Thy word is a lamp unto thy feet, and a light unto thy path.  – Psalm 109:105

When I buy someone a new Bible, I usually sign it with, “May this Bible be a lamp for your feet, and a light for your path.”  I was handed my own copy of the Word when I was 16 right after I was saved.  Unfortunately, I didn’t seriously start reading it for quite a few years.  I wondered why my life seemed to get worse after I was saved.  Looking back, the reason is simple:  The Bible was providing me no light at all because I wasn’t reading it.

Today, the Bible is God’s primary way of speaking.  I know we live in a world where “God told me” and “I’m going to speak from my heart” seems to be what church goers want to hear.  I’m not going to pretend like I haven’t fallen into those traps, because I have.  The older I get, the more I realize God’s Word stands on its own and needs no man to offer his interpretation.

Last week, I was with two other people who knew little of God’s Word.  I did nothing but simply read Daniel 3.  It was a study Bible, so I read a paragraph that talked about how, if we really decide to live for the Lord, some people might praise us for doing so, but others might make fun of us.  Receiving praise is easy, but we must be willing to be thrown into the fire. 

I can’t even begin to tell you how that one maybe 10-minute message has begun to spread like wildfire.  I really can’t believe it myself.  I’ve spent hours and hours studying God’s Word.  I’ve spent hours and hours outlining sermons to preach.  Nothing has brought people to the Lord like the simple reading of God’s Word.  Sermons have profited me, but nothing has grown me like the diligent reading of His Word over the years.

As many of you know, I’ve been preaching at Oconee State Park since Memorial Day.  This past Sunday was my last park sermon of the year.  Tony Grant, whom most of you probably know, will be doing the last one this Sunday.  This is bittersweet for me.  On one hand, I’ve known where I was going to be every Sunday for these past three months.  Now, I don’t know where I’ll be.  I must trust that God’s word will light my path and create a circle of light around my feet.  I can only see my next few steps living this way.  God has never revealed any kind of long term stay for me.  I’ve never really been offered the consistency of a church home.  It does make me a bit jealous of those who do have that sometimes.  But then things happen like they have these past couple of weeks, and I realize that I have so often been exactly where I needed to be at exactly the right time.

Lord, there is no one like You.  Forgive me for treating You way too often like You are Burger King instead of the King of Kings.  I so often want things “my way right away.”  You simply want me to live by faith.  You simply want me to trust You.  You’ve lit my path and have provided light for my feet.  I don’t know where I’ll be weeks from now, but I know that I can go to work here in a little bit and honor You with the way that I teach, the way I react, and the way that I give my best for You.  Fill me with the Holy Spirit, Lord.  Search me and know my heart!  If there be any wicked way inside there, please clean it up, Lord!  I’m more than aware of some wickedness in my heart.  Take care of it, Lord.  Cleanse my heart in a way that glorifies and magnifies Your Name.  May I take no credit for cleaning myself up.  If not for You . . . I’d be so lost.  Thank You for Psalm 109, verse 105.  Amen!