God's GPS
Bayless Conley
Hebrews 13:20-21 are two verses that give me great encouragement,
Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
These verses teach us that God is working in us all the time to bring us to maturity—our destiny in Christ.
A friend of mine shared a brilliant illustration of this one time. He likened God's guidance to that of the Global Positioning System (GPS), one of those systems they now have in cars that guides you to your destination.
A GPS system uses a satellite to give an aerial view, and its sole function is to get you to your destination, your "destiny."
As you travel to your destination, you have a map on the screen, and this little annoying voice talking to you through the whole trip, "Left turn a quarter mile ahead; left turn 150 feet ahead; left turn 50 feet ahead."
If you miss your turn, it immediately computes a new course for you so you can get back to where you are supposed to be. And if you mess up on those directions, it then computes another new course.
In the same way, God has a destiny for us to fulfill, something that fits into His great master plan. By His grace, He is guiding us all the way, even when we get off track. God just readjusts and says, "This is the next thing you need to do to get back into My plan."
Through His "GPS," He is always working to get us where we need to be. Praise God!
Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God.
The Moments that Sustain Us
Dr. Charles Stanley
Psalm 145:1-5
When life falls apart, how do you cope? All of us face circumstances that challenge our peace—and some of these situations are very painful and prolonged. Unless we have purposeful focus, joy fades and hope seems unattainable.
King David experienced extreme hardships, including the profound grief of losing a child and a best friend. And King Saul, for selfish reasons, pursued him in an attempt to take his life. Later, David’s own son led a rebellion against him. As drastic as these trials are, they were just four of the many difficulties he endured. Yet even in times of deep suffering, David found hope and peace in God.
How was his soul sustained when others in similar situations would have drowned in despair? David knew how to meditate. He focused his mind and spirit on God—His character, ways, and will—in order to know the Lord better and to obey Him.
We should be following David’s example. Our role during difficulty is to set our eyes on our heavenly Father and meditate on His Word. The Psalms document the depth and passion for which the shepherd and soon-to-be king delighted himself in God. By continually pondering the attributes and ways of the Lord, he found solace in the midst of turmoil.
What subjects consume your thoughts during the day? Do you have time set aside to dwell solely on the Lord? Perhaps you can remind yourself periodically to bring your attention back to your Creator—one way is to read several of the Psalms and notice how the author refocuses on the almighty God.
For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org
You Are Born to Win!
Pastor Adrian Rogers
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
When you were born again you were born to win! Your new birth in Jesus Christ has fitted you for victory. You can detect Satan’s schemes and overcome his world system. You can “march to the beat of a different drummer.” You can live with victory over the desires of your flesh. Habits, attitudes, unclean desires, worries, and dissipation must yield as you exercise authority over your mind, emotions, and will. You can actually put Satan and his demons to flight. You don’t have to be afraid of him—he will be afraid of you!
Are you feeling defeated about something? Say this out loud, “I was born to win!” Doesn’t that feel good? Now, look in the mirror and say it again! “I was born to win!”
For more from Love Worth Finding and Pastor Adrian Rogers, please visit www.lwf.org.
Audience of One - Ain't No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down
1 comment:
God's GPS. An excellent analogy.
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