God Directs Our Steps

Dear Brethren,

There is no doubt among the people of God that in the beginning God acted in a great and powerful way.   God was active and involved as He began working with mankind.  We need to recognize that God is every bit as involved with us today as He was in the beginning.  God is working actively to direct the events of our lives in so many ways that it is truly astounding.

God directly altered the course of events in the lives of Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and many others.  Then God called Israel out of Egypt and smote all the Egyptian firstborn.  He totally disrupted their society, and family structures.

“I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.”  (Exodus 12:12)

That is an example of a hands-on action to bring about God’s will in the affairs of an entire nation.  We see that at other times God works directly with individuals.  For example, we see this when the Bible goes into the intricate details of Joseph’s life.  When Joseph was at the bottom of the dry well – knowing the proclivities of his evil brothers as he did – Joseph did not think to himself, “Everything is going along in God’s Plan according to schedule.”  He had the fears, doubts and temptations of any man.

“It came to pass from the time that [Potiphar] had made [Joseph] overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.”  (Genesis 39:5)

Potiphar trusted Joseph implicitly and absolutely (Genesis 39:6).  God was directing the steps of Joseph.  It certainly did not appear to Joseph that he was the key to the Promised Land for a great people.  He certainly did not know how to achieve God’s will for his life.  We need to remind ourselves daily that we too, are on a spiritual journey to be in the Family of God and the Kingdom of God.  Especially when things stall in our lives – we need to be mindful that God directs our steps.

“O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walks to direct his steps.”  (Jeremiah 10:23)

There were times when Joseph did not see God’s involvement and he feared for his life.  Later Joseph explains his plight, saying I’m innocent of all charges against me:

“Indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.”  (Genesis 40:15)

Joseph did not see God directing his steps – as we are able to do in hind-sight.  There is a good chance that we too will experience trials before we are able to see where God is taking us.  What we are concerned with in today’s sermon is the fact shown in the Scriptures of how God deals in the personal lives of all His people.  The title of today’s sermon comes from Proverbs 16:9. 

“A man's heart devises his way: but the Lord directs his steps.”

In his heart a man plans his own course of action, but the Lord determines his steps.  We are talking about how involved God is in our personal lives in spite of ourselves.

“The steps of a good man are established by the Lord: and he delights in his way.  Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholds him with his hand.  I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”  (Psalm 37:23-25)

We do not inherently know how to live our lives correctly.  We might think that we know – but the answers are not within us.  God tells us the way we should go.  We see in Proverbs 3:6:

“In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

“There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.”  (Proverbs 19:21)

What are a man’s goals, and what is the correct way to achieve them?  As we become more and more converted and actively led by God’s Spirit we seek not only God’s will but His way also.  We live our lives as though verything depends on us.  We plan for our future – and then we do our best to follow through.  We make the best decisions we possibly can – especially with prayer.

“Of Him and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory forever.”  (Romans 11:36)

Sometimes people cannot see God’s hand in anything – that is a fault.  A part of thankfulness and appreciation to God is the recognition of the many times He has intervened personally – taking action in our lives.  We would not be here except for the frequent incidences of God’s driving force in our lives to direct our steps.

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Sermon:  "God Directs Our Steps"  


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