Ever consider a new path?  Take a turn toward the unknown?

Will it be a thrilling adventure, or a trial and a hardship?

From the moment my heart was pierced by the word of truth, I knew it was time to take action. For years, I had been “going to church”. I had not been reading the Holy Bible, which is the inspired, living & active word of God. When I discovered the body of Christ is the Lord’s ekklésia (assembly), and His body consists of members who individually believed the word of life, then acted upon it by repenting (changing one’s mind & purpose to the will of God), confessing with their mouth Jesus as Lord, believing God raised Him from the dead; being dipped (fully submerged under water) in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness (dismissal, release) of sins, and walking in newness of life…it became impossible for me to continue in my old ways according to my wrong beliefs.
It became apparent to me the choice comes down to this: either reject God altogether, or fully turn to Him from wickedness. I’m here to tell you, whichever way you choose, there is an inevitable death that follows. Either you choose to die to sin and live to God through His Son (Romans 6), now & for eternity; OR, remain dead in sin and suffer condemnation.

I chose to die to sin,

and live.

Now, most days feel like a risk-taking, heart-racing leap off the edge of a high cliff, relinquishing control of the life I once called my own. In order to keep the word of Christ, we are required to give up any say-so we have regarding our time on earth, every bit of it, and put ourselves & everything we have into the hands of our Maker (It is He who has made us, not we ourselves – Psalm 100), to be used in whatever way He says…wherever, and among whomever, He decides to place us.

In Mark 8:34-36 KJV, hear the words of Jesus.

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Anyone who has a “Jesus is my co-pilot” attitude, in reference to the Christ, hasn’t denied themselves, taken up their cross and followed after the One who said His righteous one shall live by faith.

This morning, I read Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV:
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.

Did you hear that?

‘He shall direct thy paths.’

Does that sound like a terrifying prospect?

Be encouraged by the word of truth.

Hebrews 10:39 KJV
But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Draw inspiration & encouragement from the words & actions of God’s servant David:

1 Samuel 17:45-47 KJV

Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.

And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

If you have read 1 Samuel 17, you discovered, in the previous verses 34-37, David testifying about God’s deliverance. From there, he went forth, declared God, and hastened, running toward the army to meet Goliath.

David not only declared his faith in God, he acted upon it!

Today, I exhort you to take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and act upon the truth you find therein.