Stepping Forward into Life

Our steps are ordered by the Lord. He makes our steps secure.

I was reading Proverb 14 one night and stopped on verse 15, which says, "A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thoughts to his steps" (NIV). Now, this verse didn't have a reference beside it in the Leadership Bible I was reading from; but it made me curious because I know there are a lot of verses on being simple and on the idea of steps. Knowing that Proverb 16 has a few verses on the topic, I came across verse 9 which mentions, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps" (NIV). 

The idea of planning prior to going anywhere or doing anything has been recommended to me over the years. I have heard it said that one hour of planning can save you ten hours of wasted time each week. I am all about being productive and if planning helps with productivity, I am in. 

In the Leadership Bible (NIV) version, beside Proverb 16:9 there is a reference to Jeremiah 10:23, where Jeremiah is praying to the Lord after being told about the coming destruction to Judah. Jeremiah humbly states, "I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps (Jeremiah 10:23 NIV)". You're probably questioning: do we really have control over where we go, and what we do? I believe the answer is yes, because God has given us the chance to choose, "Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!" (Deuteronomy 30:19 NLT). So the choice is ours in how we take our steps, but somehow the Lord is still the one who orders and directs them. 

Today's verse of the day in the YouVersion Bible App is from Psalm 40:1-2, "I waited patiently for the LORD, he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure" (ESV). The psalmist, David, found himself in the pit of destruction and in the miry bog, and he waited patiently for God to rescue him. He had as choice in the steps he took and somehow they got him in a state of needing rescue. Oh, aren't we all in need of rescuing? 

Each day, we are given a choice in the steps we take, but our steps are only secure when they are ordered by the Lord. He is our rock and our way maker. 

Be blessed.

Increase in Wealth - Tuesday Morning Bible Study

It started in Psalm 73, I wanted to read it last night but got a phone call from a friend who needed some encouragement. This morning I am taking time to read, which is rare these days, but since the kids are at daycare the Lord has granted me some time to read and study His word. Let me see if I can connect the pieces today.

While reading through Psalm 73 in the Leadership Study Bible (NIV) I found on my bookshelf, verse 12 put me on pause... "This is what the wicked are like - always carefree, they increase in wealth." It's been a hard season financially for us, maybe that's why I was wondering how the wicked can simply increase in wealth in a carefree manner... oh to be carefree like a child again. Forget about being wicked, that's not my jam. 

Beside each verse of this particular Bible is a corresponding verse. Psalm 73:12 references Psalm 49:6, which says, "those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?" this verse is midsentence, so we have to go back to the beginning of it, which is the verse prior, to gain better understanding of what's being said. "Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me - those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?" (Psalm 49:5-6 NIV). Again we see that the wicked are wealthy, but this time, the one who trusts in and reveres the Lord, does not have to fear the evil days their faced with. Those evil days are when the wicked deceivers surround them. 

Next to Psalm 49:6 was the reference to Job 31:24, but again the surrounding verses needed to be read, so I will quote from Job 31:24 and 28, "If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, "You are my security"... then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high." Job was being accused that he had trusted in his wealth, and that is why he was in the dyer state that we find him in, but here he is defending his case knowing that God is sovereign over all and it would be a sin to place his trust in anything other than God. It makes me consider God is so much greater than gold, we cannot find true security in the material or monetary possessions of this world.

Which leads us to the next verse referenced, from Job 31:24 we are taken over to Job 22:25, "then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you." Once again, we are midsentence, but in this case, the lightbulb went off and I was strongly reminded that God himself is my source. I never knew the Word of God called God gold! How cool is that? He's our provider of good things, and He Himself is the good thing we need! The verse being midsentence still led me to read the whole passage, so from verse 21 to 30, I basically gathered that when we follow in God's ways and delight in Him, He hears our prayer and will deliver us. Going back to the concept of wealth, in Job 22:21 it plainly states, "Submit to God and be at peace with Him; in this way prosperity will come to you." God tells us the keys to wealth, and it's through obedience and submission to Him.

But it's not over, Job 22:25 then led me to Isaiah 33:6, which moves away from earthly wealth but it still speaks of treasure. Isaiah 33:6 says, "He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure." Salvation and wisdom and knowledge money cannot buy, but for those who have it, they are rich. 

The treasure we have in Christ is a mystery; God has made it so that salvation came through His Son so we could be in relationship with Him. And when we have Christ in our hearts, therein lays the treasure in earthen vessels, as it says in 2 Corinthians 4:7, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."

My encouragement to you, dear reader, is to get a physical copy of the Bible and just spend time in the Word. The Lord can show up in ways we never expected and we can grow and leave changed by the power of His Holy Spirit. God bless.