* A Stumble is Not the End

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread.
Psalm 37:23-25 NLT

I saw a post on social media that read, "Never let a stumble in the road be the end of the journey." and it made me think about people I've known who have stumbled and stayed there. Not to mention the times I've stumbled and not wanted to get back up...

Listen! The road CAN be very long. The path WILL twist and turn. There WILL be rocks and potholes and sometimes, debris in the way, left by the storms of life. Maybe some days, it seems so much easier to set up camp on this side of the giant mudslide or the tree across the road. Don't do it! Don't!

If our goal is heaven and we're not there yet, then we must keep moving forward! God has promised to go before us to make the crooked path straight. He has promised to direct our steps. He said He will hold us by the hand. Jesus said in John 16:33, I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. 

We slip, trip and stumble. Proverbs 24:16 declares, The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. So get up!  It's not the end of the journey! We're not there yet! Get up! Follow His footsteps!

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us for wanting to quit when the going is hard. Prod us! Provoke us to good works! Keep Your Word ever alive in our hearts so that we draw our strength only from You. You ARE our Strength when we are weak and humble ourselves before You. Help us, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Trip Advisory Thanksgiving

Do this and you will never ever be lost. In this way you will receive a rich welcome into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

2nd Peter 1:10b-11 CEB

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. - a national holiday. Lots of people travelling this week and returning home later in the weekend. Regardless of your mode of travel, I hope you have great directions for your final destination. 

When I travel on the road, I always like to have the AAA Triptik. They're great - maps laid out in a spiral flip binder in doable miles per page without being overwhelmed by the overall trip. The route to travel is clearly highlighted along with bits of vital information: the terrain is described (mountainous, flat lands, rolling hills), rest stops and road construction are marked, AAA-recommended hotels are noted with information to make reservations, etc. It will even warn you of speed traps! It's nigh on impossible to get lost while using a AAA Triptik.

As one who can get lost so frequently that all roads look familiar, I am thrilled to find today's promise - Do this and you will never ever be lost. Since our destination is the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, it would behoove us to follow the trip advisory that God has laid out for us. If we go back a few verses in our text for today, we find this vital information:

     By his divine power the Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own honor and glory. Through his honor and glory he has given us his precious and wonderful promises, that you may share the divine nature and escape from the world’s immorality that sinful craving produces.

     This is why you must make every effort to add moral excellence to your faith; and to moral excellence, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, endurance; and to endurance, godliness; and to godliness, affection for others; and to affection for others, love. If all these are yours and they are growing in you, they’ll keep you from becoming inactive and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

These are the things we must do, so that we will never be lost. 

Peter goes on to tell us, Whoever lacks these things is shortsighted and blind, forgetting that they were cleansed from their past sins.

Let's not get lost. God has given us the directions for our journey - His Word. It has all the vital information we need. The route is clearly highlighted. Use it! Don't take one step without it.

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for the ultimate Triptik. We are so grateful that You have paid the way for us to get to You. We want to be around Your banqueting table on the day You call us home. Keep us ever mindful of the trip advisories in Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Regardless of your mode of travel, please be aware of your surroundings and stay safe.