Show Me The Way
By Styx
Every night I say a prayer in the hope that there’s a heaven
But every day I’m more confused as the saints turn into sinners
All the heroes and legends I knew as a child have fallen to idols of clay
And I feel this empty place inside, so afraid that I’ve lost my faith
Show me the way, show me the way
Take me tonight to the river
And wash my illusions away
Please, show me the way
In the late ‘80’s the rock band Styx charted their final top ten hit with “Show me the Way.” I found it so poignant that a rock band would be cognizant of the need to connect with God on a deeper level. The lyrics were so honest and the rhythm compelled us to listen with our hearts.
Each of us has an innate need to connect with the One, True and the Living God. Some of us are aware of this deep longing from an early age. For others, we almost stumble upon the acknowledgment—that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
In John 10, some of John the Baptist’s disciples left him to follow Jesus. Some might see this as a betrayal, but not John. He was well aware of his place in this world, knowing he had come not to be the Way but to point toward the Way. One of my favorite biblical scriptures shows a man calling out in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord.” Isaiah 40:3.
And when the disciples found Jesus, He called them with the simple words, Come and see. The One who stepped from heaven onto this earthly plane more than 2000 years ago still calls us to come and see. Won’t you answer His call today, for He is the only one who can show you the way.
(NIV) John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Blood Will Never Lose its Power
The Blood Will Never Lose its Power
By Andrea Crouch
The blood that Jesus shed for me
Way back on Calvary
The blood that gives me strength
From day to day
Chorus
It reaches to the highest mountain
The blood that gives me strength
From day to day
It soothes my doubts and calms my fears
The blood that gives me strength
From day to day
Repeat Chorus
I normally begin my devotionals with Scripture, but today the above referenced song is on my heart and mind. On October 29 I will be 73 years of age. Unbelievable that I have been on this earth for that long. But what is even more amazing is the blood of Jesus, that covers covers you and me, is eternal. While Jesus was crucified around 29 A.D., we are told He was with us from “the foundation of the world.” When our world was still chaos, God saw our need for a Savior.
I have to confess I cannot explain eternity, but I believe it. I believe the original sin into which you and I were born can only be covered by the blood of Jesus. I believe that His blood does give me strength, it gives me power and it is a covenant made with God Himself that cannot be broken nor undone.
Hebrews 10 (NIV) 19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen
God Will Take Care of You
(NRSV) Ps 91:1 You who live in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
2 will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress;
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence;
4 he will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge…
I love, love, love this scripture. Words like live, abide, shelter and fortress imply safety, followed by action verbs deliver, cover and find reflect an ongoing relationship with God.
Have you ever thought of how valuable it is to have your abode with God? “Abiding” connotes a permanence, and in this disposable world isn’t it comforting to know that we can have a never ending home with our Heavenly Father?
The image of a loving father covering us with His wings, His feathers, His hands stirs up emotions of awe as we contemplate a love that is somehow both warm and powerful. I often pray Psalm 91 because I believe God loves hearing us speak His words.
Accompanying God’s own words with songs of faith provides the sweet assurance that we are never alone. My go-to hymn writer is Fanny Crosby. “He Hideth my Soul” reminds us of the protection that only God provides. “Blessed Assurance” confirms a relationship that is ongoing and gives us a confidence that does not waver.
What is one of the Scriptures that gives you confidence that God will take care of you? What is a hymn whose words can connect with your soul?
I offer this in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen
He Hideth My Soul
(NIV) Psalm 46
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth. A song.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
During times like this, when war is raging in Israel, fear has a way of holding us in its grip. Yet, as Christians we need not be swallowed up by fear. Instead, we need to remember that God is our shelter, and a very present help in time of need.
I encourage you to defeat fear with faith. Read the Scripture out loud. Pray the Scripture. Sing songs of victory. For me the songs are those of my childhood.
I love the Psalms. David was said to be a man after God’s own heart. His writings challenge us and comfort us.
As Christ followers we need not live in a state of fear. Does that mean we will never fear. No. I guarantee you that if I see a snake my fear will drive me to turn and go the other way. But fear does not have to be my companion.
Fanny Crosby writes, He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life in the depths of His love,
And covers me there with His hand,
And covers me there with His hand.
Let us allow God to cover us, to sustain us and grow our faith and we will see fear dissipate “in the light of his glorious face.”
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Choices
(NIV) Psalms 1–4
Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
Do you ever think about all of the choices we make every day, and the repercussions of those choices? Some choices are so methodical that they become almost automatic. Getting up at the same time each morning may not seem like a choice, but it is. We choose what to wear and what route to take to work. If retired, we still have certain routines. Each routine includes choices.
The Bible talks to us about choices. One of the more explicit instructions about choices is found in Deuteronomy 30 beginning in verses 11-19. We are told God sets before us the choices of life and death. Then we are told clearly that choosing God is the same thing as choosing life. Not just our lifestyle, but life itself.
Psalm 1 tells us the result of our choices. We see that one who does not linger with the wicked is blessed, he delights in God’s law, meditating on it day and night, and he is stable and fruitful.
There is a stark contrast Psalm 1 showing the outcome of our choices. When we choose God, we become like that tree being nourished by the living waters of the Holy Spirit as we choose each day to be in relationship with God.
Conversely, the psalmist goes on to show the difference when we do not choose God. The language is stark, identifying those who do not choose God as wicked and sinners, with so little substance they are blown away.
As Christ followers, and those who seek holiness, isn’t it incumbent upon us to choose God and thereby choose life?
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Seeking Holiness 