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Walk This Way: Walk a Path of Wisdom
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Walk This Way: Walk a Path of Wisdom

Every day you and I face a variety of choices regarding the path we take.  Many things influence our decisions for both good and bad, yet God wants us to choose daily to walk according to His ways.  Over the past 30 days, with one more to go, I have been sharing from the devotional journal, “Walk This Way”, with the prayer that it helps you to grow in your walk with God as you pursue a greater understanding of the path He calls you to.

Here is day thirty-one with an important reminder that walking God’s way will lead you on a path of wisdom.

Walk a Path of Wisdom

“Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path.”
Proverbs 23:19 (NIV)

Who is the wisest person you know?  In your opinion, what makes them so wise?  How much value do you place on wisdom?  How much effort do you put forth in obtaining wisdom?  What are some of the benefits of having wisdom?  Are there things about wisdom that you would consider to not be a benefit?  Why?  What is the ultimate source of wisdom?  How intent are you in obtaining it?

The Bible tells us that Solomon was the wisest man that ever lived and that his wisdom was granted to him because he requested it from God.  James also tells us that if we lack wisdom, we should ask God who will give it generously without finding fault.  As you pray, ask God to help you see how much you attempt to rely on your own wisdom and how much you look to Him for true wisdom.  Pray that God would also give you the courage to use the wisdom that He supplies.  Pray that your use of godly wisdom would always keep you on the right path.  Pray that you would allow God to direct your path according to His wisdom.  Pray that you would have a reputation as one filled with God’s wisdom.

In prayer,

Tom  

Walk This Way: Walk an Upright Path
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Walk This Way: Walk an Upright Path

Every day you and I face a variety of choices regarding the path we take.  Many things influence our decisions for both good and bad, yet God wants us to choose daily to walk according to His ways.  Over the next 2 days I will finish sharing from the devotional journal, “Walk This Way”, with the prayer that it helps you to grow in your walk with God as you pursue a greater understanding of the path He calls you to.

Here is day thirty with an important reminder that walking God’s way will lead you on a path that is upright.

Walk an Upright Path

“He whose walk is upright fears the LORD, but he whose ways are devious despises Him.”
Proverbs 14:2 (NIV)

Do people tend to trust what you say to be accurate and not misleading?  Are you a person of you word?  Would your family agree with your answer?  Would your coworkers or the people closest to you agree?  How much does your respect for God influence your words and actions?  How do you feel about people who use deceit to get you to do something you would normally refuse?  Are there times when you withhold information to get someone to do what you want?

God says that it is a fear of Him that leads us to walk an upright path.  When we choose to be devious in our actions it shows that we despise Him.  As you pray, ask God to help you have a healthy respect of Him that will lead you to make right choices.  Pray that your life choices would give you a reputation to the people around you as one who walks an upright path.  Pray that God would help you to examine and remove any activity in your life that would contain even a trace of deceit.  Pray that the people around you would come to have a fear of God that would lead them to walk an upright path.

In prayer,

Tom  

Walk This Way: Walk an Unhindered Path
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Walk This Way: Walk an Unhindered Path

Every day you and I face a variety of choices regarding the path we take.  Many things influence our decisions for both good and bad, yet God wants us to choose daily to walk according to His ways.  Over the next 3 days I will be sharing from the devotional journal, “Walk This Way”, with the prayer that it helps you to grow in your walk with God as you pursue a greater understanding of the path He calls you to.

Here is day twenty-nine with an important reminder that walking God’s way will lead you on a path that is unhindered.

Walk an Unhindered Path

“I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.”
Proverbs 4:11-12 (NIV)

Have you ever taken a walk in which you were not appropriately dressed for the distance or activity level you ended up doing?  Have you ever noticed how the weight of something seems to increase the longer you carry it?  What are some things that tend to slow you down in your walk with Christ?  Are there things in your life that you need to get rid of in order to walk an unhindered path?  What will you do with them?

Throughout the book of Proverbs, Solomon gives instructions for following the way of wisdom so our path would be unhindered.  Many years later Paul encourages those who are following Christ to throw off anything that would hinder our walk and to get rid of the sin that entangles us.  As you pray, as God to help you see the things that are holding you back from a productive walk with Him.  Pray that you would identify and remove everything that hinders your ability to walk in faithfulness.  Pray that your unhindered walk would help you to be more effective in sharing the gospel of Jesus with the people around you.

In prayer,

Tom  

Walk This Way: Walk a Path of Understanding
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Walk This Way: Walk a Path of Understanding

Every day you and I face a variety of choices regarding the path we take.  Many things influence our decisions for both good and bad, yet God wants us to choose daily to walk according to His ways.  Over the next 4 days I will be sharing from the devotional journal, “Walk This Way”, with the prayer that it helps you to grow in your walk with God as you pursue a greater understanding of the path He calls you to.

Here is day twenty-eight with an important reminder that walking God’s way will lead you on a path of understanding.

Walk a Path of Understanding

“Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.”
Proverbs 9:6 (NIV)

What are some things that you have a difficult time understanding?  What makes them so difficult to you?  Do you expect everything to have an easy, simple answer?  What happens when you have to work harder than desired in order to understand something or someone?  How much effort do you put in understanding the things of God?  How much of your understanding of God do you base simply on faith?  Do you have to understand something completely before you believe or accept it?

Solomon writes as the voice of wisdom calling his readers to turn away from simple ways and walk a path of understanding.  As you pray, ask God to help you grow in your understanding of who He is and how much He loves you.  Pray that you would have an understanding of the faith required to know God.  Pray that God would fill you with wisdom as you leave behind the ways of the simple and live a life of understanding.  Pray that God’s wisdom would help you to know how to walk a path of understanding with the people around you.

In prayer,

Tom  

Walk This Way: Walk a Teaching Path
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Walk This Way: Walk a Teaching Path

Every day you and I face a variety of choices regarding the path we take.  Many things influence our decisions for both good and bad, yet God wants us to choose daily to walk according to His ways.  Over the next 5 days I will be sharing from the devotional journal, “Walk This Way”, with the prayer that it helps you to grow in your walk with God as you pursue a greater understanding of the path He calls you to.

Here is day twenty-seven with an important reminder that walking God’s way will lead you on a path of truth.

Walk a Teaching Path

“These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NIV)

From whom did you learn the spiritual truths that you follow?  What were the settings for some of your greatest spiritual lessons?  What was the stated purpose of Jesus, according to Mark 3:14, in calling the twelve to Himself?  What methods did Jesus use to prepare these disciples to become the apostles?  Do you see yourself as a teacher?  Who do you spend the most time with?  Are you teaching them?  Are they teaching you?  Who could you influence in a positive way if you saw every interaction as a teaching opportunity?

As God called His people out of slavery to follow Him, He gave them His laws and commands to follow.  He gave instructions for the people to keep God’s teachings before them at all times.  As you pray, ask God to help you become comfortable in sharing His Word wherever you are.  Pray that you would walk a teaching path, having God’s instructions on your lips in your conversations everywhere.  Pray that you would see the value of relationships in teaching others to know God and follow His truth.

In prayer,

Tom  

Walk This Way: Walk a Path of Truth
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Walk This Way: Walk a Path of Truth

Every day you and I face a variety of choices regarding the path we take.  Many things influence our decisions for both good and bad, yet God wants us to choose daily to walk according to His ways.  Over the next 6 days I will be sharing from the devotional journal, “Walk This Way”, with the prayer that it helps you to grow in your walk with God as you pursue a greater understanding of the path He calls you to.

Here is day twenty-six with an important reminder that walking God’s way will lead you on a path of truth.

Walk a Path of Truth

“It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth.”
3 John 1:3 (NIV)

How truthful are you?  What would the people closest to you say in response to that question about you?  It has been said that honesty is the best policy, do you agree with that?  Would your actions say that you agree?  Why do you think truth seems to be so elusive in today’s culture?  Do you believe truth to be universal and absolute or does it depend on the situation?  How do you feel about the statements of Jesus that He is truth and His Word is truth?

The apostle John writes that there is nothing that would bring him greater joy than to hear that those he had taught were walking in the truth.  As you pray, ask God to help you see, and remove, any falsehoods that you have accepted as truth.  Pray that those who have taught you the way of God would be filled with joy as they find you walking the path of truth.  Pray that you would always view God and his Word as the absolute authority on truth.  Pray that the people around you would know you as one who daily walks a path of truth.

In prayer,

Tom  

Walk This Way: Walk a Straight Path
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Walk This Way: Walk a Straight Path

Every day you and I face a variety of choices regarding the path we take.  Many things influence our decisions for both good and bad, yet God wants us to choose daily to walk according to His ways.  Over the next 7 days I will be sharing from the devotional journal, “Walk This Way”, with the prayer that it helps you to grow in your walk with God as you pursue a greater understanding of the path He calls you to.

Here is day twenty-five with an important reminder that walking God’s way will lead you on a path that is straight.

Walk a Straight Path

“Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.”
Proverbs 8:19-21 (NIV)

What is the shortest distance between two points?  How often do the detractors of your faith cause you to talk in circles around subjects that you have a clear view of according to God’s Word.  Do the people around you know where you stand in matters of right and wrong, of sin and judgment?  Do you avoid certain topics because you are afraid of being ridiculed for your beliefs?  Is it possible to walk a straight path in word and deed while still expressing God’s love to people?

David’s desire was that he would learn God’s ways and be led in a straight path because of his oppressors.  It seems he understood that the quickest path away from his oppressors, and perhaps into the heart of his oppressors, would be the straight one.  As you pray, ask God to help you walk a path that is straight.  Pray for the courage to give straight answers to all who question your beliefs and faith.  Pray for the wisdom to give answers with gentleness and respect.  Pray that the people around you would know where you stand with God as they see you walk a straight path.

In prayer,

Tom  

Walk This Way: Walk a Shielded Path
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Walk This Way: Walk a Shielded Path

Every day you and I face a variety of choices regarding the path we take.  Many things influence our decisions for both good and bad, yet God wants us to choose daily to walk according to His ways.  Over the next 8 days I will be sharing from the devotional journal, “Walk This Way”, with the prayer that it helps you to grow in your walk with God as you pursue a greater understanding of the path He calls you to.

Here is day twenty-four with an important reminder that walking God’s way will lead you on a path with Him as your shield.

Walk a Shielded Path

“He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.”
Proverbs 8:19-21 (NIV)

Have you ever been in a situation where you feared for you safety?  What things are you afraid of?  If you could invent a shield that would completely protect you from one thing, what would it shield against?  Do you ever feel powerless in your attempts to resist temptation?  Why?  How confident would you walk if you knew that nothing could knock you off your path with God?  How many of the personal attacks against you would carry much weight if you were confident that you were blameless?

God says that we can walk a shielded path as He gives victory to those found blameless in Christ.  As you pray, ask God to seek His wisdom and understanding in living a life that can be blameless in His eyes.  Pray that you would have the courage to resist the devil as you carry the shield of faith.  Pray that you would have confidence in the shielding that God provides as He promises that nothing can separate you from His love.  Pray that the shielded path that you walk would help others see the protection that God provides to those who are His.

In prayer,

Tom