“... I am the LORD your God ...
Who leads you by the way you should go” Isaiah 48:17
Dearly beloved in Christ,
I greet you in the sweet name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us offer our praises and thanks to the Lord who enabled us to see this year. May the Lord bless you with new mercies and goodness this year! It is good for us know whether there is a person to lead and guide us in paths of success and blessings. Let us commit ourselves to live according to His guidance. When we thus wait for the right guidance, we may be misled by wrong guidance and meet with failure and loss and sorrows. But the Lord God wants to guide us in the right path. He has revealed that in the Bible. He will lead us till death. Psalm 48:14 says so. Further, in Philippians 1:5 Paul says: “... He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”. Thus the Lord will lead us in the right path and multiply blessings and glory in this life and grant eternal blessings of all kinds. Many do not know this and do things as they wish and call those who are not Gods Gods. As a result they suffer. But when we walk in the way Jesus Christ takes us, we would be blessed and that is the path to eternity.
WHAT IS THE WAY YOU SHOULD TAKE?
1. The Way of Understanding
“Forsake foolishness and live, and go in the way of understanding.” Proverbs 9:6
If you walk in the way of understanding, you would have success and blessings in life. The Bible says: “And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the LORD was with him. Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him.” (1 Sam. 18:14,15). If we walk in the way of understanding, our enemies will also be afraid of us. Because people leave this path and take to fleshy temptations, they meet with so many problems, struggles and tribulations. If we walk in the way our Lord wants, our enemies will be put to shame. If we do wisely in the place of our work, we will be exalted in the midst of those who are jealous and act against us. Daniel, wise and faithful, walked in the way of the Lord and did good things. But those who worked with him sought some score on which he might be accused. They couldn’t. They
who rose against him were annihilated. The way of understanding is working according to the word of God.
2. The Eternal Path
“And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:24
People who seek transient pleasures constitute a vast majority. They do not know that their ways would lead to destruction. Everlasting way takes us to eternal blessings. Taking to this path, we are assured of eternal blessings. But in this way you may have to encounter and endure sufferings of various kinds. You may have to sacrifice some pleasures. The Lord God will lead so that you do not stumble. When the Lord God chose Moses to lead Israelites, He made him worthy of the task by certain ways. He chose “rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.” He did not choose the comfortable, but chose sufferings. The way to eternity is a narrow gate. Those who find it are a few. Jesus said so. The eternal way makes way for eternal blessings. Eternally we will be serving God in His presence. ‘And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”’ (Isaiah 35:10).
3. The Way of Holiness
“A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness...” Isaiah 35:8
It is the way the redeemed of the Lord take. In Leviticus 20:8, the Lord Himself says: “...I am the Lord who sanctifies you.” He will take us in this path. Only to sanctify us, He shed His blood on the cross. He cleanses us with His blood and makes us worthy to walk in His way of Holiness. He is holy and wants us to be holy in all that we do. When we walk according to His instructions, we are holy. Therefore, Jesus Christ pleaded the Lord God, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17). We should live holy. That is why He gave us the Holy Spirit. This Spirit has the power to make us holy. We cannot see God without this holiness. As we are led by the Spirit, we lead a good life. When you walk in this path, even if you are ignorant, you will not be misled. The redeemed of the Lord will walk in it.
4. Jesus the Way
‘Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”’ John 14:6
When Jesus Christ lived on this earth, He made clear the way we should live in this world. This is the way of truth and eternity. We are strengthened daily to walk in it. He said that He would not leave us orphans. He helps us to walk in His way of love through the help of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ said: “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth...” (John 16:13). This is the way of life. He will teach the way and lead us. He is the way, the model.
HOW WILL HE LEAD?
1. Safely
“And He led them on safely, so that they did not fear...” Psalm 78:53
The Lord will lead us safely as He led the Israelites. He still lives. Sometimes He takes us through the desert path. The Bible says: “Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 13:17,18). Desert is a place where you have no help. There are no landmarks to show direction. It is a way of suffering and emptiness. But the Lord takes us through safely so that we need not fear. People have certain means to reach our destination safely. We do not want to be misled by lack of direction. So there is the GPS designed scientifically to guide us. Our Lord God is more than that. He led the Israelites with a column of fire and a column of cloud. All those who have been redeemed by Him are led by Him safely so that they may not falter, fear, or go back to old ways however threatening the situation may be. He puts a wall of fire around them so that no evil force may come near them. The Lord lives. He leads and guides us wonderfully to take us to the heavenly abode of Canaan. He gives a protective cover of fire to His servants. “A
fire goes before Him, and burns up His enemies round about.” (Psalm 97:3). He is so mindful of us. None of the wicked acts of our enemies can harm us. None can stop His followers from progressing ahead. There can be no barriers to stop them. All obstacles will be done away with. All the barriers in your way like those in marriage, job, promotion, transfer, living together, building the house, and selling the land will be removed.
2. With Chastening
“If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?” Hebrew 12:7
“For whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.” (Prov. 3:12). The Lord chastens to correct us. “For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrew 12:10 &11). The psalmist says: “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.” (Psalm 119:71). Through His sufferings, Jesus Christ has prepared eternal redemption for us. When we follow His model, we are made worthy of all the exaltations due to the call from heaven. Because of chastening, we are made to partake His holiness. The Lord led Joseph through various sufferings and temptations. He suffered for 13 years. Then he was exalted to the place next only to Pharaoh in Egypt. He led the people from there. There is no limit to the blessings of the chastening of Christ. It is the way to establish a relationship with Christ.
3. Teaching
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” Psalm 32:8
The Lord teaches well to make us walk in His ways. Psalm 25:12 says, “Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.” In Psalm 25:4, the psalmist pleads: “Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.” Teaching helps us to inherit the blessings. As and when we do not obey the teachings, we meet with failure and defeat. We stumble and falter. We resort to other ways. Jesus Christ taught those who came to Him. Those who accepted them and obeyed them were saved. These teachings give rest to the soul in the life of men. He taught to live fearlessly, without sorrows, and to guard us in holiness and to know about the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven. That was the reason why people flocked to Him even in desert places and on seashores. Further, to teach them after His exit, He pleaded in the presence of the Lord to send the Spirit of Truth, the Comforter. So He got for us the Holy Spirit to be with us and to guide us. This Spirit teaches us everything and also reminds what Jesus Christ taught. Such teaching is highly helpful to us. Thus we are taught to overcome the devil at times of temptations and to have a life crowned with mercy and goodness.
4. According to His Will
“... He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth ...” Daniel 4:35
Without knowing the will of God, we remain foolish. We read in Ephesians 5:17: “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” When we act according to the will of the Lord, there would be no hindrances to success. In Acts 16th chapter we read that Paul was stopped from speaking the word of God in Asia by the Holy Spirit and was thus guided. He was provided a place to stay and eat. When we also act according to the will of God, the Lord will bless us by raising people on our behalf and removing all obstacles in the way. Let us devote ourselves to do His will by giving up all our desires, plans and ideas. Even Jesus Christ prayed so in the Garden of Gethsemane. He prayed: “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will”. This is a model prayer for us. The Bible teaches: “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” (Prov.21:1). “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21). “For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” (Matt. 12:50). “And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.” (Luke 12:47). Jesus Christ said in John 6:38, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” He gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father”. So Paul advises us to do everything “not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Ephesians 6:6). “For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise” (Hebrew 10:36). “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17). Let us act likewise in the way suggested by the Lord and be established in faith and in Him.
WHOM DOES THE LORD LEAD?
1. The Delivered
“Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses. And He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city for a dwelling place.” (Psalm 107:6,7).
Today man needs deliverance from certain habits to which he is under slavery. As he has no deliverance from those habits, he is ashamed of his acts; life has become bitter; sorrows and suffering overwhelm him. He is oppressed and depressed. His life is destined to lead him to eternal hell. In the lives of certain others, the bondage is due to the devil; many are under a curse; some suffer because of the effects of witchcraft; some others have physical weaknesses and diseases tormenting them; some have wicked traits. They find themselves impossible to get relief from them. But Jesus Christ can deliver you from all such situations by His acts of love; He delivers you from fear and traditional practices. He guides all those whom He delivers.
2. The Humble
“The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way.” Psalm 25:9
The quality of being humble is a blessing. It is one of the fruit of the Spirit. The Bible says: “The LORD lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground.” (Psalm 147:6). “But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” (Psalm 37:11). “Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.” (Numbers 12:3). “‘The LORD is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.’ (Num. 14:18). So let us also strive for this quality in us. The Lord expects it in us. He will then make our life overflow with blessings. “He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly.” (Prov. 14:29). “A wrathful man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger allays contention.” (Prov. 15:18). Jesus Christ was humble. He came “lowly and sitting on a donkey” (Matt. 21:4). So let us commit ourselves to be blessed by inheriting this humility.
3. Those Who Have Accepted the Lord as Their Shepherd
“He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” Psalm 23:3
The shepherd goes before his flock. The sheep know his voice and go after him. Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd who came to this earth. Just like a Shepherd He leads and guides us to have a life of blessings and abundance. He knows what is good for us and gives a comfortable life. For that He leads in paths of righteousness to be provided with all our needs. He will fulfil our desires and needs. He gives us words of promise to live without fear. As He guides, He exalts us among our enemies, anoints us and gives us a life of overflowing blessings.
BLESSINGS OF BEING LEAD BY THE LORD
1. He Guides
“They shall neither hunger nor thirst, neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, even by the springs of water He will guide them.” Isaiah 49:10
The Lord will guide us to a place of plenty. We are taken to the springs of water so that our thirst will be quenched. A place with a spring is always pleasant and prosperous. Samson became thirsty on the day he killed 1000 persons with the help of a jaw bone of a donkey. He called to the Lord: “...You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant; and now shall I die of thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised? So God split the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out, and he drank; and his spirit returned, and he revived...” (Jud. 15:18,19). The shepherds of Isaac dug a well again and no one quarrelled with them anymore. Then he knew that the Lord had given them that place to multiply.
2. He Comforts
“. . . . I will also lead him, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.” Isaiah 57:18
The Lord God gives us comfort. Jesus Christ who called everyone to Him with the promise of rest will bless you with comfort and consolation in times of tribulations. I met with an accident once and I noticed blood in my ear. I knew that blood coming out of ear, mouth or nose is a sign of a wound in the brain. That was a serious thing. I started praising God and I was disturbed about the meeting next day. My son who had a fracture in his leg was also admitted to a hospital. The promises of the Lord comforted me. He spoke through His words not to be dismayed but repose faith in Him. I had assurance of protection. He thus comforts us.
3. He Guides Continually
“The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.” Isaiah 58:11
As we are guided by the Lord, we have exaltation and jubilation in the spirit, soul and body and are made a tool to quench the thirst of others. The Lord will lead us in the path that we should take as promised in His word throughout this year and bless us.
May the Lord bless us!
In the service of Christ Jesus,
Bro. C. Ebenezer Paul.