His Way

We may believe that we are the controllers of our own destiny. This mindset may seem real to many of us, but the reality is that our destinies are predestine by God. He controls all events and lives on this planet for His divine purpose. Our lives then should be ones directed towards  finding out and understanding the purpose of God.


The Bible states, in Jeremiah 10:23, that " it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." In other words, humanity is not an entity unto itself, having no other authority over it but themselves. We are subject to a creator; a higher power than ourselves. Therefore, our will is subject to this high power: who is God. We do not have the power to change times and seasons by choosing which paths to take or not to take. If this was not true then history and divine prophecy would not be in union as it is now. To illustrate, God foretold of the world empires he would bring about on earth for his purpose, starting with Babylon, then the Persian and Median empire( which the movie 300 featured), followed by the Greek empire under Alexander the great, and finally the Roman empire-of whom we are in the final remnants of with the American and the European governments (Dan. 7:2-8, 17, 23). As God foretold what was to come, so history bares record of it; each of these empires and governments are documented facts.  And all these nations and individuals who were and are key players in the rise of these empires were directed by God to fulfill his prophecy. If it was not so they could have chosen not to participant in world events. Yet, we see everything playing it self out as God said it would. All were directed by God according to his divine will.
The book of  Proverbs elaborates on this fact when it states, " Man's goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way? (Prov. 20:24)." Our actions and choices  or goings are directed by the creator. He puts the desire in the heart and gives us instructions on a subconscious level to direct our endeavors. He does this so that we may know that He is the ultimate power in the universe, when He reveals what he has done. It also removes pride from our hearts, because we can't claim that it was because of our own power that we accomplished this or that. The second point of this verse questions our ability to understand the situations and times with our own minds when it is God who is directing our paths. And the answer is: we can't understand it fully. Our attempts to understand the deeper meaning of our times and situations without God are at best only theories and guesses. Only God has the ability to seen into eternity and only God knows beginning of creation. He alone knows the final destiny of his creation and the kingdom He will establish through His Son. Furthermore, God states he holds the heart of the king in his hands, and like a river that flows this way and that way, so He turns the King's mind wherever He wills ( Prov. 21:1). Therefore, only God has the power to direct the courses or paths of men and whole nations. Man does not have this power over nations or even over himself. The Lord has said, " Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purpose, so shall it stand (Is. 14:24)." He determines the final outcomes.
Thus we who respect and honor God, who lives and acts within us and around us should seek to know His will and how best to follow his leading. The Bible teaches us explicitly not to depend on our own understanding, but to consider God's teachings and commands as we are faced with various choices and situations. And when we obey His teachings, God Himself will direct our paths (Prov. 3:5,6). Thus the will of God is found in the holy scriptures, which guides and teaches us in the things of God: the laws and commandment, the prophets, and teachings of Christ and his apostles. By the scriptures we learn what is acceptable to God. The prophet Micah summarizes the divine will of God for mankind thus, " He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord requires of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God (Micah 6:8)." We are to humbly walk the good path with God's leading, which is to live in obedience to His divine Law.
We then should not live ignorantly as some do, who deny God's power and sovereignty in their lives. For they believe that it is by their own might, education, and drive that they can obtain all things regardless of God's sovereignty. Instead, as James said, we, who believe, should humbly say," If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that (James 4:15)."  Because we understand that it is by God's will and not our own that this or that will come about. James goes on to say that anything beyond that is evil (James 4:16).


Ephesians 3:4, 5: So then, when we humbly seek God by opening the Bible and reading it, we through God's mercy and the power of His holy spirit gain a deeper understanding of His divine will-what Paul calls the mystery-for the deep things of God are not common knowledge.


So, I encourage each of you, who take the time to read this Blog, to draw closer to God through daily reading of the Holy Scriptures, so that you may grow in your understanding of God's will and humbly walk in it as He leads you.


Shalam


Zarach