Manna for Your Morning

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. — James 4:8 (NASB) It is good for us to draw near to our heavenly Father. Make Him your refuge and abide in His peace. The greater the distance between us and God, the more room there is for distractions which will cause detours off of the path He has for us. Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. (Isaiah 55:6) But as for me, it is good for me to draw near to God; I have made the Lord God my refuge and placed my trust in Him, that I may tell of all Your works. — Psalm 73:28 (AMP)

Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. — Proverbs 3:6 (MSG) There are many voices clamoring for your attention, but make sure you listen for God’s voice and follow it. Listening to the wrong voices will cause you take detours off of the path of life and you will end up on a dead end road. Paying attention to God's voice will keep you on the right track. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. (Proverbs 3:6  NLT) Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. (Proverbs 3:5 TPT)

Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture… — Romans 8:35 (MSG) When challenges come don’t draw back or drift away from our heavenly Father. And make sure you avoid taking any of the devil’s detours. Instead, draw closer to God, knowing that no trial, tribulation or trouble can separate you from the love of Christ. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. (Romans 8:37-39 MSG)

So now you can pick out what’s true and fair, find all the good trails! Lady Wisdom will be your close friend, and Brother Knowledge your pleasant companion. Good Sense will scout ahead for danger, Insight will keep an eye out for you. They’ll keep you from making wrong turns, or following the bad directions of those who are lost themselves and can’t tell a trail from a tumbleweed, these losers who make a game of evil and throw parties to celebrate perversity, traveling paths that go nowhere, wandering in a maze of detours and dead ends. — Proverbs 2:9-15 (MSG) The LORD has set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live (Deuteronomy 30:19 NIV) Avoid the detours and dead ends of the enemy. They only lead to death. Our heavenly Father will show you the path of everlasting life. Why be a wanderer when you can be a worshiper?

My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me. — Psalm 63:8 (NKJV) But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works. (Psalm 73:28 NASB). It is good for us to follow closely behind the Lord. The less distance the less opportunity for other things to distract us and the less likely we are to take detours away from the path He has us on.

But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome. — Matthew 26:58 (NIV) When they arrested Jesus, Peter followed at a distance. This distance eventually led to his denial of Christ. When we allow distance between us and the Lord, it leaves room for distractions, deception and detours off of the right path. It is beneficial for us to closely follow Jesus. His nearness is our good. May we continually draw near to God and He will come close to us. And instead of sitting back being a spectator, let us engage and be an active participant in what God is doing in our lives and in the world. Rather than wait to see the outcome, we can have a positive impact on the outcome. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; (Psalm 73:28a NIV)

When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying one to another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem, and see this [wonderful] thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” — Luke 2:15 (AMP) When the shepherds were told about the birth of Christ the Lord, they had a sense of urgency about going to see Him. In the Message Bible, they said, “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They started their journey at once and I doubt that they got sidetracked or took any detours. May we also have a sense of urgency when it comes to drawing near to our Lord and Savior. Stay clear of sideshow distractions that serve to create distance between you and the Lord, and closely follow Jesus.

The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” — Psalm 32:8 (NLT) Our paths differ so let us not compare or judge one another’s journey. Know that God is guiding you along the best pathway for your life, to fulfill His purpose in you, and bring about the good plans He has just for you. Stay on the path, ignore the distractions and don’t take any detours. Never stop praying (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NLT). Never stop believing. Never stop standing on God’s Word and His wonderful promises. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NLT)

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. — 2 Timothy 2:3-4 (NKJV) How do we endure hardship as a good soldier? We stay focused on the mission, while avoiding distractions and detours. No matter what contrary circumstances appear, we continue to stand on the Word. His Word says, no weapon formed against us shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17). Romans 8:37 tells us we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. And the word of our God stands forever (Isaiah 40:8). Amen!

The LORD is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray. — Psalm 25:8 (NLT) Put your hope in the LORD. Travel steadily along His path (Psalm 37:34). Even though we encounter obstacles, His way is a path of peace and it leads to everlasting life. Ignore the distractions and detours which will try to take you off the proper path. Proverbs 15:21 says, a sensible person stays on the right path. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take (Proverbs 3:6).

Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left;  Remove your foot from evil.  — Proverbs 4:26-27 (NKJV) Let us give careful thought to the way we choose to go. Don't let your attention be captivated by the sideshows and refuse to take any detours off the path of life, which the LORD shows us. Proverbs 4:18 says, the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. Follow the light of the LORD!

Attention, all! See the marvels of God! He plants flowers and trees all over the earth, bans war from pole to pole, breaks all the weapons across his knee “Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything.” — Psalm 46:8-10 (The Message) Get out of the fast lane, with all of its distractions and detours. Put your hand in the hand of the Father and be led on the path that He has for you. It is a path of abundant life and peace. Take a long, loving look at the LORD. He is above all. Let go of your concerns! Then you will know that I am God (Psalm 46:10, GW). Amen.