WALKING BY
DIVINE DIRECTION
"The steps of a
man are from the Lord, and He establishes him with whose way He is pleased.
Though he fall, he shall not lie prostrate, for the Lord holds his hand." [Psalm
37:23-24, Smith-Goodspeed trans.]
Amid the myriads of voices in the world today, dictatorial and opinionated, all
trying to prescribe the course wherein we should go, how thankful we are that we
can turn a deaf ear to all such, and in the inner calm of our spirit find a
peace which comes from listening only to the Voice of our Shepherd. Gladly do we
turn away from the confusion of the institutional religious systems of our day,
with their multiplied creeds and contradictions, that we might be refreshed with
the WORD OF THE LORD as the Holy Spirit quickens it to our own heart. This
personal inworking of his grace, receiving of divine illumination, is beyond the
terms of price and value, for it is a rare treasure indeed. And how beautifully
the Spirit will take the truth and cause it to become just what we need for that
very hour. "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our
learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have
hope." [Romans 15:4].
How precious is the comfort of the
scriptures! How we need to let Christ bathe our hearts with the precious
"washing of water by the Word." [Ephesians 5:26]. How quickly the cares of the
day, and the feverish thoughts
of the carnal mind, along with all the confused
directions of natural men, are all washed away when the Holy Spirit begins to
illumine a passage of Scripture. The clamoring voices of this world's bestial
system mean nothing when the Spirit causes a "THUS SAITH THE LORD" to become
LIFE to the inner man. When God has spoken, that suffices! Nothing else need be
added, indeed, it cannot be added, for a Spirit-revealed truth is sufficient for
the need. The reasonings of the natural mind, though once they might have
appeared beautiful and reasonable, suddenly are dissipated into blank and
meaningless phrases, while the revealed Word of Truth shines on to illumine our
pathway, that we might follow on into the very fullness of His divine life.
"THE STEPS OF A MAN ARE ORDERED BY THE LORD." How comforting is this Word! We
note that the translators for the King James Version had to "tinker" with this
passage because they did not understand the great truth that "ALL THINGS ARE OF
GOD." So they inserted, in italics, the word "good", making it to read that the
steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. But if we were to take such a view,
and still believe the word of our Lord, "There is none good but One, that is,
GOD." [Matthew 19:17], then we would have to conclude that NO ONE has their
steps ordered of the Lord, for that "all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God." [Romans 3:23]. Thank God, such a concept is not so, but the steps
of ANY MAN, ALL MEN, are ordered by the Lord, and He (God) delighteth in his
(man's) way. The Amplified translation gives a beautiful thought here, when it
reads, "and He busies Himself with his every step."
"For the ways of a man are before the
eyes of the Lord, and He pondereth all his goings." [Proverbs 5:21].
"A man's heart deviseth his way: but
the Lord directeth his steps." [Proverbs 16:9].
The word "deviseth" comes from the
Hebrew word meaning, TO THINK, DEVISE, RECKON. Herein is a very comforting
thought─ that though man may think and plan out his own way and course of
action, willing to do it this way, or that way, yet the actual going is
controlled and directed of the Lord. HE knows what is best for man, He knows
just what to allow, and what to restrain, for He is daily working "all things
after the counsel of His own will: that we should be to the praise of His
glory." [Ephesians 1:11-12].
"There are many devices in man's
heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand." [Proverbs
19:21]. Thus "the wrath of man shall praise Thee: the remainder of wrath shalt
Thou restrain." [Psalm 76:10]. That which man proposes in his heart, if it be in
accordance with the will of God, so that it will follow on in His purpose, God
allows that purpose to be carried out. But, if the devices of a man's heart are
not in harmony with what God is working, HE restrains the action. What God
permits in the realm of evil is that which He later overrules for GOOD, else He
restrains it.
Perhaps this whole glorious truth is
summed up in one passage found in Proverbs 16:33, "The lot is cast into the lap;
but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord." We fret and we fume, we fuss
and we worry─
is this right? or, is that right? which way should we turn? What we really need
is to learn to rest in the Lord, knowing that the DISPOSING THEREOF IS OF THE
LORD. God will have His way in it all! If your way has become His will and way,
so much the better, it will be well with thee. But, if your way was contrary to
His way, then you will feel frustrated and upset until you submit and bow to
Him, then all is well. HIS WILL SHALL BE DONE IN EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
Praise His holy name!
It is no wonder therefore
that the wise man comes to the conclusion, "Man's goings are of the Lord; how
can a man then understand his own way." [Proverbs 20:24]
How often when someone says to you,
"I don't understand you, I just cannot figure out the way you are going." And
you simply feel like giving back the answer, "Don't be alarmed at that, there
are times when I don't understand myself, nor my own way." HOW CAN A MAN
UNDERSTAND HIS OWN WAY UNTIL HE COMES TO KNOW THE GOD WHO CONTROLS AND DIRECTS
THAT WAY?
It is most interesting to trace out
this word "goings"─
for it is the same word translated as "steps"
in our text, being the Hebrew word "mitsad" from the root "motsa" meaning A
GOING OUT OR FORTH, which is the word used of our Lord, when we read; "HIS going
forth fit; is prepared as the morning..." [Hosea 6:3]. Again, "Whose goings
forth have been of old, from everlasting." [Micah 5:2]. HIS GOING FORTH IS IN
COMPLETE HARMONY WITH HIS PLAN OF THE AGES, prepared as the morning, the light
increasing as the purpose unfolds. Now, He likewise orders all our goings, and
they shall also be in harmony with His plan of the ages, for the fulfillment of
His own will and purpose.
One man has so aptly stated: "Instead
of seeing mankind as a sort of troublesome mystifying nuisance unworthy of God's
notice, we will behold eternal purpose in God's creation of man and in all His
continued lovingkindness and tender mercy toward him." Amen !
With a veil upon his mind, and
limited to this present bondage of vanity, man cannot intelligently direct his
own way. But we need the Lord to order our steps every day of this pilgrim
journey. Too often our case still fulfills John 13 :7, Jesus answered and said
unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter." Yet it
is during these times, when our way seems to be without rhyme or reason, and we
seem to be so slow of heart to believe and grasp the dealings of God in such and
such a circumstance, then the truth remains, THE STEPS OF A MAN ARE ORDERED BY
THE LORD. This is when we simply need to "Trust in the Lord with all thine
heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge
HIM, and He shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the
Lord." [Proverbs 3:5-7]. Again, "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in
Him, and He shall bring it to pass." [Psalm 37:5].
It is part of the training process of
the sons, that the Lord veils from our mind the understanding of our way, so
that we learn not to lean upon our own understanding, nor try to figure out in
ourselves the way wherein we should go, but we learn to TRUST IN HIM, and thus
faith is both developed and strengthened by the whole process. Faith must be
tested, and be found approved. The word "faith" is literally the Greek word for
FAITHFULNESS, OR STEAD FASTNESS. How does one prove their faith in God? By
remaining stedfast to Him, unwavering in their trust, even when it seems that
there is no way, and that life is at an utter standstill. Man would try to
connive a way of his own, to manufacture some kind of an escape, but the
TRUSTING HEART REMAINS FAITHFUL TO THE LORD UNTIL HE GIVES
DIVINE DIRECTION. To trust the Lord when He
continuously imparts a "word" day by day, is easy; but when there seems to be a
famine for a Word from Him, and nothing stirs within, or without, then faith is
put to the test─ shall we wait for the Lord to reveal our goings, or shall we
try in our own strength?
Another word that would be well to
consider is "ordered," for the steps of a man are ORDERED by the Lord. The
Hebrew word is "kun" meaning, to be formed, prepared, established. What a
glorious scope of divine operation. He is in the control of the very formation
of our steps, He ordains the circumstances which shape and form the future
happenings of our life. Oftentimes the embryo of tomorrow's victory is found in
the womb of our yesterday, or today. The future is contained in our NOW. These
are not idle days, even if betimes we seem to be marking time, waiting, ever
waiting for a manifestation that God has been working in our life. God is
forming our GOINGS for tomorrow in the minute inworkings of His grace in us
today. Later on we shall be more aware of the preparation process as it takes on
more visible appearance, and in due time we shall see the thing firmly
established. This is the consummation of faith, that steadfast adherence to the
Lord, that unwavering trust which commits to Him, and then rests silently in the
Lord while HE brings it to pass.
This same Hebrew word is found in our
next verse, Psalm 119:133, "ORDER my steps in THY WORD: and let not any iniquity
have dominion over me." When our goings are IN, and ACCORDING TO the Word of the
Lord, there is freedom from sin. When the new birth process is complete, so that
we are fully born of God, then we read, "Whosoever is born of God doth not
commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born
of God." [1 John 3:9]. Again, it is written, "And ye shall know the truth, and
the truth shall make you free." [John 8:32]. God doth not tempt man with evil,
"For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man." [James
1:13]. Rather, God would direct our steps into His WORD, prepare and establish
our going in His truth.
"0 Lord, I know that the way of man
is not in Him─ self; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps; 0 Lord,
correct me, but with judgment; not in Thine anger, lest Thou bring me to
nothing." [Jer. 10:23-24]. What security, what safety─ and what peace comes to
the heart of the trustful child of God who realizes that it is not in man to try
and direct his own way, the responsibility does not rest on his shoulders, but
upon GOD. True, all we "like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to
his own way." [Isaiah 53:6], but the LORD HAS ALLOWED US TO WANDER OFF THIS WAY,
knowing that we shall learn vital lessons which later shall be used in our
upbringing. Jeremiah caught a glimpse of this when he declared, "Thine own
wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know
therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken
the Lord thy God, and that My fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts."
[Jeremiah 2:19].
With the release of the mystery of
iniquity into the Adamic race, the wickedness of man became great in the
earth, "every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually." [Genesis 6:5], and God used a restraining measure to hold the
upsurge of evil in check, restraining it according to His purpose. Yet He did
allow it to go to a certain course for a certain length of time, knowing full
well just how far He could allow man to express these evil inclinations, and
just where to draw the line. How we thank God that His restraining hand has been
upon us. He allowed us to walk after the counsel of our own carnal mind, to
reveal to us what "death" worked within us, for "to be carnally minded is
death." [Romans 8:6]. Then HE CHANGED THE COURSE OF OUR STEPS, turning us again
to His way. "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of
water: He turneth it whithersoever He will." [Proverbs 21:1].
Ah, yes, Jeremiah knew that the way
of man was not in himself. 'What was in man was the propensity for evil. So he
asked the Lord, "Correct me, but with judgment." A correction is needed, we must
be turned in the right direction. We are willing to pray, "Correct me," or are
we yet afraid to give ourselves over to the hand of the Lord?
"0 Lord, correct, instruct and
chastise me, but with judgment and in just measure; not in Your anger, lest You
diminish me and bring me to nothing." Amplified translation. There need be no
fear of God's judgments, they are administered under the pure motivation of
divine love. Even the Psalmist must have known this, for he said, "I have hoped
in Thy judgments." [Psalm 119:43]. 'While the Lord prophesied by the prophet
Isaiah, "I will make My judgments to rest for a light of the people." [Isaiah
51:4].
The hand of the Lord is filled with
mercy and lovingkindness, and all of His judgments are correctional in purpose,
to bring us into alignment with Himself. We need them─
they are used to turn us from our own way, unto His way. "Turn us, 0 God of our
salvation, ─surely His salvation is nigh them that fear Him; that glory may
dwell in our land. ─Righteousness shall go before Him; and shall set us in the
way of His steps." [Psalm 85:4, 9,13].
"Turn Thou us unto Thee, 0 Lord, and
we shall be turned." [Lamentations 5:21]
Let it also be clearly understood,
the Lord orders our steps in simplicity and obedience. God is not the author of
confusion. While we are often constrained to cry out with the Apostle Paul, "0
the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how
unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out !" [Romans 11:33],
and His way is perfect, yet when it comes to His directing our way, He does not
make it complicated, but full well "He knoweth our frame, He remembereth that we
are dust." [Psalm 103:14], and He tenderly and carefully leads the way.
We see the great temptation to defy
our own efforts in service to Him, rather than a complete SURRENDER TO HIS WILL
in actually becoming His peculiar treasure. We must learn to take our hands off
ourselves, no longer saying to the Potter, "What maketh Thou?" [Isaiah 45:9],
but yielding ourselves to Him, that His will might BECOME in us, until we are
the full expression of His will in every part.
It is written that "Abraham believed
God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." [Romans 4:3]. This was more
than just mental acknowledgment. To believe is to remain stedfast, to be
persuaded, to adhere to, trust, rely on. Yes, to believe is more than mentally
accepting a fact, but it is that becoming so fully persuaded that we keep
steadfastly adhering to it, regardless of the outward circumstances.
While Abraham so believed God, let it
also be pointed out that he was not required to know, or to do one thing beyond
what GOD worked in him both to will and to do of His good pleasure. That which
was counted to him for righteousness was that obedience to the will of God which
was revealed to him─
not by his obeying the creeds and doctrines of man which
could have been cast across his way. No man can live on a borrowed revelation,
nor can we please God by becoming the servants of men. We find it is imperative
in this hour that each of us walk by divine direction. IT MUST BE THE LORD WHO
ORDERS OUR STEPS, and then shall we be found moving in the triumphant way.
In fact, it was when Abraham tried
through his own effort to help God fulfill the promise that an Ishmael was
birthed. God would spare us the futile and wasted energy we expend in trying to
work the works that are so taxing on our mortal frame. He waits for us to come
to the end of our struggles, that He might prove that He is able to perform that
which He has promised. We need to be like Abraham when he "staggered not at the
promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God:
and being fully persuaded that, what He had promised He was able to perform."
[Romans 4:20-21].
It was "toiling all night, and
catching nothing," as the disciples laboured on in their own strength, but it
was not until the break of day that they heard HIS VOICE, saying, "Cast the net
on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find." [John 21:6]. Right then and
there it must have flashed through the mind of Peter, the remembrance of a
former time when in a similar situation he had answered, "Master, we have toiled
all the night, and have taken nothing: NEVERTHELESS AT THY WORD I WILL LET DOWN
THE NET." [Luke 5:5]. And again now, as in the former time, the nets were filled
to overflowing. All our night toiling seems to birth so little, BUT AT HIS WORD
the impossible becomes a reality.
In our haste we are so prone to
become involved with a maze of details, and things turn into such a distressing
production. But how clear was the admonition from the lips of the mother of our
Lord, at the wedding in Calla, "WHATSOEVER HE SAITH UNTO YOU DO IT..." [John
2:5]. How useless it would have been to command those water pots to be filled
with wine before HIS HOUR had fully come for the miracle to be manifest. The
temptation is great for us to precede His hour, and we command in His name,
without His personal authority to do so. Restlessness has seized the nation, and
we need to pray the Father to hold us steady in this hour of temptation, lest we
be caught up in this spirit of the world which is driving men to destruction.
The law of the kingdom is so entirely new for us that we sometimes find it
difficult to accept the new order as He reveals it to us. IT IS AN ORDER IN
WHICH THE SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD HAS ALL THE PRE-EMINENCE, for it is "Not by
might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." [Zechariah
4:6]. And again "the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." [Isaiah
9:7].
It is imperative in this hour that we
learn to walk by DIVINE! DIRECTION, even though, for US, as for Abraham─
"he went, although he did not know or trouble his mind about where he was to
go." [Hebrews 11:8. Amplified]. He went out, not knowing wither he went, but the
Lord knew, and that was enough. The steps would be revealed as they were to be
taken, and we repeat, Abraham was not required to do, or go beyond what God had
revealed personally to him.
It is a good point in view, brought
out by the Amplified, that "he did not trouble his mind about where he was to
go." Surely this takes a work of divine grace, to quiet these minds of ours, so
that we cease our own mental agitations, and allow the Spirit to make known the
way before us. The confidence needed is like that of Job, who declared, "But He
knows the way that I take (He has concern for it, appreciates and pays attention
to it). When He has tried me, I shall come forth as refined gold (pure and
luminous)." [Job 23:10, Amplified].
When we don't know the way wherein we
should go, yet He knows. Hence the true victory is HIS, and becomes ours as we
follow on to know Him in His fullness. God's plan is that we come into being in
this new creation life through obedience to His will. And that which is hidden
shall be revealed, yes, that which is now within shall be revealed, and we shall
become epistles of God, known and read of men. By our fruits we shall be known,
and when Christ has fully taken over in us, that fruit will be the fruit of the
Spirit.
As we have lived on the earth and
turned toward God, so shall we then LIVE IN GOD and turn toward the earth. We
will have something to offer the hungry. As our state of being, that which we
have become in Christ, is manifested, men will desire the bread we break. There
will be truth in the inward parts, for Christ will be dwelling within, reigning
and ruling in perfect control. Oh, that He shall be crowned Lord of all within
us!
This is the life pertaining to the
Vine and the branches, it is not spasmodic but ever flowing, and wonderful
because it is HIS. When our entire walk becomes motivated and directed by our
God, there shall be a continuous outflow of His life to others. "He who believes
in Me ─who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me ─ as the Scripture has
said, Out from his innermost being springs and rivers of living water shall flow
(continuously)." [John 7:38, Amplified].
Fret not at the circumstances which
presently surround you. Though it seems as if, from all outward indication, that
your life is not divinely directed, allow the Spirit to calm your being with
that full assurance that "the steps of a man are ordered by the Lord." "The God
who girds me with strength, and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like
hinds' feet (able to stand firmly or make progress on the dangerous heights of
testing and trouble)." [Psalm 18:32-33, Amplified].
DIVINE DIRECTION──
When it seems there's neither rhyme nor reason.
To the tangled pathway that lies ahead
Stranger still, it seems, the time and season.
For all the happ'nings that around thee spread,
─'Tis then He whispers,"Wait in peace."
When former things are suddenly ended,
And breathing out a solemn final note
While all that for which we're apprehended
Still vaguely seems to be so far remote,
─'Tis then He whispers, "Wait in peace."
When the feverish mind, with thoughts all jumbled,
Fain would grasp hold of a becalming word,
While man-made reas'nings to earth have crumbled,
Their muffled persuasions no more are heard,
─'Tis then He whispers, "Wait in Peace."
When the soul is searching for a promise
And the Oracles seem so slow to speak,
While hesitating lest we go amiss,
We yearn to break the barriers so bleak,
─'Tis then He whispers, "Wait in Peace."
Wait in peace─ divine direction's coming,
To clarify the path that lies ahead,
Soon will thy soul with praises be singing,
Secure and confident, as He hath said,
─E'en while He whispers, "Go in Peace."
Go in peace─ no need to fear the pathway
When He has given thee a clear command,
Thy waiting time was used for His purpose,
As He prepared thee for the way He planned;
─To ever walk in "Peace, sweet Peace."
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(1) Prinzing,
Ray and Doris. THE TRIUMPHANT WAY!. (now out of print), Boise,
Idaho 83705
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