Following Jesus on Paths of Righteousness

This is me at five years old, in front of the home I grew up in

There are times when the Lord leads us to look at our house - the structure we

grew up in, and the one we built to live in. If our home is built on Him, then it won't fall. But it will need some restructuring.

The Lord likely wants to allow the wind and rain to tear some things down and wash them away - the things that have left us afraid, fearful of being in trouble, and striving hard to please Him.

This tearing down takes time. It takes a willingness to look, to see, to perceive.

Are we willing?

Will we let Jesus show us the truth?

Will we let Him walk with us into the shadows of the past, so we can realize His presence with us in the present, and all along?

Do we realize that the God we love and serve is the God of all comfort? If God is with us, and He is, then we can face and walk through the hard paths. Let's enter into 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God" (NKJV).

It can be hard to feel the deep waters of our emotions and face what we want to ignore and tend to stuff down, but God created us to feel and to be real - not to pretend, just get by, or power through. Jesus cares for us from the parts that are easy and near the surface, all the way down to our innermost, most intricate being. He is here to help us grow in all truth. Since we are in Christ, living and moving and having our being in Him, we can trust our Good Shepherd as we open all of our life to Him. We can follow where He leads knowing we are never alone, never without our Father's perfect love or our Good Shepherd's guidance.

I admit, it can feel frightening to stop. It takes time with God to trust in Him, and to listen and feel what's below the surface. It takes stopping to realize the ways that the "old man" is still influencing our life.

It requires taking time with God to realize that He has time for us. In fact, all the time, all the patience, and all the love that we need is already a part of Him. There's no pressure, because our sanctification is a process that Jesus leads. We can trust our timing to Him. Our part is to be His child, His sheep - one who follows. He is the perfect parent, the One tending, the comforting covering, and the sole source of all that we need.

Hebrews 12:1-2 encourages us, "let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

This way that Jesus is leading us today is part of the paths of righteousness that He calls us to walk in - for His Name's sake. Jesus is Truth and He does not change. He will stay true to Himself and His Truth without compromise. In His love, He calls us deeper and higher, and when we're willing to walk with Him there is nothing to fear. With Jesus in us, with us, and for us, nothing from the past or present or future can overtake us. We can walk this path as we receive the correction, the comfort, and the Light of our Shepherd King.

Consider Hebrews 12:11-13, "Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed."

Let's let the Lord take us to a place where we feel our emotions and see our response.

Let's stop, as in stop running from the rain of pain - and stand in it and feel it, so we can once again truly feel the Son shine.

Let's take time with the Lord today, walk the path He sets before us, and look at the structure of our house with Him.

Proverbs 8:34-35 holds a beautiful promise for us from God: "If you wait at wisdom’s doorway,

longing to hear a word for every day, joy will break forth within you as you listen for what I’ll say. For the fountain of life pours into you every time that you find me,

and this is the secret of growing in the delight and the favor of the Lord" (TPT).

Be encouraged, in Scripture we see that all who humbled themselves and came to Jesus in need were healed and set free. Have hope today that what waits a little ways down this path is greater freedom. This freedom feels like playing in a field with the Son's rays illumintating our being in golden light glory, while delighting in God's eternal presence, and realizing that we too are being fully delighted in.

Let's enter in...

Alone with the Lord

Ephesians 4:22-24 says, "With respect to your former lifestyle, you are to lay aside the old self corrupted by its deceitful desires, be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self—created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness" (TLV).

Ask Jesus, "What old part of me do You want me to lay aside?"

Listen and receive.

You can journal about what God says and search out Scriptures that address what He's saying to you.

Yield to the Lord in prayer and respond to His voice, His love.

Ask Him to bring His Word to mind and then soak in the truth as it changes you. Maybe even choose some verses to write out or memorize. It will be fun to see how the Spirit of Jesus leads.

Ask Him for help to do what He's leading and allow Him (His voice, His Word, His Spirit) to do the work in you.

Praise the Lord!

Praying for you. With Love,

Denae