It seems improbable that the God who created everything and sustains everything would be interested in directing the steps in our daily life. However, God is VERY interested! He paid the ultimate price so that we could live. Therefore, it would make sense that He would ALSO have a magnificent plan and a purpose for each day. Our job is to be close enough to Him to know the plan. The Bible gives us some simple instructions to be “in the know” with God:
Commit your WORKS to the LORD, and your THOUGHTS will be established.
A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his STEPS.
Proverbs 16:3,9
Isn’t it remarkable that we don’t have to have some great sign from heaven in order to have God direct our steps? After we are born again, we simply make a commitment to follow God’s Word. His Word and His presence transform our mind and we begin to think more like He does. As he transforms our mind, He also changes what we love. We begin to love God more than we love anything else. Then, we desire for Him to direct our life.
The greatest action we can take to empower ourselves as Christians is to read God’s Word and pray. This may seem overly simplistic; however, the time we spend in PRIVATE with God will manifest HIS presence through us when we’re in PUBLIC.
When God is the light of our life, we can’t keep Him hidden.
In addition to reading God’s Word and praying, we should also join ourselves to a Bible-believing church and become active in service. The resulting encouragement and education is vital! There are few greater joys than to be part of a team which has the same goal: glorifying God!
Ah, my friend, if we desire for God to direct our steps, we must commit ourselves to spend quality time in His presence—both alone and with others.
We must begin the day in God’s presence. Especially in prayer! A friend of mine, uses this Psalm as a springboard for His prayers every morning:
Cause me to HEAR Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust;
Cause me to KNOW the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You.
DELIVER me, O Lord, from my enemies; in You I take shelter.
TEACH me to do Your will, for You are my God; Your Spirit is good.
LEAD me in the land of uprightness.
REVIVE me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
Psalms 143:8-11
Praying God’s Word gives us some great ACTION words around which to shape our own prayers. There are so many verses (in addition to the Lord’s Prayer) throughout God’s Word that can be used to grow our prayer life.
You don’t have to wait for thunder or lightning from Heaven for God to direct your life! (1 Kings 19:11-13) God speaks to us through His Word and His Spirit communicates with our born again spirit to give us direction for our day. Even when we get side-tracked, He brings us back just like when He said to Elijah:
What are you doing here, Elijah?”
I Kings 19:13
God, who is the LORD of Heaven and earth, desires you. He desires to lead you and guide you on a path that is greater than you could ever ask for or imagine! (Ephesians 3:20) Time spent with God is the best investment you will make for today.
“Oh Lord, I give you 100% of my heart, time, and resources. Direct my path today for YOUR glory!”
We would love to hear your thoughts about this devotional. Did God speak to you or challenge your daily walk with him? Or is there a topic that you would like Kimberly to cover or expound on? Please share with us in the comments below.
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2 Responses
I would like to know what and where the Bible says we MUST attend church, since covid we have been watching two churches each Sun morning on our computer, they arenot on tv, but we keep getting told God says we have to go to church. Am I wrong in not going?
Here are some verses from the Bible that should help you know what God says about church. 🙂
Jesus talked about the church being His bride. This is special.
Believers are expected to serve the Lord in the Church. (Eph. 3:20-21) Specifically,
A. To God be glory in the church. (Eph. 3:21)
B. The New Testament pattern (Acts 2:41; 2Cor. 11:28)
C. The classification of cultures (1 Cor. 10:32)
E. Christ’s love for the church (Eph. 5:25)
NOTE: The “one another” commands were intended to be fulfilled in the church.
Love one another (Jn. 13:34)
Prefer one another (Rom. 12:10)
Be like minded one toward another (Rom. 15:5)
Greet one another (1 Cor. 16:20)
Serve one another (Gal. 5:13)
Bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2)
Forbear one another (Eph. 4:2)
Forgive one another (Eph. 4:32)
Submit yourselves one to another (Eph. 5:21)
Consider one another (Heb. 10:24)
Forsake not assembling ourselves together (Heb.10:25)
After we are born again, we are not automatically a part of the bride of Christ. When we join a church we are joined and committed to the bride—just like marriage.
The early church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). We should follow that example of devotion—and to the same things. Wherever the meeting takes place, believers thrive on fellowship with other believers and the teaching of God’s Word. Church attendance is not just a “good suggestion”; it is God’s will for believers. Hebrews 10:25 says we should “not [be] giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Even in the early church, some were falling into the bad habit of not meeting with other believers. The author of Hebrews says that’s not the way to go. We need the encouragement that church attendance affords. And the approach of the end times should prompt us to be even more devoted to going to church.
As stated above, Church is the place where believers can love one another (1 John 4:12), encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13), “spur” one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24), serve one another (Galatians 5:13), instruct one another (Romans 15:14), honor one another (Romans 12:10), and be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32).
For a church body to function properly, all of its “body parts” need to be present and working (1 Corinthians 12:14–20). It’s not enough to just attend a church; we should be involved in some type of ministry to others, using the spiritual gifts God has given us (Ephesians 4:11–13). A believer will never reach full spiritual maturity without having that outlet for his gifts, and we all need the assistance and encouragement of other believers (1 Corinthians 12:21–26).
For these reasons and more, church attendance, participation, and fellowship should be regular aspects of a believer’s life. Someone who belongs to Christ should have a desire to worship God, receive His Word, and fellowship with other believers.
Jesus is the Cornerstone of the Church (1 Peter 2:6), and we are “like living stones . . . being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). As the building materials of God’s “spiritual house,” we naturally have a connection with one another, and that connection is evident every time the Church “goes to church.”
We don’t want to miss out on any of God’s blessings, do we? He has given us a very special place as part of His church—I don’t want to waste it! 🙂
Hope this all helps!
~Kimberly
P.S. Some of these notes were taken from https://www.gotquestions.org/church-attendance.html and some are from Mission Blvd Baptist Church’s Bible Concepts study—excellent resource!