Psalm 17 – One step at a time

I’m staying on your trail; I’m putting one foot In front of the other. I’m not giving up.

So you are a Christian. A disciple. A follower of Jesus. It is so much more than what you believe, it is who you are.

Being a Christian is not always easy. Life experiances are not all blessing and joy. It doesn’t all happen the way we think it should. As much as we are now sons of God, as much as the Kingdom is now within us as the Spirit of God dwells in us, we have not arrived. We have a heavenly destiny but we are not yet at our destination. To reach it we must walk with God.

Living by God’s Word is more than living because God has spoken life for us. It is living with the word as a lamp and guide for our feet. That already implies we are on a journey. We are travelling a road and doing it day by day, facing and overcoming the challenges and trials that we face along the way.

It takes determination. Not strength and courage and skill. Determination. being determined to follow God. Being determined to hold on to His Word and walk in His way.

It is so important to always hold your destination before you. This is not yet it. There remain promises that God has made that are yet to be fulfilled. We are living in a time that will end and there will begin the new perfection that God will bring about. To keep that as our prize always mindful that it awaits us, fuels our determination to live by the word of God. As David says sticking on God’s trail. Following Him wherever He leads. All the time though knowing what the final destination is.

That is what gives us hope for today.

That’s actually what this verse is about – today. Getting through today. Allowing that hope to pull me through. David says he put one foot in front of the other. He walked one step at a time. So often we just want to fly, to skip the steps,  to find a short cut. To jump across and miss the obstacles. So often that leads to a fall, dissapointment and landing in the pooh. So often not following the way of God makes today a difficult place to be.

This is not like the one day at a time like the AA teach. That way allows today to give strength for tomorrow. Our tomorrow is already determined. We have a hope that is sure and certain. Our tomorrow gives us strength for today. We look to that tomorrow found in God’s Word and then follow God’s Word to bring it into fulfilment. One step at a time. Dealing with each day, with the events of each day, overcoming, conquering each challenge, speaking and bringing into play God’s report, God’s vision that tomorrow, into today.

Hold on to God’s Word. Hold on to every promise. Hold on to what the Word tells you is your destiny. Hold on to every dream and vision God gives you for tomorrow. Step into today as if it is tomorrow. Bring tomorrow into today. Stand on the Word and then step forward onto the Word. Let every step be onto the Word. The Word will remain solid and true. You can can trust it. It will carry you. You will be safe. Look forward. What does the Word say. Now step onto it.

Today has past. Tomorrow awaits. Give praise to God. He is faithful. He will not fail you.

Psalm 16 – One way!

You cancelled my ticket to hell- that’s not my destination!

Truth! Honesty! What beautiful concepts. Things we desire and strive for. We demand them from others and claim them as our way.

There is one area though that often seems to lack man’s honesty. It is when he has to make an honest assessment of his life. We admit to the good but dislike admitting to the bad. We always want to paint the picture of ourselves in slightly brighter colours.

Here is the truth. Not my truth. Not according to any religion. Here is what the Word of God says. Anyone, no matter how good you or they think they are, no matter how wealthy, how powerful, how charismatic, how clever, how successful, how deserving, who is not born again of the Spirit of God, does not submit to Jesus Christ as Lord, is heading one way. Hell!

Harsh. Why? God has made it abundantly clear. There is no avoiding it. Many today hate it when we talk of Hell, denying it’s existence. But if you will be honest you know that there are only two destinations where man can spend eternity. Heaven, being with God or Hell, being separated from God. The one way ticket to Hell is automatically issued to each and every person and it is not an option whether you use it or not.

You will go kicking and screaming but on the day you will be fetched and dragged off. You can deny it today as many times as you want to but nothing will change. Be honest about yourself. Tell yourself the truth. Hell is real. You are going to spend eternity there.

Unless you ticket gets cancelled!

Oh the grace of God. How sweet the sound. How powerful the love that cancels your ticket.

Wow! The first thing Jesus did for you, before leading you into all the promises of God was to take your passage as His own. Through His death your ticket is cancelled. Your name is removed from the hell train passenger manifesto. There is no more room for you, He has filled every available space.

What a Saviour!!!!!!!

Friend I want that you should have intimacy with God. To dwell constantly in His presence. Enjoying the fruit of His promises. It is what God wants too. That’s why He has gone to such great lengths to make it possible for you. That’s why the Psalmist is so excited as he vocalises what He realises God has done for him.

Too many run after God seeking blessing upon blessing. Too many shout about the theological truths they hold to concerning life and it’s blessing and promises but they themselves still have their tickets to Hell in their pockets. Jesus did not destroy hell when He descended into it. God did not do away with Hell when He came in grace. No! He came to deal with your ticket.

Get that ticket out. Have a good look at it. Be honest with yourself. What does it say? One way to Hell? Or does it have a big cross through it? Cancelled! No longer valid! The blood of Jesus freshly stamped on it wiping off your name?

I love the Gospel. I spend my life preaching it at every opportunity, anywhere, any-time.  The Gospel is what saves people from going to Hell. Not law. Not fear. The Gospel. The love and grace of God who in all His goodness saw fit to cancel your ticket and give you the choice of your destination.

You have that choice right now. Get your ticket out and hold it out to God. Admit that it is yours. Believe that Jesus can cancel it and watch how He does just that. Now as you hold it up in the light for all to see, everything on it will fade away and just the cross will remain. The cross upon which your saviour died.  The cross that will forever tell the hell train conductors that you are not a passenger. The cross that opens the door to eternity in God’s presence.

Step through. Now join me in calling out the Good News to others.