Slippery Road

Given October 29, 2007
While walking back to my truck from my Monday night class last night, I was talking to God about the times I mess up. You all mess up too, don't you? Well, I do sometimes and I was asking God why I slip and fall occasionally. His answer was simple and one, that if someone else would have said it to me, I would have said, "Well, duh!".

God's answer was, "You slip and fall because you choose to walk on a slippery road.". I had to say, "Yeah, that's right.". The times when I slip and fall are the times when I venture into areas that I know are slippery. The slippery surface doesn't just suddenly appear in front of me, unavoidable. I usually make a choice to go there or not, to think something or not, say something or not, or to do something or not. My choice!

God has told me from His Word, "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, Isaiah 30:21". God constantly tells me which way to go but it's MY choice whether to follow His path or go off on my own. " In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:6". When I wander off the path, I'm onto slippery ground and will probably slip and fall.

But, because He loves me so much which I don't really understand why, God is always there on the right path waiting to take me back and continue the journey. But again, it's MY choice whether to repent and get back on track or not. With God's help, I will not set foot on those slippery surfaces today. Amen?

Talk, Walk, Talk

Given August 22, 2007
I'm sure you've heard the expression, "You gotta walk the talk!" See what you think about this: You can talk it after you walk it, but you have to talk it before you walk it, to see it. Man, does that statement make you squint your eyes and shake your head? Well, let me try to explain what it means.

It is said in Romans 4:17 that God, "calls things that are not as though they were." God told Abraham that He had made him the father of many nations. Abraham believed God and, I imagine, he went around saying, "I'm the father of many nations.", even though he was a hundred and his wife was barren. He was talking it BEFORE he saw it or walked it. He kept on talking it until he saw it, which was his son Issac. Then, after he'd talked it, and saw it, he could then walk it.

Abraham talked and walked by faith at first, saw his faith come to life in Issac, then he could put his arm around the boy and talk it some more. Then, I imagine, he said something like, "Look what the Lord has done!"

"It is written: 'I believed; therefore I have spoken.' With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak. 2 Corinthians 4:13". If we speak the promises of God, believe what we say, and walk in it, then we can talk about it afterward and give God the glory!