“Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.”

                                                                                                                                                                       Psalm 27:11

Dearly beloved in Christ,

I greet you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are many enemies in our lives. All our problems and troubles appear as enemies and, as a result, we are highly troubled and are depressed by them. The Lord God knows our abilities very well and teaches us in a way we understand. In Mark 4:33, it is said about Jesus Christ, “And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.” David was taught and was led perfectly in the midst of his enemies.

Our Lord teaches us and leads us in the proper way. In Psalm 32:8, the Lord says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” The Lord God, who leads us, also sets the path before us right.   Many a time we are worried as to what to do in a situation where the enemies are all round us in huge numbers who are envious of us. But the Lord tells us, “...I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go.” (Isaiah 48:17). The holy and righteous Lord of Israel teaches what is needed for us and what is important for us to know, and thus guides us. He also gives us the ability or grace to tackle the wiles of the enemy. We read in Psalm 84:4,5, “Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You. Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage.”Our Lord teaches the right way and helps us to adopt it.

We also see that the Lord does mighty things to lead us to an exalted state. The Bible says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 14:12). Many people say that they are doing everything right, but are wrong. They do not know that they are destroying themselves.

I know one man. He established a computer industry with all that he had learnt in the US. At the initial stage all seemed to go on well. But his partner left him all of a sudden. He had entrusted all important dealings with this man. That partner established another company with the knowledge he had gained in their enterprise. His new company flourished, but not the company he left. As a result, the company had to be closed, and the owner who had sought loans became a debtor. Man knows many ways, but the way of the Lord will be beneficial and good to us. We should know that, and run in it. We will not be tired in it. When we walk in it, it is always beneficial and good.

How should Our Way Be?

1. Amend Your Way

“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place” (Jeremiah 7:3).

We should examine our ways and amend it. Make it better to be acceptable to the Lord. Then the Lord will bless us and establish us. The Bible says, “But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one” (2 Thes. 3:3). This is a promise of the Holy Spirit to us to comfort us. The Lord wants to bless us and establish us wherever we are. Therefore, when our life is acceptable and pleasing to Him, it is blessed.

He watches our way. Where are you going? What is the way you take? He knows our goings. He examines whether it is the other way. If your way is amended and made acceptable to the Lord, He will establish you where you are and bless you.

So let us take time off to examine our ways. If our ways are not acceptable to Him, He will put huddles in our way. The donkey that Balaam was riding could not go ahead and it laid down. It is written in Numbers 22:31, “Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face.” As the way of Balaam was perverse in the sight of God, the Angel of the Lord stood in his way and obstructed him. Seeing the Angel, the donkey lay down under Balaam. The Lord then opened the eyes of Balaam and he saw the Angel with the sword in his hand. He fell on his face and worshipped him. As there was perversity in his life, the Angel of the Lord appeared to obstruct him and expressed his opposition to him. So if our way is amended and is acceptable to the Lord, He will make the place where we dwell peaceful and happy.

 2. Please the Lord

“When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Proverbs 16:7).

 Today, is your way acceptable to the Lord? Do you walk in the way of truth that is pleasing to the Lord? He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Do we walk in it or walk in the traditional way of the world? He knows our ways and also examines the thoughts of our hearts. If our ways as pleasing to Him, He will make all the enemies who rise against us to be at peace with us.  The Lord of peace will make our paths peaceful and will make a feast in the midst of our enemies. Thus He sets rights our paths and blesses us.

David knew the way that was pleasing to the Lord and walked in it and thus inherited a lot of blessings. In which way are we walking today? How are the characteristics of our life-style and our deeds? They point to the way we live. Today let us examine our ways and take decision to amend them to be pleasing to the Lord. If we live pleasing the Lord, He will make our enemies to be at peace with us. That is the way He acts.

3. Learn the Way of the Lord’s People

“And it shall be, if they will learn carefully the ways of My people, to swear by My name, ‘As the LORD lives,’ as they taught My people to swear by Baal, then they shall be established in the midst of My people.” (Jeremiah 12:16).

Our life has become one of torment only because of the way we took without knowing the consequences. If we adopt the way of the people of the Lord, our life will surely be a blessed one built by the Lord. As we did not know His way, we were destroyed. The Lord tells us, “On that day I will raise up The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old.” (Amos 9:11). Let us today examine our lives to see whether the way we adopt is acceptable to the Lord. Do you walk in the way the Lord wants? Do you do things pleasing the Lord? You should learn the way of the people of God. Many a time you are not interested to know His ways. “Thus says the LORD: “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ (Jeremiah 6:16). Yes, you will find rest for your soul if you walk in the way of the Lord. If you walk in His ways, He will bless you abundantly and exalt you.

WHEN WILL THE LORD SET RIGHT OUR WAYS

1. Being Delivered by the Lord

“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.And He led them forth by the right way,that they might go to a city for a dwelling place.” (Psalm 107:6,7).

When we are delivered by the Lord, He makes our way straight. Today we are confused and suffer. We need deliverance for walking in ways that are peaceful. We have to be delivered from all our problems. As we continue to live in trouble, life becomes bitter. But today the Lord teaches you an exalted way. He counsels you.

It may be deliverance from fear, fear of death haunting you all the days of your life, or fear of the future. Because of the losses incurred in the endeavours made, you may be living in uncertainty of the future. Without deliverance, many resort to evil things and as a result suffer the consequences. But today, Jesus Christ delivers you. The Bible says, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36). If you have this true deliverance, you will enjoy a total freedom from all the tribulations so far encountered. The Lord, who is concerned about your welfare, wants to deliver you from all your struggles and give you a new way of happy life. When you cry out to Him in your trouble for help, He will deliver you. He says, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” (Psalm 50:15). Truly, He will deliver you. As you do not have this deliverance, you meet with failure in all that you do and are agitated. You are in tears. The Lord, who wants to set right your ways, will first deliver you.

There are people who say that they have no need of deliverance as they are not under bondage to anyone. But they are under bondage to some sin which they do not regard as sin. Many students are under bondage to their mobile phones. They keep playing with their phones right from morning till night. They are not able to concentrate on their studies. They have no aim to progress in life. They are not bothered about their dress or diet. Going to their educational institutions is itself a difficult task for them. As their concentration is only on games in their mobile phones, they are not able to study their subjects.

Beloved in Christ, the Lord who wants to set right your ways wants to deliver you. He sets right your ways so that you may not fall back into old ways.

Once I was invited to a family. I met a youth in the house. He had a lot of wisdom, a lot of talents. But he stopped going to his engineering college even in the first year of the course. He would shut himself in a room from morning till night playing some game in his mobile phone. He was under bondage to a habit. When he regained his senses, he was delivered.

Today such deliverance is essential in our lives too. Only when we are delivered, we can enjoy a new way of life in Christ.

2. Set the Lord Before You

“I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.” (Psalm 16:8).

David teaches a secret of his success. He always had the Lord before him and therefore he was not moved. He did not place before him his problems, his sufferings, or family troubles. In his whole life he always had the Lord before him. That is why; when he sinned he could relent and set right himself. If you also place the Lord God before you in your life in all situations, the Lord will bless you. He will make straight your ways. In Isaiah 45:2, He says, “I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron.” When you have Him before, He will make crooked things straight. There are several things that are crooked in our lives. It might be something that does not suit your taste. It might be something that you sought but couldn’t get. So you find yourself in a crooked situation. It may be your job. When the Lord goes before you, He will make it straight and take you along.

It might be the house you live in. You searched for a better house, but only this one was available. During the night time, there is some noise. It seems some lady is walking around. Some noise keeps disturbing. Our Lord sends His fire before us to make the crooked things straight. Psalm 97:3 says, “A fire goes before Him, and burns up His enemies round about.”

Some time back, a family shared with me what happened in their house. All of a sudden, the door of the bathroom or some other room would open and shut. But the Lord is mighty and faithful. He does marvellous things. He began to work for the family. Whatever be the situation in your life, the Lord can remove all the traps of Satan and make you have peace and happiness. He will go before you and make the crooked things straight. He lives. He sends a fire to burn up the enemy and his wicked acts. Thus He sets right your way.

Keep the Lord as your Shepherd before you. Accept Him. He will lead you in paths of righteousness. Even if you go through the valley of the darkness of death, He will be with you and you need fear no evil. He will help you.

Let us keep before us, not the struggles or problems, but the Lord. He will go before you and set things right. He will lead you in the right path.

3. Think of the Lord in all Your Ways

“In all your ways acknowledge Him,and He shall direct[a] your paths.” (Proverbs 3:6).

Many a time we place our wisdom instead of the Lord before us. Instead of looking up to the Lord, we look on the past and traditional things. But the Lord counsels us, “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.” (Isaiah 43:18).But we are worried of worldly things. When you think of the Lord and His ways of love, He will make our ways perfect. Our thinking should be about God. We must have the heart of Jesus Christ. We should not be like the people of this world concerned only of the things of this world. Haggai 1:7 instructs us, “Consider your ways!” We should consider our ways. If our thoughts are around Jesus Christ and the Bible, we would have a good life without any suffering. You should also think of your Lord, the creator of heaven and earth. Think of His prowess, glory, mercy and magnanimity. Surely He will make our ways peaceful and our dwelling places would also be with peace. He will do that for you.

4.  Become Righteous

“The way of the just is uprightness; O Most Upright, You weigh the path of the just.” (Isaiah 26:7).

 If you are righteous or become righteous, the Lord will make your paths good. Look at the life of Abraham, who believed God. His belief was counted as righteousness. The Lord made all his endeavours successful. He met with problems and was oppressed, but the Lord intervened and rescued him. He blessed his household. He fulfilled the promises He made to him. He blessed him. Are we righteous in our lives? Do we deserve to be called righteous? Do we think of righteous things? Do you have the righteous Jesus Christ in your hearts? The Most Upright Lord also works righteousness in our lives. He blesses the righteous abundantly. He makes straight their paths.

When the Lord guides us, He makes all our paths good. There will not be any hardships in the way. He does everything for and would not forsake them. The Lord guides us. He would transform it into one of splendour and light. He takes us along in a peaceful and successful way.

5. Let the Lord Guide You

“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).

The Lord leads everyone in a perfect way. The star led the Magi, the wise men from the east, who wanted to worship the new born Jesus Christ and to offer Him their worthy gifts. When it reached the place where He was born, it stopped. Today it is not the star but the Lord Jesus Christ who leads us. He leads you daily. He has left His footprint for us to follow Him. Let us look to Him to have guidance. When you walk in His ways, everything would fall into its place. There will be a level ground for you.

Let us offer our praises and thanks to the Lord who makes a way for us, who teaches and leads us in the midst of our enemies in a perfect way. Let us thus be blessed.

May the Lord bless us! Amen.

In the service of Christ Jesus,
Bro. C. Ebenezer Paul.