Psalm 25:4, 5 (NIV) Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:4, 5 (NLT) Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. COMMENTARY PEARL Jesus In Show-And-Tell Every January, I attend a retreat that helps ready me for the year's ministry demands. I've developed friendships there, and one of those friends enjoys watercolor painting. She began posting pictures of her art on Facebook. The beauty of her paintings inspired me to try, but I didn't know where to begin. So, one year, I packed a paint palette and a pad of watercolor paper for the retreat. When we had free time in our schedule, I asked my artist friend to teach me some beginner techniques. Show-and-tell works best for me when I want to learn a new skill. Listening to someone tell me what to do is okay, but combining that with watching a demonstration makes a world of difference for me. JESUS KNEW THAT SHOW-AND-TELL IS AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO TEACH SPIRITUAL TRUTHS TOO. ON ONE OCCASION THE DISCIPLES ASKED HIM TO TEACH THEM TO PRAY (LUKE 11:1). USING WORDS, HE GAVE THEM A TEMPLATE TO FOLLOW. NOT ONLY DID JESUS USE WORDS TO INSTRUCT THEM, BUT HE ALSO DEMONSTRATED BY EXAMPLE. HE ROSE EARLY IN THE MORNINGS TO TALK WITH HIS FATHER (MARK 1:35). HE PRAYED BEFORE PERFORMING MIRACLES AND WHEN IN DISTRESS (MATTHEW 14:19-21; LUKE 22:44). JESUS KNEW HOW BEST TO INSTRUCT ME FOR VICTORIOUS LIVING. HE TAUGHT ME WITH HIS WORDS, AND THEN HE DEMONSTRATED WITH HIS LIFE. NOW LET ME DO AS HE DID. Grace Fox Faith Step: Jesus taught and lived a holy life. Ask Him to help you follow His example. [Mornings With Jesus 2022 Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan] COMMENTARY Grounded in Truth If we'll let the truths of Scripture fill our minds, guard our emotions, and influence our conduct, God will richly reward us. I'm talking about spiritual blessings here (though He at times chooses to bless materially as well). By reading and meditating on His Word, you'll learn to understand His ways. This isn't something we can figure out on our own, because His ways are unlike ours - they are higher, bigger, and eternal. Also, your relationship with the Lord will grow increasingly more intimate because He chooses to reveal Himself to those who seek Him and obey His instructions. When you see that God always keeps His promises, your confidence in His faithfulness will soar. No matter what the situation, you'll know you can trust Him. Then He'll transform your worries into joyful anticipation about what He's going to do next in your life. Even if hard times await, you'll be convinced that the Lord will work them out for good. A life grounded in truth is powerful. Those who live by the Word develop spiritual discernment, which guides their choices and guards against deception. Because they demonstrate wisdom and godliness, the Lord enables them to impact others greatly. Since He knows they can be trusted, He also gives them greater responsibilities and opportunities for service in His kingdom. With all this available to us, wouldn't it be wise to invest our time and energy in building the truth of God's Word into our lives? The other activities which clamor for our attention seem so important or pleasurable, but none of them can offer us the spiritual riches of a life grounded in truth. [In Touch Daily Devotional by Charles Stanley at www.intouch.org] CLOSING THOUGHT My husband and I recently explored Portland Island, a provincial park in the southern Gulf Islands off British Columbias coast. It features more than six miles of hiking trails. At the start of the trail system stands a map that shows optional destinations. Gene and I chose an hour-long walk to a sheltered cove on the opposite side of the island. The path led us through dense woods and intersected with other trails several times. We could easily have followed any of them and been misled. Thankfully the park caretakers had gone before us and posted little wooden signs with arrows and smaller maps. Where the forest thinned and allowed sunshine to warm the ground, the path disappeared into a meadow of soft grasses covered with delicate yellow flowers. Which way should we go now? we wondered. We searched the meadows perimeter for a few minutes and, sure enough, found another sign pointing us toward the cove. WHENEVER I FACE A MAJOR DECISION, I ASK JESUS TO GUIDE MY PATH. HE IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE, AND I COUNT ON HIM TO DIRECT ME. HE ALWAYS GIVES MARKERS TO POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION - BIBLE VERSES THAT SPEAK TO ME, THE HOLY SPIRITS WHISPERS, OTHER PEOPLES WISDOM, AND CIRCUMSTANCES. My confidence in Jesuss ability to guide me to His desired destination for me has increased exponentially over time and through experience. I never fear taking the wrong path. Hes too loving and faithful to allow me to be misled. by Grace Fox Faith Step: Draw a picture of an arrow-shaped sign. Write a prayer of thanksgiving to Jesus for His promise to guide you in every decision you make. [Mornings With Jesus 2020 Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan] LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE Psalm 25:4 - True Delights! http://www.abible.com/devotions/2011/20110130-2101.html Psalm 25:5 - Waiting on the Lord. http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20200625-0848.html YOUR COMMENTS If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or testimony on this passage of Scripture, either personal or otherwise, I would be interested in hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred Gibbs LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT Most Important Decision in Life: http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 A Man without Equal by Bill Bright: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo Steps to Peace by Billy Graham: https://stepstopeace.org/ Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782 Prayer Made Real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/ Amazing Facts Bible Studies: http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study Guides: https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/ LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/ Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW: https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657 Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE