The Nature of God's Guidance

Psalm 119: 105 - "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."

If you're like me, you've wanted to know what God wanted for you and your life. It can get frustrating when you go for long periods of time not really knowing what God's up to. There are so many aspects to our lives and so many choices to make and we ask God for so many answers all the time. I know that even if you are not a Christ follower, you have probably asked God to come through for you on different aspects of your life. It's in the human nature to want to know what's going to happen before it actually happens. I believe that we just worry too much. I'm sure you'd agree with me on that... and I'm as guilty of it as anyone else.

Although, when you read the passage in Psalm 119:105 that says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and light for my path". We can compare that to our lives... the path is life and our feet are on it. We also know that our world is a pretty dark place. I mean, if you've ever taken a moment to look around you I'm sure you've noticed that our world is a pretty dark place. The Psalmist uses the example of God's word being a light because we need His light to get around in the darkness of the world. We need His light to see where our feet are going. Our culture dictates one thing when usually God's Word says something that is counter cultural.

And you'll probably notice that the light that is referred to in this passage is aimed at the person's feet that are on the path. This, I believe, is very accurate to the nature of God's guidance in our lives. Yes, our world is dark and we need God's guidance in it and if we follow the Words of God He will give us His light and guidance... but there will only be enough light for one step at a time. This is God's Grace in action for us because if He gave us too much information at once, He knows we'd be overwhelmed with what we see.

We have to trust God in faith that He will always do what is best for us, even if we don't like where He's guiding us. He sees the big picture of our lives and He has a perfect plan. In Jeremiah 29:11 God says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." He knows His own plans and Ephesians 3:17-19 says, "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." His love for us is so beyond comprehention that it's obvious He wants the very best for us even though the path we are on at the moment may not feel that good. As long as our main goal is to do what God wants for our lives and to listen to His guidance... that one step at a time kind of guidance... we will always come out on top no matter what. We just have to be ready for the outcome of God's plans.

We must resolve in our hearts that God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are beyond our ability to understand, so when we are doubting that God knows what He's doing and everything seems out of place right now... remember, He has the answers, but all you see is the next step right in front of you.

-Bry... @ The Vine

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Where is God?

Romans 5:8 - “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Have you ever wondered if God truly loves you? Have you ever gone through a time in your life that made you feel that maybe God was ignoring you? Maybe a loved one really close to you died, you're having a hard time in your marriage, your job situation isn't very good. Whatever it is, you feel like God may have abandoned you.

Sometimes it's hard to imagine a God who is truly loving and who truly cares about our lives and our situations when everything seems to be going wrong. “Where are you, God?” We might ask. “Why are you letting this happen to me?” Whatever variation of this question may fit how you have felt... I'm sure you have asked it. We all have asked it in some way. You may have even come to a place in your life when you've doubted God's love for you.

We look all around us in the world, too, and see nothing but evil. We see nothing but people hurting people... we see poverty and people dying from malnourishment and the like. Does God really love us?

The answer is an unequivocal YES! Romans 5: 8 says - “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He has already shown His absolute, undying love for us! He sent Jesus Christ to DIE for our sins. And if you are not familiar with the term “sin”, it simply means – missing the mark. God has set a standard based on Himself and there is nothing in humans terms that we can do to meet that mark – or standard. So, God Himself had to be the standard. He had to be the sacrifice that we just simply can not be! Jesus, the perfect embodiment of God, died and suffered so we don't have too. It's pretty simple really. I love that about God. He made it so simple for us and made it so free to accept. Why do you suppose our world rejects it so adamantly?

Whatever it is that we go through in life... all the hard times – as devastating as it may be – we go through it so we can grow and learn to trust God who has already paid the ultimate price for us... He has already shown his inconceivable love by doing an inconceivable thing. God Himself in the form of a Human being – Jesus Christ – took the punishment FOR YOU so you never have to. We just have to entrust our lives to Him... to let Him be our Saviour.

Yes, He does love you even if you don't know it... and even if you don't want to know it. He died for you while you were STILL a sinner.

Think about that for a minute... would you give up something so precious to you – such as your life – for someone who constantly tells you they don't love you and constantly rejects you?

Jesus did.

Bry... @ The Vine

A Mother's heart

Mother's Day 2009

Your love for your children,

Will never end.
They can rest in your arms,

On this, they can depend.

When you look at them
With your loving eyes,

They instantly know,

That in you, there is no surprise.

'Cause your love is so true,
And it is so deep,

That their love for you,
They will always keep.

You so tenderly care,
For their every need,

When it comes to their love,

You take the lead.

So never feel down,
When things are a little tough,

'Cause they love you more then their dad,

The diamond in the rough. :)

Composed: May 9^th, 2009 for Jennifer Christine Roy
By: Bryan Alain Roy

Now or Never

2 Corinthians 6:2 - Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation. [NLT]

For some reason, people in the world naturally think that they don't need to be saved from anything. They say, “I'm a good person and I don't do anything bad.” Or, they may know they need God, but they think they have lots of time to make things right with God... that they'll do it when it's “the right time”.

From my experience, people who think this way are scared to give up their lifestyles. They are scared because it's really all they know, it's how they grew up, it's all their friends...etc. They are scared to lose all they know. It's amazing the faith we put in what we see around us. The things we see always fall apart and decay; people die, plans fail, we get hurt.

The hope that I personally have in Jesus never seems to fade. Yes, I have my bad days... sometimes too many in a row, but I always seem to know that He's right there waiting to pick me up from my slump. The Bible tells us, way back when the Apostle Paul wrote his letters – particularly the letters to the Corinthian people in Second Corinthians 6:2 – “Indeed, the 'right time' is now. Today is the day of salvation.”

The word “indeed” that used here implies urgency in the 'right time' statement of that scripture. Revelation 22:7 says, in the words of Jesus Christ Himself - “Behold, I am coming soon!” and Jesus said it again in the same chapter in verse 12 - “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.”

Those words were spoken by Jesus a couple thousand years ago and He used the word “soon” to indicate when he would be coming back to judge the world. If He was saying that He was coming soon, THAT long ago... can you imagine how much closer He is to coming back NOW, thousands of years later?

Please, try to sense the urgency in your own heart for God... search for it... long for it! Please, don't hold back any longer because before you know it, it will be too late... and the “right time” will have passed you by and the regret will be forever.

-Bry...

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