Stepping in the Light

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Psalm 16:11

Life is full of decisions. Each decision points us in a direction, much like a path leads to a destination. Once we begin moving down a path toward its destination, every step we take carries us further from where we might have been headed if we had chosen a different path. Sometimes it seems like we cannot see the path before us, and we feel like there is no way to move forward. When we come to these moments, we need someone to help us find a path. At other times, we are faced with multiple options that seem relatively equal in merit and opportunity. The more intently we search for the potential positives and negatives associated with each possible path, the more confusing the choices seem. We then have a difficult time choosing the best course of action. Perhaps David had come to a crossroads in life as he penned this psalm. David identified exactly what we need in these situations when the way ahead seems unclear. He said that the Lord would show him the path of life. The only hope we have in times of uncertainty or confusion is for God to show us the path that we should choose.

Are you facing a difficult decision? God knows the situation that you are in. He knows each option that you have, and how each one will turn out. He loves you, and He wants what is best for you. You can trust Him to help you make the right decision.

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD. There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.” Psalm 14:1-5 

The first thing that we have to admit in order to be saved is that we are sinners. The book of Romans tells us that all have sinned, but this is not just a New Testament idea. Psalm 14 was penned by David, and it begins with the declaration that those who do not believe in God are foolish. When we sin against God, it is as if we did not believe that He existed; because if we acknowledge His existence and focus on His holiness, the fear of God would keep us from sin. This psalm states emphatically two times, “there is none that doeth good.” If we can truly understand the depths of our sin, then we can see the hopelessness of our condition. No amount of good works will ever erase the sins that we have committed or eradicate the nature from which they sprang. Our only hope of righteousness is the righteousness that we receive through faith in Christ. He died on the cross to pay for the sins of the world. The only way that we can ever hope to be good is through His work in us.

“The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity. His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity. He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor. He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones. He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.” Psalm 10:4-11

A wicked person is one who does sinful things. We identify people as righteous or wicked based upon their deeds, but this psalm helps us understand what causes a person to be wicked. Wickedness is not caused by what a person thinks or does. It is caused by what they do not think. The psalmist identifies the problem in verse four, “God is not in all his thoughts.” The wicked person chooses to do whatever he pleases without ever thinking about what God thinks. He becomes wicked because he is not thinking about God. As Christians, we must turn this process around. As we spend more time thinking about God, we will choose to do the things that please Him more often.

“O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet.” Psalm 8:1-6

When we think of the greatness of God, it is difficult to understand why He would take time for mankind. God made all things, including the stars mentioned in this psalm. They say that we can only see about 2,500 stars at one time without the aid of a telescope, but it is estimated that there are about 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (1 billion trillion!) stars in the observable universe. God knows the exact number of stars because He made them all, and what is perhaps even more amazing is that He has them all named! “He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names,” (Psalm 147:4). In spite of the insignificance that we feel when we consider the vast scope of the creation, God loves us and cares about us. He has the very hairs of our heads numbered (Luke 12:7). He is constantly watching over us, and He has promised to meet all of our needs. How amazing that our great God cares for us!

“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.” Acts 17:24-28

When Paul arrived in Athens, he began talking with people at the synagogue and in the market about the fact that Jesus was the promised Messiah. As usual, his assertions led to a series of disputes with some of the more opinionated Jews. However, some of the philosophers in the area were intrigued by the things that Paul said. They invited him to come with them to an area of the city where people often gathered for public discourse and asked him to explain this new doctrine to them. Paul had seen an altar in the city with the inscription, “To the Unknown God,” and he used their search for God as the theme of his message. He told them of the God who created all things, and that God’s purpose for mankind was “that they should seek the Lord.” This is the primary reason that God has given us life. Are we seeking after Him today?

“And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Acts 17:10-11

Many people were saved in Thessalonica under the ministry of Paul and Silas in a short window of time, and a number of them were influential within that city. “Of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few,” (Acts 17:4). In spite of the influence that these new believers had, Paul and Silas were quickly driven from the city by persecution. When they reached Berea, they again preached in the synagogue, and they noticed something different about the Bereans right away. These believers were described as being more noble (of higher ranking) than those in Thessalonica for two main reasons. They received the Word of God with all readiness of mind, and they searched the scriptures daily to see for themselves whether what they were hearing preached was true. If you want to become a stronger Christian, try having your mind ready to listen to the teaching and preaching of God’s Word. Make notes about what you hear, and then study the Bible for yourself to see if what you have heard is really true. These practices will give you a better understanding of what God expects from you, and they will help you to feel more confident as you share God’s Word with others.

“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.” Acts 16:25-26

When things are not going your way, what are you inclined to do? Most of us like to complain. We complain because it is too hot or too cold. We complain because we had to attend a meeting. We complain when we are passed over for a promotion or a raise. We complain when we are stuck in traffic. We complain when the car breaks down or we have a flat tire.

Paul and Silas had been beaten and chained in prison for preaching about Jesus. Their backs were bruised and bloody. They were in physical pain, and they had no hope of being released from their prison cell. In this dire situation, Paul and Silas did not complain. They did two things; they prayed and sang praises to God. We do not know what they prayed. Perhaps they prayed that they would be released from prison or that God would use their persecution to bring more people to Christ. We do not know exactly what songs they were singing, but we know that they sang praises to God. God miraculously intervened for them, and the jailor and his family were saved because of their testimony. When things are at their worst, in the midnight hour, it is always better to sing God’s praises than to complain about our situation.

“If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.” Job 36:11-12

Elihu was a younger companion of Job’s three friends. As he listened to their discussion, he became increasingly frustrated that his elders were unable to convince Job that he was at fault for all that had happened. Finally, when he could no longer contain himself, Elihu began to try to persuade Job. In this final attack against Job’s character, Elihu asserts that any person who obeys and serves God will spend his days in prosperity and pleasure. While the Bible is clear that God blesses those who honor and obey Him and that He punishes the evildoer; there are numerous examples in scripture that demonstrate the longsuffering of God with the wicked and the necessity of patience within the souls of the righteous in waiting for God’s justice and blessing. The problem with Elihu and his three friends is that they believed that God would always mete out immediate judgments and bestow instant blessings. This is not consistent with the character and nature of God. As the Creator, God loves all of His creatures, even those who are disobeying Him. Thus, He is patient and longsuffering, giving the sinner space to repent. God certainly rewards those who obey Him, but it is not always instant because He wants His children to exercise faith in Him. Our responsibility is to trust, obey, and wait patiently for Him to bless.

“Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.” Acts 15:18

The devout Jews were very careful to keep the Law of Moses, even those who had come to believe that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. As Gentiles began to receive the Gospel and become part of the church, there was a conflict between the cultural backgrounds of the Jews and Gentiles. The Old Testament rituals were foreign to the Gentiles, but they were held precious by the Jews. Both groups had professed faith in Christ for salvation and the forgiveness of sins, but the Jews were having a difficult time letting go of the ceremonies that had separated them from the rest of the world. They had not understood that these rites had simply served as symbols of what the Messiah would do for them when He came. Such division had arisen about these issues that the leaders of the church convened in Jerusalem to discuss what should be done. After a great deal of discussion and contention, Peter stood and testified how God had sent him to preach to the house of Cornelius, a Gentile. Then Barnabas and Paul spoke about the multitudes of Gentiles being saved in the places where they had travelled. Finally, James addressed the gathering and referred to Amos’ prophecy that the heathen would be called by the name of the Lord. James was bringing a scriptural perspective to the discussion. God knew all along that this controversy would occur, and He knew what would need to be done about it. The answer for the sin of mankind is in the risen Saviour; not in fulfilling the law.

“And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.” Acts 14:1

Paul and Barnabas were travelling from one city to the next, preaching the gospel and starting new churches. In every city, they went to the Jewish people first to tell them the good news that the Messiah had come. In spite of the many prophesies concerning the Messiah that had been fulfilled by Jesus, the message of Paul and Barnabas was usually met with great resistance among the Jewish people. Most of the Jews simply did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah. When they came to the city of Iconium, they entered the synagogue where the Jews met and “so spake” that a great multitude believed. They spoke in such a way that convinced their listeners that what they had to say was true. What made them so persuasive? It seems likely that there were several things about Paul and Barnabas that contributed to their effectiveness. By the time they reached Iconium, Paul and Barnabas had engaged in many long discussions with other Jewish people. They had spent hours studying the scriptures, found more fulfilled prophecies, and developed better arguments proving that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the Christ of God. This kind of preparation goes a long way towards making one more persuasive. These men had a tremendous burden for the Jews, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. No wonder their words were so powerful!