By Charles Stanley
Also available as a podcast at: http://thelife.com/blogs/experience/kindle/2008/07/16/your-paths-made-plain-3/
** How can we better hear God’s voice in our lives? Take our online interactive study “Learning to Listen to God”: http://thelife.com/study/listening.html?section=listen_god
“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, KJV)
A young seminary graduate came to see me while he was investigating various possibilities of Christian service. In particular, he had come to discuss the ministry of Campus Crusade.
“In what way do you expect God to reveal His place of service for you?” I asked him.
“I’m following the ‘closed-door policy,’” he replied.” A few months ago I began to investigate several opportunities for Christian service. The Lord has now closed the door on all but two, one of which is Campus Crusade. If the door to accept a call to a particular church closes, I’ll know that God wants me in Campus Crusade.”
Many sincere Christians follow this method - often with most unsatisfactory and frustrating results. God does sometimes use closed doors in the life of a Spirit-controlled Christian, as the apostle Paul experienced on different occasions, but generally one does not discover God’s perfect will through a careless “hit-or-miss” attitude that ignores a careful evaluation of all the issues.
Such an approach is illogical because it allows elements of chance to influence a decision rather than a careful, intelligent, prayerful evaluation of all the factors involved. It is unscriptural in that it fails to employ the God-given faculties of reason that are controlled by the Holy Spirit.
Why not follow the “open-door policy” of Proverbs 3:5,6, trusting God for His clear direction? This is God’s provision for supernatural living.
Question: Do you need God’s guidance in a particular area of your life? Have you asked Him to guide you?
About this Author: http://thelife.com/experience/devotionalformen/authors/charles-stanley/
3 Comments
Feed for this entry
Trackback Address
July 16th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
” For my yoke is good and my burden is light ” Mt. 11:30.
Jesus plays with the two words ‘yoke’ and ‘load’, for the Jews used to call ‘load’ the divine teachings imparted to pupils, and ‘yoke’ the balancing of the teacher’s sentences, which should be learned by heart. The ‘yoke’ of which Jesus speaks is a leather harness that would fasten around the neck of an animal. A good yoke is one that fits the animal in a secure yet comfortable manner. In our case, the Word of God is the ‘yoke’ that is custom made for the human person. God’s commandments are not burdensome, but fit the human person perfectly.
When we follow the teachings of Jesus we are connected to a ‘yoke’ that allows us to do our very best for the sake of the Kingdom, all in a manner that fits our human nature with absolute perfection. Jesus, the patient and humble teacher, enables us to see the mercy of God in our lives and in our own cross. He shows us the love of God even in the requirements of the Law. Only God is Good; and good is the authority of Christ.
Francis Andrew
July 17th, 2008 at 7:09 am
Awesome! This scripture Proverbs 3:5-6 has been coming to me in a variety of ways for the past four weeks. yesterday when i was walking on my lunch break, my heart was a little heavy and i started repeating this scripture, Trust…. Soon I began to feel better and directed. I began to smile at strangers and my spirit was lifted. I know Jesus is with me. I know He is! No matter what the circumstances might be Jesus is there for you too! He loves us! Last night as I fell asleep, I kept asking God to hold me and He did because the next thing I knew the alarm was sounding. I know the road is not easy and i know that there will be times I want to give in and play hard, e.g, buy some wine and drown my sorrows, BUT I don’t have to because Jesus knows everything about me. I will trust in Him with all of my Heart, I will not take into consideration my understanding. I will keep acknowledging God and I do believe He will direct my path! Francis, Thank you for the sweet words, I didn’t know the yoke was the word of God. It makes so much sense. His word is easy.
July 17th, 2008 at 7:11 am
Thank you! Awesome! This scripture Proverbs 3:5-6 has been coming to me in a variety of ways for the past four weeks. Yesterday when i was walking on my lunch break, my heart was a little heavy and i started repeating this scripture, Trust…. Soon I began to feel better and directed. I began to smile at strangers and my spirit was lifted. I know Jesus is with me. I know He is! No matter what the circumstances might be Jesus is there for you too! He loves us! Last night as I fell asleep, I kept asking God to hold me and He did because the next thing I knew the alarm was sounding. I know the road is not easy and i know that there will be times I want to give in and play hard, e.g, buy some wine and drown my sorrows, BUT I don’t have to because Jesus knows everything about me. I will trust in Him with all of my Heart, I will not take into consideration my understanding. I will keep acknowledging God and I do believe He will direct my path! Francis, Thank you for the sweet words, I didn’t know the yoke was the word of God. It makes so much sense. His word is easy.