Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans. -
Proverbs 16:3
As shared in the post Unlimited
Potential with God, Israel was not faithful to God and their future was
not going to be easy. The lesson for us is to reach out and grab the upper hand
of God by setting aside time to study the Word and spending time in prayer.
Here is an idea for today.
Instead of taking breaks today, have a praise the Lord prayer time asking for
direction for the rest of the day. First, watch this video poem and take every
opportunity during pauses throughout the day to watch this video poem; to pray
and ask for guidance: This Day with God.
God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. - 1
Corinthians 6:14
The vision written about in the
post “Life Has Strains but Hope Remains”,
reminds us that there is always hope because Christ brings changes in life.
Just like Israel that was destroyed and then transformed, there is a redemptive
purpose in God’s judgment that changes the future for the better.
Even in hard times, hope remains
because He reigns and we can have joy because of the inspiration we gain in the
events around Easter. Throughout life, there will be difficulty but hope
remains in front of us just as in this video: Hope in Front of Me – Danny Gokey and
we will come out stronger on the other side.
All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more
and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet
inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
In the post “Reward for the Soul”, the rich and powerful
had oppressed the poor and there was idol worship throughout the land. The time
had come for God’s judgment. Just like in the times of Amos, people today look
for answers to life’s problems in the wrong places.
As the main point in this song: First – Lauren Daigle, the solution to
our challenges each day can be found by seeking God first before anything else.
Enjoy today’s inspiring music and have a blessed day?
Teach me, and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong. - Job
6:24
We can’t be assured of the
proper guidance from experts or by using apps or maps. Experts can have many misses as they tell us what is best for us in
our life. That’s why the greatest learning in life comes from God’s Word and by
following His Way.
That’s not to say that we can’t
learn from others but many times, the whizzes in certain fields tend to have an
agenda. Keep in mind that those who have our best interest in mind are the ones
to follow; people like our parents and grandparents.
One time, my daughter stayed
with her cousins in my hometown about 60 miles east of where we currently live.
I was going over to pick her up but on the way over, I ran into a
downpour. It was so much rain that a part
of the highway that goes under a railroad track was flooded. Being from that
town, I remembered my dad and grandfather taking another route nearby that went
over the tracks instead of under the tracks and then back onto the highway. I
took the route and noticed behind me about five other vehicles following me.
No map or app showed the way but
experience and following what I had learned growing up got us to where we
needed to go. It is much the same in a life with Christ. The experiences we go
through and learning how Jesus lived as recorded in the Gospels will lead us to
where we need to go.
Some days seem like a fight. We
have doubt and we have things that happen that brings us to our knees. It is
during these times that we need to go to the ONE who knows. The experts in
various fields may have a personal agenda but God has our best interest in mind
so lift up your eyes to Him today and receive inspiration from today’s video: He Knows – Jeremy Camp.
Let us, then, feel very sure that we can come before God’s throne where
there is grace. There we can receive mercy and grace to help us when we need
it. - Hebrews 4:16
Many times throughout the
history of mankind, nations have gone astray. Such is the case as written about
in the post “Actions to Take Now for the Good
Life”. Amos was telling the people that there is a process that does bless God’s people; a way to change
course away from their sins which included the oppression of the innocent,
taking bribes, depriving the poor of justice, and idol worship to mention just
a few.
Here we are in current times and
the warning from Amos continues to apply in the present. Many nations
throughout the world do not seek the Lord first. Even the United States of
America in which the motto is “One Nation Under God” has lost their way as
leaders no longer put an emphasis on integrity and upholding justice.
Albert Einstein once said “Learn
from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not
to stop questioning”. We must continue
to question: What does God want in the lives of His people? How can each
individual take action now to seek what God has for them?
Learning is a life-long process
so let us take every opportunity to ask questions, seek answers, and share with
others. God wants His people to seek every good thing and glorify His name. Let
us begin at this moment to give praise to the ONE who made this amazing
universe as we are inspired by this video: Lifesong– Casting Crowns.
A person's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone
understand their own way? - Proverbs 20:24
The journey of life without God
can prove to be one big bumpy road. That’s why we should all have a passion to
return to the ONE who has formed the mountains, created the wind, and reveals
His thoughts to us daily. Then the bumps along the journey will not be as
troublesome.
In the post “The Way to Assuring a Great Day” are some
thoughts/ideas on what can be done to live the way God advises in His Word.
Here is a video poem that I produced with these thoughts in mind: This Day with God.
A person's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone
understand their own way? - Proverbs 20:24
In the post, “Doing the Right Thing”, written about was
how Israel was heading down the wrong path and that God’s judgment would come
upon that nation. In many ways, the world today is not that different than
during the time of Amos.
A lesson learned is that we need
to listen, know God’s
plan for us, make adjustments in life if necessary, and take action on
doing the right thing. Here’s a video that highlights these thoughts and
inspires us to do the right thing: Come
Let Us Return to the Lord – Matt Redman.
