage #1: Proverbs 3: 5-6 … [Beware of human logic and desires as we plan our way.] … [NLT]
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Reference Passage #2: Job 15: 8 … … [So often we feel see the way clearly; but we haven’t even sought God’s counsel.] … [NLT]
8 Were you listening at God’s secret council? Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?
Reference Passage #3: Job, Chapter 28 … … [Finding God’s way is mining for the mind of God, … not a simple task.] … GO TO THIS LINK [NLT]
Reference Passage #4: Philippians 4: 6-7 … … [God’s decision-making tool; … His direction-finder.] … [NLT]
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
My Journal for Today: Finding God’s way in life and choosing Christ instead of our own selfish ways can be a daunting task at times, especially when we’re confused by our own desires or Satan’s ploys to distract or discourage us. Imagine what Job must’ve felt like when, under Satan’s oppression, Job was trying to find God’s mind to deal with his dilemmas (see Chapter 28 of Job linked above).
It’ so easy in life to default to our own desires or our human logic to plow ahead without first taking the time to seek out God’s way, … His wisdom, … His will (see Prov. 3: 5-6). That’s what the Apostle Paul was dealing with when he wrote to the Corinthians (see the passage from 2nd Corinthians, Chapter 1 linked above) about having to change “his mind” and go in a different direction on his ministry path, following the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
And because, as the photo above depicts, it can be so confusing to find the right way in life, I have given you probably the most powerful tool I’ve ever used to help me find GOD’S WAY when I need to make an important decision in my life. This method – one of God’s GPS Bible passages – was taught to me by Josh McDowell from a radio broadcast; and I’ve been using it successfully for years; and it comes from Paul’s letter to Philippi in Philippians 4: 6-7, which exhorts Christians to avoid worry and take our directional leanings to God in humble/thankful prayer, seeking His peace.
Often, as the picture depicts, we need to make a decision, having a number of directions we can go; and the Phil. 4: 6-7 protocol would have us take any leaning we might have to God with a humble spirit and a thankful heart, asking for God’s peace as to the leaning we might have. And if we don’t have any unresolved sin issues or a prideful attitude in taking this leaning to God, the Lord will either give you peace about this leaning or NOT. So, if in taking the matter to God, you were to feel restlessness or discord in your heart, God is either saying “NO” or “WAIT.” In other words, God is not in the leaning which you’ve taken to Him because He’s given you no peace in the matter.
However, in using this method, if our leaning gives us that inexplicable peace that only God can provide, that “peach beyond any human understanding,” then we KNOW that the leaning is His will … His way. And when we get that peace, WE GO!
I hope this method helps you as much as it’s helped me make decisions over the years. This way, God’s way, has never failed me when I’ve cleared my heart of any unresolved selfishness or pridefulness and I’ve been willing to yield MY WAY and seek God’s.
My Prayer for Today …Lord, I seek YOUR WAY! … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online blog entitled Today God Is First [TGIF], authored by Os Hillman. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you’ll find a link to read Hillman’s TGIF blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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