Teach me your paths

Teach me your paths

I’ve had a rather rough week and it’s only Wednesday.  Since I started working at a call center again I’ve very much questioned why I’m there.  It’s not the kind of work I want to do.  Sunday we got thrust on the phone we were getting calls we hadn’t been properly trained for they finally changed that but by then two people had quit.  Monday my car battery died and I had to call roadside assistance.  My wife and I have both had colds I almost wanted to call in sick on working on this blog.  When things aren’t making a lot of sense that’s when you need to to turn to God’s word.  I don’t understand where things are going but I started reading in Exodus about God providing food for the people of Israel then I turned to Psalms and found a reminder for all of us.  Maybe you’ve had a rough start to your week or even month.  I think Psalm 25 can help you too.  

Psalm 25:1-11

“To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

O my God, in you I trust.  

Do not let me be ashamed;

Do not let my enemies exult over me.  

Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed; 

Those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.  

Make me know Your ways, O Lord;

Teach me Your paths.  

Lead me in Your truth and teach me, 

For You are the God of my Salvation; 

For You I wait all the day.

Remember, O Lord, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses,

For they have been from of old.  

Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; 

According to Your Lovingkindness remember me.

For Your goodness sake, O Lord.  

Good and upright is the Lord; 

Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.  

He leads the humble in justice; 

And He teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth

To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.  

For Your name’s sake, O Lord, 

Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.”

See my week has been rough I don’t know why God has me where I’m at. Maybe I had to learn about working for roadside assistance by calling it myself to give me the right attitude.  I simply don’t know.  But I’m in a class full of trainees and when some of them learned I was a former guard they wanted me walking them to the cars at night.  I’m still seeking God to teach me his ways and keep me on his paths.  I don’t have even 99 of the hundred answers but I am trying to keep my eyes on God and that’s what we all need to do.  

Like incense/ sometimes by step by Hillsong 

Not by sight by Petra 

Big enough by Chris Rice

Here I am by Rebecca St James 

Life is hard but God is good by Pam Thum

What faith can do by Kutless 

Where there is faith by 4 Him 

Contrary

Contrary 

The world will often tell you there’s no point in even trying.  Satan will call you a failure.  He’ll tell you that God’s done with you.  I read some chapters and God has something else to say to these ideas.  Contrary to popular belief following God is worth doing.  

1 John 5:1-5 

“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.  By this we know that we love the children of God , when we love God and observe His commandments.   For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not burdensome.  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world, and this is the victory that has overcome the world—- our faith.  Who is the one that overcomes the world, but he who believes Jesus is the Son of God?”

Did you catch that?  We who are believers follow God’s commandments and they aren’t burdensome!  Not only that we get to overcome the world.  The very same world and enemy who claims following God is not worth it and we will fail yeah if we keep following God we get win.  We can’t do it alone and in case you need a reminder of who is helping us well I found one of those for you too.  

Exodus 15:11-13

“Who is like you among the gods, O Lord?  Who is like you, majestic in holiness, Awesome in praises, working wonders?  You stretched out Your right hand, the earth swallowed them.  In your loving kindness You have led the people whom you have redeemed, in your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation.”  

So there’s a plan here.  Like Hannibal Smith would say “I love it when a plan comes together.”  

1.  Believe that Jesus is the Son of God
2. Follow his commandments and love his people.
3. You get to win in the end.
4. God isn’t done with you and I yet.  

It’s not rocket science it’s really not.  

And next time you think God’s commandments are burdensome read Psalm 119 because the author of that one chapter over and over says he delights in them and meditates on them.  God’s commandments are life giving.  He wants what is best for our lives.  

In the end by Natalie Grant 

Overcome by Jeremey Camp

If you want me to by Ginny Owens

Memoir by Audio Adrenaline 

Come to me by Geoff Moore and the Distance 

Heart of hearts by Paige Lewis

The Why

The Why

Andy Rooney used to often ask the question.  “Do you ever wonder?” Often you see me say in the blog that this is a blog about Hope.  But I want you to understand The Why behind it all.  See at Real Life we have a literal plethora of life groups or small groups for Bible study.  I can’t explain why each person has signed up to lead them.  But I can share my heart personally.  I’ve gone through stress, I’ve felt alone, my wife and I have struggled through some stuff and sometimes you need someone to point you back to God.  Whether you are new reader or old I pray for you that God would draw you closer to himself and change you.  There’s something in these verses I’m about to share that I also want you to pay attention to.  See a lot of you signed up for a weekly Bible study blog and I don’t know what you were expecting when you did.  But God brought you to this blog somehow and I don’t understand it all because it’s something only he gets the credit for. I’m hoping and praying that you become more mature in Christ as you read this whenever you do.  I couldn’t make anyone read it and I don’t want to.  But I pray you draw closer to God and see his Word brings hope.  

Colossians 1:25-29

“I have become its minister according to God’s administration that was given to me for you, to make God’s message fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints.  God wanted to make known to those among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.  We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ, I labor for this, striving with his strength that works powerfully in me.”

See this blog is not about me.  I want to be the least important part.  The reader drawing closer to God and maturing in Christ should always be the goal.  The glory should always go to God alone.  If you need hope it is found in God’s Word that’s where true hope for your life and any situation can be found.  God has called me to encourage and that’s my why because I know what it’s like to look for hope.  If I don’t point my reader back to the cross with any advice verbal or written I have done them a great disservice.  I don’t know all of you the readers personally but I would like to one day in Heaven present you as being mature in Christ.  

Breathe Benediction by Newsboys

The Cry by Whiteheart 

Not to us by The Imperials 

When all is said and done by Geoff Moore and the Distance 

You are loved by Rebecca St James

When life gets broken by Sandi Patty and Natalie Grant

Fight for you

Fight for you

So many times we pray and ask God for help and we seem to forget who is fighting for us.  If you read about the journey of the nation Israel you see God leading and protecting them with fire and a cloud and using water.  We can’t always see how he’s working these days but sometimes we need a reminder that He still is.  Exodus 14 is an amazing chapter about God delivering Israel from Egypt but two verses were awesome to me.  It the previous part of the chapter God had already warned Moses that they were going to be followed by the Egyptian armies.  That’s the crazy thing too because during all ten plagues God warned Moses every time that Pharaoh was going to harden his heart.  So after ten plagues and fair warning the people of Israel are still whining and not trusting God and often we do the same and we need to be reminded who is fighting for us.  

Exodus 14:13-14 is what we need to remember when we pray.  Because God’s not finished with us.  

“But Moses said to the people, ‘Don’t be afraid.  Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation He will provide for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again.  The Lord will fight for you; you must be quiet.’”

When you pray and turn things over to God and trust him, the fight is out of your hands and sometimes you have to be quiet and trust Him.  The Egyptian army you face now you may never see again.  The same God who defeated the Egyptian armies would also later do this.

“The tomb where soldiers watched in vain

Was borrowed for three days

His Body there would not remain

Our God has robbed the grave

Our God has robbed the grave

Your name

Your name

Is victory 

All praise will rise 

To Christ our King”

“I try so hard to find the words to say

To let you know how great is this God to whom I pray 

Nothing can nor ever will compare 

To the peace that flows in your soul when He is living there

Oh I know you’ve been through so much

It’s hard to contemplate reaching out in trust

But I know the simple truth 

That love is here for you

So take him at his Word and see what He can do.”

This means war by Petra 

I’ll come out fighting by DeGarmo and Key

The Battle belongs to the Lord by Petra 

Jehoshaphat by Don Francisco 

Horse and rider by Shiloh Worship Haven't heard this in years and especially never this fast 

Resurrecting by Elevation Worship 

O Praise the name by Hillsong 

God so loved by Jaci Velasquez 

Snarfs and warts

Snarfs and warts    Growing up in the 80’s there was a cartoon some of you may have seen and probably already made a connection with by the title of the blog.  There was a character on Thundercats by the name of Snarf.  Some consider him to be the most annoying part of the entire show.  But there were times I could relate to the guy.  As an adult I still watch the dvds.  This guy was not always the brightest crayon in the box.  He would stress about things and then say what he was bothered by and follow it up with “Snarf, Snarf.”  One of my readers or more just got his voice in their head.  My grandma had a term for characters like Snarf because it ran in the family and she was one.  The term was “A Worry wart.”  I’ve been one lately and I’m sure you have too.  God has a better plan.  He offers peace and hope.   Philippians 4:6-9 “Don’t worry about anything,” The verse isn’t complete I want to stop the reader right there.  How much did Paul tell us God wanted us to worry about?  Anything!  Zip zero nada not a thing.  Stop it!  Don’t concern your pretty little head.  The deeper you get into these verses you’ll see why.  Ok carry on then.   “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable— if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise— dwell on these things.  Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me and the God of peace will be with you.”   It’s a battle for your heart and mind. God wants you to win it but you can’t without him.   Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”   Romans 8:5-9 “For those whose lives are according to the flesh think about the things of the flesh, but those whose lives are according to the Spirit; about the things of the Spirit.  For the mind set of the flesh is death, but the mind set of the Spirit is life and peace.  For the mind set of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so.  Those whose lives are in the flesh are unable to please God.  You however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit since the Spirit of God lives in you.  But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ he does not belong to him.” Fields of plenty/ Be still my soul by Amy Grant  Peace by Rich Mullins  I’ll give you peace by Sandi Patty  Your love never fails by Jesus Culture   Closer to Jesus by Don Francisco  His eye is on the sparrow by Selah Holding out hope by Michael English

Hold

Hold

Tuesday afternoon my wife, Marion and I were in our garage and she walked towards me and something happened.  Now you must understand she and I are some of the most accident prone people ever.  We have a fence in part of the garage and she started coming towards me and didn’t see our dog, Sofie’s water bowl and suddenly on instinct I reached out and wrapped her in my arms in a half hug.  So there she was holding onto the fence and I was holding her and I made sure she was okay before I ever let her go.  

This is a blog of hope and you and I are going to have good and bad days.  

But I want you to read some hope.  

Lamentations 3:21-26

“Yet I call this to mind and therefore I have hope. 

Because of the Lord’s faithful love

We do not perish

For his mercies never end.

They are new every morning; 

Great is your faithfulness!

I say the Lord is my portion 

Therefore I will put my hope in him.

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, 

To the person who seeks Him.

It is good to wait quietly for deliverance from the Lord.”

You and I we’re tripping over a dog’s water bowl having good and bad days but God calls us to seek him for hope. His mercies and loving kindness are new every morning and he holds them out to us.  We’ve got to wake up and seek him.  

“Thought if I just got a hold

Thought if I could only gain control 

I could say just having it all

The more I tightened my grip

The more I felt the fall

Until I realized I couldn’t make it alone

Then it hit me that’s when it started.

I let go and God got a hold on me

I was nearing the edge

Slipping over the ledge

Till God got a hold on me.”

Steadfast love by Kathy Troccoli

Godgottaholdonme by Geoff Moore and the Distance 

You hold me now by Rebecca St James 

Seek you by Adie 

Look to the Son by Hillsong Worship 

Another in the fire by Hillsong United 

Casting

Casting 

Have you ever been so anxious and worked up mentally that you prayed till you fell asleep.  That was me this past Saturday and for about the last week and a half.  I’m afraid of heights. This past Sunday, Real Life Corpus Campus met at the Schlitterbahn Waterparks Resorts for church and there is a bridge you have to drive over to get there from where we live.  I was very much not wanting to drive over this.  I made a commitment to go between me, my wife Marion and Pastor Micah.  We were going to follow where God was leading the church.  I’ve also been praying a lot about my work situation because I may have a job but the hours aren’t there.  I’m applying for a new job to whatever I can think of.  I often pray till I fall asleep lately.  

I have mentioned before in the blog that one of the most important verses you can memorize is this.  

1 Peter 5:7

“Casting all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.”  

Then Monday night I was working through my Youversion app reading plan and it brought me to this.

John 16:33

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”  

I don’t know what’s going to happen in my life.  But God is my refuge and where I am turning.  

I was also brought to Psalm 18 this week and if you’ve never read the chapter it is beautiful.  Maybe one of you is like me and you’re struggling and you might need these verses too.

Psalm 18:1-3

“I love you, O Lord, my strength.  The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer.  My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised.  And I am saved from my enemies.”

Made to love you by Misty Edwards 

Cares chorus by Kelly Willard

Desert song by Natalie Grant 

Praise the Lord by Selah this song is originally by the Imperials and they describe it as the In Between song because it’s meant to be lyrically a song that gets you through spiritual battles and reminds you where God is and what you need to do in the meantime.