God's Direction

People who have received Christ as personal Savior need to build their life on godly principles. To build a life that is godly, one must carefully follow biblical guidelines. God wants the best for each person, so He has made sure that specific instruction is provided to help people live a life that is pleasing to Him. The following bible verses suggest God’s direction for godly living.

Scripture says ⁹“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.  ¹⁰By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds.  ¹²For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.  ¹²If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. ¹⁴ If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.” (1 Corinthians 3:9-14). Godly living involves:

1)  Collaboration with God.  God calls us to work together with Him. Without God’s divine help we cannot live the way He wants us to live. That is why we are called “God’s fellow workers” (1 Corinthians 3:9). We cooperate together with God to develop and maintain godly living.

2)    Establishing a Firm Foundation.  A firm base is necessary for constructing a building that is solid and stable. For an individual the only foundation that is completely stable is that “which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). When we build on Christ, we have an unmovable foundation.

3)    Being careful in How the work is done.  Some people approach life haphazardly, while others spend time making precise plans for living. The scriptural instruction is “be careful how we build” (1 Corinthians 3:10). To be cautious takes much godly wisdom.

4)    Using Quality Materials.  “You get what you pay for” is a saying that applies to a godly life because “the fire will test the quality” (1 Corinthians 3:13). People easily recognize when the highest value is used to build one's life.

5)    Obtaining Results that have Enduring Worth.  A godly life that is built well will stand the test of time. That life will stand secure and continue to make a difference for the cause of Christ by experiencing lasting results. It can then be said, “What he has built survives” (1 Corinthians 3:14).

Will the things that you do to build your life reap benefits for Christ and His kingdom? Will God look at you one day and say, “Well done good and faithful servant?” Let us make sure we are following God’s direction for godly living.

Where are you Going?

Where are you going?” was the question the traffic officer asked the motorist who, because he was late for an important meeting, had rushed the light making a quick left turn in front of oncoming traffic.  The motorist was a seminary student who told the officer, “I’m studying for the ministry, and I was hurrying to get to a special meeting.”  To which the officer replied, “You better slow down, or you are going to get to heaven before you want to.”  He gave the student a warning ticket and let him go.

The question the officer asked is a good question for all of us to consider about life.  “Where are you going?”  Isn’t it logical to think that life consists of more than simply living a few short years and then dying?  I’m afraid that many people are rushing through life trying to enjoy every minute, but they forget to answer the all-important question, “Where are you going?”

Listen to what the Bible tells us about heaven:

1)    Heaven is God’s gift to us.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

2)    Heaven can be ours through Christ.  And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (I John 5:11-12).

3)    Jesus is preparing heaven for those who have put their trust in Him.  “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2).

4)    Our good works cannot attain heaven.  “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

5)    Heaven is assured to those who personally receive Christ. “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

So, “Where are you going?”  Are you ready to meet God?  Are you confident that if you should die tonight you would go to heaven?  You can be ready to meet God and be assured of heaven.  How?  All you need to do is to put your faith in God and trust Him alone.  Pray to God.  Ask Him to forgive your sins, come into your life, and be your Savior.  He will.  And then with complete confidence your answer to the “Where are you going?” question will be “heaven”. The Apostle John confirms this when he says,  “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (I John 5:13).

God's Guidance

One summer, years ago my brother-in-law and I decided that we wanted to go fishing.  However, since I am not a fisherman and he was from out of state, he said, “Let’s hire a Fishing Guide.  They know where the fish are located.”  Since we had no idea where the best fishing was on the particular lake we had chosen, that’s what we did.  I was impressed with the guide because he knew where to go, what kind of fish we might find in that location, the right kind of bait to use, and the right time of the day to put our lines in the water.

As I thought about having a guide for catching fish, my thoughts turned toward the scriptures and its focus on God being our guide.  God must have a deep concern for us because the Bible often speaks about guidance.  The prophet Isaiah wanted us to know that that God’s guidance is always available for us.  He said, “The Lord will guide you always…” (Isaiah 58:11).  In addition to this there are additional places in the Bible that point to God’s guidance.

1. When we desire understanding and want to be practical or sensible God says, “I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths” (Proverbs 4:11).
2. The words of God and His wise council are part of God’s guidance when the Scripture says, “You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory” (Proverbs 23:74).
3. As we live from day to day, we discover that God’s words are always there to give us direction.  “When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you” (Proverbs 6:22).
4. When looking for that which is true, we are given specific guidance.  “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come” (John 16:13)

Even though we may not be aware of God’s guidance, as children of God we can have complete confidence that He is vitally concerned that we have the direction we need as we seek to bring honor and glory to Him.