The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way (Psalm 37:23). So many people today put their trust in themselves or in the advice of others instead of seeking the Lord for His direction. They only turn to God when they get into trouble, and then they expect Him to instantly fix what they have foolishly gotten themselves into.

The Bible says, For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my [God’s] ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). In order to receive God’s thoughts and guidance, you must put complete trust in the Lord’s divine direction for your life. You must also live a dedicated and consecrated life before Him, or you will miss out on His divine will for your life.

Seek God’s Guidance

There is a story in the Old Testament that shows what can happen when you do not seek the Lord’s direction. After Moses died, Joshua took over as leader of Israel; and the Israelite army began to conquer the inhabitants of the land of Canaan, their promised land. After the Israelites had destroyed Jericho and Ai, five kings of the surrounding area joined forces to fight against Israel; however, the inhabitants of Gibeon knew they could not defeat Israel, so they devised a different plan. They decided to go to Gilgal where the Israelites were camped and introduce themselves as ambassadors from a far country. Then they would try to make an alliance with them. The truth was, however, that Gibeon was located only 20 miles away from where the Israelites were.

And they [the Gibeonites] said unto him [Joshua], From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth. Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us (Joshua 9:9-11).

The Gibeonites then went on to show Joshua that because of their long journey, their bread had become moldy; their wine was bad, and their clothes and shoes were worn out. Then Joshua and his men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them (Joshua 9:14,15).

The deceit of the Gibeonites worked because Joshua and the leaders of the tribes did not take time to seek the Lord’s direction and advice. They went by what they saw and heard from the Gibeonites instead of letting God reveal the truth to them, and they made an agreement with the enemy. If the Israelites had sought the Lord for His direction, God would have uncovered the Gibeonites’ scheme.

Three days later, Joshua and the Israelites came upon the Gibeonites’ great, royal city; and they realized they had been deceived. They wanted to destroy that city, but they had already made an oath before God that they would not harm the Gibeonite people; and they knew they couldn’t go back on their oath, or they would face the wrath of God.

Keep Your Promises to God

But all the princes [of the Israelites] said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them. And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them (Joshua 9:19-21). So the Gibeonites became wood cutters and drawers of water for all the congregation of the Israelites.

Many years later, King Saul decided to break the oath Israel had made with the Gibeonites; and he had Israel kill them, so God brought a famine upon the Children of Israel. Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites (II Samuel 21:1). If you make a promise before God, you need to keep it no matter how much time passes; or you will eventually suffer the consequences of breaking that oath.

As children of God, we need to seek God’s direction when we are faced with a decision, whether it is a big one or a small one. The Bible says, 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 (Proverbs 3:5,6).

Joshua and the princes of the congregation were only looking at what they could see and leaning to their own understanding, but God knows all; and He sees all in every situation in your life. If they would have sought God for His wisdom and advice, He would have directed their paths and uncovered the deception of the enemy.

On a Mission for God

The Bible tells of a man of God who had been given the Lord’s divine direction, but he let a complete stranger influence him to disobey God. The Lord had instructed the man of God to go before King Jeroboam to speak judgment against the altar in Bethel because Jeroboam had sinned against God. He had set up two golden calves—one in Bethel and one in Dan—for the Children of Israel to worship, and God was angry. Jeroboam had caused the Children of Israel to fall into idol worship, and the man of God had been sent to deliver a message of judgment from the Lord.

And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him. And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before (I Kings 13:4,6). One minute, the king was ready to take hold of that man of God; and the next minute, he was begging him to pray for him to receive a miracle.

Never Disobey the Lord

King Jeroboam was so happy to receive his miracle that he invited the man of God to his home to receive a reward; but the man of God answered, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest. So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel (I Kings 13:8-10). The man of God knew exactly what the Lord had told him to do.

An old prophet of Bethel heard about what had happened between the man of God and the king, and he knew what God had commanded the man of God to do; nevertheless, he sought out the man of God and invited him to his home. Again, the man of God repeated the same thing he had told the king—that the Lord had commanded him not to eat, drink or return the same way he had come.

Then the old prophet lied to the man of God. He told him that he had received word from the Lord through an angel telling him to bring the man of God back to his house to eat bread and drink water. Unfortunately, the man of God listened to the old prophet and went with him. Afterward, the Lord declared judgment on him for disobeying His commandments. And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back. And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him (I Kings 13:24,25).

The Lord gives commandments in His Holy Bible, and we are to obey them no matter what someone else tells us. If we do not obey them, the end result will be death just like it was for that man of God. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23).

Always Follow God’s Way

The Lord had given the man of God three simple instructions—do not eat bread; do not drink water, and do not return the same way you came—but he failed to do all three of those things because he chose to believe an old prophet who told him that he had received different instructions from an angel.

Paul says, But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed (Galatians 1:8). If someone tells you to do something that goes against the Word of God, you need to obey the Word of God and not the word of that person.

You can keep yourself from falling into a trap like the man of God did by following three simple steps given in the Bible—pray, fast and live in the Word of God. If you do those three things, you will be alert when the enemy sends someone your way to try to deceive you into failing God.

There are very few ministers today who preach that people must be born again and live free from all sin. Instead, they preach a message that makes people feel good saying that no one is perfect, and everybody sins a little; but the Bible says, Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy (I Peter 1:16).

Receive God’s Salvation

Sinner, you may be wondering how you can know what the divine direction of the Lord is for your life. Well, the first step is to receive Jesus Christ into your heart as your personal Savior. A Pharisee named Nicodemus had many questions, but he chose to seek Jesus for the answers; and Jesus told him, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews, yet Jesus still had to teach him the plan of salvation. Nicodemus might have been a very good man, but he still wasn’t going to make it to Heaven until he accepted Jesus Christ into his heart and became born again.

You may think you are saved because you are a good person, but you have to be born again to truly be saved and make it into Heaven. If you have not asked Jesus into your heart and confessed your sins, you are not born again; and it doesn’t matter what anyone else may tell you.

Once you do confess your sins, the Bible says, He [the Lord] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). God will never remember your sins against you. He will take those sins and throw them into the sea of forgetfulness.

He will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19).

If you want to be saved right now, say the sinner’s prayer located on page 6 of this magazine. Then after you receive salvation, you must go on to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost must live on the inside of you if you want to go with Jesus when He comes for His Bride. And while you are still on this Earth, He will be your guide and your teacher; and He will give you the direction you need for your life. He will comfort you and guide you onto the path the Lord wants you to take.

God bless you today.