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Following God’s
Guidance
Dr.
Shermaine Y. Sanders, PhD
“There
is a way which SEEMS right to a man and APPEARS straight before him, but at the
end of it is the way of death” (Proverbs
14:12 AMP).
Max Lucado writes, “I awoke early one morning
for a meeting…[and] spotted a bag of cookies.
Our daughter had attended a bake sale so I
thought she must’ve set them out for me.
I ate one… interesting texture… I ate a
second… with coffee it made an interesting option.
I grabbed a third for the road, and would
have grabbed the fourth but only one remained.
Later my wife phoned,
‘Looks like someone’s been in the bag.’ ‘It was me,’ I admitted. ‘I’ve had
better breakfast cookies but those weren’t bad.’
‘Those weren’t
breakfast cookies,’
she replied, ‘they were homemade dog biscuits!’
His response? ‘All
day when I scratched my belly, my leg kicked… not to mention my new found
interest in fire hydrants!’
Moral of the Story: I SHOULD’VE CONSULTED THE
MAKER FIRST BEFORE BECOMING A PARTAKER!”
As comical as that may sound, it is actually
the truth for many of us.
We just make choices without ever considering
the consequences. And honestly the consequences wouldn’t be so harsh if we
first consulted God before making our choices!
James 1:5, “If any
of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to
ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without
rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him.” (AMP)
In Max Lucado’s story, could you imagine how
different this scenario could’ve gone, had he FIRST asked permission to take what
didn’t belong to him in the FIRST place?
And even if he
thought it was for him, how bad could it have hurt to simply ask “are these
for me”?
Because the Bible
does not lie: “There is a way which SEEMS right to a man and APPEARS
straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12 AMP).
Often many of us suffer because we chose what
SEEMED and APPEARED right!
But had we asked God for clarity, we would
have SEEN it for what it really was, a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing!
God alone can see clearly behind the mask,
the makeup and the materials!
You simply cannot hide behind the disguise of
someone who is the creator of Discernment! So why not ask Him first?!
Which is why the
Bible says, “[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while
effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and
desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and
delight” (Philippians
2:13 AMP).
It’s not your work, it’s His Work In You that
brings Him Good Pleasure and Satisfaction and Delight! We have a bad tendency
to get this backwards!
When you sense “A Hold” in your spirit, it’s
more than likely God Himself trying to get your attention!
Remember: He promised
to, “… guide you along the BEST pathway for your life… advise you and watch
over you.” (Psalm
32:8 NLT).
Did you catch that? When God guides you, you
will always be found traveling down the BEST pathway for your life!
Not so-so, not alright, not pretty good, but
when God guides, you only go down the BEST road!
Who would be foolish enough to go at it alone
when this is the promise from God Himself?
The Worse Thing You Can Do Is Ignore The Best
Advice, Which Is Following God’s Guidance!
Dr.
Shermaine Y. Sanders, PhD is an Encouraging and Empowering Preacher,
Teacher, Mentor, Counselor and Writer. Her hearts desire is that these Daily
Devotionals Will Impart Knowledge, Understanding and Wisdom that Will Impact
and Inspire the Body, Soul & Spirit of Many Generations to Come.
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