Pathways

Psalm 16:6 (The Passion Translation)

Your pleasant path leads me to pleasant places.
I’m overwhelmed by the privileges that come with following you,
for you have given me the best!

Hosea 14:9 (NLT)

Let those who are wise understand these things.

Let those who are discerning listen carefully.

The paths of the LORD are true and right,

and righteous people live by walking in them.

But sinners stumble and fall along the way.

The Lord obviously wants us to pay careful attention to the paths

He has laid out for us to walk in. 

Paths are supposed to be traveled on a regular basis or else they become overgrown and useless. We may stop a while and enjoy God’s bountiful creation, but as a general rule we need to keep moving. Each of God’s pathways include multitudes of lessons that are uncovered like beautiful vistas around every twist and turn of our walk. Don’t allow the paths of God to become overgrown and impassable due to neglect of spiritual exercise. 

Ps. 16:11

You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

It is impossible to travel our life-paths too quickly. They may be uneven and narrow. One should travel carefully and deliberately – making way for others who may pass in the other direction. As we pass strangers, a measure of communication, eye contact and polite greeting is definitely in order. As you walk on your spiritual pathways, enjoy each of the God-lovers who pass by. You never know what treasures God may bring your way. Don’t rush through the lessons of life. Pay attention to the details and rhythms of gracearound every corner. I love this passage from The Message Bible – 

Matthew 11:28-30

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

Psalm 32:8

The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.

I will advise you and watch over you

The Lord as our lives under control. I am determined to keep my eyes on Him. As we move forward...there is abundance:

Psalm 65:11 (NLT)

You crown the year with a bountiful harvest;

even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.

God's 10 pathways in the Bible that have a name...
The Path Of...

1.  Psalm 16:11 The path of life. You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

2.  Psalm 23:3 The paths of righteousness. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. (NKJV)

3.  Psalm 119:35 The path of Your commands. Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness (delight – NKJV) is found. (NLT)

4.   Psalm 139:24 The path of everlasting life. Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life. (NLT

5.   Proverbs 15:19 The path of the upright. A lazy person’s way is blocked with briers, but the path of the upright (faithful) is an open highway. (NLT)

  

6.   Proverbs 15:24 The life-path of the wise.The way of life winds upward for the wise, that he may turn away from hell below. (NKJV)

The path of life leads upward for the wise; they leave the grave behind. (NLT)

7.   Isaiah 40:14 The path of justice.With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, and taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, and showed Him the way of understanding?

Proverbs 4:18 The (path) way of the righteous (just) is like the first gleam of dawn,
which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.

8.  Luke 1:79 The path of peace.To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (NKJV)

And he will illuminate the path that leads to the way of peace.” (TPT)

9.   John 13:17 The path of blessing. You know these things -- now do them! That is the path of blessing. (NLT)

10. 2Timothy 2:18 The path of Truth. They have left the path of truth, preaching the lie that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred; and they have undermined the faith of some. (NLT) 

Seek The Lord

The results of seeking the Lord:

1.    Joy

     1Chr. 16:10...let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! (Ps. 105:3)

        Ps. 40:16   Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You...

        (Ps. 70:4)

2.    He will be found

    1Chr. 28:9  ...if you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off for ever. (2Chr. 15:2; Ps. 9:10)

     2Chr. 15:4   But when in their trouble they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found by them.

3.    God will hear, forgive and heal our land

   2Chr. 7:14 If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

4.    The Lord gives us peace from our enemies

        2Chr. 14:7   ...we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side. (Ezra 8:22)

5.    Prosperity

       2Chr. 26:5...and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.  (2Chr. 31:21)

      Ps. 34:10  The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall      not lack any good thing.

6.    The Lord looks for those who seek Him

        Ps. 14:2 The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. (Ps. 53:2)

7.    Deliverance from all fears

        Ps. 34:4 I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

8.    Life

        Ps. 69:32  ...you who seek God, your hearts shall live. (Ps. 22:26)

        Amos 5:4   For thus says the Lord..."Seek me, and live..."

9.    We are blessed

        Ps. 119:2 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart.

10.  Understanding

        Prov. 28:5  ...those who seek the Lord understand all.

11.  The fear of the Lord

      Hosea 3:5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.

12.  We find a hiding place

       Zeph. 2:3  Seek ye the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld his justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger.

13.  Everything we need will be provided

      Matt. 6:33   But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. (Luke 12:31)

       Matt. 7:7–8 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (Luke 11:9)

14.  Healing

        Luke 6:19  And the whole multitude sought to touch Him: for power went out from Him, and healed them all.

15.  He rewards those who seek Him

        Hebr. 11:6   ...He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Live In The Spirit And WIth The Spirit

The number 9 is so often associated with the person and work of the Holy Spirit – it is the square of the – the number of Divine perfection – the number of the Trinity. In the next few days I will post some lists that speak of the magnificent third person of the Trinity – our indwelling Holy Spirit.

The Lord calls us to be spiritually minded people – living in Him and He in us. The concept of being “in the spirit” is important for us to consider. Walking in Him and with Him comes from daily choices to surrender all to Him.

Nine Ways to Live In the Spirit and With the Spirit

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His (Rom. 8:9; Eph. 2:22; Gal. 3:3).

The Holy Spirit flows through our human spirit and encourages us to be:

1. Prisoners (bound) in the spirit, Acts 20:22

2. Praying in the spirit, 1 Cor. 14:2; Eph. 6:18; 1 Cor. 14:15

3. Walking in the spirit, Gal. 5:16, 22; 1 Pet. 4:6

4. Living in the spirit, Gal. 5:22

5. Worshiping in the spirit, Phil. 3:3

6. Loving in the spirit, Col. 1:8

7. Singing with the spirit, 1 Cor. 14:15

8. Blessing with the spirit, 1 Cor. 14:16

9. Filled with the Spirit, Eph. 5:18 (Also Ex. 28:3; 31:3; 35:31)

Meditate on each one of these throughout this week. Call upon the Holy Spirit to draw you into deeper relationship and intimate communion with Him.

More on the Holy Spirit HERE