Guidance

Dear Lord

One of my problems is that I'm willing to follow You in big things, but my failure to be obedient in little things puts me out of touch with You will, so that I end up flopping about like a landed trout.

He who is faithful in little things will be faithful in big things, right? You don't start with the huge things then figure the details will work out later. That's more of an earthly thing.

So, this morning's study -- How do I put myself in a position where Your hand is guiding me and I can start relaxing and stop worrying about constantly screwing up His plan for me?

I'm going here for a start: God's Guidance and His Promises to Bless Those Who Seek His Face

I need to start straight up that I realize you have been blessing me with financial stability, a cozy home, and my daughter and granddaughters. Yes, I'm hungry for more -- fellowship, reconciliation with my family, meaningful work, etc. Teach me to let go of the things you don't want me to pursue, and to go diligently after those that are in Your will. And, I suppose, prayer is the place to always start.

1 Chronicles 16:11
Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face continually.

Help me to be continually seeking Your face, and not just at odd times like when I'm doing housework and when I'm ticked off at You.

Psalm 25:9
He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.

Teach me to be humble in ALL my dealings. Thank you that I often am willing to learn from "the least of these" -- many of my clients -- but also teach me to be willing to learn from those placed in places of authority, but whose decisions frustrate me.

Psalm 25:12
Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way he should choose.

That's what I need. Instruction in the way I should choose. In small things as well as bigger.

Psalm 31:3
Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

Yes, Lord. Otherwise I do stupid and hurtful things and am not a good witness.

Psalm 32:8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

Please do!

Psalm 37:4,7
Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass ... Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him

Oh, Lord, the PATIENCE is so hard! And I don't want to be taught patience! So that's one where you're going to have to grant me a desire of my heart.

Psalm 37:23
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.

I'll take that with a grain of salt, since I know I'm not good. I don't let You work through me as much as I ought.

Psalm 48:14
For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death.

"I can't see how you're leading me, unless you've led me here, to where I'm lost enough to let myself be led."

Psalm 73:24
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

I'm not even so much worried about glory right now as I am about where to work and where to fellowship. So I guess I'm too shortsighted.

Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path

And I am not immersed in Your word nearly enough. I need to stop being a cheapskate and just buy that NIV Study Bible. In fact, I'll go do that right now.

DONE! Why was I being such a cheapskate? I'm getting a gently used NIV Study Bible delivered to my door for less than $10. There's a difference between good stewardship and being a cheapskate. And I'm more cheap than a good steward, really. I don't pay close enough attention to my finances. Lord, help me with that.

Proverbs 1:33
But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.

More or less. Many believers got swept away by the tsunami, I'm sure. But they were swept straight into the arms of Jesus.

Proverbs 2:6-9
For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice, and He preserves the way of His godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity and every good course.

And I need trust that You will guide me. Tell me when to tough it out and when to move on, when to fight and when to compromise.

Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

In ALL YOUR WAYS. I need to pray for EVERY "stick it out or leave? Fight or compromise?" situation.

Proverbs 3:6
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

ALL my ways. Again.

Proverbs 6:22
When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.

I need to be spoken to. I need guidance.

Proverbs 11:3
The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

My search for integrity separate from You gets me into trouble. It turns from integrity to pride. Guard me from that.

Proverbs 11:14
Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory.

Oh, Lord, how I hunger for an abundance of counselors! But am I to FIND this or to BUILD it? There is sound scripture at GJCF, but fellowship is so hard to find. Do I take that as a sign that the church is unfaithful, and more on? Do I be a change agent there to help others be led into fellowship? Guide Peggy and the others I come in touch with as I try to build fellowship at GJCF. Oh, how I long for a Mars Hill campus near me!

Proverbs 12:26
A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Melanie's been smacking me with that one! Thanks for the insight!

Proverbs 15:22
Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.

Yes, Lord, back to this. And I guess fellowship should have been my #1 priority. It should always be in a new place -- to put myself where I have many brothers and sisters to smack me upside the head when I'm out of line.

Proverbs 16:9
A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.

Please do!

Proverbs 24:6
For by wise guidance you will wage war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.

We're back to abundance of counselors. I'm going to take this as a sign that You're reminding me to pursue fellowship more vigorously. So do I do that by seeking a different church? Or by helping to channel GJCF?

Isaiah 30:21
Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left'

PLEASE!

Isa 50:4
The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him that is weary. Morning by morning he wakens, he wakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.

Yes -- to sustain with a word him that is weary! I want to do that!

Isaiah 48:17
Thus says the Lord, Your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go

Lead me!

Isaiah 58:11
The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong, and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.

I am in a parched place, spiritually. How I long for streams of Living Water! Fill me! Make me a fountain for others!

Jeremiah 10:23
O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps

I get too afraid of directing my own steps in big things, that I fail to fear it in small things. Guide me in all things.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Fill me with solid assurance of this!

Jeremiah 33:3
Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.

Wow. Just wow.

Matthew 6:33
Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

I go astray there, for sure. Set me every day to seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness.

Luke 11:9-10
"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

I need to seek and ask for the small things first, and let the larger things be added. Such as reconciliation with my family.

John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Give me light! Give me Light!

John 14:26
The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Holy Spirit, teach me all I need to know moment by moment.

John 16:13
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

Guide me in ALL truth. Not just the truth I find pleasant or that flatters my ego.

Romans 14:5
One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.

guide me on that.

1 Cor. 10:13
...God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Let me see what constitutes temptation. I don't know when I'm fighting the good fight and when I'm being sucked in by my pride.

Philippians 2:13
It is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

I guess You'd do more work in me if I was less pigheaded and stopped fighting.

James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach.

Wisdom! I have in dire need of wisdom!

Guide me in all my ways. Bring me into perfect concordance with Your will moment by moment.

In Jesus' good name, Amen.