November 26 – A Life of Waiting

“Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day.” - Psalm 25:5 (NASB)

 Are we not all in need of guidance through life? With many crucial decisions to make the wise one looks to God for help in making the best choices. Much like traveling in a region or city that we are not familiar with, we need directions and we get that from many sources. We all have many things to learn from the Lord. Even though we may have been following the Lord for many years and even though we may have been learning from Him many things, He still has very much to teach us. And how will God have an opportunity to teach us what we need to learn? We have that opportunity by recognizing and waiting on God. By constantly being ready and expecting God to teach us His ways and His paths. It is through an attitude of expectation that we wait with hope for God to teach us what He wants us to know. “Lead me in Your truth and teach me” is what David wrote. We too can be at all times looking expectantly to God for Him to show us and teach us and lead us.

 

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July 10 – Wanting and Waiting For More

“Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” -  Psalm 25:5 (NASB)

When we believers have begun with trembling feet to walk in the way of the Lord, we can still ask to be led forward like a little child upheld by a parent’s helping hand. David knew much, but he felt his ignorance and desired to be still in the Lord’s school: four times over in two verses he applies for a scholarship in the college of grace. It would be better for many of us if instead of following our own devices and creating new paths of insight, we would inquire for the good old ways of God’s own truth and beseech the Holy Spirit to give us sanctified understandings and teachable spirits.  “For you are the God of my salvation.” Our God is the Author and Perfecter of salvation to His people. If we believe this, we may use this as an argument for obtaining further blessings; if the Lord has ordained to save you, surely He will not refuse to instruct you in His ways. It is a happy thing when we can address the Lord with the confidence that David displays here; it gives us great power in prayer and comfort in trial.

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November 26 – The Wait in Life

“Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” Psalm 25:5 (ESV)

How much do any of us enjoy “the wait?” Who has time to wait in our high-speed world to be put on hold? But waiting is very often a good thing, even the best thing for us to do. Especially in the Psalms of David we find suggestions to “wait” on the Lord. We all have many things to learn from the Lord. And how else will God have an opportunity to teach us what we need to learn if we don’t wait for Him to teach us? We have opportunities to wait for God to act. God’s time is perfect and very different than ours. We don’t care for the army way where it’s common to “hurry up and wait” By waiting we can constantly be ready with hope that God will teach us His ways and His paths. It is through expectation that we wait with hope for God to teach us His perfect way for us. “Lead me in Your truth and teach me” is what David wrote. We too can be at all times looking eagerly to God for Him to show us and teach us and lead us.

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August 17 – Faithfulness, Choosing That Way

“Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me.” – Psalm 119:29-30 (ESV)

These days, for those who are paying attention, there is a clamor about what is true or what is not true. The challenge is that there are two or three, even more sides on many matters and each claim to be true and the others false. What is true and what is not do not naturally get along very well. Telling which is which is not easy. The trend is to decide what one “thinks” is true and declare contradictory opinions to be untrue. Global and national media are filled with accusations and declarations. The psalmist in our selected verses gives us a better option. It begins by committing to put what is false far away.  How are we to know which ways are  the false ways? We can acknowledge and learn truth from what God teaches us. And when God teaches a willing heart and mind, He does so graciously and lovingly. Then we can be wise and do what the psalmist did: he chose the way of faithfulness and set God’s rules and commandments as his objective truth to know and learn. Let's place God’s teaching always before us and make His rules our standard to follow.

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May 3 – Instruct, Teach and Counsel

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;  will counsel you with My eye upon you.”  - Psalm 32:8 (NASB)

We have considered the promises Jesus made to His disciples, and by to those who would believe the Gospel through their proclaiming the good news. One promise was the Holy Spirit who was sent by God the Father in the name of God the Son. God the Holy Spirit comes to indwell all believers permanently. Through the ministry of the Spirit we receive guidance into what the truth is. Believing God and His Word is absolutely essential to receive this guidance.  We need the Holy Spirit to understand even this truth. Looking back many centuries before the Holy Spirit was given to us, King David declared the same promise from God in today’s verse. God promised David that He would instruct the King in the way he should go. Council from God was given to David and it is promised for us as well.  God watches over us and all those who are His. He has His eye on us.  He knows everything about us. He is intimately acquainted with all our ways and knows what we need. He knows when we go out and when we come in. Today trust our Lord God to do what He promised and live accordingly.

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May 1 – Promised Remembrance

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”  -John 14:16  (ESV)

After Jesus left the disciples and returned to heaven to be with the Father, how did they manage to remember all that Jesus had taught them? There are many blessings we receive from God because His Son,  Jesus Christ, willingly gave up his life after three years of ministry on the earth. He gave his life and suffered in our place a death we deserved. One of the blessings we can be thankful for is the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit. Our promise today was first to His disciples whom Jesus is with for their last Passover together. Jesus’ sacrifice brought his death, His burial. His resurrection from death on the third day after His crucifixion – as He had promised. All that He asked for on behalf of His disciples; was also asked for all who would come to believe as a result of their testimony.(John 17:2-21) A promise in this verse is for the Holy Spirit, sent from the Father in Jesus’ name to all believers, would bring to the disciples’ remembrance all that Jesus had taught them. This is the ministry of the Holy Spirit, He reveals to us the understanding we need of God's revelations.

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April 29 – No Hide and Seek Games

“Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.”  -Isaiah 30:20-21  (NLT)

We can know and trust God because He has promised that in the most difficult circumstances of our life, He is with us and providing for us.  He promises to never desert us.  If we have been going through adverse condition and if our way has been more difficult and caused us suffering, God knows this.  Just as the people of Israel, in the time Isaiah was God’s prophet experienced periods of judgment because of disobedience, God promised to open their eyes to the truth of the message of His prophets (Isaiah 29:24).  Adversity is a bridge to a deeper relationship with God if we are willing to cross it. Through it, the Lord reveals Himself to us, helps us to understand His ways, He teaches us to listen to Him, and strengthens our faith.  The Lord promises to lead and to guide us, His people. He doesn’t do “hide and seek,” games or make it difficult for us to find Him and His will. Actually it’s the opposite, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will if necessary. If we really want to do His will, He promises to make it clear to us.

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March 6 – A Helper Helps

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”  -John 14:26  (ESV)

We can find in the Gospel of John the words Jesus spoke during their last Passover together. Jesus was giving his last words with hope and blessing to the disciples.  One of the precious promises is that He is going to ask God the Father to give them another Helper (John 14:16). A Helper who will be with them forever.  Jesus was leaving after being with them all this time for three years. This Helper, the Holy Spirit, will take Jesus' place as a constant companion. He is given only to those who know and believe in Jesus as the Son of God. In our verse Jesus promises the Holy Spirit, sent from the Father in the Son’s name will teach them all things.  He will bring to their remembrance all Jesus had taught them and all Jesus had said and done. For three years they had listened to Jesus with no minutes taken down to record every word.  But now, as they will go forth and will be the ones to write the God-breathed books of the New Testament (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Jesus is promising the Holy Spirit will inspire their recollection accurately of all they are to write. 

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February 8 – Worried About Decisions

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”  - Psalm 32:8 (NIV)

Are important decisions difficult to make because we fret and worry if we are making the right decision?  What are we deciding?  A change of jobs?  A move? A relationship? Or maybe a family decision for our parents or children? We worry if we are making the right decision.  Not knowing the future is a common source of worry.  Without help many of us use the flying dart method, or maybe the ever trustworthy “Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe.”  Some of us may seek counseling or advice from others.  Our promise from God in today’s verse assures us that if we rely on Him, looking and listening for His guidance, He will provide the counsel we need.  He will instruct and teach us the way He wants us to go.  Fretting over a decision is a waste of time. Not knowing the future is why we fret and worry.  If only we could know exactly the result of our decisions, we might not be so worried.  God has promised us the help we need even though we will never know the outcome before its time.  

 Next: Worrying over the opposition.

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October 24 – Hope For The Discombobulated All Day Long

“Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”  Psalm 25:4-5 (NIV)

King David wrote many songs that we have as psalms in our Bible.  Most often they were prayers he offered to God in this way. This psalm is a prayer that should be appropriate for us today as our world seems to be going crazy with many things happening that upset us.  We can get  (a favorite word of ours) and God knows so well that we all need His help in knowing how to live our lives here in this world.  That, of course is one reason why He sent His Son into this world. But even before that He had inspired writers of the Old Testament to reveal to His people how they should live. And He has for all the centuries provided for us His guidance in the Word which show us His ways, teach us His paths, and guide us in His truth.  Our promise is that God is our Savior and our hope for every day all day long. Let us thank Him for His provision and then remember that it is God Himself who is guiding us through His Word.

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June 15 – What We Know

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.” Deuteronomy 29:29 (NASB)

The truths and promises in this verse expressed long ago by God's servant Moses are given to us to remember and realize that we serve a wonderful God.  The same God who lead Moses and the Children of Israel out of Egypt and to Mt. Sinai has given them so that we may know.  God has not made known or revealed all things to us – for there are things that are still a mystery to us.  But God has made known exactly what He wants us to know and what we need to know.  The Bible contains the complete revelation that has been given by God to us.  These many things teach us and guide us in how we should live to please Him and serve Him in truth and love.   We are so glad for the many truths that He has chosen in His wisdom to reveal to His human creatures.  Our verse reminds us that it is God's will that we pay close attention to what God has taught us.   Let's never neglect to follow the teaching we have from Him and let's teach it to our families and others in our world.   

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April 8 – Helpful Counselor and Teacher

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”  John 14:26 (NASB)

When Jesus spoke these words it was during the last Passover supper He had with His disciples.  It was not long before He was crucified and He had just told them of how one of them would betray Him (13:21).  He had told them that He was soon going to leave them and they could not yet follow Him (13:33). Let's think about what He said now as we will be thinking about His crucifixion and His resurrection at Easter time. Jesus knew that because He would soon be leaving His disciples and going back to heaven, His followers would need help and so in  our verse He was promising to send the Holy Spirit as a helper, a counselor and teacher to help them.  We're so glad that the Holy Spirit came and He stayed on to help each of us even today.  Yes, the Holy Spirit was to come to remind the disciples of Jesus about His teachings and this same Holy Spirit is with each of us even today.  He is reminding us of the eternal truths, helping us to understand what God's will is for each us. It is good and valuable to be sure we are paying attention to His teachings each day.   

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April 7 – Decisions Made Right

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”  Psalm 32:8 (NASB)

One of the blessings and benefits we have as believers in Jesus Christ is that God becomes personally involved with our lives.  We become a member of God's family by putting our trust in the promise Jesus has given to us.  We are each called to serve our wonderful Lord God.  He knows all things and He knows what is best for each one of His children. Today in our verse we are given another promise.  This promise comes from our heavenly Father who wants to be our guide through all the times and seasons; all the circumstances and challenges; whatever we encounter on our chosen path of service.  He wants to teach us how to make decisions which will please Him and bring joy and peace to us.  Every day, God watches us.  He is watching us today and He knows what is best for us in every situation.  What a loving and caring Father we have.  Let's open our hearts and minds for Him to lead us and know that He has His loving and wise eye upon us.   

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March 7 – Know. Teach. Lead. Wait.

“Make me to 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 long.”  Psalm 25:4-5  (ESV)

One of the wonderful promises we have from our God is the promise that He will lead us on the path of life that He has designed for us.  Another verse in the Book of Proverbs that we looked at recently tells us to not trust our own understanding only but to acknowledge God in all our ways.  He promises to make our path straight and clear.  Our verse today is a prayer asking God to fulfill his promises by making known what His ways are and teaching us the right path – the straight path He has made for us.  Yes, our loving Lord is ready to lead us along that path in His truth.  He is eager to teach us how we should then live for our best benefit and for His own honor and glory.  And why should this matter to us?  Why should this path be the one we seek?  Because our salvation comes from the path-maker.  The psalmist ask the God of his salvation to make known, to teach the way, to lead in God's truth, and to teach that truth.  After asking for this, we wait.  We wait all day, and every day.

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March 3 – Watching With Love

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”   Psalm 32:8 (ESV)

The promises found in this Psalm are timeless.  Composed by David as were many of the Psalms we have in our Bible, these promises can be trusted as given to us for today.  God promises to instruct us and teach us what the right way to live is.  It is an ongoing process.  We know that God is watching over our lives and is closely involved in all the events that guide us even in our thoughts as well as activities each day.  Yes, we believe that when we look to our God for guidance He will teach us how to live.  We have many decisions to make each day and our God will help us to decide in the best way each time, if we are open to learn from Him.  Let's keep in mind each day that our loving Lord has His eye upon us and the reason is, He is always ready to help us do what is right.  

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February 22 – Instruct, Teach, Council with Love

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”  Psalm 32:8 (NIV)

This Psalm by David is one that records a prayer of confession David offered up to God.  The verse we look at is God's response to David's prayer of confession.  We have these promises from God also.  We can all look to God to do what He promises in this verse.   We all need His guidance and counsel every day in making small decisions and also in deciding more important things.  We need to recognize that He is watching our movements and that He has ways of letting us know which way is best each time we have to choose what to do.   He promises to instruct and teach us the way to go. Therefore, we need to be aware that our God in Heaven has His eyes upon us and that He has advice to give us when we open our hearts for Him to show us the Way He wants us to go.  

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January 6 – His Loving Eye Watching

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;  I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” Psalm 32:8 (NIV)

Since we are still new in this year, we have selected this fitting promise from God's word.  We are all looking ahead to the new year which has begun.  We may have some questions still unanswered about how thing will go in the days and months ahead.  It seems like so much is uncertain in the world and in our countries' governments.  Whatever the situation is we can trust in the faithfulness of God for every day, every week and all through the year.  Yes, we can be sure that our Lord is with us and will be because He has promised to teach and counsel us.  He has promised to watch over us with His loving eye.  And, we can be confident that He knows what is ahead for us as He guides us with His teaching and instructions.  Trust this promise today, tomorrow and every day that comes.  

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September 27- Each and Every Day

“The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.”  Isaiah 50:4 (ESV)

The Word from the Bible which we have today is a testimony of the prophet Isaiah.  We do know that God did give this prophet many messages to deliver to His people of that day.  And, we believe that God spoke to Isaiah about personal matters as well.  We are taking this verse today and applying the promise to ourselves.  An experience like this would not be only for special people like Isaiah but for all who know God.  We all can be used by God to give words of encouragement to those who are weary.  We also believe that God gives us messages when we awaken in the morning.  He has so much to teach us in our Christian lives and He want to teach us every day.  He knows first what each one of us needs to learn each day.  So, let's turn our ears and our hearts to Him and be willing to be taught by Him each and every day. 

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September 10 – Know, Teach, Lead

“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.” Psalm 25:4-5 (NASB)

The truth we find in today's verse reminds us that we need guidance from our Lord every day of our lives. When we are tempted and distracted and try to manage the circumstances and situations of our lives on our own, we find that we need God's help.  How good it is that when we sense the need of God's guidance, we can look to Him as David did.  We know the He has many ways to teach us and one of them is in the truth that He has given us in  the Scriptures.  Let's listen to it today and let's learn from what God is teaching. He directs our paths when we trust in Him.  David expressed hope in God when he declares that he waits on God all the day.  We too can wait on the Lord with a hope that is assured expectation.  We acknowledge we need guidance and teaching from God.  We ask Him to lead us in His truth because we know our Salvation is from God alone. Let's look to Him and ask Him to make us know His ways which are perfect.

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November 26 – A Life of Waiting

“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.” Psalm 25:5 (NIV)

We all have many things to learn from the Lord. Even though we may have been following the Lord for many years and even though we may have been learning from Him many things, He still has very much to teach us. And how will God have an opportunity to teach us what we need to learn? We have that opportunity by recognizing and waiting on God. By constantly being ready and expecting God to teach us His ways and His paths. It is through an attitude of expectation that we wait with hope for God to teach us what He wants us to know. “Lead me in Your truth and teach me” is what David wrote. We too can be at all times looking expectantly to God for Him to show us and teach us and lead us.