STEP UP DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS - Week of February 9-15

This is a little late, but it works:

 

Monday, February 9 -(Psalm 73:2 ) "But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped." - Faith is not equivalent to overconfidence. It is not about being careless about our ways. If it were not for God, our feet would slip. Without God, left to our own devices, slippage is a probability. Never forget that it is God who makes you to stand and sustains you. You need Him .

Tuesday, February 10 - (Psalm 85:13) "Righteousness shall go before him; and he shall set us on the way of his steps." -Among the good things God gives is His righteousness. Righteousness being rightly related to God and others and being on the right path in the right direction. When His righteousness envelopes us, He sets us on the way of His steps - not ours. His intent is to establish us in His way. To the extent that such is your prayer and the intent of your heart, it shall be granted. How does this inform your praying today?.

Wednesday, February11 - (Psalm 85:13b ) "... the way of his steps" - What might "the way of his steps" mean? Perhaps we are tempted to know too soon the answer for that question when God intends for us to seek, follow, notice, and celebrate. One of the great temptations of modern man is to rush too quickly into definition. Definitions limit. God expands His way before us. Start seeking.

Thursday, February 12 - .(Psalm 119:33 ) "Order my steps in thy word; and let not iniquity have dominion over me" It is not so hard to learn how to pray. We need only open the scriptures and emulate the great prayers there. None is greater, deeper, and more transforming that this one. It is two fold. The first part is for God to bring us into complete agreement with Him - our lives aligned with His word. The second is for freedom from sin. Sin has the affect of lording itself over us. The prayer of the saint is that it will be rendered powerless in our lives.

Friday, February 13 - (Proverbs 4:12 ) " When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened (hampered, restrained; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble" There are some conditions for this promise of not hineded steps and freedom from stumbling. Fist, we will value and embrace wisdom. Second, we will listen to good advice. We will be willingly guided,. We will avoid evil. We will guard out hearts and lips. We will tune our focus. We will keep on the path. These are the conditions of a walk that is sure footed and not hindered. How is that working out for you?

Saturday, February14 - (Proverbs 16:9 ) "A man deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps." - While you are working on everything else in your life and attempting to "get it right," don't forget that God is ultimately in charge. Anything short of trusting Him will leave you bereft of hope and stumbling without direction.

Sunday, February 15
- (Psa 16:0 ) "... the LORD directeth his steps" While you are seeking, following, noticing, and celebrating, pay attention to this question: How has God been directing my steps recently and where does He seem to be leading me?