“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105
Yesterday, I was in a very unfamiliar city. I managed to reach my destination without too much trouble, thanks to my daughter’s directions, but when it came to heading back home, it was a much different story. I made a wrong turn from the store parking lot, but I figured I was heading in the right direction to the freeway, so I kept going. After about half an hour, I ended up back at the same store! I had driven in circles! Realizing I turned left when I should have turned right, I decided to head in the opposite direction. Another 30-40 minutes later, I was driving down a long road that dead-ended in a lake community! Finally, in desperation, I turned on my car’s GPS as I backtracked down the road. Following the GPS instructions, I was on the correct road within minutes and on my way to my final destination.
Life is very much the same. I often head out on my own facing obstacles and situations that threaten to stop me from my goals. I forget about my own inner GPS. Without using this GPS, it is so easy to get lost!
My first spiritual GPS was “God’s Plan of Salvation.” It was very easy to understand and follow. Here were the directions I was given.
The Romans Road
- Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” The Bible tells us that there is no one who has lived a perfect life. When we are measured against God’s standard of perfection, we all come up short. We are all sinners regardless of whether we have lived a “good” life or been a “moral” person. Romans 3:10 states, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”
- Romans 5:12 – “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Sin first entered the world in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God’s command to refrain from eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Since that moment, the sin nature has been passed down to all humanity, making us all sinners in the sight of God.
- Romans 5:8 – “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” God desires us, His creation, to be with Him for all eternity, but because of sin, we cannot stand before Him due to His holiness. In order for us to one day be with Him in heaven, our sin has to be removed. John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” God sacrificed His only Son, Jesus, so that we could have the forgiveness of sin available to us by accepting Christ as our Saviour.
- Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The penalty of sin is death, or separation from God for all eternity. Jesus took the punishment for our sin upon Himself when He died upon the cross, providing the only way for us to have our sins forgiven and obtain God’s precious gift of eternal life in heaven.
- Romans 10:9-10 – “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” To receive Christ’s forgiveness of sin, all a person needs to do is admit he/she is a sinner, believe that Jesus is God’s Son, who died on the cross for all, and ask Him for forgiveness of their sins. In doing so, Jesus becomes their Saviour and their Lord.
- Romans 10:13 – “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” When Jesus rose from the dead three days after his crucifixion, He proved He was truly God and the only One who could forgive the sins of a person. If you call upon His name, the Bible says that you will be saved from the penalty of your sins, forever forgiven.
Once I accepted Christ as my Saviour, I was ready for my spiritual GPS upgrade! The upgraded GPS that I now have is the spiritual directional system within me, powered by the Holy Spirit of God. It is “God’s Positioning System,” and it keeps me on the right path when I use it. It works in tandem with God’s Word. When I am headed off into life, the Holy Spirit reminds me of what I have read in the Bible that is applicable to the circumstance in which I find myself. I then have all I need to make the right choices and move down the path that is aligned with God’s will. It makes for a stress-free journey every time!!
He leadeth me: O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be,
still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
He leadeth me, he leadeth me,
by his own hand he leadeth me;
his faithful follower I would be,
for by his hand he leadeth me.
(from “He Leadeth Me” by Joseph Gilmore)
“Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.” Psalm 143:10
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Are you on the right path? Hook up to your spiritual GPS today!