Category Archives: Guidance

Putting Out Fires!

Posted on by
Reply

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, I will guide you with My eye. -Psalm 32:8 NKJV
1024px-2011-08-04_20_00_00_Susie_Fire_in_the_Adobe_Range_west_of_Elko_Nevada (1)

At times, our lives can feel like they are “careening out of control, so much so that you feel like a firefighter running from here to there, extinguishing fires breaking out in your life or the lives of those around you.” (Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women) Everywhere we look their are new issues threatening to burst into flames. And then, there are those explosions that take us by surprise. How can we find peace with all that is happening around us? But, we can’t let outer circumstances control our lives. What we see, hear, and feel around us tends tamper with our emotions. But, we can’t let our emotions control us, or else they will become like fuel thrown into the fires in our lives. As you can understand, uncontrolled emotions only exacerbate the problems in our lives.

We have to stop, drop, and roll.

1. Stop immediately reacting to our emotions
2. Drop to our knees and pray
3. Roll into listening mode

 stop drop and roll 042213_0138_ThinkLikeGo1

1. Stop immediately reacting to our emotions

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” – James 1:19 NIV

2. Drop to our knees and pray

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”-Philippians 4:6-7NIV

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”-John 5:14NIV

3. Roll into listening mode

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth…” -John 16:13

For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”-Luke 12:12 ESV

As Christians, we need to let the Holy Spirit lead us instead of our emotions.

“When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.”- Psalm 91:15 ESV

That way, we allow God to rescue us from the fires in our lives. Amen.

 

Reference:

Brigitta Nortker, comp. 3-Minute Devotionals For Women. Uhrichsville: Barbour, Ohio. Print.

Crossroads

Posted on by
Reply

“Trust  in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In
all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6

 Crossroads

“Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.” – Judges 6:36-40

Have you ever asked God for a sign? Have you ever prayed that if one thing came to pass, you would take the next step? Maybe you haven’t gone so far as to ask God for a sign. Maybe you don’t have as much doubt or disbelief as Gideon had. Or maybe you aren’t as bold as Gideon. You have to admit Gideon was pretty audacious to ask God for another sign after he had already asked God for a second sign, and God had given it to him. “Amazingly God wasn’t angry with Gideon for his disbelief. God met Gideon where he was. Gideon’s faith was growing; that’s what mattered to God. When we feel inadequate about our qualifications for the job God has given us, we can take a page from Gideon’s book. Gideon didn’t hold back his fear of failure. He needed God’s reassurance and patience in his faith walk, and God lovingly provided both.”(Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women, p. 303) Perhaps, signs like the ones Gideon asked for are a thing of the Old Testament. Or, perhaps it would be considered disrespectful or foolish to ask God for a sign. But, we can always pray and ask God for His guidance in every step of our lives. “The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” – Psalm 32:8 He is faithful and patient with us. He is always there to listen to us and provide us the patience necessary to wait for His guidance and timing. And, if we quiet ourselves before Him and listen, He will provide us with the reassurance we need to take the next step. Amen.

Reference:

Brigitta Nortker, comp. 3-Minute Devotionals For Women. Uhrichsville: Barbour, Ohio. Print.