The Straight and Narrow

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." - Romans 12:2

Not conforming is something I'm really good at. I grew up in the 60's. As a result, I have learned not to trust anybody, unless that trust is earned first. Perhaps that's why this Robert Frost quote appealed to me so much in high school.

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." - Robert Frost

Then, when I read the following verse in the Bible, I was reminded of Frost and my desire NOT to conform.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." - Matthew 7:13-14

Jesus wants me to walk on the road less traveled? Mo problem!

I guess it's all a matter of who you trust. Do I trust my government? No. Why not? Because time and time again they have failed to earn my trust. Jesus, on the other hand, has never given me any reason NOT to trust Him.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6

There's that word again. The Path. The narrow road. It kind of sounds like I'm on a journey, going someplace special.

Speaking of the 60's like I was a few paragraphs ago, how about some Blood, Sweat and Tears!

Did you find the directing sign on the

Straight and narrow highway

Would you mind a reflecting sign

Just let it shine within your mind

And show you the colors that are real . . .

The song continues with the third verse that begins, "Someone is waiting just for you."

He IS waiting. And He's waiting just for you. What are you waiting for? :)

Spinning Wheel - Blood, Sweat and Tears

The Narrow Road

Would you drive on a road like this? How fast would you take the corner? Would you drive this road in the dark? We make decisions like this every day and we don't even know it.

The problem we have with our daily decisions is that the consequences of those decisions are not immediately visible. It looks safe to us, so why not?

Jesus told us that "narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." - Matthew 13-14

I'm not telling you that God wants you to drive on a road like this. He's telling you to be cautious. This picture represents our life decisions.

Will we drive alone the outside edge of the road with a chance of falling to our death with the slightest mistake? Or will we chose the opposite side where falling rocks from above can crush us in an instant?

I think that God wants us to walk right down the middle. He doesn't want us to make any sudden turns or wrong decisions that will lead to death.

"There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death." - Proverbs 14:12

The road we travel in our faith journey is narrow enough. Satan tempts us to live life on the edge, taking chances and do exciting things. Why? Because he's rather have us die without Jesus than to seek Jesus and complete our journey.

See the lady in this picture? She's living life on the edge alright. She is taking chances with her life just so she can have someone make her famous in this life through a picture on the Internet.

Shortly after this picture was taken this beautiful young woman slipped and fell to her death.

When we begin to believe we can do things on our own and make all the right decisions in life, we often find ourselves proved wrong through addictions, unplanned pregnancies, or, in this case, gravity.

Choose Jesus as your trail guide today. He will keep you safe from harm. You will more than likely live to tell about it. Forever all eternity.

The Journey Home

Each of us is on our own spiritual journey in this life. Some of us take short walks around the block while others travel long distances, searching for the truth.

We all assume that we are on the right path in our walk. But what happens when the trail fades or we find ourselves standing on the edge of a cliff? Should we turn back? Or should we take a giant leap of faith?

Occasionally we encounter people on our journey who act as guides for us. They might say something of offer up some piece of advice that finds its way into our hearts. They act as guides for our walk. Have you met someone like that in YOUR life?

We ourselves might be influencing someone else's journey. Something we say or do might cause someone to stop and take notice, or even alter the path they choose to walk on.

I have a guide book that I use for my spiritual journey. It is filled with all kinds of tips and warnings of things to watch out for along the way. Guidebooks can be handy if we know that we can trust the author.

The authority of our guidebooks and and trail guides is of critical importance. Are they trustworthy? Are they true? Our life depends on the advice they give.

I have chosen to trust in God, Jesus (His Son), and the Holy Spirit. The Bible is my guide book. None of these has failed me. Not once.

Others might choose to walk a particular path in life and follow a particular belief system. That is their choice. But as for me and my house . . .

I Have Decided To Follow Jesus - Elevation Worship

"Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose." - Philippians 2:12-13

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

Over Here!

I just finished reading the Old Testament. Again. I like to think of the Old Testament as being like Moses taking the Israelites through the dessert. It was a test. It took awhile. At times it was very dry. But in the end, it was oh so sweet to arrive at The Promised Land. Jesus.

That's what keeps me going back each time to read through the Bible. It's that "knowing that Jesus is coming" feeling that makes me want to keep on reading. It's like a great big treasure hunt. Jesus is the treasure. And what's really cool are all of the hints and hidden things along the way.

"14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." - Isaiah 7:14

Also, there is just something about reading The Gospels. It's comforting, reassuring. It's like "we're home!" It's where we want to be. And so many time I have picked up my Bible, begun reading, and heard exactly what I needed to hear that day.

It's like being lost in the woods after dark. We can look around and see nothing in the darkness. If we only had a light to guide us, we could find our way home. The fears would melt away and we would be at peace. Then the sun rises, we locate the path we couldn't see in the dark, and we rejoin our journey. Confident in the knowledge that we are on our way towards Him.

It feels comforting because the path is where God wants us to be. He holds the lamp in His hands. "This way, my little child. The path is over here."

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and light unto my path," - Pslam119:105

Thy Word - Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant

Ignoring The Signs

My wife and I just got back from a vacation in Michigan. We had a wonderful time, even in the bad weather. But there was one day that really put us to the test.

We were trying to complete a scavenger hunt through Michigan's "Tunnel of Trees" on M-119 and had to find a nature preserve, walk down to Lake Michigan, and dip our toes into the water. Sounded simple enough. We should have paid attention to the signs that were all around us.

I'm not talking about trail signs. There was only one trail. I'm talking about signs of danger. There were a few sprinkles (sign #1) when we set out so we put on our rain gear and grabbed an umbrella. That was smart. But that didn't adequately prepare us for what lay ahead.

The wind started to increase in the now-swaying trees overhead (sign #2) and we heard the sound of distant thunder (sign #3). Still we continued on. The brochure said it was only "a short hike" after all.

We then came to a portion of the trail that sloped down dramatically. And I mean, IT WENT DOWN!! And it was just a dirt trail. No gravel, no wood chips. Dirt. So, I posed a question to my wife.

"So, are you ready for this?" I asked. I was concerned about being able to get back up the slippery slope. Getting to the bottom was NOT going to be a problem. One way or another we would get there. My wife was determined so on we went.

This is probably a good time to read this reminder from the prophet Jeremiah, which I read during our vacation. A sign of things to come?

"The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, 3 and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, 4 then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head. 5 Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head."  Ezekiel 33:1-5

We heard the warnings. Still, the thunder and the increased rainfall, which was now a downpour, did not deter us. We would have been wiser if we would have turned around. But alas, we weren't. We ignored the signs and pressed on.

When we reached the beach we were already soaked. My wife wanted to put up the umbrella but I suggested that raising a metal-shafted umbrella in a thunderstorm might not be the smartest thing to do. So on we went in a downpour, soaked to the skin. Our rain gear, we discovered, was not.

My wife accomplished her task. She took off her shoe and sock and dipped her already wet toe into the water. Then back we went. Across the sand dune, across the rocks and into the woods. I raised the umbrella at that point, but why bother? A last effort to protect mu wife?

We should have listened to the signs that were all around us. We didn't. We were too busy doing what WE wanted to do. It kind of reminded me of the human race and our current state of affairs. Watch the news. Are WE heeding the signs that are all around us? No. We are just forging ahead, doing what WE want to do, instead of observing the signs that are all around us. Signs from God.

I believe we are living in the last days as prophesied in the Bible. It won't be too long before Jesus comes back to take His bride, the church. Are we prepared? Have we taken adequate steps because of the warning signs we have seen? Have we warned others about what's on the trail ahead? Time will tell. The question is, "Are we ready?"

50 Reasons We Are Living In The End Time - Lamb and Lion Ministries

Off The Trail

Mike, Bob & Ron (photo by Chris)

When I was in college back in the 70's I used to spend my spring breaks in the Smoky Mountains. My friends and I were quite the adventurers. We didn't know it at the time this picture was taken but we were about to become massively lost in the woods.

Most trails are well marked in our national parks. Except the ones that are no longer in service. Those trails are not marked because they don't really want people walking on them. They might get lost you see. Yeah.

Well, we got on one of those trails. We thought we knew where we were going but before we knew it the trail had disappeared. We were too far down the trail to go back. Too prideful too. So we forged ahead. No GPS, no cellphones, just a crude map we had picked up at the visitor center.

No problem. We knew where we were . . . basically . . . and we knew where we wanted to get to. We just had to climb over this one mountain . . . and then that other mountain . . . and then . . .

We soon began to get frustrated, especially Ron who began to lag behind. At one point we passed a huge log and saw some fur "breathing" inside through a knot hole. We guessed it was a bear. We tried to warn Ron but he wasn't listening to us. Fortunately the bear was asleep.

We eventually made it to our destination. There was even a park ranger waiting for us when we got back to our car. After the lecture, he followed us all the way back to our campsite.

You know, our walk through life is like one big, long hike. The trail we walk is clearly marked by God's Word - The Bible. Yet we seem to wander off the trail every chance we get. It is only through God's grace, and His continual efforts to redirect us back onto the correct path, that we have any chance of making it back to our "campsite" at the end of the hike.

"4 Some wandered in the wilderness, lost and homeless. 5 Hungry and thirsty, they nearly died. 6 “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress. 7 He led them straight to safety, to a city where they could live. 8 Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. 9 For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." - Psalm 107:4-9

Always carry a map with you on a hike and ALWAYS read God's Work to navigate your way through life. If you do that one thing you will never become lost and you will always find yourself on the right trail.

Not Getting Lost In The Woods 101

The Parable of The Hat

Have you ever lost something valuable to you? Do you remember that horrible feeling, wondering "Where could it have gone? Where could it be? Well, wait until you hear THIS story!!

For the past week I have been unable to find my favorite hat. I've looked everywhere! The garage, the sunroom, the basement, I've searched every room of the house! Twice!! I looked in the tiny house I'm building, even at the place I used to work. Nothing. Not a single sign of where my hat could be. Disappointed!

This was a very special hat to me. It is actually older than my faith in Jesus! I wear it everywhere. Most notably to a local food pantry where I am known by my hat. It's lost saddened me greatly.

Well, Thursday, after I had gotten done eating lunch, I took my plate out to the kitchen sink and Boom!! I knew exactly where my hat was. Just like that! I could even see a picture of it in my mind!! So I hurriedly got ready to take a little car ride. You see, my hat was 45 minutes away, somewhere on the Ice Age Trail. [I wrote a story about that. You can read it here]

As I drove I found myself speeding and leading forward in my car seat. That helps you go faster you know. LOL! I KNEW it was there!! I began monitoring my feelings and my thoughts as I drove. I wanted to remember everything for the story I was going to write about God's wonderful provision.

When I pulled into the parking area for the Bohn Lake Segment of The Ice Age Trail, I looked to my left and began to laugh. There was my hat!! It was hanging on the trail sign. Someone had found it and placed it there. It was right where the image in my mind showed it to be, which freaked me out more than just a bit.

So I took some pictures of my hat and then placed it safely in the car. Just for grins I drove to the other end of this particular segment of the trail. I thought I would walk back to where the water had blocked my previous attempt to complete this hike. Guess what was there.

A bridge! Someone had built a 2x10 bridge across the water for us trail hikers. That person was probably the one who had found my hat as well. So I walked across the bridge (completing my hike), took some pictures and returned to my car.

On my way back home I thought about how God must feel when He loses one of us and then gains us back again. These words came to mind.

12“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish." - Matthew 18"12-13

I thank the Lord for not giving up on me all the times I strayed of the path in MY life. I know it's just a hat but it was a great reminder to me of how God looks after each one of His children. I am SO glad He does.

One last thought. Think about the volunteer worker who maintains the Ice Age Trail. Isn't he or she a little like God in this story? He found my hat even though it was lost. And by installing that foot bridge he made my path straight and easy to walk. Thank you!!

And blessed be the name of The Lord!!!

The Parable of The Lost Sheep

On The Trail

Life is full of decisions. We face them every day. So how do we know what is the right thing to do? Look for the trail markers.

I love to hike. Living where I do, there is really only one place to do that - The Ice Age Trail (IAT). The IAT runs for 1,000 miles throughout Wisconsin.

The trail is marked along the way with yellow markings like the one in the picture or a simple splotch of yellow paint on a tree. However sometimes things happen and you're not really sure if you're on the right path or not.

For example, the trail is not continuous. Sometimes there are roadways between segments. Those aren't always well marked. What do we do then? There are trail maps available. It's always good to have one of those along . . . just in case.

Sometimes there are actual obstacles on the trail. Yesterday I came upon a downed tree that fell across the trail. I also encountered an overfilled lake that made the trail impassable. What happens then? How do we complete our journey?

In our walk with Christ we often face similar obstacles. How do we navigate those? The picture above contains a clue. See the yellow marker? We know that they mark the trail. If you look closely you can see the next one up ahead. There is another marker on the trail ahead (in the snow to the left). We know where we want to go. It's just a matter of getting there.

God has given us His Word - The Holy Bible. By reading it we know where God wants us to go in life. We know the direction for our lives. It is our job to follow in obedience, regardless of what might come.

People always ask, "What is God's will for me in my life?" Here's the answer. Read the Bible!! Study God's character and emulate it. Having a knowledge of what God wants us to do is an excellent way to stay in His will.

What is the goal of life? For the Christian it is to live life, worshiping and praising God in all that we do. It is to arrive at the final destination without deviating from the path God has put us on.

Look at the picture. If my goal is to find the end of the trail, what are my choices?

• Give up - Well, turning around is not an option. That's not going to get me where I'm supposed to go. I'd be fine physically but I would never know what blessings might await me at the end of life's road.
• Continue On - I could walk right through life's obstacles (the water in the picture) and continue on, all on my own. My feet would be wet and I would become miserable. Hypothermia would be a possibility. Death perhaps.
• Ignore the markers - I could also go around the obstacle, but to do this I'd have to leave the trail. The chances of getting lost go way up when I try to find my own way without a map or directions. This too could be deadly.

Most of us try to figure out how to do things on our own. We ignore the most powerful tool we have in our backpacks. God.

You see, there is a fourth way to get to the end of the trail. It is possible to get to the destination by following the markers, staying on the trail and not "getting our feet wet" in the obstacles life throws at us. Do you know what it is?

Patience.

If I wait long enough the flood waters will recede and I can walk right though without a moment's hesitation. How many of us truthfully wait on The Lord. If an obstacle stands before us, do we wait and pray? Or do we forge ahead, trying to do things our way? How will we walk through life's decisions today? Will we trust in the Lord today?

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6

God's Will - Martina McBride

The Commands of Jesus: Walk It

Many of the commands  Jesus gave us require us to think before we act. There's a reason for that. And the reason is . . . us. We humans always tend to "react" rather than respond like we should. Road rage is a perfect example of what I'm writing about today.

Have you ever slowed down when somebody was tailgating you? Just to annoy them? I have. How about when the freeway is narrowing down to one lane up ahead and "that one guy" tries to pass as many cars as he can before he gets to the encroaching orange barrels. Do you speed up so he can't get ahead of you? Guilty. I'd like to say I don't do that anymore since placing my faith in Christ, but I still do.

That speaks to our inherent human nature to sin. If we would only THINK before we react.

The verse that follows is known as The Golden Rule - do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

^"12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." - Matthew 7:12

That's an amazing command and one, if we all followed it, would be living on an incredibly peaceful planet. Do we don't follow it so we fight, we war, we rage.

I'd like you to keep reading after verse 12 for a bit. We hear another command from Jesus. It is very similar to the first one we just read only it comes with help. And a warning.

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." - Matthew 7:13-14

Read both of those passages together (which is how they appear in the Bible).

I think Jesus is trying to tell us something here. That the nice things we "do unto others" are very difficult things to do. A very narrow road. Yet, we are commanded to walk it. We are commanded, but not many will be able to do it.

So how can we do it? How can we stay on the narrow road when our thoughts are on everything happening around us? The key I think is to not focus on the path, but rather, the destination. The path is just the means to get there. Block out everything else.

The next time someone cuts you off on the road, instead of getting mad, focus on your destination. We are all on a road to go some place. That's why we are on the road. Our purpose is to stay on the road and to arrive at our destination. Next time, take the road that has less cars on it and your journey will be much more enjoyable . . . and successful!

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood, 
And sorry I could not travel both 
And be one traveler, long I stood 
And looked down one as far as I could 
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
 
Then took the other, as just as fair, 
And having perhaps the better claim, 
Because it was grassy and wanted wear; 
Though as for that the passing there 
Had worn them really about the same,
 
And both that morning equally lay 
In leaves no step had trodden black. 
Oh, I kept the first for another day! 
Yet knowing how way leads on to way, 
I doubted if I should ever come back.
 
I shall be telling this with a sigh 
Somewhere ages and ages hence: 
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— 
I took the one less traveled by, 

And that has made all the difference.

- Robert Frost, 1920

The Road Less Traveled - George Strait

Death Maze

Not everyone has a fun-filled job like mine. Most days are pretty routine around here. I sit at my desk, drawing plans. Friday was an extra-special day though. I got to go out into the field and measure up an asbestos-lined filtration room in a waste water treatment plant. Jealous? Mhmm. I bet you are.

The room literally resembled a maze - a labyrinth of back and forth dimly lit corridors of darkness. The only light was provided by a bare bulb at the end of each 50-foot long hallway. The walls are filthy. The floors and ceilings were not much cleaner. So, I walked down every pathway, hoping not to touch . . . anything.

I was very grateful for those lights. Without them I wouldn't have had a chance. I would have emerged from my day, just as dirty as what I had walked through.

Walking through this life can be equally disgusting and just as filthy. Each day we are filled with decisions . . . choices . . . opportunities. How will we choose? How close will we get to touching the walls? And what determines our choice of direction? Ourselves? Our God? And what lights our view of the path we are taking? And what shapes the decisions we make?

In case of sudden darkness I like to carry a flashlight with me wherever I go. It's amazing how it can light up dark places.

^"105 Your word is a lamp to my feetAnd a light to my path.
¹⁰⁶ I have sworn and confirmed
That I will keep Your righteous judgments.
¹⁰⁷ I am afflicted very much;
Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word.
¹⁰⁸ Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord,
And teach me Your judgments.
¹⁰⁹ My life is continually in my hand,
Yet I do not forget Your law.
¹¹⁰ The wicked have laid a snare for me,
Yet I have not strayed from Your precepts.
¹¹¹ Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever,
For they are the rejoicing of my heart.
¹¹² I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutesForever, to the very end." - Psalm 119:105-112

 

If we walk in darkness without something to guide our footsteps we are bound to stumble and fall. God's Word is our flashlight. The batteries are God's Holy Spirit. It convicts us when we are about to make a wrong turn. It keeps us from danger when we get to close to the edge of the path.

 

This life can be a maze of death unless we have something . . . someone . . . to guide us. By placing our faith in Jesus . . . well, He just lights up a room. So should we, if we have His light within us. Are we shining a light as we walk through the darkness? Let's do it!! This world can use all of the light it can get.

 

^"5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all." - 1 John 1:5

 

Washed By The Water - Needtobreathe

Human Curling

Do you know what curling is? According to Wikipedia, "Curling is a sport in which players slide stones on a sheet of ice towards a target area which is segmented into four concentric circles." A sport? That sounds more like a bunch of bored people on a Friday night, making up a game to entertain themselves. Just kidding!

When I was in high school my mom had a miniature curling "stone" on her dresser. It's probably still there. I wasn't sure why until I found out the sport was first played in Scotland. My mom is Scottish and rather proud of that fact.

Recently on Facebook I was reminded of "a special memory" that Facebook thought would be good for me to see again. It was from seven years ago when I was a youth leader at church. It was a video I filmed of a youth group game I invented called Human Curling.

That sounds crazy enough to be an AMAZING youth group activity all by itself, but my game also carried a message along with it. I equated the sport of curling to the lives we live while we are here on earth. There is a beginning point and an ultimate goal, and then, in between those two points, there is a whole lot of stuff that happens that can ultimately change our final resting spot.

After we our born (our beginning point) we are directed towards our destination. Often, those effecting our outcome in life are our parents, our teachers, our friends and family members. But we can also be directed by our experiences, our highs and our lows, and even by those who oppose us.

I have a young friend who, I'm sure, was an amazing child. Interactions with friends and foe shaped her early life. But one day her parents got a divorce. I'm sure my friend witnessed many a battle in the living room or the kitchen. How can a child witness those things and not be re-directed in life.

We all have had similar experiences, similar life direction changes. As we travel through this life, how can we possibly end up on our intended target? Where we always wanted to be?

I forgot to mention earlier someone else who has the power to re-direct our lives. His name is Elohim - God. Once we have veered off life's path, He is the only one who can change our ultimate destination. You name the sin, God has the power to overcome it.

Our ultimate target in this life is that, when we come to the end of it, we will have placed our faith in His Son, Jesus. It is by our faith in Him that we are saved and get to proceed to game #2 - eternal life.

The curling rink of life has seen many "stones" thrown down the ice. The side boards are littered with them. But only a few arrive at their final destination. Only a few stay on target or are directed there by our Savior.

Where are you on the ice of life? Has your aim strayed from the target? Is your life going some place it shouldn't be? If it is, it is not too late to call for assistance.

"In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." - Proverbs 3:6

"Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you." - Proverbs 4:25

Human Curling

The Rocky Path

I went for a 15-mile hike this past weekend. The weather was nice for a change. But taking a hike that day was a mistake. Why? Because my over exuberance for hiking outweighed my preparedness for it. Now, I find myself reminded of that TOO-LONG hike with every step I take - walking on the blisters that were formed on my not-ready-for-walking feet.

The length of my hike that day was due more to a "lack of scale" on the map I was using than it was to manly endurance. It's always best to build up one's endurance before hiking such long distances. And the wisdom it takes to use it.

The Ice Age Trail I walk on contains many different types of terrain - rocky formations, grassy savannahs, moist swampland, forest paths and asphalt roads. Each type of terrain has its own characteristics and hazards. And a hiker must be prepared for them all.

As Christians we must also be prepared for the variety of things we encounter on our walk with Jesus. Spiritual warfare, political correctness, sexual sin, greed, pride . . . there are many things to trip us up along the way. SO, how do we keep from tripping all over them as we walk along life's pathway?

1. Pray - Pray to God that He would keep us from falling, that He would guide our steps. "The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way;" - Proverbs 37:23
2. Read - Spend time in God's Word. The truth you will find their will illuminate you walk. "105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." - Psalm 119:105
3. Focus - Keep on the lookout for stumbling blocks. God's creation is beautiful to look at but if we aren't watching where our feet are stepping we can easily stumble. "14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:14
4. Endure - However long our walk is we need to endure to the end of it. "4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." - James 1:4

A good, healthy, well thought out spiritual walk is essential in the life of a Christian. Watch every step to make sure it is fully planted and then walk on in the presence of the Lord. He leads us. We are the ones who must follow.

Psalm 23

The Parable of The Tick

"Watch the path of your feet And all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil." - Proverbs 4:26-27

One of the first stops my wife and I made on our recent vacation was to see Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. It sits along the east end of Lake Michigan's southern shore. We stopped at the Visitor Center first to get some information. That's where we first heard about The Three Dune Challenge! Dun-dun-DUN!!

Naturally, being both stupid AND naive, I suggested we accept the challenge. Have you ever tried walking up a sand dune? The Three Dune Challenge . . . DUN-dun-DUN! . . . is one of the reasons I came back from our vacation weighing three pounds less than before we left. Each step forward is followed closely by one slide back. Slow going.

Near the end of our hike we got a little lost. The trail marker was different than what we were expecting. Bev wanted to walk back up the five billion steps we had just come down. I wanted to go cross country to the trail I could CLEARLY see just a few hundred yards through the woods. So, we each went our separate ways.

Well, the "trail" I saw was merely and sand slide in the middle of the woods. I struggled mightily, my heart pounding in my chest, as I tried walking up an unmarked sandy, thorn-filled hill, steeper and harder than the steps my wife was taking. But I made it.

Later on that evening, as I was changing out of my travel clothes, I discovered three deer ticks, one on my leg and one on each arm, fully-embedded. Great. Deer ticks carry Lyme Disease. Great.

There is a moral to this story. As you might have guessed by the opening Bible verse, we get into trouble when we stray too far from the path God has set before us. God's Word is "a light unto our path" and I wasn't reading my Bible very much on our trip.

It is also a reminder that God will discipline His children. The Bible is filled with examples.

My encounter with the ticks and straying off "the path" taught me a lesson we ALL can use as we try walking through the world in which we live.

STAY ON THE PATH!!

Pray as we encounter life's obstacles and challenges. Persevere through the storms and struggles we face and, with God's help, we can prevail.

"In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:6

Thy Word - Michael W. Smith & Amy Grant

Walk

Do you like to walk? I sure do. I spend a lot of time walking. I walk at work, I walk at home and I walk on the weekends. I have walked in the hot sun and in the middle of winter. I have walked through valleys and over mountains. I have walked with a bunch of people and I have walked all by myself. I have even walked on water! . . . in the winter . . . on a frozen lake.

In the evenings and on weekends I walk with my wife. We always walk hand-in-hand wherever we go. Even though she is shorter than me we walk and fit pretty good together. All the practice I guess. :)

At work I walk with my friend. We have amazing conversations about God and our mutual love for Jesus. The highlight of our walks together was when she led me to the door of Jesus Christ.I knocked. He opened. And the rest is history. :)

Do you think the Israelites liked to walk? They must have. They did so for 40 years! And on hot sand too!

We all spend lots of time walking in this life. Sometimes we can walk with a tremendous sense of purpose and determination. We have a focus and a specific destination in mind. Other times we can walk in circles for days and days and not really get any place at all.

Walking with Jesus is a lot like that. There are days when we are certain of our destination. We walk confidently with Him, boldly taking on anything that might come our way. Then there are times when we can feel as if we are walking all by ourselves - totally alone. Those are difficult and lonely times to be sure.

However, I have found a way to go walking without EVER having to be alone. Take your Bible with you. :)

When I am walking on a flat stretch of pavement, like a sidewalk or a path, I am able to read my Bible by being mindful of the trail's edge. I try to keep the edge of the path lined up with the right side of my Bible. It works well. The only problems I have encountered is the occasional dog pile . . . and rain puddles.

Have you ever tried praying with your eyes open? It is also possible to pray as you walk, eyes open. You will find yourself staring, not blinking, a lot, but you will be focusing on Jesus. Praying and / or reading as I walk always brings me closer to Jesus. It's like He's right there! And . .  He actually is. :)

The important thing is to walk with Jesus everyday. Always seek out those moments to spend with Him and talk with Him. Doing so will keep you from wandering in the desert year after year after year. Walk with Him and talk with Him. That's the only way you can get to know this great God we serve.

"4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked." - 1 John 2:4-6

In The Garden - Alan Jackson