Bible League: Living His Word The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you."— Psalm 32:8 NLT Consider the iPhone, a marvel of human ingenuity. When faced with the uncertainty of a new destination or when lost in unfamiliar surroundings, we can simply ask Siri for directions. The phone's software, with its intelligent algorithms, considers all aspects—traffic conditions, road conditions, and the time required to reach the destination. It then presents before us the safest and best route, ensuring our journey is smooth and secure. Moreover, it provides step-by-step directions, telling us when to turn left, when to turn right, and when to proceed straight. Imagine the intimacy of turning to the Lord and saying, "Lord, give me directions to your presence." This simple yet profound request reflects a heart that seeks communion with the Lord, a soul yearning for guidance amidst the daily challenges of life. And in response, the Lord assures us of His unwavering commitment to lead us toward His presence. Just as the navigation app considers various factors to chart the best route, God, in His infinite wisdom, takes into account every aspect of our lives—the joys, the sorrows, the victories, the failures, and the trials. He knows the roadblocks we may encounter, the detours we may need to take, and the destination He desires for us to reach. His guidance is not based on mere algorithms but on a deep understanding of who we are and what will ultimately fulfill us. Our routes may be different, but we can trust in His promise that He will lead us safely to our destination. In the chaos of life's intersections, where decisions loom like crossroads, God's guidance is our spiritual GPS. Just as a GPS recalculates when we take a wrong turn, God gently redirects us when we veer off course. His love is steadfast, and His commitment to guiding us remains unwavering. When we ask Siri on the iPhone for directions, we have in effect surrendered our will to use our own intellect and have chosen to trust the navigation app. Somehow this trust removes our anxiety, and we drive in peace. Likewise, when we surrender our plans and desires to the Lord, we acknowledge His sovereignty over our lives. We entrust our life's journey into His capable hands, knowing that He will advise us with wisdom beyond measure and watch over us with unfailing love. His guidance may not always align with our expectations or preferences, but we can trust that His ways are higher, His thoughts are deeper, and His plans are perfect. Just as the navigation app provides step-by-step directions, so too does God lead us along the pathway of life. His guidance may come through His Word, through prayer, through the counsel of wise mentors, or through the gentle nudges of His Spirit within us. As we walk in obedience to His leading, we experience His presence in profound ways, finding strength, peace, and fulfillment along the journey. We all aspire to be perpetually peaceful, joyful, and happy in our daily lives, but we live in a sinful world. What we desire is only found in God's presence. And the journey to God's presence is not always straightforward. It may involve uphill climbs, winding roads, and unforeseen challenges. Yet, in every twist and turn, His guidance remains sure. "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7). By Santosh Chandran, Bible League International staff, New Zealand Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading1 Samuel 7, 8, 9 1 Samuel 7 -- Samuel Subdues the Philistines NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Samuel 8 -- Israelites Disregard Samuel's Warning and Demand a King NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Samuel 9 -- Saul Anointed by Samuel NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Luke 13:1-21 Luke 13 -- Call to Repent; Healing on the Sabbath; Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast; Enter by the Narrow Door NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking;the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words. Insight The righteous weigh their answers; the wicked don't wait to speak because they don't care about the effects of their words. It is important to have something to say, but it is equally important to weigh it first. Challenge Do you carefully plan your words, or do you pour out your thoughts without concern for their impact? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Psalm 25:18 Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.It is well for us when prayers about our sorrows are linked with pleas concerning our sins--when, being under God's hand, we are not wholly taken up with our pain, but remember our offences against God. It is well, also, to take both sorrow and sin to the same place. It was to God that David carried his sorrow: it was to God that David confessed his sin. Observe, then, we must take our sorrows to God. Even your little sorrows you may roll upon God, for he counteth the hairs of your head; and your great sorrows you may commit to him, for he holdeth the ocean in the hollow of his hand. Go to him, whatever your present trouble may be, and you shall find him able and willing to relieve you. But we must take our sins to God too. We must carry them to the cross, that the blood may fall upon them, to purge away their guilt, and to destroy their defiling power. The special lesson of the text is this:--that we are to go to the Lord with sorrows and with sins in the right spirit. Note that all David asks concerning his sorrow is, "Look upon mine affliction and my pain;" but the next petition is vastly more express, definite, decided, plain--"Forgive all my sins." Many sufferers would have put it, "Remove my affliction and my pain, and look at my sins." But David does not say so; he cries, "Lord, as for my affliction and my pain, I will not dictate to thy wisdom. Lord, look at them, I will leave them to thee, I should be glad to have my pain removed, but do as thou wilt; but as for my sins, Lord, I know what I want with them; I must have them forgiven; I cannot endure to lie under their curse for a moment." A Christian counts sorrow lighter in the scale than sin; he can bear that his troubles should continue, but he cannot support the burden of his transgressions. Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 27:11 Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a level path Because of my foes.Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. Psalm 25:8,9 Good and upright is the LORD; Therefore He instructs sinners in the way. • He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way. John 10:9 "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. Hebrews 10:19-22 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, • by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, • and since we have a great priest over the house of God, • let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hosea 6:3 "So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth." Psalm 25:10 All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. 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