Principles to live by

Principles to live by

Why use principles in God's word?  Most people ignore them, or are too busy to even find out what they are?  Each day that I search God's word,  each moment seems more important to search out His word and find out what His principles are.  I guess the question is, do you love Him?  If we love Him we continue to find out more about Him and what he feels and thinks of us as His creation.  What He tells us is best for us and His wisdom to guide and direct. 

In tonight's blog, I want to start out with just 5 basic principles of God's word.  It's a start in living a life that is closer to holiness than maybe we have experienced in the past.  

1.  Let's follow what is clearly revealed - "Everything in the Scriptures is God's Word.  All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live.  The Scriptures train God's servants to do all kinds of good deeds" (2 Timothy 3:16, 17). 

It's a good start by opening your Bible and reading it!  It is full of general principles of behavior.  Sometimes it gives us specific instructions and other times it tells us of what our attitude needs to reflect in a given situation.   In Colossians 3:17,23,24 - it tells us what our attitude toward work should be, but it doesn't tell us what profession we should be in.  It also gives us guidance on whom we should marry (1 Corinthians 7:39 and 2 Corinthians 6:14 - But God leaves it up to us to make the choice.  

We have decisions on a daily basis with an instruction manual.  If we use wisdom, we will open it and allow it to guide our very steps.   

2.  Most of God's guidance is unconscious -  

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths"  Trust can be a difficult thing for those of us that have experience less than "trust" in a world filled with darkness.  But one of God's most important promises comes from "Trust" - He clearly says that if we acknowledge him in all of our ways, He will direct our journey.  Do any circumstances come to mind as you focus on Him and how He has provided for you each day? 

In Isaiah 58- He also tells us to take care of the oppressed, the needy and the naked.  And the Lord will guide you always.  He also tells us without faith it is impossible to please Him. Hebrews 11:6.  We may not always know where the path will lead, but we know who is leading us and this is the most important.  Though I think God wants us to continue to look forward, if we look back, it is then we can see how He has been leading all along. 

3.  God expects us to use our intelligence - 

God says, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.  Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle" Psalms 32:8,9.  The New Testament reveals much about the use of our minds.  We are to love God with all our mind as well as our heart - Matthew 22:3

For me as an artist and writer, God has provided a space to paint my picture of life with and through Him.  What would your picture look like?  He has given me materials that can be renewed daily, from glory to glory the picture is revealed.    How would your masterpiece be revealed?  Are you willing to hang it on the wall of your heart?  Or share it with the heart of others?   When He gives us a canvas, He also provides us with a free will to display this beautiful picture.  2 Corinthians 5:7 - God calls us to walk by faith and not by sight.  God doesn't give us paint by numbers, however; he does provide instruction if we are willing to use them.  He gives us a clean canvas with many colors to use for His glory and His purpose.  

4.  God does not show us more than we need to know

Matthew 7:7 - Ask and it will be given to you; seek and ye shall find.   You know, He is a gentleman, He waits patiently for us to seek Him.  Once we seek Him he promises that we will find what we need.  He tells us if we just knock on the door, it will be open to us.  How difficult is it to just knock on the door?  It all goes back to the first principle of "Trust"!  Luke 11:9 also says to keep on knocking and He will hear you!  Often it doesn't happen the way we think it will, but it happens! In most cases it is far better than what we ever expected!  If we feel the door is just not opening, it could be he is still working on us or the situation.  He is there always and in all circumstances.  Trust Him! 

5.  Don't tell God how He must guide

This is difficult for me especially because of life circumstances, I naturally have a tendency to take the reigns and go with it.  I'm a self-starter.  Did you get what I just said?  Yes, "self-starter"  On a resume this attribute looks good; but, in the kingdom of God (government) it is not so good.  It is not good to leave wisdom out of our life choices.  It is not good to do all the talking and to rarely listen to what God's mission statement has to say.  The mission statement can all be found within His word, the Bible!  If we self-start and leave Him completely out of it and don't let Him guide our footsteps; or, at the very least, allow him to hold our hand, how can we get through this life without falling in a pothole or more than one pothole in my case.  It is he who provides the light!  Grab it and use it! John 8:12- I am the light of the world!  With His light, we then become the light too, so we can help others avoid those potholes and rocky paths. 

Heart Homework:  Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own

understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will 

make your paths straight! 

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