Monday 7 April 2014

MIND YOUR STEP



Cooking; Assembling something; Going somewhere; Up or down; Relationships; in every situation there are steps and each step leads you to the next stage.


The process of baking a cake involves step by step action; each ingredient has to be added at the right time and in the right way; the person baking the cake follows an order as given in the recipe; if the cake doesn’t come out as it should, it doesn’t mean the person baking the cake is not good at baking cakes, it just means that somewhere along the line the order of steps was not accurately followed but the next time they bake a cake and follow the correct step by step order, the cake will be made perfect.  God orders our steps to bring us into right standing with him; the Bible, his word is our step by step recipe.



The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delights in his way; when he falls, he will not be hurled headlong because the Lord is the one who holds his hand (Psalm 37:23-24)



Why has God ordered our steps? 



We have a tendency to go off in the wrong direction; to follow the way of the world; to look to friends for direction and end up a long way down the wrong road before we realise it. We have a natural inclination to levitate toward what is not good for us.  God knew of our weakness even before he placed us in our mother’s womb and so he made a way out for us.  He made His son Jesus Christ to be man, sent him to walk the earth so that he can understand our weaknesses and therefore prepares a way out for us. He is seated at the right hand of God interceding on our behalf when we step out of line (Romans 8:27).



The Bible tells us that a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again (Proverbs 24:16).  He is not righteous because he falls; he is made righteous by his getting up and seeking the Lord for direction.  It doesn’t say that the bad man falls......  He doesn’t “fall” because he is not in right standing, he is not righteous. The righteous man falls when he deflects from the path God has laid for him, when he tries to order his own footsteps but God is merciful and will place him back on the right path...the path that he laid for him. When you get back up and seek the Lord in moving forward he will show you the way to your next step.



When God ordered Moses to lead the children out of Israel, He gave him step by step directions; He ordered their daily step and provided food for each day.  He ordered their steps with a specific purpose.... to take them to the Promise Land but they became disobedient, restless and impatient and ended up losing their way, going down the wrong path and having to wait longer for the promise. He loves us too much to give us too much all at once. 



His Word tells us that his mercies are new every day (Lamentations 3: 22-23).  Daily he provides his mercy and grace for the next step we will take.  If we choose to jump from step A to C we will not receive the blessing at step B; we will forfeit the mercy and grace God placed there for us so mind the gap.



Each new step is a process of elevation.  The work of the Lord is carried out here on earth by us, his vessels and he wants to raise us up.  We are his army and he orders our steps to strengthen us to win the battles that lay ahead. He is preparing us to be victorious, to be his disciples but we struggle with disobedience; we are impatient; we want everything microwaved; we want instant gratification and results. (Psalm 37:23 ....The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him).  (Psalm 118:133 Keep steady my steps according to your promise and let no iniquity get dominion over me).



The most important part of anything good is preparation. Our personalities, temperament, speech, relationships all have to go through a step by step process otherwise we end up saying and doing the wrong thing.  We fall into the wrong crowd, marry the wrong person or even end up in the wrong job.  God prepares us step by step; He orders our footsteps.  If we would only wait on him, hear what he has to say, see where he is taking us, he will place a light on our next step (Psalm 119:105 Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path). 

When God ordered the building of his tabernacle he gave step by step detailed instructions and directions (Exodus 28). He ordered the process step by step.  We are his tabernacle here on earth so he will give us Devine step by step instructions.


God is the unseen guest at your dinner table and if you make yourself available to him you will feel his presence and he will direct you ordering your steps to greatness.  (Zachariah 3:7 The Lord of host says; “If you walk in my ways and keep my charge then you shall rule my house and have charge over my courts and I will give you the right of access amongst those who are standing there”).



He parted the Red Sea for Moses; He parted the River Jordan at its highest peak; He saved Noah and his family from the flood – All were given step by step instructions, they had to go through a process; they allowed God to order their footsteps and they all prospered.  He is the same God who was then, the same God who is now and the same God who is to come...Listen and hear what he is saying to you; Look and see where he is taking you; Obey his direction and prosper; Walk in the path he has laid for you and enter into salvation.