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October 3

“This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow.” (Isaiah 48:17, NLT)
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When the scripture above was written, the people of Israel were attempting to rebuild their lives.  The city of Jerusalem was still showing signs of ruin from the war with Babylon.  The walls of the city were broken down in many places but temporarily shored up.  The stone from the temple displayed soot from the fire that destroyed it.  Israelites who had been enslaved abroad following the war were making their way back home to the Promised Land.
 
 Still, that holy land was greatly damaged from war.  Intact homes were scarce.  The farmland was still full of rocks and weeds.   Despite all these setbacks, the prophets and priests were offering God’s grace.   They encouraged the people that God had not abandoned them.   The prophet Isaiah explained that the Lord, the “Redeemer and Holy One of Israel”, “teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow” (Isaiah 48:17).  In simpler terms, God not only knew what was good for the suffering people of Israel, God was going to lead them down the right paths in life to places of prosperity and wholeness and peace and security.
 
The message from Isaiah still resonates today.  When you try to recover from shattering news, when accidents have wreaked havoc, when the world has shoved you down, God will show the best way forward.   God will “lead you along the paths you should follow”.  Look to God to direct your steps and things will turn out just fine.
 
I am amazed at the amount of people who turn to social media, popular worldly trends, or modern fads when things go wrong.  They turn to self-help gurus and influencers to find direction.  They seek comfort in words from music icons and celebrities to find truths to live by and comfort for tomorrow.  Worldly sources of comfort and assurance and direction WILL ALL FAIL.   Even pastors and religious leaders are imperfect.   God is THE source for hope and encouragement and wisdom when times are tough.   Humans have limited sight and strength.   God’s vision is endless.  God’s wisdom is flawless.  God’s strength is legendary.  God’s love conquers over evil.  God’s Word is priceless.
 
A friend of mine often fed me words of inspiration and morsels of wisdom to bless my day.  I enjoyed his company and his insight.  One afternoon when we were working on a project at church together, I asked him how he got such wisdom and knowledge about life.  He sat me down and told me about a period in his life when everything went wrong.  In a period of just six months, he injured his shoulder in a farming accident, his daughter was diagnosed with a severe illness, his father died, and he lost his job.  Reeling from the loss of a loved one, inadequate income, and the pain from his injury, he sat alone in a hospital bed set up at his farmhouse.  
 
With an inability to walk or even care for himself at that time, my friend struggled to eat and go to the bathroom.  Nothing came easy.  He fell into a depression.  His wife was frustrated by all the problems in their family.  His three children could not comprehend all the problems, the bills, the insecure future.  Lying in that hospital bed, my friend attempted to watch TV but found it depressing.  He listened to music, but it did not raise his spirits.  When his pastor visited, my friend didn’t feel like praying.  His situation felt hopeless.  His future looked bleak. 
 
Overwhelmed with hurt and pain, my friend cried for an hour while alone one dark night.   With tears in his eyes, he opened the Bible on the nightstand next to the bed and read scripture.  Over the next several days, he talked to God in prayer.  He poured out his frustration, sadness, and fears.   Over the next weeks, something happened to him.  He told me that he found comfort in God’s word.  Peace crept in to his soul.  My friend felt God was listening to his cries and heard his fears.   Words and ideas from scripture began to leap out to him.  Scriptures about God’s grace and assurance brought his soul healing.  Stories of God’s presence in the lives of the people of the Bible gave him courage to face his obstacles.   The darkness of those days turned to a time of enlightenment of God’s providence.
 
With tears in his eyes, my friend told me how God gave him the strength and wisdom to overcome.   He was so thankful for God’s presence that he continued to study the Bible, pray in the Spirit, and give thanks for the redemption offered on the cross with Jesus.  With all those hours of prayer and Bible study, my friend had found a wisdom to live by and learned to trust in God’s strength.  He was thrilled to pass on what he had discovered in those dark days… that God’s grace is sufficient, God’s Word is trustworthy, and God’s promises are real.
 
Inspired by Isaiah 48:17, Charles Stanley wrote the following words:

“Are you confused today because you don’t know what to do? Are you confounded because God isn’t showing you what direction to take, though you’ve been asking Him? Don’t despair—He hasn’t forgotten you, and He isn’t ignoring you. The Lord will show you how to proceed. In fact, He is actively working in your situation and guiding you even as you read this, though you may not realize it. You see, God wants you to honor Him, and He understands that you don’t always know how to do so. Therefore, He takes responsibility for teaching you how to walk in His ways, instructing you as a patient and loving Father would—one step at a time, building your faith, character, and obedience. What this means is that it would be completely out of character and contrary to His purposes for Him to hide how He wants you to go forward. So stop fretting and continue listening. God will move heaven and earth to show you His will and help you walk in it. He will certainly give you the wisdom to advance with Him one step at a time.”  (p. 180, Our Perfect Hope).
 
During days when the future of Israel was insecure, our scripture from Isaiah was written.  The words therein promised God would lead the faithful down the right paths in life.  All they had to do was trust in God’s promises, lean on His word, and follow His direction.   Those same promises from scripture apply to your situation right now.  That same God is willing to guide your steps.  That same grace is available to you.   Why not seek God’s counsel?  Read God’s Word.  Trust God’s guiding hand.  Follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.   The Lord WILL lead you where you need to go... if you are just willing to follow obediently.



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    • Do you hold a grudge?
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    • Amazing Grace!
    • For when you battle something big...
    • Is there a Resurrection of the Dead?
    • Deeply hidden sin
    • Are you consumed by worry?
    • What does it mean to be holy before God?
    • Is God punishing you?
    • Spiritual Warfare
    • Stubborn?
    • How often do you pray?
    • Have doubts?
    • Who are you listening to?
    • Emotional Black Holes
    • Unanswered prayers?
    • Have you compromised your faith?
    • Life in the pits...
    • Is your life in a rut?
    • Demonic Influences?
    • Let God Ease Your Burdens!
    • Danger of Success
    • Feeling alone
    • Are you broken-hearted?
    • Feel vulnerable?
    • Is God pushing you?
    • Do you lack faith
    • Being Tested
    • Your Place in Heaven
    • Does your past haunt you?
    • Is worldliness creeping into your life?
    • What is acceptable worship?
    • Angry?
    • Spiritual Radar
    • Can you be obedient to God?
    • Courage in the Face of Trials
    • Does Hell Exist
    • A Sin of Omission
    • When Life Gets Crazy
    • When God is Silent
    • Weakness
    • On Death and Dying
    • Feeling Guilty for no Reason?
    • Is wealth damaging your faith?
    • Satans Games
    • Death and Eternal Life
    • Depression
    • Family Problems
    • False Guilt
    • Food Issues
    • A Lack of Forgiveness
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    • Life out of Balance
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    • The Pope Changes Lord's Prayer
    • Museum of the Bible Washington DC USA
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    • Attack by Muslim terrorists against Egyptian Church
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