“Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for He shall pluck my feet out of the net.”

-Psalm 25:15

Four years ago when I got my learner’s permit, one of the first things I learned about driving was not to watch the cars around me. I know keeping your eyes on the road sounds like common sense to most people, but as a new driver my natural tendency was to keep an especially close eye on the surrounding traffic. The passing SUV, the oncoming 18-wheeler, the pedestrian in the crosswalk – all of these were things which demanded my attention, but the moment I made them my primary focus I would inevitably begin to swerve in that direction. It didn’t matter how much I intended to avoid them; if my eyes weren’t on the road ahead, it became impossible for me to drive straight.

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Four years ago when I became a Christian, one of the first things I learned about serving God was not to be distracted by the world around me. I know keeping your eyes on Christ may sound like common sense to some people, but as a new believer my natural tendency was to keep an especially close eye on the things of earth. The evening news, our failing economy, my future – all of these were things which demanded my attention, but the moment I gave them preeminence to my walk with God I inevitably began to lose sight of eternity. It didn’t matter how much I desired to be spiritually minded; if my eyes weren’t on the path ahead, it became impossible for me to walk the straight and narrow (Rom. 8:6; Matt. 7:14).

“Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”

-Isaiah 45:22

Perhaps you, too, have learned the hard way what happens when you take your eyes off of God. The tug of secondary priorities seemed a lot more noticeable than the still, small voice of God and now you’re stuck in a rut with no idea how to get out (1 Kings 19:12). If this is you, understand that getting out of a mess is as simple as getting into one: simply look in the right direction. “The LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.” (Isaiah 59:1) All He asks is that you turn to Him (Deut. 4:29-31).

 

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

               -Romans 8:28

More than six months of car shopping culminated yesterday afternoon with the purchase of my first car….Well, my second first car that is. Back in January I had a not-so-pleasant experience with a ‘99 Ford Taurus that I owned for a grand total of three full days, discovering after less than 100 miles that it had a bad transmission that would ultimately cost more to fix than the car was worth.

Of course just like any other guy my age, owning my first car has always been a dream of mine and one I was excited to see become a reality. And even though the bank preapproved me for a sizable loan without requiring a cosigner, no amount of prayer could give me peace about starting off my adult life in debt. (Thankfully I have a great mom who let me drive her car to my part time job while I saved up enough to pay cash.)  So I worked and saved for six months, and then all of my prayers led me to believe I was supposed to buy the car that I had to return less than a week later. I was confused, angry and very discouraged.

Some would say I misunderstood God’s leading. After all, where does a bad transmission fit into Jeremiah 29:11? Even after grappling with this question for the past 2+ months I’m not sure I can give the perfect answer to that question, although I do think God had a purpose in all of what took place. Didn’t God say that the trial of our faith worketh patience (James 1:3)? Without trying to sound sarcastic, I certainly think patience is more important than a seamless transition into my first car.

Maybe you’ve never had a car go bad three days after buying it, but I’m confident a large majority of my readers have faced their share of situations they didn’t understand. Even after “praying it through”, know that you still won’t understand all of the unexpected curveballs that come your way in life. But even when nothing is falling into place the way you think it should, trust that God has a purpose much higher, wiser, and greater than you thought He did (Isaiah 55:9). He usually does.

 

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

                -Jeremiah 29:11

As do all young people, I spent a good part of my earlier youth looking forward to the privileges that come along with being an adult. I wanted to drive my own car, work at my own job, and fill those numerous credit card slots which lined the inside of my wallet. Ordering something off of TV would be the next step, of course, though I can’t really think of anything I’m just dying to have four of at the moment. (Am I the only one who’s noticed you can never buy just one of anything anymore?)

Even if you never shared those exact ambitions, I’m sure you can remember what it was like having your own list of things to do on that day when you finally grew up. For most of us that day came much sooner than we ever dreamed and we suddenly found ourselves faced with a handful of privileges and a truckload full of new responsibilities. In my own experience, those boring typing lessons from 6th grade suddenly became a valuable asset to take with me as I looked for my first job, while getting  credit card has been officially been marked off of my to-do list. Simply put, preparing for future responsibilities has proven far more important than buying that dream car or owning a checkbook.

Now, for all of you nodding in agreement, consider this:

What aspect of your current future do you most look forward to? Owning a home? Getting married? Taking your son to Little League practice? For every privilege you hope to one day lay claim to there’s at least a dozen more responsibilities which will come along with it. You say you can’t wait to be a mother, but are you really strong enough to bear the unique responsibility of parenthood?

With all the uncertainties inherent to planning one’s future, one thing is absolutely certain: just as suddenly as you found yourself driving that new car or casting your first ballot, so, too, will you find yourself a spouse, a grandparent, or retiree. Waiting until tomorrow before preparing for it leaves a person with very little time to get ready and is a mistake none of us can afford to make. Are you prepared?

 

 

“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

                      -Proverbs 16:25

We’ve all heard it said to follow our heart. Especially when it comes to things like who to marry or what career to pursue, the #1 answer you’ll get from this world is to just do what feels right. And though the idea might be good in theory, there have many occasions where “following my heart” led me in the wrong direction and left me wishing for a do-over. As today’s Scripture so clearly puts it, the way that seems right to us usually isn’t.

“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

There is a reason why the Word of God is filled with Scriptures like this which tell us not to act on emotion or logic: to put it quite simply, our logic is distorted.  When we make a decision, we’re likely to base it on how much we gain and how little we lose. When God guides us, however, He sees the big picture. He doesn’t care if we make a lot of money or have a lot of success; He cares about our soul, and will do whatever it takes to lead us safely to Heaven. The path He chooses for us might be rougher in some ways, but it’s the only one that will get us where we need to go.

As I mentioned a few days ago, it’s important to make sure one’s heart is in the right place because, no matter how hard we try to avoid it, it will inevitably influence the choices we make from day to day. But when it comes to making conscious decisions about something in your life, the only heart you should be following is God’s. His heart will never lead you wrong.

 

In life, it’s very easy to become so consumed with what goes on around us that we forget the importance of “watching our step.” Whether we neglect to pray about crucial decisions, don’t spend enough time reading the Word, or start compromising in areas God has dealt with us about, we can be sure that trouble lies ahead when we begin pushing God to the sidelines of our day-to-day lives.

In Psalm 119:133, David prayed that his steps be ordered according to God’s Word. That is, he wanted every single thing he did to be pleasing to the Lord. So it should be in our lives, that every step we take is not only acceptable in God’s sight, but directed by Him. We don’t  simply want to be in His permissive will, only sliding by and seeing how much we can get away with; we want to be in His perfect will, doing all that He’s called us to do with a pure and holy heart. It is only then – when our steps are ordered by the Lord – that we can run full speed ahead and not stumble. (Proverbs 4:12)

Over the course of a long journey, even one step off the beaten path can result in a person becoming miserably lost in the wilderness. It is no less true that, in our walk with the Lord, making one decision without His guidance could potentially cause a lifetime of hurt and frustration. Taking  the wrong job, attending the wrong college, or marrying the wrong person are all choices that will often irreversibly damage your life. On the other hand, however, ensuring that you are in the Divine Will at all times will yield  innumerable benefits in both this life and the life to come.

 

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.”

                                                            -Psalm 37:23

If we hope to please God in this life, every step we take must be ordered in holiness. In ourself, this is impossible; but through Christ, we are enabled to do the impossible.(Philippians 4:13)

“And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;
And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.”

“And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.”

                                 -Joshua 9:3-6, 14

I know this passage is significantly longer than most texts that I use, but it carries a vital message which I’d like to share with you, so please bear with me.

You see, as the Israelites began making their way into the promised land, the inhabitants of Canaan and the surrounding territory became exceedingly fearful for their own safety. And who could blame them? Rumors of a people whose God could part seas and bring plagues upon those who opposed them were not taken lightly by the Gibeonites, and so they devised a plan whereby to ensure their survival: they would fool God’s people into making a covenant of peace with them. In order to do so, they put on old, worn clothes,  put moldy bread in their sacks, and everything else necessary to give them the appearance of weary travelers.

Being deceived by the Gibeonite’s disguises, the Israelites did indeed make the desired covenant, probably never expecting to see this caravan again. But as it turned out, these people were anything but weary travelers from a far country; they pretty much lived next door. Now, because of their oath, they were unable to fulfill the commandment of God and destroy all the inhabitants of the land. Naturally, this caused problems in the days ahead.

Moving on to verse 14, however, we find that the whole reason this deception was successful in the first place was because nobody in the Israelite camp prayed about this crucial decision. It seemed right at the moment, so they acted on impulse. But on the other hand, if they had sought God’s direction they would have seen it was not His will for any kind of agreement to be reached between the two nations. Now I’m not saying He would’ve showed them the big picture of what was going on, but at the very least they would been able to avoid making a very costly mistake.

Do you see what God is trying to teach us here? Every decision we make, big or small, should be brought before God in prayer to ensure we don’t make the wrong choice. Now does this mean we made a wrong turn somewhere along the line if things suddenly start going wrong in our life? Not necessarily. Sometimes God purposefully leads us down a more painful path in order to teach us something useful. But rest assured, taking things into our own hands is never the way to go.

What choices has life presented you with today? A new job opportunity? A decision between colleges? Whether or not to touch on a sensitive topic in one of your blog posts? Whatever it is, God has an opinion, and we would all do well to make sure we get His input first.

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."

                            -Proverbs 3:5 

This verse is one that I heard quoted a multitude of times when I was very young; but only in recent years have I begun to understand what it truly means to abandon our own understanding and to rely completely on God's.

As we read in II Corinthians 5:7, a child of God is to walk by faith, and not by sight. The fact is, when we walk by sight we usually don't make it very far, because our own perspective is often tainted and incomplete, making it impossible for us to succeed. But, when we trust in God, we can have faith that no matter what we go through, all things will ultimately work out for our good (Romans 8:28). In view of this, we should do as Solomon instructs and trust in the Lord, not somewhat, but with all of our hearts.

I remember about two years ago, our former pastor had organized a game that would take place after church service. When my turn came, I was blindfolded and led to where the game was to take place. But as he led me by the hand, he was surprised that I followed him with such confidence. I didn't feel the way before me with my free hand, or try to peek through the blindfold. Rather, I followed him without reserve. Why? The answer is simple: I trusted him. He'd never done anything that would have given me a reason to doubt him, so I went where he led me.

This is what it means to walk by faith in God. Though we may not always understand the way He works, He has proven Himself trustworthy and we should therefore trust Him - even when we can't see where He is taking us.

"For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death."

                            -Psalm 48:14 

There are a couple of reasons why I love this verse, but the part that I want us to focus on today is the words, "He will be our guide even unto death." You see, the psalmist realized that there is a difference between the Lord being our God, and Him being our guide. Being a Christian is about much more than going to church, reading the Bible, and praying; it is about allowing Him to guide us in every decision that we make, and making Him the center of everything that we do (scroll down and read yesterday's post). No, I'm not just talking about seeking the Lord's guidance before we buy a house, but also when we buy a movie. Not just when we relocate to a new city, but even before we decide to go on vacation.

"For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish."

                            -Psalm 1:6

Part of being righteous is doing as we have already studied and putting God's will first in all things. When we do this, we can be confident that we will not stumble. After all, would Christ lead us into a ditch? If you think about it, I'm sure you'll admit that the times you have stumbled was when you forgot to put God first and began acting without making sure you were first in His will (at least that's how it usually works for me).

As I have learned by personal experience, being in the center of God's will is always the safest place to be. It doesn't matter if the whole world is against you, when you are in His will, you will have His blessing and will ultimately have the victory over whatever you are going through.

"And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

                            -I John 2:17

"And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people."

                             -Exodus 13:21-22

When Pharaoh finally gave the Israelites his permission to leave Egypt, God guided them in the way they should go with a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire throughout the night. What I find interesting, though, is that God dedicated an entire verse of His Word to clarifying that this guidance was constant. There wasn't even a moment in which He quit leading them. Every minute of every day, and every watch of the night, He was there showing them the way.

Just like the Passover lamb was a type and shadow of Christ (see yesterday's post), the pillar and cloud are a symbol of the guidance God gives to His church today. James 1:5 tell us, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." If we are in need of direction, the Lord will give it to us. In the same way that the pillar and cloud never went away, He will never turn a deaf ear to the prayers of His children when they are seeking His counsel. Whether He chooses to show us His answer through Scripture, or even a burning bush, isn't what matters; the important thing is that we will always get an answer.

It is imperative, however, that we read the Bible regularly and hide Its words in our heart (Psalm 119:11). Many times we spend long hours in prayer over something, not realizing that the answer has already been given to us in God's Word! But, if after much Bible study, we still are unable to find the answer we need, we can rest assured that our Heavenly Father will supply us with that answer in His time.

"But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord."

                            -James 1:6-7

"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."

                            -Jeremiah 33:3

Prayer is an extremely powerful thing. In fact, I don't think there is anything that strikes more fear into the devil than when he sees a saint of God on his knees before the Lord. Why? Because "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16) There is no mountain so high, and no valley so low, that cannot be conquered through prayer.

"I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God..."

       -Psalm 17:6

When we call on the name of the Lord, we can be absolutely confident that He is listening. Not only can we be confident that He is listening, but we can also be confident that an answer is on its way. Granted, the answer may not always be what we want it to be, but we will get an answer nonetheless. How amazing it is to think that the Creator of the universe listens to the cry of our hearts, no matter how great or small the need may be! Oftentimes it is hard to get even family and friends to pay attention to what we have to say, and yet Almighty God takes the time to listen to every request, every burden, and every care that we bring before Him!

"But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me."

                            -Psalm 66:19, 20

Prayer is more than a weapon; it is a gift. What a comfort it is to know that Jesus Christ Himself is always nigh, ready and waiting for us to call upon His name! Let us not disappoint Him.

"O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come."

                            -Psalm 65:2

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

                            -Isaiah 55:8-9

I can't count the number of times that the Lord has reminded me of this verse when I go through difficult situations in my life. Whether I am dealing with the heartache of losing a loved one, the disappointment of being betrayed by a close friend, or the frustrations that life so often throws our way, God is constantly reminding me that His plans are much greater than my own.


The title of this blog is, "A Look at Life from a Deerstand". As I pointed out in a previous post, when you hunt from a deerstand you can see much more as opposed to sitting on the ground. It's the same with God. He is in the deerstand, and we're on the ground (if you'll excuse the hunter lingo). He can see much more than we can, and thus He knows what He's doing when He sends us through difficult situations.


Though it is hard sometimes, because we tend to think that God owes us an explanation for everything He does, we've got to learn to trust in Him. He sees the end before we even see the beginning, and we have to trust that His way is the right way.

"Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass."

                            -Psalm 37:5

"A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:"

                            -Proverbs 1:5 

Read the book of Proverbs, and you will find countless verses just like this one: verses that talk about the importance of listening to the advice of other people. Solomon says in this passage of Scripture that a man of understanding will receive wise counsel. Sadly, in today's society, people who think they are wise tend to use that as an excuse to reject advice of any kind, thinking they don't need it. However, Solomon addresses that kind of outlook in Proverbs 9:9,

"Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning."

Taking the advice of other people doesn't mean that we are dumb. It means that we are wise, and have a desire in our hearts to be "yet wiser." If we think that we are beyond needing instruction, that is not a sign of wisdom, but a sign of pride.

"When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom." 

                        -Proverbs 11:2

And while it is important to seek good advice, we must remember the words of David is Psalm 1:1,

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly..."

We should seek godly advice from godly people, knowing that "...out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." (Matthew 12:34) If a person lives an ungodly life, chances are their advice will also be ungodly.