Category: Devotionals

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans12:2

Many years ago, I remember when a particular television show shocked the country when it became the first program to show the back view of an unclothed man. For days before the program aired, the show was denounced as immoral and wicked, and again and again, viewers were warned not to watch it. Once it aired, the backlash was quick and fierce, but that soon faded.

I remember when the first homosexual event happened on a television program. Once again, there was a public outcry against it. Boycott the network! Boycott its sponsors! People were once again shocked and repulsed, but that soon faded.

I remember when music became more sinful and more violent, incorporating much more than a truck, a beer, and the loss of a good woman. The lyrics now promoted drugs, rape, anarchy, and murder. The public protested such atrocities in the songs that young people were listening to, but that soon faded away.

I remember when marijuana was illegal, and people fought against its legalization, but sadly, those voices also faded away.

Our minds have gradually become desensitized to the sin and depravity of our culture. Today, it is nearly impossible to find programming that doesn’t include some kind of egregious sin. Even so-called family programming on television includes “alternative lifestyles” in its movies and weekly shows. Likewise, much of today’s music continues to promote behaviors that once were considered inappropriate, immoral, and even illegal.

How has this happened? Our thinking has been reprogrammed to view these atrocities as normal because today’s culture has indoctrinated us into a passive acceptability. In order for us to fight it, we must “renew” our minds… reset them to align with what is right and good in the sight of the Lord. It’s kind of like when a computer is not working properly and has to be reset to its original factory settings. We have to do the same with our thinking processes.

The only way to do this is through the Word of God. It is the only absolute truth defining right and wrong. We have to purge our minds of sinful thinking and replace it with holy thinking. That only comes from the Bible, which enables us to identify sin, reject it, and then receive the righteous thoughts with which God desires to fill us.

Renewing our minds is not a one-time occurrence. Satan attacks us non-stop, and he is relentless. We must be equally diligent in renewing our minds. The only way to keep a protective barrier around our thought processes is by immersing ourselves continually in the only weapon we have… the Word of God.

We are in a war for the souls of men, and we must not be passive warriors. Do not allow Satan to find a home in your head. Renew your mind daily by reading and meditating on God’s Word. It is only by doing so that you will be able to “stand against the wiles of the devil,” (Ephesians 6:11) and go forward for Christ.

Renew me, O eternal Light, and let my heart and soul be bright,
Illumined with the light of grace that issues from Your holy face.

Remove the pow’r of sin from me and cleanse all my impurity
That I may have the strength and will temptations of the flesh to still.

Create in me a new heart, Lord, that gladly I obey Your Word.
Let what You will be my desire, and with new life my soul inspire.

Grant that I only You may love and seek those things which are above
Till I behold You face to face, O Light eternal, through Your grace.

(From “Renew Me, O Eternal Light” by Johann Friedrich Ruopp)

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

**********

I’d love to read some of the verses that have renewed your mind! Please feel free to send them to me!

“Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.” 2 Corinthians 3:3

What do you see when you look into a mirror? You should see you! The mirrored glass will reflect whatever is placed in front of it. But there is so much more to each one of us than the image we see. We have an inner being that is also seen by people when they look at you or me. Because of this, I wonder what does my “spiritual mirror” reflect?

According to 2 Corinthians 3:3, I am an “epistle of Christ.” This means that the gospel of Christ should not only be secure in my heart, but it should be outwardly visible to others. When people look at me, they should see Jesus.

As a Christian,  the Holy Spirit works in my life to make me more like Jesus every day. It is by His power that my life is changed spiritually. “And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” (Ezekiel 36:27) I become more and more Christ-like as I grow in my faith, and this change should be evident to others.

Through studying the Bible, exercising my prayer life, fellowshipping with other Christians, I develop a stronger resemblance to Jesus. When will it be finished? Not until Jesus takes me to heaven, but it is ongoing while I am here on earth. “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 1:6) I am a work in progress! Therefore, as time goes on and people look at me, they should see less of me, and more of Jesus!

Earthly pleasures vainly call me;
I would be like Jesus;
Nothing worldly shall enthrall me,
I would be like Jesus. 

Be like Jesus – this my song,
In the home and in the throng;
Be like Jesus, all day long,
I would be like Jesus.

(from “I Would Be Like Jesus” by James Rowe)

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” Ephesians 3:20

**********

Lord, help me to always reflect Christ in my thoughts, my words, and my actions.

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2

Have you ever been driving and suddenly you realize you are at a certain place on the road, but you don’t remember passing the old familiar landmarks along the way? How about the people you saw in church this past week. If you were asked what a person you spoke with had been wearing, could you describe the outfit? Sometimes we miss the details of things we’re looking at because we are not really seeing in depth.

What do you “see” when you “look” at the Lord Jesus Christ?

When I look at Jesus, I see the Son of God, the Saviour of the world who died for me. However, when I take the time to really look, what do I really see in Him? Do I see Jesus willingly sacrificing Himself so that I could have forgiveness of sins? Do I see the betrayal? The beatings? The mockery of a trial? The unbelievable cries to release a rebellious murderer instead of the innocent Son of God? Do I see the hammer striking the nails that penetrated His hands and feet? Do I see Him dying for me? Do I see His victory over death and sin at the resurrection? Do I see the One who is currently preparing a place for me in heaven to live with Him forever? Inow need to see Jesus as my Creator and our Redeemer!

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1:29

What do you “see” when you “look” at your walk with the Lord?

If I “look” at my relationship with Christ, I can easily say I am doing God’s will. I pray; I read the Bible; I go to church. However, when I look deeply, I can see the details of my relationship. How often do I pray? When I read the Bible, is it to mark it off my checklist or am I reading for depth and understanding? When do I attend church? Every time the doors are open or just on Sunday mornings? Am I serving God in any capacity? If I have the ability to teach, am I working in Sunday school or AWANA? What do I really see if I search for the details of my relationship? I need to be a living sacrifice to God, serving Him with my life.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1

What do you “see” when you “look” for the return of Christ?

When I think of the return of Christ, do I look forward to a time when Jesus will return for His church? Do I “see” the signs of the rapture around me? Do I see myself urgently sharing Christ with those who are not yet saved so they won’t be left behind when He comes? Do I “see” the prophetic events in Scripture that have already been fulfilled now pointing to this next event happening in the very near future, or do I merely “look” at the prophesies in Scripture as happening who-knows-when? I need to be diligently looking for the imminent  coming of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

It’s time for me to take a good, long look at Jesus, my service to Him, and my future with Him. I know one day I “shall see Him as He is“, but until then I want to see my faith grow and my walk with Jesus become closer.

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13

Life is offered unto you, hallelujah!
Eternal life thy soul shall have,
If you’ll only look to Him, hallelujah!
Look to Jesus who alone can save.

“Look and live,” my brother, live,
Look to Jesus now, and live;
’Tis recorded in His word, hallelujah!
It is only that you “look and live.”

(from “Look and Live” by William Ogden)

“And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” 2 Kings 6:17

**********

Open my eyes, Lord, that I may see more closely than ever before!

“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.” 2 Corinthians 2:14

Who doesn’t like to win? I sure do! I don’t think of myself as competitive, but I must confess I do like to win. When I considered today’s verse, it took several times of reading it before I realized something. I noticed two very interesting words in the first part of this verse: “always” and “causeth.”

As I pondered these, I realized that this verse tells me that I don’t sometimes win my spiritual battles, but rather I always win because God “always causeth us to triumph in Christ!” The significance of this is knowing that when I am in a spiritual battle, as long as I am standing with Christ, I’m going to be victorious! ALWAYS! It may not be in the time frame for which I hoped or the way that I had anticipated, but I will win!

Additionally, the victories that God has given me will be made known to those around me as His victories, not mine. How? By my life’s testimony. Not through vain, prideful boasting on what I accomplished, but by a humble acknowledgement of what God did for me to bring me through the trial. When I reflect on Christians I’ve known who have come through great tribulations, their testimonies show that God brought them through every one by His grace, His power, and His love.

Whenever you or I go through periods of trouble or testing, rest assured that people are watching us and how we react, especially if they are not believers. Going through those difficult circumstances with an understanding that God is still with us, in control, and faithful to His promises to us, fills our hearts with thanksgiving, and our living testimony speaks more than our words ever could.

I am never going to lose when I am following in Jesus and God’s will. Never!

I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning, of His precious blood’s atoning,
Then I repented of my sins, and won the victory.

O victory in Jesus, My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him, and all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory, beneath the cleansing flood.

(from “Victory in Jesus” by Eugene Bartlett)

“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4

**********

“The greatest faith is born in the hour of despair. When we can see no hope and no way out, then faith rises and brings the victory.” – Lee Roberson

“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22

Have you ever tried to walk on a balance beam? I have, and I found out that I do not have a very good sense of balance. It would only take a teeny push with a finger to knock me off balance, and down I would go. I also know I would definitely fail one of those roadside “walk the line” tests. Not because of being inebriated, but simply because I cannot walk a straight line!

In life, it’s easy for troubles to offset us. In our Christian life, we struggle to walk the straight and narrow path that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 7:14, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” I know that when I am consumed by problems, uncertainties, worries, etc., my walk in faith seems to meander. My burdens make me lose my footing, and I stumble through life often ending up far away from the Lord. How do I get back to the path of righteousness and stay on it?

I must remember that I have a light that guides my way. John 8:12 states, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” When I focus on Him, I have the light of His Word to guide me and help me stay on the path, but what do I do about those burdens? They can cast such dark shadows along my life’s pathway, that I can easily be knocked off the strait and narrow way.

The Bible tells me that Jesus wants me to give Him all of my burdens. 1 Peter 5:7 states, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” This is so important, yet I am often very reluctant to do so. I don’t know why I want to hold on to them, but I do! Even when I “give” my burdens to God, I try and take them back! Sometimes, I cast them toward God, but there’s a long string attached, and I find myself pulling them back toward me! Their heaviness threatens to drag me off the way I should go, and when I refuse to let go, I am yanked off that path of righteousness. If I truly give my problems to Jesus, He promises to take them completely and give me His peace and rest! (Matthew 11:28).

So, my responsibility is to give God everything that I worry about, everything that might hinder my walk with Christ; anything that might take my eyes of His glorious light or weigh me down in my Christian life. Then I must choose to trust that God will sustain me. While I may not see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, I must believe that God will uphold me and keep me from the way that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13). I must remember that He will not allow me to be moved from his paths of righteousness when I depend upon Him. “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:6

I am weak, but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I’ll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.

Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

(from “Just a Closer Walk With Thee,” author unknown)

“He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Psalm 23:3

**********

“Just as Christian came up to the Cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, fell from off his back, and began to tumble down the hill, and so it continued to do till it came to the mouth of the sepulchre. There it fell in, and I saw it no more!” ― John Bunyan, Pilgrim’s Progress

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Genesis 1:27

My dad was a big guy… literally. Everyone called him “Guy,” which was our family name. His side of the family came from Ireland and Scotland, so his complexion was very fair. His eyes were sky blue, and before turning gray, he had hair the color of sun-streaked straw. For a while, he played guitar and the bass professionally. His upbringing was not the easiest, which may have been one of the reasons why he left home at 17 to join the US Navy. He wasn’t a perfect man, but he was my father, and I loved him dearly!

If you look at me, you wouldn’t automatically see that we were related. My skin is olive colored; my eyes are brown. My hair (again, pre-gray years) was dark brown, almost black. But if you look closely, there are many similarities. For example, we happen to have identical birthmarks! Second, we both have a natural talent for music. He could sing; I can sing. He could play guitar; I can play guitar. He could write music; I can write music. Third, we have the same family ancestry. Because there are so many other characteristics we both share, there is no doubt he is my dad.

There are those who believe that I am a distant relative of an ancient bacterium that eventually evolved into what I am today. I’ve never heard of a bacterium that could display any kind of emotion. I’ve never seen a bacterium that could sing. I see no family resemblance. Definitely not my father.

Some say that primates and me have a common ancestor. Well, I’ve never seen a gorilla that can walk upright. Yes, they can do so for a very short amount of time, but most of the time, they walk on all fours. Social emotions like love, empathy, and guilt are not found in primates. Family units (mother-father-child) are also missing. We have the ability to use comprehensive speech and the ability to infer what others think by behaviors. Not them. No, there is no family connection here. There is no shared ancestry. A few similar physical characteristics, like an opposable thumb, does not make a chimp my father.

By definition, a father is one who begets, or the male who nurtures and raises a child. My dad and I are tied to one another in so many ways. Genetically, our DNA can prove we are related. Emotionally, we have a family tie that is unbreakable. Physically, we share lots of similarities. Historically, we can trace the commonalities in our ancestry. It is quite clear that I am the image of my father. It’s indisputable.

It is the same with my heavenly Father. While I am not omniscient, omnipotent, or omnipresent as God is, if you look closely, there are so many characteristics that connect us. For instance, I have a heart that can love. I can bestow mercy upon others. I can raise my voice in song. I can help where there is a need. I can encourage others. I have a soul within me that is eternal. Just like my earthly father, there is no doubt to whom I belong spiritually. I am a child of God, and I was created by Him for a purpose. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

I am a special creation. “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” (Psalm 139:14) To believe otherwise is foolishness.

I know I was created in the image of God. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:” (Genesis 1:26) He is my heavenly Father now and forever!

You will notice we say “brother and sister” ’round here,
It’s because we’re a family and these are so near;
When one has a heartache, we all share the tears,
And rejoice in each victory in this family so dear.

I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God,
I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I’m part of the family, the family of God.

(from “The Family of God” by Bill & Gloria Gaither)

“Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” Isaiah 43:7

**********

Earthly fathers may disappoint, but our heavenly Father never does!

“O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.” Psalm 34:3

Do you ever wonder why we worship God? I was thinking about this, and at first, my mind wandered to things that God has done for me. It’s easy to worship Him when I think about the prayers He has answered for me. Then I thought, ‘If God never answered my prayers, would there still be a reason to worship Him?’ Of course the right answer is “yes,” but why is that the right answer? Here’s what I’ve learned over the years that explain my reasons to worship God regardless of what He does or doesn’t do for me.

1. God is holy. “Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.” (Psalm 99:9)
2. God is merciful. “The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.” (Psalm 145:8)
3. God is righteous. “Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.” (Psalm 119:142)
4. God is infinite. “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:7)
5. God is immutable. “For I am the LORD, I change not;” (Malachi 3:6)
6. God is wise. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33)
7. God is faithful. “Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;” (Deuteronomy 7:9)
8. God is forgiving. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
9. God is love. “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4:8)
10. God keeps His Word. “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19)

These are so many more reasons as to why God alone is worthy of our worship, but the most important reason to exalt the name of the Lord is simply because He is God. “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me:” (Isaiah 45:5)

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

(from “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Reginald Heber)

“Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” Exodus 15:11

**********

Have you ever noticed that “God” is pronounced “G-awe-d”? Coincidence? I think not.

“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” Psalm 86:5

God is good, no doubt about it! All that He does is good, whether I understand it or not. One of those “good” things He does is offer forgiveness. Not once, not twice, but anytime I call upon His name! It doesn’t matter what I’ve done, or how many times I’ve done it. No sin is too grievous; no amount of sins is too many. No sin that I confess before Him is refused forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 tells us “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” That is overwhelming to think about! God will always be “ready to forgive” me! All I have to do is call upon His name!

Not only does God forgive, but He dispenses unlimited mercy. Psalm 136:2 says, “O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Mercy refers to withholding a punishment that someone deserves. Since God is a just God, (Psalm 89:14), He must judge sin for what it is. The Bible says in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death…” but because of God’s mercy, the verse continues with “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” That’s mercy. We all deserve death in our sins, but God offers us life through His Son.

Why does He do this? Because He loves us beyond comprehension. Ephesians 2:4-5 records, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” How blessed it is to be loved by God!

How deep the Father’s love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He would give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One
Bring many sons to glory

(from “How Deep the Father’s Love” by Stuart Townend)

“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.” John 3:16

**********

Forgiveness and mercy are just a prayer away!

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

As parents-to-be, I remember scouring through a plethora of potential names for our baby using a book entitled, “3,500 Names for Baby.” There was a boy section and a girl section, and each name had its meaning listed. We contemplated several different ones until we finally settled on the perfect name for our child. What a joy it was to finally see him and name him!

It wasn’t until modern times that there was a book of baby names for prospective parents. Before that time, many parents chose family names, as some still do today, but there were a few very special couples who were told by God what to name their children, and the significance of those babies’ names stands out.

For example, Abraham was told the name of his son as recorded in Genesis 17:19. “And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.” Isaac means “he will laugh.” Remember how Abraham and Sarah both laughed at the idea of having a child in their old age? (Genesis 17:17, 18:12)

Another father-to-be, Zacharias, was told the name of his son by an angel. Luke 1:13 records, “But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.” The name John means “God’s gracious gift,” and it truly was for Zacharias and Elisabeth were well beyond childbearing age.

Lastly, there was Joseph, who was told by an angel in a dream that he was to be the earthly father of God’s own Son, and that he should name the child, Jesus. In this instance, the angel actually tells Joseph the meaning of the name. “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). The name Jesus means “the Lord saves.”

As the angel continued explaining to Joseph about the miraculous conception of Jesus, it also added a second name that Jesus would be known by. “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matthew 1:23).

What perfect names to describe our Redeemer-to-be. “Jesus” because He would eventually pay the price to “redeem” us from our sins demonstrating that He is the “Lord who saves.” Hebrews 9:12 states, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” He was also known as “Emmanuel” because God came to live with His creation as a man in order to become our Saviour. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1, 14) God was truly with us!

There is no other person that can forgive our sins and save our souls. Who He is and what He did is remembered by His given names of “Jesus” and “Emmanuel.” Blessed be the name of the Lord! He is truly worthy of our praise and worship!

There have been names that I have loved to hear,
But never has there been a name so dear
To this heart of mine, as the name divine,
The precious, precious name of Jesus.

Jesus is the sweetest name I know,
And He’s just the same as His lovely name,
And that’s the reason why I love Him so;
Oh, Jesus is the sweetest name I know.

(from “Jesus is the Sweetest Name I Know” by Lela Long)

“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:10-11

**********

During my visit to Israel, I was told that this olive tree pictured above was one of the oldest in Gethsemane. Perhaps Jesus spent some time in the shade of this very tree when He walked among us!

“Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.” Hebrews 12:12-13

When I wake up in the morning, I hurt. My hip aches, and my knees are stiff. After a bit of movement, the pains diminish, and I can move around with ease once again, but it takes some time to get these joints lubricated and able to move without discomfort. Once that happens though, I am able to go about my daily activities without giving too much thought to my aging body until I do something that forces my hip or knees to remind me that they are not as young as they used to be. When a jolt of pain shoots up from these areas, I remember that I can’t twist and turn like before, and I need to step carefully, remembering my limitations. Despite my mind’s faulty belief that I can do anything, my “feeble knees” insist otherwise, so I choose the better, safer way to move about. It’s a lot less painful!

My spiritual life is a lot like my physical life. At times, I find myself aching from discouragement. I hurt from disappointment. I am downtrodden with heavy burdens. My limp hands do not rise in prayer and worship, and my feeble knees struggle to walk the straight and narrow way that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 7:14, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” When these obstacles cause me to veer off the pathway (Christian life) that God has set before me, I encounter even more stumbling blocks (ways of the world), and it’s so easy to for me to trip and fall. In order for me to get up and return to the path upon which God would have me walk, I must be revived!

Revival comes from God. Psalm 138:7 states, “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.” As I open the Bible, I find words of encouragement to return to the path that leads to everlasting life, and I can agree with John Bunyan, who wrote in Pilgrim’s Progress, “Though the hill is high, I still desire to walk up it. I don’t care how difficult it is, because I understand that it leads to the way of life.” But getting up is not enough. I must learn how to keep from being “turned out of the way.”

So how do I stay on the narrow way? I must keep my eyes focused on the path. Proverbs 4:25-26 says, “Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.” To do this, I must read the Bible daily and meditate upon its precepts. I must keep an open line of communication with God through on-going prayer. I must follow the footsteps of Jesus!

This will keep me from the crooked paths of the world and remove its obstacles out of my way, so that I need not stumble and entirely fall. I will still face afflictions that will be disheartening at times, but with God’s help against these, I must make every effort to overcome so that when my life is over, I will know that “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” (2 Timothy 4:7).

Sweetly, Lord, have we heard Thee calling,
Come, follow Me!
And we see where Thy footprints falling
Lead us to Thee.

Footprints of Jesus,
That make the pathway glow;
We will follow the steps of Jesus
Where’er they go.

(from “Footsteps of Jesus” by Mary B. Slade)

“He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.” Proverbs 21:21

**********

“A man ought to live so that everybody knows he is a Christian.” – Dwight L. Moody