Isaiah 35:8 – “And a highway will be there, a roadway, and it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, but it will be for him who walks that way, and fools will not wander on it.”  NASB

I believe in practicality in biblical truths.  The theoretical has a place but when it comes to our relationship with God and His guidance we need to move beyond theoretical to practical.  I have been on a quest to discover and teach people how to discern or know the guidance of God in our daily lives.

I have encountered two extremes regarding God’s guidance.  One group says, “God told me” regarding everything even things that are blatantly lacking biblical foundation.  The other says, “God does not speak anymore.”  I consider both extremes and detrimental to the Body of Christ and the Kingdom of God.  They have both been instrumental in causing some to discard the wonderful truth of “Divine Guidance.”  The response has often been like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. 

The passage in Isaiah 35 is a beautiful promise.  The picture of a highway in the wilderness that is so clear and straight that even the simple can follow it.  I believe that God wants to guide us today.  Jesus said in John 16:13, “When He, the Spirit of Truth is come, He will guide you into all truth…”  Who is this?  Who is He dealing with?  What is He going to do?  How much truth?  All valid questions.  This guide of John 16 is the Holy Spirit.  He is a person and can never be reduced to a method or theory.  But He is guided by some clearly revealed principles in scripture.

Our objective is to learn to distinguish God’s Guidance from the confusion of our own desires, prejudices, preconceived notions, and impulses.  We also need to learn to distinguish the counterfeits of the devil.  I like to say, “Nobody gets lost on a straight road.”  In my years of Christian ministry, I have found that many are fixated on finding a ‘surefire’ way to know what direction or action to take in life.  We want to be ‘on target’ and not ‘miss the mark.’

Those who do not know Jesus sometimes seek many forms of guidance including psychics, prognosticators, astrologers, market analysts, etc.  We encounter ‘experts’ in every field and there is frequently great disagreement and confusion produced in the ‘truth-seekers.’  Why?  Basically, it is because they believe that all wisdom comes from the same source.  That is wrong! 

The Bible teaches that there are two sources of wisdom.  There is Wisdom from Above and Wisdom from Below.  We have God’s Wisdom and the faux wisdom that comes from the devil.  The Wisdom from Above is Truth and the other is False.  One causes us to “hit the mark” and the other to “miss the mark.”

God’s Provision for Guidance is first and foremost the Lord Jesus Christ.  He saves us and enables us to be reestablished in a right relationship with God thereby opening the door to Light and Life.  Secondly, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  We see that in Acts 2:38, John 16:13, and Luke 11:13.  Thirdly we have the Holy Scriptures.  The Bible is the written revelation of the will and purpose of God.  John 8:31-32 – “Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Everybody lives by some authority and Jesus said that if we make God’s Word our authority we will never be put to shame.

There are a Process and a Progression that is needful for us to understand but I will wait until the next devotional to address that.  Therefore, we will pause here and pray that the LORD will guard and guide you through this day.

Have a Great Day in the Love and Light of God!