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) 

Psalm 36: Man's Wickedness - God's Perfection

In Psalm 36, there are 6 verses that describe man’s wickedness (verses 1-4; 11-12) and then 6 verses that describe God’s perfections (vs. 6-10). There are 13 descriptions of man’s wickedness, and 14 accounts of God’s perfections.

The number 13 in the bible represents rebellion and lawlessness. Nimrod, the mighty hunter who was 'before the Lord' (meaning he tried to take the place of God - Genesis 10:9), was the 13th in Ham's line (Ham was one of Noah's three sons who survived the flood). Thirteen represents all the governments created by men, and inspired by Satan, in outright rebellion against the Lord. The dragon, a symbol for Satan, is found 13 times in Revelation. Satan is behind all rebellion against God.

The number 14 in the bible represents deliverance and salvation. It is also a double of the number 7, which represents completion. In the verses of this Psalm that describe God’s perfection, there are 14 pronouns: (Your, You).

Here are the 13 descriptions of man’s wickedness:

The wicked man has no fear of God

The wicked man flatters himself

The wicked man loves to sin

The wicked man hates others

The wicked man speaks deceitfully

The wicked man turns from wisdom

The wicked man turns from goodness

The wicked man plots evil through the night

The wicked man walks in evil

The wicked man loves what God hates

The wicked man crushes others with their pride

The wicked man pushes people around

The wicked man falls down and is unable to rise again

Here are the 14 descriptions of God perfections:

God’s mercy is as vast as the heavens

God’s faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds

God’s righteousness is as powerful as the mountains

God’s justice is as deep as the oceans

God’s care extends to every man and creature

God’s love is precious and unfailing

God’s shelter under His wings is secure

God’s provision is abundant
God's drink springs from His hand

God’s pleasures flow like a river

God’s life pours out like a fountain

God’s light gives us light for our eyes

God’s kindness extends to all who know Him 
God’s virtue covers the upright in heart

The number 14 also represents David - the numerics of his name add up to 14: D_V_D represent the numbers 4+6+4=14. David was the 14th generation from Abraham. Then there were another 14 generations to babylon and another 14 generations to Jesus (Matt. 1:1-17). Jesus is the Divine King who is descended from David.

From the Hand of the Lord

7 Things in the hand of the Lord from the Psalms

Ps. 48:10 - He has righteousness in His hand

receive His forgiveness and be clothed in righteousness

Ps. 145:16 - He satisfies you from His hand

He knows exactly what you need

Ps. 104:28 - He provides for you with His hand

every need is made complete in Him

Ps. 21:8 - He ministers justice with His hand

rest in His justice and watch Him move on your behalf

Ps. 37:24 - He upholds you with His hand

He is able to lift you up and set you in your perfect place

Ps. 73:23 - He holds you with His hand

there is no greater place of peace than being hidden in His hand

Ps. 139:10 - He leads you with His hand

your future is secure as you follow His hand

The Heavens Declare...

It seems that the heavens declare two things:

The heavens declare His glory...

Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.

Here are the first few verses of this psalm in the New Living Translation:

1 The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
 The skies display his craftsmanship.

2 Day after day they continue to speak;
 night after night they make him known.

3 They speak without a sound or word;
 their voice is never heard.

4 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
 and their words to all the world.

The heavens declare His righteousness...

Psalm 50:6 Let the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is Judge. Selah

Psalm 97:6 The heavens declare His righteousness, And all the peoples see His glory.

More amazing skies and testimony of the glory of God...

Gatekeepers - Part One

All worshipers are called to be gatekeepers - (more on this tomorrow). Today, I just want to look at the actual gates...

Ps. 84:10b

" . . . I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of the wicked."

"They said to me, 'Those who survived the exile and are back in the province

are in great affliction (trouble) and reproach (disgrace).

The wall of Jerusalem is broken down,

and its gates have been burned with fire.'"

Neh. 1:3

These gates have two doors:

…You shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise.”  Is. 60:18b

“Open to me the gates of righteousness.

I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD”   

Ps. 118:19

Praise and Righteousness are often linked in scripture. It is through these two doors that the Glory of the Lord will shine in the last days. When we, (the city - Zion, with walls of salvation) have these two doors, or gates functioning in our lives, there will be established a pathway for the glory of the Lord to cover the earth as the 'waters cover the sea'. It is through a righteous and praising church that this prophecy will be fulfilled: Isa. 61:3, 11

Not only are we gatekeepers of God's presence...we are also called to possess the gates of our enemies. In Biblical times, if you held the gate of a city, you pretty much would be in a position of power over the whole city. The term “to possess the gate” (Gen. 22:17) meant that one had gained a position of power and wealth over the enemy.

Possess:

            • To cause to possess or inherit

            • To cause others to possess or inherit

            • To dispossess

            • To destroy or bring to ruin

            • To seize – dispossess

            • To take possession

            • To occupy

When we are people of praise and righteousness, we will have authority over the enemy and will possess the gate(s) where he thinks he an rule and control the earth.

Part Two: HERE